Chapter 30 #2
The silence felt a little awkward, though, filled only with the thump of his dark industrial music and swish of tires. I had a whole day of this, being in his presence. Being around him.
And I couldn’t decide if that fluttering feeling was anxiety or…anticipation. Maybe a little bit of both.
I went back to chugging my coffee.
The rain had subsided to a misty drizzle by the time Sky pulled into the pothole-ridden employee lot behind Oasis. A few cars were scattered across the spaces marked with fading white paint, including Tony’s souped-up street racer and Kelly’s pink two-door coupe.
I nearly sighed. I wasn’t sure I had the energy for her this morning, but it didn’t look like I had a choice.
The clouds hovered, heavy and gray, promising more storms. I dodged one of the parking lot’s many puddles as I climbed out of Sky’s SUV and smoothed down my work dress, rubbing my arms against the chill. I really should’ve grabbed a coat.
I heaved my bag’s strap higher as Sky shut the driver’s side door. He looked my way, pocketing his keys. The wind tugged on his dark hair, and while he said nothing, his questioning look was enough—as if he was asking if I’d be okay.
I shifted from foot to foot, gripping my shoulder strap. I was okay, but…I felt strangely uncomfortable at the thought of being apart from him.
Which was ridiculous. He’d be right upstairs. An Enil wasn’t going to crash-land on top of Oasis.
Maybe I’d gotten kind of used to him being around. It didn’t help that it felt like there were still unspoken words hanging between us. Lingering tension. As if everything that’d happened had created this tether pulling me to him. Like I saw him—
I didn’t get to analyze that any further because my gaze slid past him and locked on Kelly behind her windshield.
She was staring at us staring at each other, her eyes wide.
Oh no. We’d just shown up together, first thing in the morning. I knew what it looked like. Or at least what she’d assume.
Which…was exactly what we’d done. Technically. He’d slept on the couch, but still. Close enough.
But how did I explain that?
I nearly groaned. So much for a calm, easy shift.
Maybe I could dodge her. I turned and power-walked toward the restaurant. I’d only made it a few steps before Kelly’s car door slammed. Her footsteps sped up.
She was coming.
I cast a desperate look Sky’s way as he rounded the SUV. He flicked his brows in a you’re-on-your-own slant before heading in the other direction. I watched him stride for his apartment stairs. He didn’t look back, the alien traitor.
I turned around just as Kelly descended on me with bouncing curls and the widest of smiles.
“Good morning, Rae-bae,” she said, tone positively chipper. Her eyes sparkled with razor-sharp curiosity. “Details. Now.”
Resigned, I sighed, adjusting my bag’s strap again and falling into step beside her. “Morning, Kelly.”
The gravel crunched under our shoes as a gust of wind blew in the scent of petrichor and frying bacon from the kitchen vents.
“So,” she said casually, “are you, like, banging the hottie bartender or what?”
Heat flooded my face. “Seriously? You couldn’t even wait until we’re inside?”
I glanced over my shoulder, but thankfully, Sky had already disappeared up the back steps leading to his door. He was nowhere to be seen. For now. I exhaled, relieved.
“No, I’m not sleeping with Sky,” I said, turning a glare on her.
“Why not?”
Yeah, why not?
I cleared my throat, shoving back my hair. “Because. We’re just…friends.”
Friends. If that was what you wanted to call two people—a human and an alien—stuck together thanks to a mysterious mission from the stars and my inability to keep my hands off extraterrestrial things.
…all extraterrestrial things.
“Friends,” Kelly repeated, the word dripping so much skepticism I was surprised we weren’t leaving a trail.
“Yeah, friends.” I shot her a look. “Two people of the opposite sex can be friends, Kel.”
“Okay. And why were you riding to work with your friend today?”
We neared the break area, which smelled faintly of stale cigarette smoke. Tony must’ve had a pre-lunch-shift puff. Kelly stepped through the cloud and pulled open the employee entrance door, raising a brow when I didn’t answer right away.
