Alien Read online

  “Fantastic. It’s out again.”

  She clenched her teeth and stepped under the stream of water. Goose bumps rose along her body but she suffered through it while she scrubbed her hair and soaped up. She rinsed off and got out of the shower. She dried off and put on a robe, returning to her room.

  She picked up the phone and dialed her father. He answered on the third ring. “Hi, Dad.”

  “Hi, baby.”

  “I was just thinking about you.”

  “That’s so sweet, honey. I can’t really talk right now. Me and my buddies are about to go fishing. Kip bought a new boat. You really should take some time off and come down to Florida to visit me. Retiring here was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

  She might not have a job. That would free up her schedule. “I’d like that. We haven’t seen each other in two years.”

  “Wow. It’s been that long?”

  “Yes. Time flies when you’re having fun.”

  “I sure am. Just don’t come next month. I’m going on that senior cruise.” He chuckled. “Not the month after that either. That’s when we’re going to Mexico.”

  He was always busy. She didn’t blame him. There wasn’t much to do in Green Bend. He’d moved to a retirement community and made a bunch of friends who liked to travel.

  “I gotta go. I love you, honey.”

  “I love you too. Have a good time.”

  He chuckled. “Always.”

  She hung up and took a seat on her bed. She dialed her best friend and got the machine. “Hi, Michelle. It’s Lynn. I was just checking up—”

  “You caught me in time,” her breathless friend cut in. “My husband and kids are in the minivan waiting for me but I forgot my sunglasses. Did you call to wish us a good flight?”

  Lynn remembered then. “You’re going on your big vacation.”

  “I can’t wait to get out of here for two weeks. I’ll call you when we get home and you can come over to see all the pictures we take. I can’t believe I’m finally going to see Hawaii. This is a dream come true.”

  “I’m so happy for you.”

  “Actually, it will be about a week after we return. Mitch’s parents are coming into town to see the kids. It’s going to be pretty hectic with them here. Wait. Maybe the week after that. We’re supposed to go to Indianapolis for that race weekend.”

  “Whenever. Have a great time.”

  “Thanks. I have to go. Mitch just honked the horn. We don’t want to miss our flight. Love ya!” She hung up.

  Lynn replaced the phone in the cradle and just sat there staring at it. There was no one else to call. Everyone had a life except her. She collapsed onto her back, studying the water-stained ceiling from a roof leak she’d had to patch the year before. The silence got to her and she started thinking about Coto, reliving every moment they’d shared.

  The phone rang a few hours later and she sat up, grabbing it. “Hello?”

  “Miss Reynolds? This is Hilton Morgan’s secretary, Millie.”

  She grimaced. “Yes?”

  “He’d like to see you in his office at two tomorrow.”

  “Why?”

  The woman hesitated, then lowered her voice. “He’s angry. I know he received a call from his nephew, then placed a few calls and asked me to make this appointment.”

  There it was. Jimmy had ratted her out and those calls had probably been to her boss. “I’ll see him then.” She slammed the phone down.

  It rang a few minutes later and she answered. “Hello?”

  “What is going on?”

  “Who is this?”

  “It’s Richard from work. I was just called and asked to cover for you for the next few weeks. I can’t work weekends. My wife is pissed. You need to suck it up if you’re sick.”

  “I think I’m fired.”

  “Oh.”

  “Sorry.” She hung up on him. “My life is shit,” she muttered, collapsing onto her back again. She rolled to her side, staring at the empty space in bed next to her. She wished Coto were there.

  The light faded in her room when the sun went down. She lay there, thinking about Coto and her life. She’d always wanted to find a man who could make her feel sexy make her feel as if she were the most important thing to him. She’d known that with him for their limited time together. The pros and cons of a future without him waged war inside her mind as the hours passed. She finally drifted off to sleep.

  * * * * *

  Lynn jerked awake in her dark bedroom and lifted up, staring at the clock. It was seven in the morning. She’d dreamed about Coto. They’d been laughing together, sitting on a couch in a room she didn’t know. He’d kissed her and something had tugged on her shirt. She’d pulled away from him and a little boy stood next to her leg. He had to be about two years old and it was obvious Coto was his father from how similar they looked. The toddler had smiled at her and climbed onto her lap. She’d known he was her son too.

  “What did I do?”

  She threw off the covers that she must have pulled over herself during the night, jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth, splashed water on her face, and yanked open the cabinet under the sink to grab out a travel bag. She didn’t want to lose Coto. It was scary insane to leave everything behind but it would be so much worse living with regret.

  “I only hope I’m not too late.”

  She packed necessities and rushed into her bedroom, digging her suitcase out from the back of the closet. She froze, wondering what to take to another planet. Was it cold there? Warm? She had no idea.

  “Son of a bitch.” She opened the case, tossing in some of her favorite outfits. She’d have to find him and hope he hadn’t already been picked up. The campsite would have to be taken down. She might find him there. They could be at the old farmhouse or even where their ship had crashed.

  Desperation struck as she located a few family photo albums and precious mementos she didn’t want to leave behind. One suitcase turned into two, plus a duffle bag. Lynn kept glancing at the clock. Every minute seemed to speed by as she rushed around her house.

  She finally grabbed a permanent marker and stopped in front of her fridge, hesitating after she ripped off the cap. “How do you say goodbye to everyone you love? I’d call them but they aren’t home.”

  She finally started to write. No one would be able to miss seeing it once they came to her house when someone investigated why she was gone. “This is going to suck if he’s gone already and I have to try to get this off.”

  It became clear she’d packed too much when she lugged the first suitcase to her SUV and went back for the second one. She lifted it and carried it out her open front door, still trying to decide where to look for Coto first. She slammed into something solid and dropped the case.

  Coto gripped her hips to steady her. “Are you injured?”

  She recovered quickly. He was on her porch. “Coto!”

  “I slipped my communicator inside your pocket when I kissed you goodbye. I came to ask you to leave with me one more time,” he admitted. “I couldn’t sleep. All I could think about was you. I tracked the signal at first light. Please come with me.”

  She nodded. “I was going to find you. It’s insane but yes.”

  He grinned. “Yes?”

  “Yes!”

  She was so relieved they were together again that she lifted up on tiptoe and threw her arms around his neck. Coto’s mouth crushed down on hers, kissing her. She moaned against his tongue. He backed her inside and they bumped into her couch. He tore his mouth away.

  “I want you.”

  “I want you too.” She let him go, fumbling to get out of her clothes.

  “I’ll close your door.”

  “Don’t bother. Nobody ever comes by. The house can’t be seen from the road. Strip.”

  Coto didn’t hesitate. She loved that about him. He nearly tripped tearing off his boots. She finished before he did and motioned him to follow her down the hallway to her