Between the first two bites of cake, Diesel asked, “So, what is your article about again? Is it on Alienn exclusively or just in general seeking any and all information on bloodthirsty aliens trying to take over Earth?”
“Very funny.” Her smile could light up his soul. “My article has to do with either proving or disproving the existence of aliens hiding in plain sight. My former teacher—the one who recommended me for this project—wants me to prove it. He thinks the article will help sell more books if there is a juicy suggestion regarding aliens roaming around nearby.
“The possibility that readers could come here using a Finder’s book to see it for themselves would also be a boon. Although I can’t imagine I’m the only one he’s ever tried to wrangle into writing it.”
They finished the cake, Diesel offering her the final bite. Juliana took it and then scooped up a fallen glob of frosting with her finger, cleaning the plate completely.
She gathered the dishes and Diesel helped her carry them to the sink. Once she’d loaded her small dishwasher, they started walking toward the living room.
“What’s his name? Your old teacher, I mean,” Diesel asked.
“Mr. Harriman.”
Diesel searched his memory. He’d never heard of him. “Did he provide all the rumors regarding Alienn?”
“Perhaps.” Juliana looked a bit uncomfortable. “There is actually one other thing I meant to ask before I left last week, but I decided to wait until we were alone.”
“Okay.” Diesel straightened.Here it comes.He quickly rehearsed the company line about the Boogieman Affair in his head.
“Do you ever want to have children?”
His mouth opened but no words came out. Juliana certainly had the ability to take him off guard at every turn.
“Children?”
“Yes, you know—small human beings. They’re very tiny and cute.”
His brows furrowed. Hadn’t they already discussed this before? No. Wait. That had been a part of the conversation before her memory got wiped by the Big D.
Dang Cam’s security-minded hide.
Diesel closed his eyes and then opened them again. He fixed a stare directly into her baby blues and said, “Yes, Juliana. I do want children someday. I come from a pretty large family.”
“Oh? How large?”
“There are seven of us.”
“Seven? Really? Awesome.” Her elated expression mirrored the one she’d displayed the first time he’d answered the question.
“How about you?” He’d neglected to ask last time, thanks to octo-man ruining the mood. “Do you have a big family?”
Her expression immediately shuttered. “Um…no. I don’t have any at all.”
“None?” His cousin Stella Grey was an only child. Her parents had died tragically on their home planet, leaving her technically an orphan, but at least Stella had been transferred to Earth to stay with his family.
“Nope. I was left on the doorstep of a church when I was a baby.”
“In Arkansas?”
“Washington State. A very small place called Gray’s Harbor City.”
“Gray’s Harbor? I wonder if I have kin up there,” Diesel said, knowing full well he didn’t.
“It’s spelled different, but you never know.”
“How did you end up going to school in Arkansas?”
“I got a grant to go to college in Missouri. After I graduated, I earned another grant for graduate school here in Doraydo, provided I studied communications. So I did. I graduated in the spring with honors.”
