For her.
Jake wondered if she turned down all lunch dates regardless of her ice machine woes, or just lunch dates with Deputy Sam Brody. He intended to find out. After he’d fabricated her bracket.
He couldn’t wait to get to know her better. He decided not to get started on that in front of the deputy. He’d wait until Beryl picked up the bracket, when they were alone, to ask if she needed help with the installation. Or wanted to go on a lunch date withhim.
The sliding glass doors of the Supernova Supermarket opened to reveal someone Jake immediately recognized, not due to his nonexistent memories but because it was impossible to live in Alienn and not know who he was.
Diesel Grey was the comically titled Fearless Leader of the Big Bang Truck Stop in Alienn. He had visited Jake in the hospital after he woke, explaining that he was filling in for his brother, Cam, the truck stop’s security officer. Cam and his wife, Ria, had recently had a baby, so Diesel had stepped into Cam’s role.
Why a truck stop would need a security officer and why that security officer would have bothered to visit the owner of a local business in the hospital was never explained to Jake. Small-town stuff, he supposed.
Diesel joined their small circle, frowning at the ice machine as he did so. “Good heavens! What is going on with your ice machine, Beryl?”
Chapter Four
Diesel Grey entered the Supernova Supermarket on a mission to officially invite his eldest cousin, Beryl, to next week’s quarterly elder council meeting at the Big Bang Truck Stop’s underground facility.
When she arrived on Earth, he’d mentioned she’d eventually have to attend as the representative of her branch of the family, but he was certain she’d been overwhelmed with many other responsibilities since then. That happened when one moved two galaxies away from Alpha-Prime to start a new life.
But his first words had to do with the godawful sound the store’s ice machine was making.
Beryl said, “Hello to you, too, Diesel.” She then added, “As for my ice machine, well, it’s a work in progress. In fact, Jake here is going to help make a bracket to get rid of the banging noise. I need to call someone else to handle the grinding motor noises. Never a dull moment.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I’m sure you have it well in hand.”
“I don’t know about that, but I’m doing my best.”
“No doubt.” He smiled and tried to look reassuring. “Do you have a minute? I need to talk to you about something.”
“Sure.” To Jake Jones, she said, “Call me when the bracket is ready and I’ll come and pick it up.”
“Excellent.” Jake nodded his farewell to the group and headed in the direction of the grocery carts, snagging one,dropping his toolbox in the basket and pushing it down the nearest aisle.
Diesel glanced at Deputy Sam Brody and wondered what the man was doing here.
When the Old Coot deputy made no move to leave, Diesel asked, “How are you settling in, Deputy Brody?”
Brody looked startled by the question. If Diesel had to guess, the man had been too busy staring at his cousin to pay attention to anything or anyone else.
“I’m settling in well. Thank you for asking.” To Beryl, he said, “I guess I better get going.” She appeared impervious to the moon-eyed gaze he sent her before making his way out through the supermarket’s sliding glass doors.
“Did you know Deputy Brody before moving here?” Diesel asked.
“Nope.” Beryl looked relieved that the deputy was gone.
“I see.”
“Do you?” Beryl flashed him a smirky smile.
“Yes. Do I need to intervene?”
“Nope. I’m fine. You don’t have to fight my battles for me, Diesel. But I appreciate that you always offer.”
Diesel shrugged. “Let me know if you change your mind.”
Beryl shook her head. “I won’t. But I still appreciate your willingness to stick up for me.”
“You are a member of my family, Beryl. That’s what family does—we all stick up for each other. You’ve certainly done it for me.” Beryl and her brother, Mica, had done Diesel a huge favor during Alpha-Prime’s last Seven-Year Inspection when he’d been briefly incapacitated and Diesel would never forget it.
