Page 72 of Rock Me

"Sorry, I’m a little tired. Can you say it again?"

"I just said that we've been together for a few months. We are really in love. We spend pretty much every night together, either at your place or mine."

"And... um, my place is?" I ask.

"Oh, you don't remember that either? You share an apartment with Paige at The Emerson. You've probably been there for three and half years. You like it there."

I nod. Because no, I didn’t forget. That’s a detail I do remember, and I was testing him. And he passed the test.

"What... what else can you tell me?”

"Well, we were planning a visit to Maine to visit your family. It's your mom's 50th next month, and we were going to go and surprise her. You haven't been home for her birthday since you moved to L.A."

How could he know that? I would only tell someone I'm close to that particular wish. To wake my mom up with a breakfast in bed on her birthday.

"How... how could you know that?" I ask him.

"Oh babe, you told me. You tell me everything. I know you. I know you, babe. And you know me." He shifts closer and I try not to grimace.

"Tell me about you,” I say, fidgeting with the arm of the couch to avoid too much eye contact while I try to figure out what’s going on.

"Well, I'm the host on a cable TV show."

That I remember. Can it really be the only thing I remember about him?

"I moved here from San Jose three years ago. I'm an only child. I have a dog. That’s what we first bonded over, because you love dogs. His name is Beto, but you call him Toto, because you hate human names for animals.”

Everything he says... everything he seems to know about me, is true.

"Do we...?" I start, but don't know how to finish.

"Do we what, babe?"

"Do we... are we... intimate?"

A grin spreads across his face and I have to admit he's good looking, in a slick, too charming kind of way. Did I fall for it?

"Yeah, babe, of course. Why do you think we spend every night together?" He shifts closer on the couch, and leans in, his mouth hot against my ear, "you love it when I kiss that little yin yang birthmark you have on your butt."

I gasp. My birthmark.

How could he know about my birthmark?

Nobody knows. Nobody. Unless they've seen it for themselves.

Oh my god.

He seems to pick up on my reaction.

His eyes widen and he clasps my hand. "Babe! Do you believe me now? Do you finally believe me?

I can't do anything but nod. I believe him. I have to.

"Oh my god, Noémie, I've missed you so much!" A smile breaks on his face and he looks so happy. He pulls me into a hug, his arms tight around my body. "Oh, baby! I'm so happy!"

I don’t hug him back, but I don’t pull away. I don’t want to hurt him.

"But you remember, or at least, you believe me now. Now we can be together, I'll help you! Anything you need. And as soon as you get better, you can come home, with me, and I'll take care of you!"