Their connection was shifting, evolving into a profound bond that took her by surprise. Was it fondness? Attraction? She wasn’t sure.
Polly glanced at her useless phone, wishing for the millionth time it worked in this star-studded nowhere. She realized with a start that she hadn’t seen her friend all day. The usual bustling activity of her friend and Olmed was conspicuously absent. She’d text Tori about all this, maybe add a few laugh-cry emojis for good measure. But nope, no cell service in space. Typical.
Being cut off from Tori and Jana was unsettling. Though she trusted Jana was safe with Phares—Erzo would have said something otherwise—the silence from Tori was unnerving. Her thoughts swirled with worry and guilt. If only she hadn’t orchestrated that meeting in the park, if only they had chosen a coffee shop instead... But no, what we did obviously started them on a fresh path.
But oh, my goodness! She couldn’t stop thinking about last night. The continuous replay of Erzo’s tail antics nudged aside her anxiety about Tori. It was like her brain had put that scene on a loop. She half-wondered what else that tail could do, but immediately scolded herself for going down that black hole of speculation.
With a sigh, Polly finished getting ready, her thoughts bouncing between Erzo’s flirtations and Tori’s absence. She hoped dinner would provide some answers or, at the very least, a distraction from her tail-spinning thoughts. And if Erzo decided to bring his tail into play again, well, she’d have to cross that bridge when she came to it—preferably without blushing like a schoolgirl.
“Polly,”
Polly was so deep in her thoughts that Erzo’s voice made her nearly jump out of her skin. “Oh! Talk about a heart attack! What’s gotten into me?”
Erzo looked apologetic. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Just lost in space, I guess,” Polly joked with a half-smile, turning back to the mirror to give her bangs a last pat. The bob haircut was holding up well, just a fluff and brush away from looking perfect. “I’m just about ready.”
Erzo momentarily diverted her attention when he picked up her phone, examining it with a curious tilt of his head. “What is this?”
“That’s my phone, my lifeline back home,” Polly explained.
“Does it work?”
She laughed. “Well, it turns on, but that’s about it. It’s like having a starship with no fuel.”
But then, to her utter astonishment, her phone emitted a series of beeps. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “What did you do?”
Erzo shrugged nonchalantly. “Just a little Charro tech magic. It won’t connect you to Earth, but you can use it locally now.”
Polly quickly flipped through her phone, her excitement mounting as she saw new icons and connectivity symbols. She immediately dialed Tori’s number, her face lighting up as the call connected.
“Hey, Tori, guess what? It works!” Polly couldn’t contain her grin, giving Erzo a triumphant thumbs up.
Erzo raised an eyebrow at her gesture, a smile playing on his lips, clearly amused by her enthusiasm.
“I guess so,” Tori responded, her voice tinged with surprise. “What’s up?”
“I was checking to see if it would. Erzo thought it might connect with the systems here and at least allow us to reach each other. Now we can get a hold of each other whenever,” Polly said.
“That’s handy,” Tori said, but she sounded distracted. “I gotta go.”
“Cool. We’re at the apartments. I think we’re going to dinner soon.”
“I’m finishing up shopping, and then Olmed and I are looking up some old friends.”
“Have fun. Talk later. Text if you need me,” Polly said.
“You, too.”
Polly ended the call. Without a second thought, she leaped into Erzo’s arms, her joy overflowing.
“Thank you!” she exclaimed, planting a grateful kiss on his cheek.
Erzo’s arms encircled her in a firm embrace, drawing her close until they were mere breaths apart. His deep, dark eyes locked onto hers, delving into the depths of her soul.
“You’re welcome,” he whispered, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers cascading down her spine.
Polly noticed the intricate lines etched into his skin, the subtle asymmetry of his nose, and the gentle creases at the corners of his eyes. Every detail was a revelation, a new facet of him to explore.
