Page 20 of Earth-Bound

Poor Randall sounded worried, so I hastened to reassure him. “No, no it is not. It’s—”

I found my throat was thick and my words stuttered. I’d never believed I’d get a mate and it felt almost too precious to say out loud. Randall looked at me, a little worry line between his eyebrows and even Broadmire scowled more deeply than usual on my behalf.

“It’s my mate,” I said at last.

Even speaking the word ‘mate’ out loud sent a thrill through me. My mate. I was going to meet my mate soon, I could feel it.

Randall beamed. “Congratulations! That’s incredible news. Who are they? Have you met them yet? Are you mated?”

“I have not met them yet. They are coming this way and I am about to see them for the first time.”

All three of us stood in silence, all turned towards the east from where the footsteps were coming. As they drew nearer, I recognised them. Not just from knowing they belonged to my mate, but from before that, even. These footsteps felt familiar. And I knew exactly who they belonged to.

“Joe.” I let the name slip between my lips on a gentle breath and remembered the way I’d felt when I’d seen him, when he’d touched my tree, and the pleasure of feeling him walk in that careful way of his across my earth. Of course he was my mate. It could be no other.

Sure enough, his familiar face appeared as he walked up the hill towards my tree and I took in his handsome features, the neatly trimmed beard, the broad shoulders and the expression of surprise in his eyes as he saw all three of us standing there, waiting, looking at him.

“Hmm, hi,” he said.

“Hello.”

He hesitated, his eyes going from me to Randall to Broadmire. “Am I interrupting something?”

“No, not at all. Please, join us.”

He walked nearer and I could feel the reluctance in his step. It sent a sour shiver through my body.

Randall made the introductions. “Joe, have you met Terrund?”

“No.”

I saw a glimmer in his eyes as he said it and remembered seeing him only yesterday, from across the fields, looking in my direction as I stretched out in the sun. I hadn’t been sure whether he’d seen me then, but I became sure that he had.

“This is Terrund, our friend. Terrund, this is Joe. He’s a gardener.”

“My gardener,” said Broadmire.

Randall rolled his eyes and patted Broadmire’s big chest reassuringly.

I held out my hand, desperate to touch my mate and feel his skin for the first time. When he took it, I felt the brush of his calloused fingers, the rough skin of his palm and the warmth that spread through me like sunshine.

“Pleased to meet you,” he said.

I have to admit, he didn’t sound pleased. He sounded like he didn’t mind one way or the other.

That was a bit of a blow but, as I stood there with my mate’s hand in mine, I reassured myself. He was here. He was mine. And he was utterly perfect.

Joe tugged his hand and I realised I’d been holding onto it. Reluctantly, I released him and he looked around, flustered. I liked that I’d flustered him. I liked seeing him respond to me.

“I didn’t mean to intrude; I was just going to water the plants up at the house.”

He held up a watering can and gestured at the large building.

“My house,” said Broadmire.

This time, Randall’s pat on his chest was not so reassuring. It was a smack. “Seriously, Broadmire? Can’t you let it go just once?”

“No.”

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