The scent of ancient Earth made it to my nostrils, and my eyes watered at the intensity of everything I took in. She didn't stop me from heading over to stare up at the fossils.
"Dinosaur teeth." She pointed out the portion to the right. "Tyrannosaurus Rex, Carcharodontosaurus, and Allosaurus here. Raptor here. I have a few of each. The small fragments over here are painted pottery pieces."
"Did you find all of these?" My mouth hung open a fraction when I glanced to her.
"Yes." Her smile, radiant and highlighted by rose-painted lips, met the twinkle in her eye. "On expeditions and digs years ago. I don't do much of that now. Mainly cataloging."
"It's incredible. All of this history back here. Do you share with more than one museum?"
"The Natural History Museum as well. What type of history is your favorite area of study?"
"Favorite and concentration was Medieval and Renaissance, coupled with American History and some Middle Eastern. I teach U.S. History right now and Medieval." I examined some of the fossils on her work bench, noting the structure in the rocks. "This looks like a tiny alligator."
"It is, sort of. It's non-terrestrial, I think." She moved with me, peering over my shoulder and pointing at the tail structure of the imprint. "No known species native to this planet have that."
"Do you…like learning about non-terrestrial lifeforms?" I glanced at her, and she nodded. Her overwhelming presence, the heat of her body, the way I could almost feel her heart pounding against my elbow, and soft puffs of her breath lingering near my cheek weakened my knees and my resolve.
"I do," she said, her tone softening with it. "Are you okay? You seem…nervous."
"I am." I smirked, and turned around to face her, my back pressing against the table.
"Why?" She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear while her gaze lingered on mine. "Are you a precog?"
"No." I chuckled and shook my head. "Why?"
"Because if you were, maybe you were nervous in anticipating the fact I was going to ask you to have dinner with me tonight." She dragged her teeth over her bottom lip for a fleeting moment and her gaze flickered downward before returning to mine. "Will you?"
I gulped, nodding my answer before forming my agreement. "Yes."
"Good." She let out a relieved laugh with it. "Because I've really enjoyed talking with you in our brief passing and I would like to extend that."
"I've enjoyed talking with you, too." I drew in a slow breath to steady my nerves and calm the chaotic buzzing that danced on the end of every nerve fiber in my body. I ached to run, to burst from the inside out like the pressure relieved from a century's old volcano. Harlow's closeness and bold invitation stymied my voice and left me railing against the tension in my core.
"I've made you very anxious." She took a step back. "I'm sorry," she said, though with a smile. "Sometimes my hubris is crushing."
I laughed softly at the jab she tossed at herself. "Nothing wrong with being confident."
"Not in general, but the excess I embody can sometimes induce a state of consternation in my targets." She narrowed her eyes playfully. "Which is clearly the case here."
"You are…" I drew in a slow breath while shaking my head. "Like no one I've ever met before."
"And yet…I've always been here." She smiled, tilting her head to the side. "Dinner?"
"Yes." I laughed out my reply and her fingers carefully wrapped around my forearm. The searing sensation returned, but not in the way that made me want to tear myself away. Again, my face heated and I knew I turned into a cherry popsicle on the spot.
A soft snicker left her when she led me toward the door. "I made you blush."
"Get used to it. It's kind of a chronic thing."
I followed her out the back door of the museum. Her hiking boots hit the sidewalk much smarter than my clunky Docs. I tucked my hands into the pockets of my jeans and watched the sidewalk ahead of us. At the end of the business day, the rush hour foot traffic coupled with the busy streets flooded my senses on top of the rapid-fire emotions that seemed to infect enough of me to make it to the ends of my hair. Harlow's presence beside me screamed, both consuming my awareness and heightening the range of my perception around us.
