“Several of my kind have made their home here.”
“Why did you ask about the bride program?” she asked. “Trying to marry me off already?”
“If you’re open to accepting a Terran mate, I had thought perhaps you would consider me.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait. You want me to marry you? I’ve known you an hour, if that. You can’t just take a woman to dinner and expect her to marry you.”
He smiled a little. “I hadn’t planned to rush you right to my council for an approved mating. We could go on a few dates and get to know one another. I’ve been here long enough to know humans date. Terrans do to some extent, but we usually know when the right woman comes along. And divorce isn’t possible on my world. So, if you decide to marry me, it would be forever.”
“It doesn’t bother you I’m pregnant with someone else’s child?” she asked.
“No. Not as long as you agreed to have at least one or two more in the future. It’s time for me to start a family, and I will gladly accept your baby as my own. I would treat them no differently than I would my own child. Just think about it.”
Haven nodded. Their food arrived and she tried to steer the conversation in another direction. It wasn’t that she wasn’t attracted to the alien, because she was, but love at first sight didn’t exist and she’d always said she would marry for love. Getting married because she was out of options didn’t seem like the smartest thing to do. What if they found out later they didn’t get along? What if he grew to hate her?
“What are your parents like?” she asked.
“My father works with the military. He’s not a soldier, but he handles their weapons testing and training. He’s one of a small group with that responsibility. My mother keeps their home. I was their only child so it’s been hard for them to accept that I spend so much time on Earth, but they understand. Finding a mate on my world, even with the bride program, is hard. The competition is high and those with better jobs and better social standing usually get chosen first.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being a mechanic,” Haven said. “It just means you’re good with your hands. I mean… “ Her cheeks flushed.
Dryden threw back his head and laughed. “What’s that Earth saying? You’re good for my ego?”
“You know what I meant.”
“I do, but teasing you is fun. I like watching your cheeks turn pink.”
“What will your parents do if you move here permanently?” Haven asked.
“I’m not sure. They love living on my world, but they might consider having a home here too. The council would pay for them to stay in a hotel if they wanted to visit for a week or two here and there. Or they could buy a small home, but then it would sit empty part of the year.”
“You said you don’t have a home here. Do you stay at the hotel when you’re on Earth?” she asked.
“Yes, I stay at one of the hotels my council pays for, and if my bride decides she wishes to remain on Earth, then I will choose a home here at that time. I would probably sell my home on my world. Then when the children are older, and better able to handle such a journey several times a year, I could look at buying a small home on my world again. Or we could stay with my parents while we’re there.”
“We?” she asked.
He smiled. “Well, whatever family I have at the time.”
“It doesn’t bother you? Who my parents are? You aren’t worried I’ll run off with your money?”
“No, I’m not worried. Just because your parents tried to game the system doesn’t mean you’re cut from the same cloth. You have an honest face, and your eyes tell me everything you’re thinking or feeling. I don’t think you could lie and cheat even if you wanted to.”
“You’re the first person to say that to me. I half expect people to move to the other side of the street when they find out who I am.”
“It’s their loss if they don’t want to take the time to get to know you. From what I’ve seen so far, you’re sweet and charming. And you’re honest. You didn’t have to tell me who you are or that you’re already expecting.”
They finished their meal and Dryden left a stack of cash on the table. He rose to his feet and held out a hand to Haven, helping her stand. Her belly was only slightly curved from the baby, but he slowly reached out and placed his hand there. She held still, her heart hammering in her chest at that slight touch. Dryden stared into her eyes and for a moment she thought he might kiss her. Instead, he pulled away, taking her hand and leading her back outside to where he parked.
“I’m at the Lazy Daze Motel,” she reminded him, “if you don’t mind dropping me off. I’ll try to make arrangements for my car tomorrow.”
“Do you have the title to it?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s at the motel in the safe.”
“If you’ll sign the back of the title, I’ll see if I can find someone who will buy it as either something to part out or a project car. I can’t promise you’ll get much for it, but it might give you a little more room financially.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I appreciate any help you’re willing to give.”
Dryden reached over and took her hand, lacing their fingers together. She stared at their clasped hands for a while, trying to decide if the flutter she felt was from his touch or indigestion. Heartburn was a bitch when you were pregnant, as she’d discovered. They arrived at the motel all too soon and she told him to drive around the back to room thirty-seven.
He pulled to a stop in front of her door, but it didn’t look right. She’d left a lamp on and light was streaming around the door, as if it weren’t completely shut.
“Stay here,” he told her, sliding out of the truck.
He approached the door and she watched as he pushed it open. She couldn’t see much around his large frame, but she saw enough to know her room had been tossed. Despite his words, she rushed out of the truck to the open motel room door. Her clothes had been shredded and left everywhere, her shoes were gone… and the safe stood open.
“No!” She pushed past him and ran to the safe, falling to her knees in front of it. Tears streaked her cheeks as she saw that the cash she’d stored in there was gone, along with the title to her car.
