Dwindle: Populations Crumble: Book 1

by K. A. Gandy

  No, it’s an ASAP request from Patrick. I sit up, what could he possibly want? Is it about James? I hope he didn’t cause more trouble, or what if Patrick needs to tell me I’m somehow in trouble for releasing him? I mean, he was shouting about how important he was, but I didn’t learn anything in class about getting in trouble for releasing matches. I frown, and accept the invite. The tablet dings again: Location, front porch. All righty, here I come.

  “Oh, shoot, embarrassing pajamas!” I say to no one in particular, looking down at my outfit with regret. I mean, I’m decent. It’s just a little embarrassing for someone who I’m trying to build a romantic relationship with to see me covered in tiny pink bows. But, if I stop and change he’ll be waiting. “Screw it! I’m going like this!” I grab a long sweater and pull it on as I hustle down the stairs. Thankfully, everyone else seems to already be in their rooms or still out and the sitting area is empty. I stop just inside the front door, and rake my hands through my wet hair towards my braid to try to smooth it. It probably doesn’t help, but it makes me feel better.

  I open the door, and step out into the darkness. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, but then I spot Patrick leaning against the handrail at the bottom of the stairs. Suddenly shy, I am quieter than usual when I greet him, “Hi, Patrick. Is everything okay? James didn’t cause more trouble, did he? Am I in trouble?”

  He chuckles softly and starts up the steps towards me, “No, of course not. I mean yes, everything is fine. But no, you’re not in trouble and James is already on a shuttle home. Between you and me, I think it might get a flat sometime around 3 AM and be held up.” His grin is devious. He extends one hand slowly, and catches a tendril of hair in his fingertips before tucking it carefully behind my ear. “How are you doing after all of that earlier?” he asks, stepping closer.

  “I’m okay . . . now,” I’m caught up in the moment, the heat radiating off of him causes my mind to go blank, and I can’t help but stare at his handsome face. He has strong cheekbones, and just a bit of scruff beginning to show along his jawline. His eyes are locked with mine, and it feels like we’re completely alone in the world. Just him and me, a boy and a girl, twisted up with electricity.

  “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he says on a quiet exhale.

  I can feel my blush creeping up, and I glance down to avoid his deep blue gaze. His fingertips find my chin.

  “I mean it, truly. You’re stunning in the moonlight. I’ll probably dream about kissing you tonight.” He locks eyes with me again.

  “Just dream?” The words pop out of their own accord; I’ve never been so bold with a man in my life.

  This time the smile spreading across his face is slow, steady. Like the sun peeking up over the horizon in the morning, it shines across his entire face. His hand slides along my jaw to the back of my neck, underneath my braid. He leans in closely, and I think he’s going to kiss me right then, but instead he places his lips right next to my ear and whispers softly, “It could be more than a dream, if you’re ready.”

  His lips just barely brush my ear as he speaks, and my whole body shudders. He pulls back just enough to see my face again and waits. It dawns on me that he’s waiting for me to give him permission, rather than diving in for the kiss. My heart warms in my chest, and I give him the tiniest of nods.

  Without waiting another second, he swoops forward and presses his lips firmly to mine. Warm and strong and firm, yet soft at the same time. It’s the most glorious and surprising thing I’ve ever experienced. He lingers for a moment before pulling back. His thumb glides up and down the side of my neck, and I shiver again.

  “Are you cold?” he asks with concern.

  “No, I’m perfect,” I reply, “But I can’t believe I had my first kiss in these ridiculous bow pajamas.” I admit sheepishly.

  He laughs, loud and surprised before stepping back and taking me in head to toe, “I think they’re cute!”

  I hang my head in mortification, “They’re embarrassing! So, did you just come to kiss me? Not that I’m complaining, I was just worried when I saw the ASAP request.” I quickly change the subject, and walk over to the porch railing to lean against it.