Like the other day at the museum, the hair on the back of my neck tickled and goosebumps coated my flesh. My attention shot upward when tingling danced at the top of my head. Above us, in the slew of drones and hover vehicles, a shiny metallic something sped toward the sidewalk. In one swift motion, I grabbed Harlow in one arm and nearly tackled her with me into the brick face of the bank on the corner. My fingers wrapped around the jacket of a teenager with green earbuds in his ears as I jerked him out of the way a split second before the disk-shaped object slammed into the ground six inches from us.
Harlow cried out as the sidewalk shattered, now concave with the sewer-cap sized object protruding from it. The kid, on the ground with his hands in the air, stared at his left tennis shoe covered foot, a fraction of an inch from where it hit. People around us shouted, and panic ensued as they turned their attention to the sky.
Nothing else happened, and first responders arrived in a heartbeat. I let go of the kid to wrap both arms around Harlow who kept her face hidden against my shoulder. She peeked up when she heard the police attempting to clear the scene.
"Is everyone okay?" a uniformed officer asked.
"We're fine," I answered, while Harlow stared wide-eyed at the sidewalk. "Close call."
"All right. Everyone clear the way here." He waved us away.
The kid stood up. His green eyes flashed a shade brighter and the manner in which his tongue clicked before he spoke told me he wasn't fully human. So did the lime-like scent that accompanied his sweat.
"Thanks," he croaked, a mild hiss on the final consonant.
"You're welcome." I rubbed Harlow's back as she found her footing beside me. "C'mon."
"What just happened?" She covered her mouth while looking behind us. "Is that a quantum cold fusion engine?"
"Yup. Dropped right out of the sky," I said, both of us looking up. "From what, is the question. I'm guessing delivery drone. A vehicle would've come down with it."
"How did you even see it coming?" She drew in a few deep breaths, though she continued to stand unusually close to me.
"I…saw it reflecting in the upper windows of the bank and reacted," I lied and the minute it left my tongue, my stomach swirled with sickness.
"Good thing one of us has reflexes." She rubbed my back once before we broke apart. "Let's get out of here."
"Okay," I agreed, leaning into the sudden shift of affect that left her in the lead.
We said nothing until we ducked inside the cozy bistro at the far end of the block. She held the door open for me, and tossed me a wink when I headed in.
"Chivalrous of you."
"I mean, you did just save my life and that of a kid. I'm still in shock a little," she said, and I noticed she wrung her hands slightly as we walked to the table.
"I'm sure you'll return the favor someday." I pulled a chair out for her, and she smiled at me.
"Thank you."
"Welcome." I took my seat across from her at the small table, and we both let out a heavy breath at the same time. "What are you in the mood for?"
Her pulse continued to race, and I kept her talking in hope of distracting her. I pulled the digital ordering pad from the pocket at the edge of the table and set it between us. "Wine? Beer? Tequila?"
"Are you trying to get me out of my shirt before we even share a plate of fries?" She rested her chin on her hand while smiling at me.
I laughed and let my finger hover over the option for a margarita. "Maybe."
"Tease." She pushed her index finger into the back of my hand, forcing me to select the drink. "Better make it two," she said, cocking a brow at me. Playfulness, coupled with a hint of challenge, sparkled in her pretty eyes. If I concentrated hard enough, I could almost see the clouds passing in her overcast grays.
"What do you like to eat?"
"Um…" I hadn't thought about that portion of the invitation until then. "What kind of restaurant is this?"
"Fusion. Everything, kind of. I think I'm going to go for a burger and fries. My adrenaline needs something to burn." She tapped the menu three times to put her order in, then handed it to me. "All yours."
"Hmm." I flicked through the choices and chose a black bean burger with fries as well. "I think I got it."
"Good."
The second we returned the menu to the holder, the android server tray rolled over with our drinks. We plucked the margaritas and ice water glasses off the cart.
"Enjoy your meal. Enjoy your meal," the robot voice said with a mild lilt to the tone.
"Do you miss human servers?" I asked her, before sipping my drink.
"Not much. It's more private this way. You never have to rush out due to shift change or get aggravated by overzealous ones checking on you every ten minutes," she said, shrugging. "It also makes eating alone less awkward."
