Page 49 of Dream Girl
Equipment? It was nice that he wanted to give me a lab at his company, but what exactly did he think I was doing? But then Evan said he was a mad scientist with a biotech company. I had no idea what sort of scientific advancements they had here. Many, if I were just going by my medical care.
I took another sip of the frothy, milky tea. “It was just a hobby I was passionate about. I… I don’t think I got here myself by using that research.”
“There’s a lot to consider when working on theories such as that,” he agreed. “Also, as I said before, there could be ramifications not just to proving them, but making them work.”
“True.” That was the biggest reason I didn’t think I brought myself here. It was one thing to prove parallel worlds existed. It was another to configure the theories to actually get from one to the other.
And to actually build a reliable way to travel between parallel worlds? It wasn’t just a scientific marvel, it was a big bullseye. If one person could figure it out, who else had?
“It doesn’t faze you? Where I’m from? I’m from elsewhere. I’ve come to that conclusion. Not that I’d admit that to many,” I said quietly, hoping that I could trust him.
I needed to trust them. Someone. But I wasn’t always good at picking the right people.
“That’s shrewd. No, it doesn’t. I’ve always had an interest in those theories, though my personal research doesn’t lie therein. What specifically were you working on, do you recall?” His voice was so silky.
I’d been thinking about that since last night. One of Lexi’s packmates, Rami, was an engineer working on the lunar program, and our conversation had set some things loose in my murky brain. “Qubits.”
He nodded. “Like mapping the six dimensions?”
Something loosened in my mind and another memory bubble popped. “No, I didn’t get on that project,” I breathed. “Mine was much more fundable. I don’t remember. I’m so sorry.”
But I got flickers. Fences. Badges. Guys with guns.
“Something more practical? Excellent. Not remembering isfine,my good doctor. You don’t have to be sorry. I also understand if it’s proprietary and you can’t tell me.” He opened the box. “Try.”
“Oh, I will. Evan says you have a biotech company? What do you do?” I took one of the beautiful little pastries that had yellow cream and berries.
“Mainly, we focus on painless ways to give medical care. Non-invasive scans, entire batteries of tests with a single drop of blood, vaccinations without needles.”
“Oh, I had the most curious MRI. Back home you had to be in a tube and lie still for ages, this took a few minutes, and I sat in a chair.” I took a bite, and flavor exploded across my tongue. “Mmmm.”
“It’s the fine yet simple things that make life worth living,” he told me.
“Mmmm, do I smell coffee?” Evan mumbled, sitting up. “Hi, Spence.”
“A bag with things for you and Wes is on the chair. I brought your favorite,” Spencer added.
Evan poked Wes. “Food.” He got up, came over, gave me a kiss on the cheek, then lifted me up and sat in my chair and put me on his lap.
I leaned into Evan. It should be weird. But it felt so deliciously right.
He looked at the logo on the cups. “Aren’t we fancy?”
“While you two will eat anything, I figured our good doctor would appreciate them.” Spencer handed Evan a cup.
Wes sat up. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. “Spence. Hi.”
“Katie was over at the house this morning. She gave me a bag and said that Lexi wanted this given to you. It’s in the duffel,” he added.
“Oh.” Wes practically leapt out of bed, went to the duffel, and found a plastic sack. He opened it, and a silly grin crossed his freckled face as his hazel eyes danced.
A silly, gleeful grin.
“Grace, someone wants to see you.” His voice went singsong.
“Who?” I couldn't help but grin back.Thiswas the Wes I remembered. Playful, boyish Wes.
“Mr. Hippo.” Wes withdrew a plush blue hippo from the bag. One that used to be on his bed when we’d hang out in his bedroom in our dreams.
