Page 10 of Bride for the Space Cowboy

Jane’s lips twist to the side. “They had the wedding planned before I even got here. Asher went to Earth to find me. The whole princess thing was really important.”

“Oh,” I say. A week feels like forever, and I’m impatient. “Will I keep staying where I am now?”

“Yes.”

Jane leads me out of the room. We pass by Kayden speaking with Asher in the hallway. I can feel the magnetic force when I walk past him. I turn to look, and his eyes hold mine. For the first time, I see him smile. His lips curl, just barely, when Jane says, “Nadine has agreed to be yours.”

My belly flutters, and I think this might be the longest week of my life.

That evening, I’m back at the house I’m sharing with the other women from Earth. Aside from Jane, I’m the only one claimed. Considering that I experienced the most otherworldlyconnection of my life the very first time I clapped eyes on Kayden, I want everyone who came with us to find the same thing.

We’re seated out in the courtyard with trees, flowers, and creatures like birds but a little different. This planet is what I imagined Earth was like before it got baked to a dry crisp.

A staff person pours us glasses of pink liquid. Jane smiles. “Did you ever have a lemonade back on Earth?” she asks, her gaze encompassing all of us.

“Oh no. All I’ve ever had is water,” Romi says.

“Water, and I suppose when I was a baby, I was breastfed,” Melody offers dryly.

I like Melody with her sly sense of humor. She has bruising on her arm that looks like a handprint.

“Just water for me,” I chime in. “My mom told me about lemonade. I hear they have it in the green zone.”

“Ha!” Romi says, her brows hitching up. “The green zone. My parents were on the list to move there, but then they both died in the fire in the old factory.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say, reaching over and squeezing her shoulder. “I know what it feels like to be alone.”

“Most women on Earth know that feeling well,” Melody says softly.

Jane fills the silence that follows. “Anyone who comes here through my matchmaking service has no family left on Earth. That’s part of the deal. Not because we want you to be alone. Helena explained that it’s really important for you not to worry about who you left behind.”

“Ohhhh,” I say slowly. “That makes sense. Our bad luck on Earth can be good luck here.”

Jane lifts one shoulder in a slight shrug. “I suppose. I don’t know that there’s any good luck these days for women on Earth.It’s not as if things are perfect here either. I haven’t had a chance to tell you what happened to me.”

“What happened?” Romi prompts.

“You mean Aphroditea is not an idyllic oasis in space where nothing ever goes wrong?” Melody teases.

Jane takes a quick breath as she shakes her head. “It is beautiful here, and they do revere women, but it’s not perfect. On the other side of the planet is another much smaller town. A faction has taken over leadership who oppose their people mating with humans. They kidnapped me.”

We collectively gasp. “Oh no! What happened?” I ask.

“As you can see, I’m fine.” She lifts both of her hands in the air, letting them fall. “Before I get into the scary part, have more lemonade.”

I take a swallow, and the tart and sweet taste is unlike anything I could’ve even imagined.

“This is amazing!” I exclaim.

We take a few moments to savor it, but I’m impatient for more on what happened to Jane.

Jane jumps in, explaining, “They grow lemons here, but they were imported from Earth before they were gone. They have a garden program dedicated to cultivating plants from other planets, in addition to what is native.”

“I heard about a seed storage place on Earth,” Romi chimes in. “No one’s ever found it, though.”

“From what I understand, seeds started being transported here centuries ago. Asher knows the whole history. Earth is so bad, but it’s not like that everywhere. They import and sell goods all over the galaxy,” Jane explains.

I circle my hand in the air. “The kidnapping? You’re kind of freaking me out.”

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