"True. Do you eat alone often?"
She nodded and fiddled with her glass resting on the coaster. "You?"
"If I'm not with Nalea or Audra…" I nodded. "Yeah."
"Speaking of, baby pictures?" She smiled again, resting her chin on her hand. "How is she?"
"So cute." I whipped out my phone and pressed the share button to project the 3D photos in the space between us. "Look at her cheeks."
"Aww. She's beautiful. Her moms look so happy." She smiled while watching the reel of photos play on. "And so do you. I love that one."
"She grabs my hair constantly. This morning she took a handful and smashed it in her face. I secretly adore it." I put my phone away when the photo lineup ended. "All the grandparents are visiting this week."
"Very sweet. I like seeing happy people."
"Me too."
"You know…I never even asked you if you were single or if you were interested in going out with me. I leapt to all sorts of conclusions in an attempt to satisfy my quixotic desires."
"I would've told you if I wasn't single or not interested in getting to know you." I paused to allow myself time to formulate what I wanted to say. "So far, it's been great. We have a lot in common."
"History nerds attached to outdated tech?" She motioned toward my phone. "I noticed you don't have a wrist phone and I'm sure you spotted my collection of hardcopy books."
"I did note your books. I'm a fan." My insides melted to a puddle.
The world around us faded, as if a protective shell closed us off from the stimuli that engulfed me all the time. Something about Harlow commanded all of my attention. The only comparative situation I could think of was the moments of the past week spent with Elara. Something about the intimacy of the two different kinds of connections quelled whatever chaos plagued me normally. I hadn't known either of them very long, but the stark contrast their presence in my life brought to my awareness jutted out like a ragged peak.
"I'm a fan in general." She brought her drink to her lips, then smiled after she took a sip. "Of you. And your hair. I can't stop looking at it."
I chuckled and ran my teeth over my bottom lip before sipping my drink. "Flattery, Curator Harlow. Thank you. I noticed your eyes first. Gray like the calm of an overcast sky."
She tucked her hair behind her ear, and I noted she did that whenever her heart skipped a beat. I seemed to always be listening to her heart, like the calming metronome of a concerto.
"Lovely way to describe them. I appreciate that. What color are your eyes? Sometimes they seem brown, others more hazel, depending on the light," she reflected, tilting her head while her gaze locked on mine. "Very dark right now."
"Um…kind of hazel, yeah." Another lie left my lips, and I dropped my gaze to the straw in my glass. I made to speak, to tell her everything right there, but the serving bot returned with our dinner.
Together, we lifted our plates and all the accoutrements that came with it. I watched as she poured some ketchup on her plate. My palms grew colder and clammy, and a heaviness settled around me.
"Have you heard about the expedition to the moon coming up?" she asked. "I'm hoping to get my hands on some of the samples they bring back. I have Martian soil samples in my office from the last venture out there."
"I have. Every time I hear about a moon landing, I think about the Doctor Who episode where the moon was actually an egg that hatched some sort of cosmic creature." I winced when I heard the nerdy words tumble out of my mouth. "How cringe worthy did that just sound?"
She laughed hard, hiding her mouth behind her napkin while chewing. "Pretty bad, but it's an interesting concept. What happened after it hatched? The moon's gravity holds our tilt. We could suffer whole ecosystem collapses, no seasons, or extreme weather."
"I think that's why they were freaked out. Turns out, when the moon hatches, it leaves behind another baby moon like a Russian doll of eggs or something." I laughed and shook my head. "I'm so sorry for everything I've said in the last five minutes."
"Don't be." She grinned and leaned back in her chair while nibbling a fry. "I'm a fan."
I cleared my throat in hope it'd stave off another blush. "So, you're keen on the idea of space exploration and aliens and such?"
"It's all fascinating. We've identified several hundred alien races in the last century alone. At least a dozen species that can co-mingle with humans, survive on Earth. Their anatomy, for the most part, reflects our own externally, again with minor fluctuations, but their internal processes are very different. The art and stories they bring here drive me the most. Almost everyone is a refugee of some sort."
