“Like I said, brilliant.”
“This next one might not fly, but I had to give it a try.” He pointed to a blue and white striped mini cottage with plaster columns holding up a portico. Its sign showed an astronaut planting a Greek flag on the moon.
“The Cosmic Greek. I love it! What will you sell here?”
“Greek fisherman’s hats, sweaters, olive oil, ‘Kiss me, I’m Greek’mugs. The full range of corny tchotchkes. See, I’m leaning into Trappers Cove’s aesthetic.”
“Here’s to kitsch.” Feeling a little tipsy from the wine, she kissed him again.
“Easy now, don’t fall into the water.”
Turning, she beheld the weirdest public fountain she’d ever seen.
“The cosmic transmitter!”
“Right on its original spot, just like I promised Gus.”
“It’s, er, really something.” The transmitter stood on a cement dais, ringed with bug-eyed alien heads that spit water into a surrounding basin. Nestled inside the rebar structure, a plexiglass box held Gus’s artistic urn. A bronze plaque listed his name, date of birth and death, andAd Astra per Aspera.
Xander sighed. “Kinda creepy, I know, but Gus is resting where he wanted to.”
“Through hardship to the stars.” She wound her arms around him from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder. “Pretty much describes our start together, eh?”
They lingered there, linked together beneath the brilliant stars. Xander raised her hand to his lips, pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles, and turned into her embrace. “Beauty, I’m dying to get you alone, but I’ve got one more thing to show you.”
“Lead on, Space Captain.” She linked her arm through his. “You know, you’d look damn fine in one of those shiny astronaut jumpsuits.
He threw his head back on a belly-shaking laugh. “I’ll wear one if you will.”
On the other side of the fountain, two larger sheds stood side by side, both painted deep blue with silver stars. The sign above one entrance read,Souvenir Planet Museum. The other,Souvenir Starship.
Hannah clapped her hands to her mouth and squeaked, “Xander?!” After all their strife and struggle, he’d made peace with the aliens? This was more than she could’ve hoped for.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pressed his cheek to her temple. “I hope you like it, love. Come inside and give me your verdict.”
On indigo walls painted with stars, galaxies, and nebulae, Xander had arranged photos of Souvenir Planet, including several she recognized from back issues of theBeacon. “Your mom helped me with this part,” he admitted. A few relics from the old shop held pride of place, including a cabinet of vintage souvenirs and the mummified mermaid. “I talked the historical society into returning this ugly critter,” he said, patting the glass case.
Hannah’s chest swelled with love and gratitude. “Oh, Xander.” She hugged him tightly. “This will mean so much to everyone who remembers Gus’s shop.”
He nuzzled her hair. “I don’t care about the others. Just you, beauty.”
“Whatever happened to that life-size alien on the bench?”
“Afraid that one disintegrated when we tried to move it. But—” He gestured to the connecting doorway, framed in silver and winking lights to look like a spaceship’s portal.
There he sat, between shelves of kitschy alien-themed souvenirs, the same lumpy cloth alien, gazing stoically into the distance, waiting for visitors to snap selfies and sit on his squishy lap.
“You fixed him?”
“The original was beyond repair. This is a replica made by the Trappers Cove Quilters Guild.”
“He’s absolutely identical!” Hannah bit her lip. “Xander, would you…?” She pulled her phone from her pocket.
“My pleasure.”
She plopped onto the bench and threw her arm over the spaceman’s shoulders, mashing her cheek against his.
Xander held the phone up, then scowled. “This shot needs something.”
