I have a year.If she couldn’t convince him by then, the Cosmic Mates contract would expire, and Falkor would send her packing.
Please, Goddess, let us come out okay. I haven’t asked for much—well, okay, I have, but please do one more thing for me, and I won’t ask ever again.
Rounding the fountain in the inside courtyard, she entered into the wide corridor leading to their apartment. Tontu hurried toward her. “Ms. Kennedy, so glad to see you. His Highness has been looking for you.”
“He’s home?” Her knees wobbled, and she swayed. “Where is he?”
“I saw him a few hours ago, and he was in the apartment.”
Her knees went weak with relief. “Thank you!” She hugged him and sprinted down the hall.Thank you, Goddess, thankyou.But this was only the first step. They still had a long, rocky road to hike.
She burst into the suite.
Staring at the floor, he sat on the sofa, elbows braced on his knees, shoulders hunched.
“Falkor!”
He shot off the couch. “You’re still here! You didn’t leave! I’m so sorry, so sorry about everything.” He flew across the room, and she ran toward him. They almost collided head-on, but he caught her and swung her into his arms.
“I didn’t do it! I swear—”
His mouth smothered her words, and she melted into his kiss. “I know you didn’t do it,” he said when they stopped kissing. “I’m so sorry for doubting you.”
“You talked to the queen?” she asked, thankful he’d gotten the proof he needed.
“No, why? Should I have?”
“She has proof that Soton and—”
“I don’t need proof. I believe you.”
“You do?” Her voice wobbled. Tears pricked at her eyes.
“I do. I’m sorry for doubting you. I saw your messages this morning and came to my senses.”
“I sent them days ago.”
His mouth twisted. “After I left, I went on a drunken binge. I stayed drunk the whole time. I didn’t check my comms until this morning. That’s when I realized what a jerk I’ve been. It’s not an excuse; it doesn’t mitigate what I did. My own insecurity caused me to doubt you.” He raked a hand through his hair. “When I returned to the palace and you weren’t here, I feared you’d gone home to Earth. I went to the spaceport; I was going to come after you, but the next flight isn’t until next month.”
“I wouldn’t leave you. I love you. Earth isn’t home anymore. My home is wherever you are.”
He enfolded her in his arms and kissed her. “I love you so much.”
“Why would you think I would leave without speaking to you? Without saying goodbye?” Apparently, he still had some doubts. They would work on those together.
“Soton showed me a flight manifest with you listed as a passenger. I assumed it was bogus, but when you weren’t here, and nobody knew where you’d gone…leaving me was no less than I deserved.”
“Soton!” She spit out the name. She didn’t hate anyone, but he might become the first. “He approached me at MAH and tried to get me to leave the planet—said he could book me a passage to Earth—but I told him to fuck off.” She glowered, mad all over again.
Falkor laughed. “I fired him. And punched him.”
“Good. He wasn’t your friend.” She suspected he probably hadn’t been a very good business partner either.
“Obviously I realize that now. What’s MAH?”
“The Museum of Alien Horticulture. Kismet took me the other day to try to cheer me up. Each exhibit displays a typical biome for each planet. They have one for Earth. That’s where I went today. I was worried about us, and I went to try to shake off the blues. I thought seeing a bit of home would make me feel better—but it didn’t because I realized my home is with you. This is where I belong.”
“You’re my home, too,” he said, and then surprised her by dropping onto one knee.
