by Kate Rudolph
“Ah, it’s good to be home.” Ro tugged at Dash’s arm. “Come on, let’s get some sleep before we go have fun.”
Dash nodded his head toward her sister. “Nice to meet you!” But Ro was already tugging him away and May was heading for the kitchen. A happy family reunion.
It was... good... to be home.
DASH COULDN’T REMEMBER the last time he’d been on Earth for an extended length of time, and he didn’t think he’d ever been to a winter carnival. The winter sun hung fat in the sky, illuminating the frozen ground beneath their feet and sparkling as lazy snowflakes dropped from the sky. Vendors sold cocoa and hot cider along with more adult appropriate beverages and enough fried food to feed a circus troupe. He was pretty sure he’d won Lee’s loyalty for life when he bought him a fried snowflake shaped sweet and then won him a stuffed animal in a game.
Ro kept smiling, and good cheer swirled all around them. Holiday cheer and vacation fun were in the air, a heady mix that could get him drunk if he didn’t stay on his toes, but being beside his mate kept him grounded, funneling the good cheer in and giving him energy without making him bounce off the walls.
Families gathered all around them, different configurations of people all out enjoying the winter day. Even the carnival employees seemed to be in a good mood from the genuine smiles they were giving out, though that could have come from the fact that they were about to pack up and leave.
With the child darting between them, Dash could almost make believe that this was his life with Ro. Him, his mate, and a little one to keep entertained. What more could he want? Even that seemed too much to hope for, though he wasn’t sure why. He’d never imagined having his own family, for some reason, and now that he was so close to grasping it, he was afraid that holding on too tight would make it slip through his fingers.
Instead, Ro laced their hands together and leaned against him. “If you need to go back and sleep, I can handle the kiddo. You have to be tired after last night.”
He was. Bone deep exhausted in a way that the good cheer around them was only beginning to touch. But he’d deal. He didn’t want to leave. He’d never flown that far or long before, and certainly not with a passenger, but it was worth it just to see Ro here now.
Lee was watching a juggler a few meters away from them. He seemed to like ranging out, but knew never to leave their sight. After a few minutes he came back and wrapped an arm around Ro’s waist. “I’m so glad you came, Aunt Ro. I wish you could be here every year.”
A pang of sadness stabbed at Dash, his mate’s distress, but nothing showed on her face. “I’m going to try and be here more often,” she said. “But it’s hard to get back from Mars. And I’m definitely going to call more. Maybe we can’t hang out in person, but that doesn’t mean we have to be strangers.”
“I get it,” he said in a tone older than his years. “Your work is important. Just like Grandpa’s was. It’s why I never got to meet him.”
That only intensified the sadness coming off of Ro. “How about you go try that game over there.” Dash pointed to where a bunch of people were lined up in front of a tossing game.
“Cool!” Lee went off running.
“It was bad enough when May said it,” said Ro once Lee was too far away to hear. “But to hear it from that kid?” She shook her head. “It would be easier if he just stabbed me.”
“I may not know the whole story, but it sounds like your dad wasn’t always there?” Dash waited for confirmation before continuing. “It’s not the same situation. He’s your nephew, not your child. And you’ve been in communication, even if you can’t get back every year. You haven’t abandoned them.”
“Mom said he died.” Ro was almost too quiet to hear over the sounds of the carnival around them. Dash leaned in closer, knowing she wouldn’t want to speak up. “When I was eighteen she said after he left that he died and that’s why he stopped sending messages and birthday presents. I had no reason not to believe her. She was my mom, right? But when I moved to Mars, guess who I ran into? Dad, new wife, three kids, all happy together, and they had no idea who I was. I actually talked to Dad and he said it would be better if I wasn’t introduced. Didn’t want to confuse anyone.”
Dash wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Ro didn’t cry, but her breaths shuddered as she struggled to get them under control. “And your sister doesn’t know?” he asked.
Ro shook her head. “What good would it do? I wish I still thought he was dead. At least then I’d think he still loved us.”
This time she cried and Dash held her, all while keeping an eye on Lee, who was getting closer to the front of the game line. “Do you think she might appreciate knowing the truth? Even if it just means that she understands you better?”
Ro pulled back and wiped at her eyes. “Why burden her with it?”
“Because sometimes shared burdens make easier work.” He held up their interlaced hands as if that was proof of something.
“Keep saying things like that and I might want to keep you.” There was the hint of a smile on her face.
“You have me for as long as you want me.” Forever, if you want.
“You might be signing up for more than you can handle,” she said, but her fingers tightened around his. “What if I don’t let go?”
“I’m not hearing a problem.”
A boy’s whoop of joy broke through, and Dash and Ro looked over to see Lee with a stuffed animal almost as big as him. He dragged it on the ground towards them, his face lit with joy. “Look what I won! Did you see?”