"Have you met many Offlanders?"
"Many, I'm sure. But only a few that I was aware were alien or Hybridian. The latter is much more common."
"Much." I nodded, taking careful bites of my sandwich. The flavors walloped me right away, though it wasn't in a foul manner for the most part. I could stomach the excess salt, at least for the time being. "Full aliens struggle to blend in. Physical features and all, but perception inducers help."
"They do. Hybridian don't usually need them. Imagine a world where no one had to hide who they were?" She shrugged, then stole a dainty bite of her burger. "Same sex couples used to have to hide their love in the same way because of threats and laws that prohibited them from being out. All of that is gone now. Maybe one day that'll happen for aliens."
"Maybe. Took a long time for that to change, though. A very long time. Ask any person of color their family history, or South American immigrants. Some of that still lingers…"
"I think everything always will in some form or another."
"Probably. Humans are…an impressionable species," I said, but hoped it didn't come across as too nonhuman.
"We are."
"Most Offlanders come from a humble place. Hybridians somewhere in the middle. They've done a lot for Earth and for humanity, though some of it we could do without," she said, rolling her eyes briefly. "The showboating I mean."
"What do you mean?" My brow furrowed while I managed a few fries.
"The Shadow Protectors and the feigned attempts at recreating some sort of comic book superheroes for citizens of Earth to worship." She shook her head. "We could do without that. Become a cop or join I.P.P.A. or something. Why go all vigilante?"
My stomach writhed, twisting and churning when I heard the words leave her luscious lips. The words I dreaded would follow the disclosure I planned to share today.
"Maybe…some can't. Maybe they want to help everyone without the choke collar of an institution." I shrugged, hoping I played along well enough to sound convincing.
"Perhaps. But so many of them have abilities that humans don't. They could really help law enforcement, social services, medicine." She leaned forward, as a hint of passion seemed to strike her. "There's this Hybridian doctor I met once.
He has expanded hearing or something to that effect. He uses his ability to detect the faintest heart irregularities. It's incredible. He's saved so many lives. Not just with that, but coupled with the fact he's a heart surgeon. That's how to help people. Putting it all together. If I had some marked ability, I would put it to good use, within and without the system."
"I'm glad some people are doing it," I managed, though the heaviness in my chest threatened to tighten.
"Me too." She motioned to my plate. "Is everything okay? You've barely touched it."
"Yes. It's okay for the most part."
"Are you a picky eater?" she asked, rather casually.
I nodded right away, hoping to redeem myself by telling her at least one truth tonight. "I am sometimes, with certain spices or flavors I don't like. This is pretty good, just a little salty. The fries are good though."
"Yes, they are. Want to try my burger?" she asked, pointing to her uneaten half.
I shook my head. "I'm okay. Thank you though. Want to try this?"
"All good. What are your favorite things to eat?" she asked, her kind smile returning.
"I love all fresh fruit. I think grapes are my favorite, especially when they're firm and crunchy. Or frozen. And some cakes or pastries that are well-made with real ingredients. What about you?"
"Hmm. Burgers for sure." She pointed at her plate. "And cookies and cream ice cream. Literally could eat a whole gallon on my own."
"I like mint chip the best." A grin finally made it to my face. "But most ice cream is good if it's not overly sweet or filled with fake sugar. I hate the taste of things like those artificial products they put in."
"Like the aftertaste diet soda or sugar free pudding leaves in your mouth." She screwed up her face. "So gross."
"Yes." I laughed and leaned back in my chair while watching her. "Just like that."
By the time we finished our meal and shared an ice cream sundae, night fell over the city, leaving the streets lean on a weeknight. I walked Harlow back toward the museum. Our pace meandered as we both shoved our hands in the pockets of our zipped jackets. I watched my feet on the pavement beside hers, our steps falling in line.
Jawbreaker (Four Point Universe Book 14) Page 6