Bride for the Space Cowboy (Match Made in Space #2)

14. Nadine

Chapter Fourteen

NADINE

“That’ll be five coins,” I tell the customer.

She smiles at me, flicking her tail as she pays. “Here you are.”

I happily plunk her five coins in the register while Trudy hands her the coffee she ordered. I love my job so much that I don’t even know what to think. I’m so accustomed to work being pure drudgery. The experience of a reasonable schedule, a boss I actually like, and customers who are kind to me make a remarkable difference.

Our day stays busy with one customer after another. As we roll into the afternoon, Trudy glances over with a smile. “So what do you think?” she asks.

“About what?”

“All of it. Life on a new planet, marrying one of the bodyguards for the prince.” Her eyes hold a teasing glint. “And your job,” she adds.

I’m wiping down the counter. I experience a shock at the rush of emotion that arises with her question. Tears sting my eyes. I swallow through the tightness in my throat and try to breathe through the clenching in my chest. I buy myself a moment as I finish wiping the counter. When I look up at her, I instantly realize she understands.

Her gaze is warm and kind. “I love it,” I tell her earnestly. “So much it makes me want to cry, but they’re happy tears.” I pause. “Sort of. What I left behind was awful.”

Trudy places her big hands on my shoulders and squeezes gently. She towers over me, and I feel incredibly safe around her because I’m confident she could easily protect me from anyone. “My life was different from yours on Earth, but it wasn’t good before I came here. I was a warrior. I suppose I still am. I was given no choice but to fight. My planet isn’t peaceful.”

“I’m glad you’re here now,” I say.

Her lips twist as her hands drop away from my shoulders. “You were a fighter too, right?” she prompts.

I don’t talk much about my life on Earth. In addition to my job, I was a fighter there. As the environment got hotter, plants and animals began dying in droves. Teams of fighters fought other humans, the worst of them. My family had been designated to fight. It wasn’t as bad as it had been for my parents’ generation, but I still had to fight sometimes when marauders came into our towns. I hated every minute of it. It wasn’t as if they selected fighters based on skill. Those assigned to fight came from the bottom of the social class ranks. Despite all that, I was scrappy.

My fighting spirit is probably what led me to walk away from my ex once and for all. Even though I hated that part of my past, I still told Kayden about it. I don’t want to hide anything from him.

I look up at Trudy. “I was a fighter.” I gather my thoughts. “Do you ever lose that?”

She tips her head to the side as she studies me. “I don’t think so. That fighting spirit is a part of you. But you no longer have to fight for your life. You’re safe.”

Just then, the door to the café opens, and Princess Jane strides in with Melody. I’ve seen them both a few times since Kayden and I had our week alone. I break into a big smile. I’m so grateful Jane selected me to come here, and I’m hopeful Melody will find her mate soon.

“Hi!” I say when they stop in front of the counter.

Jane’s smile is warm. “Hello. Tell me, how are you? How are you enjoying your job?” she asks.

“I love it!” I say, clasping my hands together in front of my chest.

Trudy laughs softly as she smiles among us. “She really does, and she’s really good at making coffee.”

“Speaking of, what can I get for you, Princess?” I ask.

Jane’s cheeks flush pink. “You really don’t have to call me princess.”

“I want to,” I insist. Although I know she doesn’t expect me to stand on ceremony, it’s fun.

I make them both coffee and glance toward Melody while I work. “How are you?”

Melody purses her lips together. “Nervous.” She slides her eyes to Jane. “Princess Jane is having another dinner party. She wants us to meet our mates.”

“Great plan. When is it?” I ask.

“I haven’t scheduled it yet, but it will be soon,” Jane says. “I promise you and Kayden will be invited.”

“I can’t wait!” I waggle my brows when I meet Melody’s gaze again.

The camaraderie and kinship I feel with the women here from Earth is like nothing I ever experienced while living there. Even if you cared about people, everyone scrambled to stay alive and get by. If you had a chance for something better, people walked over each other to get there. Even though I’ve only been on Aphroditea for a matter of weeks, there’s absolutely no doubt, especially among the women, we take care of each other here. You feel it, not just from the women from Earth, but all of them. The reverence and kindness feel almost too good to be true.

I chat with Princess Jane and Melody for a few more minutes before more customers arrive. Jane promises to notify me of the next dinner party when they leave. When the café closes, Kayden arrives, telling me he wants me to ride with him. He’s told me this is something I need to learn. I’m a little anxious, but he makes it all easy.

His horse is a beautiful shimmery green. I have a mount to match whose coat is a lighter shade of green. She is kind and gentle. Even though I’m nervous, I smile over at him once I’m riding her. “I feel like she’s taking care of me.”

His eyes glitter gold as he looks over at me. A now familiar heat suffuses me as I meet his gaze. “She is. They have always protected our people, and you are one of us.”

That night, he tells me he’ll travel to the other side of the planet tomorrow with Asher and some other men.

“Will you stay safe, please?” I ask.