Chapter 8
Ryzer
Now you’ve gone and done it. Ryzer knew better.
He did, on some level, feel bad about the kiss.
She was just getting her footing, her ship was in pieces, and she was tangled up about her family.
The last thing she needed was a massive Taurian shoving a tongue down her throat.
He could have helped it. But the way she looked at him?
The way she blushed? That fact she called him pretty—ain’t nobody on the farm or in the history of never said he was pretty.
It spurred something in him he didn’t want to ignore. That was the key word, want.
Ryzer denied himself so many things he wanted to the point he couldn’t stand the idea of not having her a moment longer. Was it foolish? Absolutely, and yet, he’d made worse messes. Which is why the guilt was only sublevel, because the overwhelming feeling was need.
I need to kiss her again. They needed to go into town.
She needed to call her family and let them know what happened.
But the moment the sun set and there were less pressing matters, Ryzer planned to revisit that kiss with Daisy and see exactly what else she needed.
But maybe this time, we can be more of a gentleman?
Actually partake in that so called romance yer parents harped and showed so much?
Instead of acting like a starved man at an all ya can eat buffet?
The ride into town took no time on the regular bike.
He’d hooked up the trailer to it. If the whole crew came into town, they’d have to take the cruiser as it sat up to 10 people.
The bike was a long, narrow frame that roared as the engines kicked in and it lifted off the ground.
The trailer worked the same, plugged into the same engines and the pair moved together.
Daisy made a face like she wanted to ask to drive, but Ryzer rushed her onto the seat too fast. Coffee in hand, they needed to get moving before everywhere got busy.
Plus, driving a spaceship and his machinery was different then the bike.
He pushed a helmet on top of her cotton candy head and they took off.
He parked in his usual spot near the farm supplies warehouse.
The pair walked up and down the aisles strategically with a list Ryzer made.
After loading up the trailer with heavy crates and locking it down, they crossed to the smith who took their orders for new shoes.
Dee-Dee was correct and that an order was already ready for Jones and ready to be picked up.
Ryzer would have to come in and pick up the others on another day.
After hoof-shoes was the grocer where he had to explain to Daisy the importance of a good hot sauce for putting on top of stuff and a hot sauce for cooking with, and she ended up convincing him to bring home the fruity concoction as well to just try.
It was middle of the day as they finished packing up the trailer.
“We made good time,” Daisy announced, dusting off her hands. “Ready to head back.”
“One last stop.” Ryzer nodded his chin toward the data café down the street.
“What do we need there?” She furrowed her brow.
Ryzer pulled her data pad out of his pocket. Earlier, before they got on the bike, he noticed her pockets were distinctly lacking an important rectangle shape. He excused himself to grab one last thing and found it on her desk. And distinctly not with her. Daisy’s eyes widened and mouth fell open.
“Oh, right.”
“Yeah, yer luck or else I’d take the collect call out of yer pay,” he teased, tossing it the few inches into her hands. She hugged the device to her chest.
“It’s not like I don’t want to talk to them,” she muttered.
“Yer just avoidin’ the hurt, Sweets,” he finished.
Her blue eyes flashed up to him, pleading with him.
He shook his head and locked the trailer once more.
With a sigh, she marched toward the café.
He caught up to her quickly and followed her inside.
While she set up at one of the many plugin stations, he headed to the bar.
Ryzer ordered them both a fancy hot chocolate.
He couldn’t be fucked to remember the name, but he knew it was chocolate, espresso, and cream with a hint of cinnamon.
Dee-Dee always got it when they came into town and he’d become a little bit of a glutton for them.
The barista promised to bring it right out.
He turned and found Daisy already connecting a hologram call.
The café was practically barren, minus a gaggle of students with headphones in the far corner using the service to work on homework.
The data café was a single, open-floor room, lined with stations that connected to the satellite.
They had hologram projectors connected so someone could plug in to charge their data pad, use the keyboards, or make calls.
There wasn’t much in the way of privacy between the stations and the random tables for drink sipping patrons, but it was clean and easy to access.
Ryzer made it to Daisy’s side just in time to see her call connect. He plopped down onto one of the many stools with a grunt, awaiting their drinks. Daisy was perched on hers like a nervous gargoyle, her claws digging into the underside of it.
“Hey, Ma,” Daisy exhaled as an older looking Aquaterranian woman formed in a million little pixels.
Long, bubblegum pink, cotton candy hair clipped behind her head, dressed in a heavy-duty pair of cargo pants and flannel shirt, Daisy’s mom looked like a finely aged version of her.
And explains why she’s so comfortable on Bitterroot fields; she’s made of the same clay as me.
“Baby, that you? Where are you? Why haven’t you picked up my calls?” Her mother’s call sounded a little more frenzied and panicked than Ryzer was prepared for, Daisy less so.
