Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29593 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29593 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
“And you want our scrap metals,” he teases.
“And that. And I can get you a good deal on a toaster.”
Aithar chuckles. “I’ll talk to the others. In the meantime, perhaps you should go and talk to your friend before he decides I’m a threat and does something I’ll regret.”
I nod and give him a quick hug, then slip out the door of the cantina. Emerging into the rain, I scan the street and there’s no sign of anyone at all. No Brux. I’m disappointed that he’s not waiting on the cantina’s doorstep, but I also don’t want to cause trouble for Aithar and his friends. I head out, deliberately taking the long way home despite the pouring rain. What normally takes two minutes to walk ends up taking twenty, but still no Brux. Soaked and dismayed, I head up to my room.
Maybe Aithar was wrong. Maybe Brux wasn’t following us at all.
The next day dawns sunny, which depresses me. It’s clear weather, which means the workers at the space port will be hard at work, probably finishing up the job. Fuck. I’m tempted to go over and demand to speak to Brux again, but I chased after him last time. At some point, he’ll have to come after me.
I’ve got to keep some scrap of dignity, right?
After I dress, I shove my feet into my boots without lacing them and head down to the dining room in the boarding house. The owner always provides a breakfast of some kind, even if it’s usually the terrible, cakey version of Risda bread. I make myself some toast with jam and sit down to eat at the same table as Daphne, the seamstress who also lives here full-time. As usual, Daphne is bent over a piece of clothing she’s repairing, her food getting cold next to her.
“You look busy this morning,” I comment between bites of toast.
She nods, picking at another stitch. “You’d think when they send these crews out that they’d send some sort of machine to repair their uniforms, but no. Do you know how much they charge these men to fix a tear?”
“More than you charge?” I guess, mouth full.
She doesn’t even look up, just smiles wryly at her work as she continues. “Exactly. Which is why I need to get this all done as quickly as possible. I got a notice that the job at the dock is done and so of course they all want their uniforms back today, wouldn’t you know.”
I choke on the toast, and struggle down a sip of tea to clear my throat. “T-today?”
“That’s what I heard. Pick up a needle if you want to help me. I need all the hands I can get.”
“I…can’t. Busy.” I shove my toast in my mouth and race out the door, limping as my boots threaten to fall off my feet. I have to go. Have to talk to Brux. Have to talk to him before he just abandons me here again—
I slam into a large body. I stagger backward in surprise, practically crashing into the side of the building as I try to keep my balance. A big hand reaches out and grabs my arm, helping me upright.
It’s Brux, and my toast is now stuck to the front of his dock uniform.
“Oh my god!” Horrified, I reach out and pry my toast off his tunic, but it leaves a smear in the shape of the toast. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
“I noticed.”
Brux doesn’t smile to take the sting out of his words. He shifts uncomfortably on his feet, his tail twitching with agitation…
…and then I notice that he’s got a cart behind him, full of scrap.
Oh. He’s not here because he’s jealous. He’s just bringing me scrap. I’m so crushed I could weep.
“I thought you were gone,” I blurt out. “That you’d left.”
“Not quite yet. I wanted to bring you the rest of the scrap.” He scratches the side of his jaw, tail flicking wildly. “Wanted to tell you that I’m sorry about how things went between us.”
So he’s not madly in love with me? It’s not what I wanted to hear, but it just proves again that he’s a decent guy. I manage a smile. “I appreciate the scrap.”
“And the apology?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I don’t know how I feel about that part, to be honest. You hurt my feelings. I made myself vulnerable to you and it felt like you slapped me in the face. I don’t know what you think of me, but I don’t throw myself at every alien I see. Just the ones that I haven’t been able to get out of my head for the last five years.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I wanted it to be more. It’s just…” He stares off into the distance. “That last time you and I got together, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was for all the wrong reasons.”