  He follows and arranges himself next to me, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. I just thought you’d like to know that James was already gone, and he wouldn’t be bothering you anymore. Plus, I heard some gossip that I missed some homemade baked goods, and I have to admit I was jealous. Do you think I might earn some home baking anytime soon?” He looks hopeful.

  Now it’s my turn to grin, “What’s your favorite?”

  “Hmmm,” he rubs his chin, “Well, I’m sure anything you make would be good, but I really love chocolate chip cookies. They’re simple, but they’re my favorite. My mom used to make them as a pick-me-up when I had a hard day at school.”

  “Aww, that’s sweet! Is your mom here in Georada?” I ask and bump my shoulder against his. He hasn’t really shared anything about his family so far.

  “No, she and my dad live up in Wrightsville now.”

  “Oh, in the capital? That’s pretty far north. How did you end up all the way down here?”

  He shrugs lightly, “This is the New Life Center I was assigned to, so here I am.”

  We’re both quiet for a beat.

  “Can I ask you something?” He sounds hesitant.

  I look up at him, “Of course, what is it?”

  “Is there a reason you had a date with everyone except me today? I didn’t scare you off the other night, with the kidnapper situation did I?” He looks genuinely concerned.

  “Honestly, I haven’t thought much about that. Does that make me a bad person? I mean, a man died and I was mostly just relieved to be safe myself. And no, that’s not why I didn’t ask you on a date. Mostly I just realized I had spent way more time with you than the others, and I didn’t want to be unfair and not at least get to finish meeting all of them.” I stop abruptly, and decide to omit the part about deciding he was going to be one of my front runners due to his high fertility rating. I wouldn’t want him to think I was only after him for his sperm, after all. Awkward.

  “Ahh, I see,” he says, looking down at our feet. “So, does that mean I’m still in the running at least? You’re not put off by a lowly security guard?” He gives me a sideways glance.

  “Uh, no, definitely not put off by that. You and Grant are the only ones with normal jobs. Everyone else is either fancy or powerful or richer than Solomon. It’s a little intimidating, frankly. I’m glad you’re just you.” I bite my lip, and look away. He’s also the only one I can imagine getting on the floor and playing horse with a little kid. I bet he’s going to be a great dad.

  He reaches for my hand, “Well, in that case, would you like to do something with me tomorrow? Rumor is there’s a big announcement in the morning, but I’d love to take you riding after if you want?”

  He’s piqued my curiosity, “What kind of announcement?”

  “I have no idea, I just wanted to sneak in a date with you before you have to help Beth-Ann get ready for her wedding,” he admits.

  I’d completely forgotten about the wedding. Friend of the year alert. “Okay, that sounds like a good plan. I would love to go riding, that always helps me clear my head.”

  He brushes a light kiss against my cheek, right next to my ear before telling me goodnight. He waits for me to head back into the house, and then I hear his steps echo down the porch stairs. It’s been a long day, but I can’t complain about the ending. I press a hand to my cheek, and head back up to my room.

  Light the Match

  I awake once again to the sounds of windchimes; my days have started to run together in this new pattern. One long stretch, and then I leisurely get dressed and ready to head to my breakfast date. Today it’s another pair of jeans, tank top, and a flannel overtop to fend off the nip that’s blooming in the air. Hair pulled up in a simple ponytail, I’m ready to face whatever the day throws at me.

>   Today I run into Leigh in the hallway, we exchange a greeting and fall into step.

  She reaches over and links arms with me, “So, how is it going, juggling all those men?” she asks brightly, if a little forced.

  “It’s definitely not boring. What about you, how are your matches? You had two, right?” I return the question.

  She hesitates, “Well, it’s okay. Spencer is actually quite handsome, and he’s very . . .” her voice trails off, “persistent.”

  I try to withhold judgment, but knowing what Faith told me about Spencer, it’s hard. “Oh yeah? What about your other match?”

  Her brow knits up, “He’s, uhm, really kind. He seems like a very nice man.”

  Her tone tells me there’s more she’s holding back, so I lean against her shoulder, “But?”