Daisy’s eyes welled up in tears as she shook on her stool. “Mama, I’m alright.”
“Baby, where are you? The Aviation Council sent word the ship crashed. Said it was broken up. But then you didn’t pick up my calls and I’ve been trying to get ahold of anyone on Arcon but none of them wahoos have seen hide or hair of yours. Please tell me you’re not hurt!”
“Mama, I’m not hurt.”
Ryzer’s heart ached. He glanced up to the barista who tiptoed over with two steaming mugs.
Offering them an apologetic look, he took the drinks from her and let them cool off while Daisy talked.
Oof. He didn’t have words because, had that been his mother, she’d have reached through the hologram and strangled him.
“I’m sorry for worrying you. There’s no service out at the farm. I was out for a few days. I’m okay, I promise. I’m so sorry. I never got to the warehouse to collect, so money’s gonna be a—”
“Daisy Mirabella Hausenbach, don’t you dare fuss over a single credit. Where are you staying? Is it safe?”
Ryzer’s eyebrows went up to his horns at the way her mother scolded with Sweet’s full name.
Double oof. He took a sip of his fancy hot chocolate while Daisy fessed up to being at Bitterroot.
As the conversation went on, she swiped away tears and was able to take the mug from him.
Daisy spared him a grateful smile, but her attention was fully on her mother.
In the span of a few minutes, they talked about the last fueling, the crash, waking up to Ryzer, her offering to work at Bitterroot to pay off the ship, and even learning how to play poker.
“Oh dear, now don’t you go off and try your hand at a casino, you hear? I don’t want to peel you out of some dumpster cause you lost it big.”
“Ma!” Daisy roared with laughter. “I’m not.”
Ryzer smirked to himself, sipping peacefully.
The lull of the café was nice to just watch the bustling street outside the window.
A lot of people bartering for services or supplies.
The cattle constantly being walked up and down the roads gave him a chuckle.
Nice to see everyone has at least one steed that’s a pain in the ass.
“Ma, I know you said not to fuss over it, but I promise. I’m gonna send some credits back. I just need some time.”
Ryzer’s ears perked up as he glanced her way. A strange solution formed in his mind and didn’t even wait to process. It just fell out of his mouth. “Bring them here.”
“Wait, ma, one second,” Daisy sheepishly wheezed to her mother before jerking to stare at him. “What?”
“Tell them to come here,” he shrugged.
“Ryzer, what are you talking about? Why would they come here?” She hissed softly as if it would keep from being picked up by the call.
“What I’m talkin’ about is you have 19 first cousins who are likely old enough to feed chickens and clean barn stalls and I have a bunk house that fits 30 comfortably.
Plus, Dee-Dee wouldn’t mind having some more hands around the house, cookin’, cleanin’, laundry, etcetera.
And if yer not sendin’ half yer paycheck back home, we can get that ship out of my back field faster.
Then maybe actually use that field for more than cushion for broken up freighter, understand? ” He arched a brow.
“Woah, wait, you can’t just…” she trailed off as he saw the reality settle into her features.
It was a good idea. Bitterroot Fields could use a huge family of tenacious Daisys.
Even if they were half as stubborn as her, he might actually be able to keep the farm’s lights on.
With her crew in his bunk house, they could actually work all the fields and get crops ready for spring.
Not to mention the cattle babies. And if she wasn’t worried about her family starving on some far away moon, maybe she could finally grieve her father’s passing.
Ryzer studied her features as they subtly changed.
Acceptance settled into her face as she squeaked, “What are we gonna do with the wiggles?”
“They’ll need to adjust, but me and the boys could put together a pen for the fuzzy bastards.
” Ryzer shrugged, prepared to take a few days distracted from their usual work to build a yard and barn for the leggy things.
Besides, wiggles were good for meat, and Arcon didn’t have anyone currently breeding them.
Daisy turned her head to look at her mother who absolutely heard everything they said. “I’m not sure everyone will want to go, but me and your siblings will be on the next shuttle to Arcon. Tobi needs a job anyway, and Cara’s been itching to learn to cook.”
“Ma, that’s really expensive,” Daisy sighed.
“Baby, we’ve always had a rainy day fund.
Your father knew that ship was one bad bolt away from falling apart.
This sounds like a perfect time to use it.
” Her mother smiled and Ryzer knew a special, heartfelt conversation that didn’t need him when he heard it.
He took up their mugs and walked away to bring them back.
He got one of them for the road for Dee-Dee and by the time it was in a to-go thermos, Daisy was at his side and drying more tears.
“Ready to head back?” He arched a brow. Daisy beamed, nodding as she dried her cheeks with the cuff of her sleeve. He ruffled her hair, earning himself a soft, raspy laugh from her. It warmed his chest. Oh, I’ll kiss that better too, sweetheart.