Dryden knelt by her side, pulling her into his arms. “Take a breath and remain calm. Everything will be fine.”
She blinked up at him. “Nothing will ever be fine again. I’ve lost everything.”
“Not everything,” he said. “You haven’t lost me.”
Chapter Two
Dryden held Haven as she cried, and tried to decide what to do. She had nothing, as she said. Her clothes and shoes were gone, her cash was gone. And without the title to her car, he couldn’t sell it for her. She needed his help, even if she didn’t want to accept it. He wasn’t rich compared to his friends. Even on his world he was working class, but he was doing well enough financially that he could take care of her.
He rose to his feet and lifted her into his arms, carrying her back out to the truck. He buckled her in and pressed a kiss to her forehead before returning to her motel room. He gathered all of the destroyed clothes and shoved them into the trash can, then packed up her bathroom items and carried them out to the truck along with her empty tote bag. He got the room key from her before driving around to the front office, where he handed the key over and informed them she was checking out, as well as informing them her room had been broken into.
“Where am I going to go?” she asked when he got back in the truck.
“First, we’re stopping at one of those twenty-four hour stores and getting you a few clothes and another pair of shoes. You need something to get you by for a few days while we decide how to replace your belongings. Then you’re coming home with me.”
“You don’t have a home,” she said softly, staring out the passenger window.
“My hotel room has two bedrooms. You can have the one I’m not using. You’ll have your own bathroom so you don’t have to worry about sharing.�
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Her gaze swung his way, her expression tired and wounded. “I don’t have money for clothes. I need to save what I have left in the bank to find a new place to live.”
“Haven, I’m not asking you to purchase anything tonight. I’m going to take care of you, and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t argue about it. I have the means to replace your wardrobe, and you can stay with me free of charge for as long as you need to. Any meals sent up to the hotel room are covered by the council. I just have to inform them I have a houseguest and get a room key for you.”
“Why are you going to so much trouble to help me?” she asked.
“Maybe it’s my way of showing you I’d be a good mate.”
She smiled a little and looked back out her window. The drive to the store was quiet and he observed her when he could. She seemed subdued and he wondered if she was stressing over her situation. He’d told her he would take care of her, but Dryden wasn’t certain she understood what he meant. He’d told her how he would help right this minute, but not that he meant to do it long-term. If he thought she would accept, he would offer once more to take her as his mate. But she hadn’t seemed that interested at dinner. Almost horrified, in fact, that he might want to marry her so soon after meeting her. He would give her all the space she needed, but he planned to keep her in his hotel suite for as long as possible. Sooner or later, she would see that he would make a good mate.
At the store, she moved slowly, almost as if she were in pain. He stopped her before they reached the women’s clothes. “Are you all right?’
“My back hurts a little. I did a lot of standing today when I went hunting for a job. I’m sure once I get some rest, I’ll be fine.”
Dryden pushed the cart over to the women’s clothes and hunted until he found things for expectant mothers. Haven tried to look at the tags, but he covered her hand with his.
“Don’t worry about price. Find something that’s comfortable.”
She nodded and went back to searching. A half hour later, she had a few outfits and two pair of pajamas. Haven hesitantly went to the intimates department and selected a few bras and a package of panties. Her cheeks were an adorable pink as she added them to the cart. On the way to the shoe department, Dryden threw in a package of socks, thinking she might need them.
The tennis shoes on her feet were cute, but he wondered if they had enough padding in them. He’d seen commercials for inserts for shoes to make them comfortable and when they reached the shoe department, he picked out two of them and added them to the cart. He hoped they were the right size, but Haven wasn’t paying much attention to him as she walked up and down the aisle.
Dryden didn’t know anything about women’s shoes, but he picked up a few pairs of boots and checked them out. Some had no padding inside, and some were so stiff that they had to make the wearer miserable. He found a soft black pair of ankle boots that had a lot of cushion inside.
“What about these?” he asked, handing her one.
Haven looked the shoe over and smiled a little. “If they have my size, I’ll try it on, but this one is three sizes too big.”
He looked from the shoe to her small foot. “What size do you wear?”
“A six and a half.”
He put the shoe back and rummaged through the boxes until he found a pair in her size, then handed them to her. Haven sat down and tried them on, a sigh escaping her as she walked the length of the aisle.
“They feel amazing,” she admitted.
“Then get them.”
Dryden looked at other shoes in that same brand and showed them to her, encouraging her to pick at least one other pair. When they were finished and had checked out up front, he loaded the sacks into the backseat of his truck and drove them to his hotel. Dryden carried everything inside for her and went straight for the elevator.
“I thought you had to let someone know I was staying here,” she said.
“I’ll clear it with my council once you’ve gotten settled for the night, and then I’ll get you a room key so you can come and go as you please.”
“You won’t get in trouble for bringing me home?” she asked.