  “He’s so . . . old. Like, he’s nineteen years older than me—more than double my age!” She does the math for me.

  “Yeah, I could tell he seemed more mature than Spencer,” I hedge, really not wanting to steer her either way. I wouldn’t be thrilled if my only matches were twice my age or a creepy cold ex-husband to one of my new friends. “What does your gut tell you?”

  We are slowly trailing through the entryway, in no hurry to arrive at our destination. She stops, pulls her arm from mine, and starts biting one of her fingernails.

  “That bad, huh?” I press. “I won’t judge you if you need to talk it out. I’m all ears.”

  She looks at me anxiously, still worrying her fingernail. “I don’t know what to think. Spencer is handsome, more handsome than Randy if I’m honest. But he’s so pushy. He’s tried grabbing my butt twice, and that just makes me really uncomfortable. We went to all the trainings, I know that we have to be physical with one of these guys at some point, but I don’t want someone I just met a few days ago grabbing all over me! I thought it would be exciting, and romantic, and . . .” she’s starting to tear up, so I pull her into a hug. She grips me tightly in return.

  “It’s going to be okay. Spencer is acting like a jerk, and he has no right to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Next time he tries something, slap him. Better yet, don’t be alone with him to give him any more chance to try something.” I pause, unsure how much to say. “Leigh, I think you need to have a talk with Faith.”

  She pulls back, and shoves her fine strawberry blonde hair back behind her ears, “Faith? Why?”

  “I can’t tell her story; it’s not mine to tell. But, I think if you explain to her about Spencer, she’d be willing to tell you a little bit more about her past, and some things she knows about him.” I hope Faith isn’t mad at me for telling her that. But we can’t let this sixteen-year-old girl go blindly into Spencer’s bed—we just can’t. He’ll chew her up and spit her out sad and broken.

  I link arms with her again, and we continue out to the porch.

  “Okay, I’ll ask.” She says quietly.

  “Tell me more about Randy. I know he’s older, but you said he’s kind. What does he do? Is he local?” I change the subject.

  She brightens, “His job is pretty cool, actually. He’s a closer. So he goes around to all of the cities that have too small a population on their own to sustain themselves, and helps close up everything so that whenever the population increases again, the cities are in good condition. He travels all over the NAA, but his home base can be anywhere he wants. He told me he’d be willing to pick Jackson Flats as his home base, so when we weren’t traveling we’d be close to my parents.”

  “Wow, that’s really thoughtful of him! And traveling and seeing the world sounds cool. You’d get to go with him?” I always wondered how that worked. We’ve made it to the main hall, and let ourselves in the front door. The ever-present guard gives us a curt nod, and we wave back.

  “Yeah, he said that any of the guys who are married bring their wives, and sometimes even kids if it’s going to be a longer job. There’s plenty of room, obviously, so they are allowed to bring them. He’s been all the way to the Alaska Territories. Can you believe that? Oh, and he told me some juicy stuff about Calivada, you won’t believe what went on over there before the New Lives Program became law.”

  “What? Now this I’ve got to hear!” I love seeing how animated she is again.

  Before she can tell me the juicy gossip, though, I hear a masculine chuckle to our left. Pierce is standing off to the side, waiting for me to join him for breakfast.

  Leigh lets go of my arm, “I’ll let you enjoy your date. We’ll talk later!” She gives me a wave before walking over to join Elena at a table.

  Pierce steps forward and offers his arm, ever the gentleman. I rest my hand on his forearm, and he leads me to a table for two.

  Once we’re seated and sipping orange juice, he says, “So, I hear you had a rather busy day yesterday. Want to talk about it?”

  Oh, boy, I wonder what he’s heard? “It was definitely eventful. I don’t even know where to begin.”

  He smiles lightly, “Matthew and Antonio filled me in on having less competition for your affection. I’m sorry James chose to take the low road, though.”

  I shake my head and look at my lap. “He was a real jerk. I feel sorry for whoever gets matched with him next.”