Neither of them had, but this was one of the times where telling the truth wouldn’t help anyone. “Awesome job,” said Ro. “How are you even lifting that thing?”
“I’m really strong,” Lee insisted. “But I’ll let you know if I need help.”
“You’re really smart too,” she said. And she and Dash walked hand in hand with Lee leading the way. A perfect moment.
Chapter Ten
DASH HAD A POINT ABOUT shared burdens, even if Ro didn’t want to admit it. Instead she wanted to soak up the day with him and Lee, and pretend that there were no problems, no tension, waiting for her. But May was back at the house, and they couldn’t exactly kidnap her kid.
Seeing Dash with a kid, though? Damn. She’d known that she was falling for him, that he was basically the perfect guy, antlers and all, but seeing the way he played with Lee was even better than when she’d seen him with Kiki. He had a natural way with children that told her he’d be a great father some day.
She’d never thought of herself as the maternal type, but with Dash? Yeah, she could maybe see that. Though she was getting ahead of herself. Far, far ahead of herself. Sure, he’d said he was in it for the long haul, but could she really trust that? They hadn’t even known each other a week! They had so much to figure out! But a guy didn’t transport a girl halfway across the solar system and show her that he was secretly a magical being if he didn’t feel something for her.
They made it back to the house and Dash squeezed her hand. “I’m going to get a bit more sleep. Join me when you’re done?”
She nodded and kissed him. He was right there, why would she resist?
It took her awhile to find May. She wasn’t anywhere in the house, and none of the handful of nieces and nephews running around could remember seeing her. Eventually Ro braved the cold once more and found her sister at a work station in the barn behind the house, tool in her mouth as she prodded at a busted robot. Ro knocked on the table to get her attention and May looked up.
“I’m a bit busy. More snow tonight and we’ll be out of luck if this thing doesn’t function.” May had always had a head for mechanics and Ro had used to take special pleasure in finding bits and bobs for her sister to work on. She’d forgotten about that until just now. There’d been a time they were close, but it felt so far away.
“I wanted to let you know we returned Lee all in one piece. He’s playing with Ark and Raylee now.” Ro wasn’t close to
Richard’s kids, but it was nice to have the house full of tiny bodies who bounced around with good cheer.
“Good.” May pressed a long piece of metal to the robot and prodded until sparks appeared.
Ro could walk away. May didn’t seem to be in the talking mood and there was no reason to bring this up now. But her reindeer had a point, and she and May had been sour towards each other ever since their father left. Maybe the truth would help. How much worse could matters get between them?
“There’s something I wanted to tell you.” Ro leaned against a nearby bench, not quite sitting or standing, ready to spring away if she had to flee.
“Get called away to work?” Her sister sounded like she’d been expecting it.
Ro hadn’t even been there a full day. “I made it clear to my boss that I’m taking the full vacation, but thanks for that.” She shook her head. “You know what—”
“What is it?”
“Dad isn’t dead.” It burst out of her, far less tactfully than she meant to say it, but it was out there now. “He’s living on Mars. I’ve seen him. Spoken to him once, even. He’s got a new family now and he doesn’t—”
“He wants us to stay out of his life. I know.” There was no shock coming off May. She kept prodding at the robot and barely glanced up at Ro.
And now it was Ro’s turn for surprise. “You know?” Knowledge of her father had been eating her up inside for years and May knew? What the hell? “When did you find out? Why didn’t you tell me?”
That got her sister to put her tools aside and look over. “I could ask you the same question,” she shot back. “But he sent a letter when Lee was born. Thanked me for giving me his first grandchild and said he regretted what he did but thought that it turned out for the best.” There was bitterness in the statement, but it was old. After all, she’d had ten years to get used to it.
Ro had a choice to make. She could get mad that May had kept this from her, or she could move on. After all, she’d been keeping the same basic secret for almost as long. And she tried not to be a hypocrite. Most of the time. “He seemed happy when I saw him. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted... I didn’t want you to have to deal with it. And I know that I have a tendency to be like him, putting work above family, making you think I don’t care, but I’m going to be better. I’ll keep in touch more, try and visit when I can. I want to be there for Lee, and for the other kids. Maybe I can even look into transferring—”
“You’re not Dad, Rowan. I’m sorry that I’ve made you think that. I should have trusted you when you said you were coming.”
They both grew silent and looked at each other. Other sisters might have hugged, but they’d fallen out of the habit a long time ago, and Ro didn’t know if she was ready to fall back into it yet. “So... um...” Should she go? Leave May to her work?
“Hand me that wrench.” May pointed to the tool she wanted, as if Ro couldn’t identify it by herself.
“I know what a wrench looks like,” she said as she scooped it up off the table and handed it over.
May rolled her eyes. “So what’s the story with you and the guy? I thought you were single.”
