“Hey, Wyatt. How do you feel?”
“Trapped.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry for the straps. Cam made me do it for security.” Gage seemed genuinely uncomfortable, but he also didn’t attempt to remove the bands tying Wyatt down.
“Why? What is going on here?”
“It’s because of what Daphne Charlene said you told her. You know, about us being aliens and all. That’s pretty much rule number one around here. Don’t tell any humans where we’re from.”
Wyatt paused. “I swear that I didn’t tell her anything. I don’t like her. I would never tell her.”
Gage nodded. He seemed to believe Wyatt, but before he could comment, Cam strolled in.
“Wyatt,” he said.
“You shot me with a Defender.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Daphne Charlene says you two have an intimate relationship and that during pillow talk you mentioned space aliens living in plain sight at the Big Bang Truck Stop. We can’t have that information spreading around town. You understand.”
Wyatt felt his own eyes widen. “I swear to you on all I hold dear that I never told her anything. Trust me, there was never any pillow talk between us.”
“Right. That’s because last night you were with Valene instead.”
Relieved, Wyatt quickly said, “Yes. Yes, I was.”
“All night?”
“Yes!” he said emphatically, until Wyatt realized what he’d just revealed to one of Valene’s six older brothers.So dumb.“Well…yes. We were together,” he admitted. After a long, uncomfortable staring contest, he added, “The thing is, I love Valene. I want to marry her. I have for quite a while now.”
“That’s all fine and good, but the problem is, how can Daphne Charlene Dumont know about our big secret unless it came from you?”
“I don’t know. But I swear to you I didn’t tell her anything.”
Cam loosened the straps until he was free. “I want to believe you.”
Wyatt sat up and got off the table. “But you don’t.”
“Is it possible that you were drugged or somehow induced to tell her against your will?”
“All I can say is that’s what it would take to get that specific information out of me. I wouldn’t willingly tell anyone and especially not Daphne Charlene. Besides, as loath as I am to admit this to you, Valene and I were together at my house all night long. Ask her.”
“I have. Given what I know, it’s possible you just bought yourself a one-way ticket to a new rest-of-your-life on Alpha-Prime.”
Wyatt shrugged. “I’m okay with that.”
“Are you? What if Valene doesn’t go with you?”
“What? Why wouldn’t she?”
“Daphne Charlene has made a compelling case for pillow talk with you. Valene’s feelings were hurt in the process. I will delay discussion of the ‘night’ you spent together until after this current catastrophe is resolved.”
“Where is she?”
“Daphne Charlene?”