“No.” He smiled. “It’s not like I’m a wayward child who will be reprimanded by his parents. I just need to inform the council I have a guest so they can approve it with the hotel. I don’t foresee any problems with you staying here.”
When the elevator let them out at his floor, he led the way down the hall to his suite. Dryden slid the keycard into the lock and when the light turned green, he pushed it open. Warm air greeted them. Not too hot, but just right, in his opinion. If Haven was too hot or too cold, she could adjust it however she pleased. He carried her packages and toiletries into the spare room and set everything on the dresser. Turning, he found her in the doorway, checking out the room.
“It’s bigger than I thought,” she said.
“There’s not a TV in here, but you can watch whatever you want in the living room. Would you like to take a bath and relax while I contact my council? I shouldn’t be gone more than thirty or forty minutes.”
She stepped further into the room and looked around the corner of the bathroom door. “I think this bathroom is nicer than anything I’ve seen at a hotel before. A separate tub and shower?”
“It’s the master bedroom, I believe, so the bathroom is a bit bigger than the other one.”
She turned to face him. “You didn’t give me your room, did you?”
“No. I took the smaller room when I got here. It was more than adequate for my needs. Please, make yourself at home. Enjoy your bath, and if you decide you’re hungry when you get out, there’s fruit in the kitchenette and juice in the fridge. Help yourself to anything you want.”
Haven nodded and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Dryden pulled her bedroom door shut behind him, made sure he had his keycard, and then went to contact the council. The hotel had been updated with a Vid-Comm in one of the smaller conference rooms, but it was presently not working. Dryden drove the short distance to the Terran Station, hoping he’d been correct and the council wouldn’t make him toss Haven out of his hotel room.
The receptionist smiled at him as he passed her desk and went straight back to the conference rooms that held the Vid-Comms. All but one was in use and he quickly claimed it before someone else could. Pressing the appropriate buttons to call on the council, he hoped someone would be available on the other end. A sound filled the room, telling him his call was being rerouted. A moment later, Borgoz appeared on the screen, his small daughter in his arms.
“I’m sorry to bother you at home, Chief Councilor.”
“Arabella couldn’t sleep so I’ve been walking with her. What is it you need, Dryden? Everything all right on Earth?”
“I’ve found a potential mate and I’ve moved her into my hotel suite. I know policies have recently changed and I need the council to approve her with the hotel so I can get a keycard for her. We only met today so she claims it’s too soon to get married, but she needs my help.”
Borgoz nodded. “What seems to be the trouble?”
Dryden explained about Haven’s parents and what happened to her, mentioning her unplanned pregnancy and that she was completely alone, without transportation, and low on funds.
“Someone had broken into her motel room while she was gone today. I couldn’t leave her there,” Dryden said.
“I understand,” Borgoz said. “I’ll make sure the hotel knows she has permission to stay with you, and a keycard will be ready for her sometime tomorrow. As late as it is there tonight, it’s impossible for me to set it up right now. Enjoy your time with her, and don’t rush her into marriage. We Zelthranite males have a way of knowing when we’ve met the right woman, so if you believe she’s meant to be yours, she probably is. Just give her some time to come to the same conclusion.”
“Do you still plan to tell Earth that we aren’t really called Terrans?” Dryden asked. “The word is out around the st
ation and our people are concerned it could end badly for those who have made their homes here.”
“I have a Vid-Comm conference with the Earth world leaders in three days. I will tell them the truth, and why we lied about the name of our world and what our people are called, and let them decide how we should proceed. If they think it’s best for us to remain Terrans, then that’s what we’ll do. Panic is the last thing we want.”
“Understood. Thank you for taking my call. I hope Arabella can sleep soon.”
Borgoz looked over his shoulder at the rising suns. “She doesn’t have long to sleep before breakfast. I may just enjoy this time with her, and wake my mate when it’s a little later in the morning. Charlotte has had trouble sleeping lately.”
“I hope it’s nothing serious.”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. I scheduled an appointment for her at the clinic this afternoon just to be safe. Go be with your Haven, and don’t hesitate to call again if she should decide she wants to be your mate.”
Dryden cleared his throat. “Her current pregnancy won’t be an issue, will it? She said she looked online at the bride program and it said we weren’t accepting anyone who was pregnant or already had a child.”
“We’ve had a big rush of applications from expectant mothers and single moms. There’s nothing wrong with taking them as mates, but we needed to thin them out a bit. I asked the Terran Stations to stop accepting them as brides for the time being, just to widen our bride pool a little. I’m hoping more countries will start participating as well. So far, the majority of our brides are Americans. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it would be nice if some of the other places would send more our way.”
“Thank you, Chief Councilor.”
Borgoz ended the call and Dryden drove back to the hotel. When he entered his room, he found Haven sitting on the edge of her bed, dressed in her pajamas, and crying. Worried that she may have hurt herself, he rushed to her side and knelt at her feet.
Haven and the Alien Mechanic Page 2