“You and me both.” But talking about Dash was easier than talking about their dad, and Ro told her most of it, leaving out the whole reindeer thing and the details about the sex. When she was done she couldn’t stop smiling, and May was looking at her as if she’d grown a second head.
“If you let that man get away when he can put that kind of smile on your face, you’re crazy. If I wasn’t happy with my husband I’d be asking if he had a brother.”
“He’s got a cousin,” Ro offered, “but I’m not sure she’s your type.”
“Brat,” May rolled her eyes. “Hand me the screwdriver.” This time she didn’t point. And for the first time in years Ro spent a nice afternoon with her sister and was able to think that things might end up alright between them.
Chapter Eleven
HE NEEDED TO STOP PACING, but the longer Ro was gone, the more worried Dash became. He’d been the one to tell her to go to her sister, but what if it didn’t work? What if he was wrong? Gradually, a current of good cheer wafted up towards him and he relaxed a bit. He could feel the flavor of Ro in it and knew something must have gone right. But he wanted to know what. Wanted to know it all. And he needed to tell her the truth. It had weighed on him since his shift, since he’d confirmed that his horns were glowing for her. She’d taken his second form in stride. But what about the mate bond?
He tried to lay down and sleep like he’d said he would, but his mind was racing too much for that.
What would he do if Ro rejected him? Should he keep the information to himself? It didn’t need to change anything. So they’d been destined to be together by the hands of fate. It didn’t change the fact that they’d fallen in love on their own. Or, well, he’d fallen. Definitely. He’d seen Ro’s drive, her heart, and how she handled pressure, and all of it made him love her more. He’d been gone on her before he knew his antlers were glowing, and if they hadn’t been, he’d still be right here, with her.
But he couldn’t keep it from her.
If their relationship progressed—when—she’d find out eventually. Either Ettie would let it slip, or one of his other cousins. And if they had children, he’d need to tell them what it meant. Besides, he’d just told her that it was better to share the truth rather than let it fester.
Maybe he could wait until they left, though. Let her enjoy the holiday without it hanging over her.
“Are you okay?” Dash whipped around. He’d been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn’t heard Ro enter. She looked as good as always. Better, actually, like she was no longer carrying a heavy burden.
“I’m fine,” he said, maybe a little too quickly. “How did it go?”
Ro thumped down on the bed. “My dad’s an asshole, but I think things might end up okay between me and May.” She patted the seat beside her.
Dash sat. “So the conversation went well.”
“Better than expected.” Ro leaned against him. “And we didn’t just talk about Dad.”
“Yeah?” She was so soft against him that Dash wanted to cuddle her close and never let go.
“We talked about you. And me. And... stuff.”
“Stuff.” That could be good or bad, but it had to be good if she was touching him, right?
Ro swallowed loud enough that he could hear it, but when she spoke, it was a little quiet. “I like you, Dash. More than I’ve liked anyone in... well, ever. And I don’t want this to be some holiday fling that we look back fondly on after we go our separate ways. So how do we make that work?” She tilted her head up at him. “That is, do you want to make that work?”
“You’re my mate!” He froze after he said it, his instincts kicking in, and if he was in his other form he might have sprinted away. He was no wolf, ready to face a threat with teeth and claws. But Rowan wasn’t a threat and as he got his reactions under control he was able to stay in place. “You’re my mate,” he repeated, a little more calm. “That’s why my antlers glowed. And anywhere you go, I’d follow. Or lead. Or walk beside you. Just so long as we’re in this together.”
“Mate.” Ro tried the word out. Not rejecting, but not jumping for joy either. Her levels of cheer hadn’t changed since she’d walked in, but he’d take that as a good sign for the moment. “That’s... what is that supposed to mean?”
He was in it now, and there was no way to go but forward. “It means whatever we want it to mean. I want to be with you, you want to be with me, and maybe there’s some force out there in the universe that thought we’d be a good fit.”
“You think it’s really that simple?” She traced a pattern on his arm, nothing he could identify, but he didn’t care as long as she kept touching him.
“What’s so complicated about love?”
That got her to move, shifting until she’d straddled his hips and had a hand on each o
f his shoulders. “You’re saying you love me?” she challenged with a smile.
“I do.”
Good cheer burst around him as Ro pulled him close, crushing their lips together in one hell of a kiss. “You can’t take that back,” she said when she finally came up for air, her lips swollen and eyes a bit dazed. “I’m keeping you.”
“I’m keeping you too,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her again.
And as the snow began to fall outside and the noises of Ro’s family echoed from the other rooms, he and his mate laid down and sealed their bond with a kiss... and so much more. It was a promise of the future they both wanted, and they’d find their own way to take it.
Together.
Thank you for reading The Alien Reindeer’s Wild Ride.
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