“I’ve been having car issues,” I said, shrugging and nearly dislodging my bag in the process. I hitched it back up. “Remember the other day?”
She nodded, eyes narrowed, and I forged ahead, the lie gaining steam. “He, uh, gave me a ride home after my accident and offered to pick me up today.”
Kelly snorted, flipping her hair over her shoulder as we stepped inside. “Well, if I’d known that’s all it took to get his attention, I’d have slashed my own tires months ago.”
A snicker escaped me before I could stop it, and I elbowed her. “Stop. You would not have. You wouldn’t stoop that low.”
“Okay, fine. You’re right. I don’t usually need to.” She stopped at the back server station’s touchscreen and eyed me speculatively. “But some guys are worth a little desperation.”
Desperation. Gnawing on my lip, I watched her punch in her code and wondered, not for the first time, if I was the desperate one. After all, I couldn’t seem to shake my fascination with Sky—nor my attraction. Despite everything I knew.
Kelly moved aside, giving me access to the screen for my own clock-in. I typed in my numbers.
“What’s he think about the aliens?” Kelly asked, and I missed a digit. The screen flashed red, and I couldn’t suppress my snicker.
“Oh, he’s got very strong opinions,” I said, biting my cheek hard as I started over.
This time, the numbers took, and when I turned back to Kelly, she was watching me with barely disguised glee. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Before she could dig deeper, I leaned in. “Speaking of. This friend of yours…the FETR guy?”
“Cane,” she supplied, the gleam in her eyes becoming nearly maniacal.
“Yeah, him. Does he know…well, have you guys actually made contact with any extraterrestrials? Hypothetically, I mean. I still don’t know if I believe in any of that stuff,” I added for good measure.
Which was clearly a lie. I didn’t have a choice now, did I?
“Well, look at you.” Kelly leaned back against the server station, bracing her elbows on its edge. Her smirk was sharp, knowing. Triumphant. “You’re, like, hooked, aren’t you? Did Mr. Sexy Bartender finally convince you?”
If she only knew.
“No, Sky didn’t have anything to do with it.” Sky had everything to do with it. “I’m just curious.”
“Uh-huh.” Kelly gave me a look but let it slide. “Cane said FETR has contacts inside the License 16 branch of the government.”
“License what?”
“License 16,” she repeated, slower. Like that was the issue. When I just stared blankly, she rolled her eyes and lowered her voice. “They’re the real-life Men in Black. Duh.”
Okay, now we were drifting back into far-fetched territory.
I arched a brow, pressing my lips together. “Is Will Smith a member?”
“It’s serious, Rae.”
I schooled my expression. “Okay. And what’s MIB think about our alien invasion?”
Kelly grew somber. Which was a strange look on her. It brought me up straighter.
“Actually, Rae…they’re supposedly worked up about it, okay?
” She glanced around before crowding closer, and her mood shift was sudden enough that I followed suit without really thinking about it.
Satisfied no one was close, she continued.
“I just know something has the powers-that-be worried. The FETR network’s on high alert.
Cane said something big is going on, and he and the other Skywatch Spotters in the area were all activated.
Apparently, there was some kind of alert message last week… ”
Skywatch Spotters? It sounded so ridiculous, I wanted to laugh. I wanted to roll my eyes and crack a joke about paranoid YouTubers and tinfoil hats. To make fun of it.
Maybe I would have a week ago. But that was before I’d seen what I’d seen.
Before weird alien glyphs had been burned into my hand.
Before a Pladian had told me I might be carrying alien information in the inner recesses of my mind. Before I’d touched said Pladian and watched him transform.
I curled my fingers, hiding the nearly invisible marks. It was hard to keep up the act when I knew these FETR people were at least partially right. About some of it, anyway.
As much as I hated to admit it…the Friends of the Extraterrestrial Races had guessed correctly. Something was happening.
And I’d somehow crash-landed right smack in the middle of it.