  He fidgets with his fork before confessing, “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that.” My head snaps up. “Matthew spoke with the program director personally, and it sounds like James is being removed from the program entirely. Something about giving the program a bad reputation by throwing around words like ‘incubator?’”

  I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, “That’s amazing! I’ll have to thank Matthew later.”

  He nods, and our breakfast is delivered by a waiter. We dig in, and the conversation ebbs until I remember something I saw in the Bachelor Book, “So, you’re from Calivada, aren’t you?”

  “Yep, born and raised. That’s how I got my start in acting.” He looks pleased that I remembered, and I make a mental note to try harder on these dates. I’m never going to dig beneath the surface to find the best match if I don’t put in any effort.

  “What’s it like there? I’ve never been out of Georada,” I confess.

  “Really? Would you like to travel one day?” he looks surprised. I nod, and his expression turns thoughtful, “Well, it’s an entirely different culture than here on the east coast. We have a really diverse population, especially compared to Georada. There are a lot of different family structures that you probably wouldn’t have seen here, and the government is less well-received.”

  “What do you mean by different family structures? Aren’t most non-traditional pairings illegal now?” That’s what I’ve heard, anyways.

  He looks uncomfortable, “Uh, yes. Yes they are illegal. However, there are some cities which have rebelled against the government mandates, and they are a lot freer with things there. There are whole communities where people have open relationships, and most have multiple partners.”

  My jaw drops, “Seriously? And everyone’s just okay with that?” He’s blowing my mind, “Wait, what about the birth rates? Won’t those cities eventually just die out when no children are born?”

  He quickly glances around the room, and on seeing no one in earshot he leans forward, “Supposedly, their birth rates are even higher than the program. But I wouldn’t spread that around if I were you.”

  My mind is reeling. Is it possible the answer is that simple? Let people be with whoever they want, and things will sort themselves out? “Can I ask, if you think their success rates are as good or better, why are you here planning to marry within the program?”

  He looks down guiltily, “Uh, well . . .” He stops, and I can tell he doesn’t want to say whatever it is.

  “It’s okay, you won’t hurt my feelings. I’d rather know.” I reach across the table and touch his hand in reassurance.

  He flips his palm up, and runs his fingers across mine, soft as a whisper. He locks eyes with mine, “How open-minded wo
uld you say you are?”

  My eyebrows shoot up, that’s not what I was expecting him to say, “I don’t know, pretty open-minded, I think. Dare I ask why?”

  “Take a walk with me?” he asks hopefully. I peruse his handsome, tanned face for a hint of what it is he’s hiding, but come up empty.

  “Sure. I think we have a few minutes before the mandatory announcement this morning.” I set my napkin on the table, and he leads me by the hand out of the dining hall.

  We quickly make our way out of the building, and to a stone walking path I haven’t seen before. He’s still holding my hand, fingers laced lightly together. I wait for him to start the conversation again, as we meander down the path.

  He gazes off into the early morning and speaks softly, “I live in one of the communities that is known for its non-traditional relationships.” He looks sideways at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

  “Ok,” I say, waiting for the rest.

  He clears his throat, “And, I’m in a relationship with someone back in Calivada.”

  I stop and turn to face him, confused. “Did you join the program before you met her?”

  He blushes, and looks away, “Actually, no. We have an open relationship. She’s with two other men, and I’m allowed to be with other people, too.”

  Now I’m even more confused, “If you already have someone, though, why would you join the program? It doesn’t sound like a marriage is what you’re looking for.”

  He clenches my fingers tightly, “Well, you know I’m an actor. The media got wind of my relationship situation, and they threatened to lock up my girlfriend and her other men if I didn’t join. They clearly wanted to make an example of me, given the visibility of the situation.”

  “Ahh.” I say simply. I turn forward and continue walking. He’s still holding my hand. “What’s her name?”

  “Helena,” he says softly. “Can you please tell me what you’re thinking?”

  “I’m not really sure what to think. You don’t intend to break it off with her, do you?” I say bluntly.