To Be Young And In Love In New York City

Chapter 3: "Secret BDSM Lair?"

River directed the way out of the parking lot. They walked close together, only a few inches keeping them apart.

"What about your car?" Colette asked as they were nearing the exit.

"It's at servicing. I took a cab here."

They walked in silence for a while, until they reached a street that was empty except for a couple that passed them, their fingers entangled. Colette smiled at the sight of them.

"So Colette," River turned around to face her as he started walking backward, hands shoved in his pockets, "Tell me about yourself."

"Okay. What do you wanna know?"

He thought for a moment. "Let's start with simple questions. Full name?"

"Colette Gracie Savannah Abernathy."

"Huh, long name. I'm River Everett Glendon." He looked behind him to see if there were any hindrances and continued his backward walking. "Next. What do you do?"

"I'm a postgraduate student, first year."

"Major?"

"Psychology. What do you do, River Glendon?"

He smiled at the mention of his full name. "I work in a mechanic shop."

Colette frowned. "Oh."

River chuckled. "Yeah, that's the usual reaction I get."

She blushed, feeling embarrassed. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean, it's completely okay-"

"No, it's okay." He waved it off. "A lot of people say I don't seem like a mechanic."

"Well, you don't."

"Tell me, Colette Savannah Gracie Aberna-"

"Gracie Savannah." She corrected.

"Right." He smiled. "Colette Gracie Savannah Abernathy, what do mechanics seem like?"

"Definitely not like you."

River laughed.

"I mean," Colette stopped walking, "You seem like a smart, nerdy, talented guy who probably is always buried under a heap of books, gets amazing grades in college, and makes his mama proud."

River stopped walking and laughed again.

Colette grinned in response and they started walking again.

"Here's the thing, Colette. I was a nerd. Still am. I did get really good grades and yes, I was always buried under books, except they weren't school books. I read novels, hundreds of them. I was so into writing and reading from a very young age. And I always wanted to be a writer, but my parents disapproved."

"I'm sorry," She said. "Why?"

"Because they own this company called Dery and-"

"Hold up," Colette held her finger up, her eyebrows knit together. "Your parents own Dery?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Why do you seem so surprised?"

"Because it's one of the biggest automobile companies in this country! Wow, you must be super rich."

River shook his head. "I'm not rich, Colette, my parents are. Anyways, they own Dery and they told me in high school that I would be taking over it after I'm done with my education. They took me to their offices, the company headquarters several times to show me where I'd be working when I'm older. I didn't want to be a part of it, I didn't want to work in their company, but I never said no to them because I wanted to make them happy."