Page 7 of Space Cowgirl: Houston, All Systems Go
“No, thanks.” He crosses over to his boots, picks them up and unlocks the front door. Not looking back, he swings it open, crosses over the threshold and lets it close softly behind him.
I hear him stomp into his boots on the other side of the door before his steps fade down the hall.
My phone blasts, making me jump out of whatever reverie I’d been having. Striding back to my room, I pluck my phone from the stereo docking station. Draped across a speaker is my underwear from last night. Black lace. Well, at least the show I gave Holt had been a good one.
Jackie’s pretty, four-eyed face lights up my screen under the name NASA’s Darling. NASA’s PR is having a field day between Jackie Darling Lee and Julie Starr, aka NASA’s Starr. It’s just another thing Jackie and I have to bond over— stupid monikers.
I don’t remember much of last night, so I’m not sure what all Jackie knows or what I have to be defensive about. I need to get my shit together before I face the firing squad. I take a deep breath and slide my finger across the screen, mustering up all my bravado. “Hey, hooker, what’s shaking?”
“I’m engaged!”
I pull the phone away from my ear so I don’t go deaf from her squealing. Seriously. My shy, nerdy homegirl is squealing. It seems I’ve missed quite a bit during the six months I was in space. And usually I’m okay with that. Space is what I wanted. But lately I’ve found myself rubbing my sternum every time I’m reminded about what I’m missing here on Earth.
“That’s amazing, Jackie-girl. I’m so happy for you.” I drop my hand from my chest and clear my throat, unsure why I’m feeling so emotional. “But don’t think just because Flynn locked it down that he’s off the hook from my interrogation. I still need to make sure he meets my standards.”
Jackie laughs. “Jules, I doubt anyone could meet your standards. You’re in a league all your own.”
I pause to look at the door Holt just exited. “True story, my dear. True story.”
Jackie laughs again. “Did you have fun last night?”
Her tone turns sly, and my defenses kick into high gear.
“Things got a little crazy at Big Texas,” she hedges. “I’ve never seen you that hammered before.”
“Really?” I’m not a lush, but I’ve tied one on a time or two with Jackie before.
“You don’t remember?” Jackie asks, this time with concern in her voice.
“I’m just playing. Of course I remember.” I donotremember. “I wasn’t that drunk.” Oh my God, I’d beenthatdrunk. “But you know me—work hard, play hard.”
“I do know you. And I know Holt. Who just happened to text Flynn letting him know you got home safely last night.”
“Oh?”
Jackie heaves a sigh through the phone. “Don’t ‘Oh’ me, Julie Starr. Since we’ve met, you’vebeen on my butt about getting me hooked up, even resorting to blackmail, for heaven’s sake.” Her voice keeps rising with each word, and I have to pull the phone away from my ear again. “If you leave with a hot guy, who now happens to be my future brother-in-law, then I’m owed details!”
“Calm down, NASA Darling, calm down. Nothing happened.” Which is true. I just decide not to mention the strip tease. Or the sleeping naked beside him. Or the being a major bitch to him. “He just made sure I got home safe.”
“Oh.” She sounds so disappointed I almost cave and tell her more. Until she says, “Well, I guess that’s a good thing, as you guys will be seeing each other a lot and I wouldn’t want any awkward one-night-stand stuff getting in the way.”
“Yeah, we—wait, what? What do you mean we’ll be seeing each other a lot? And getting in the way of what?”
“Planning the wedding.”
Silence.
“You willbe my maid of honor, right?”
I stagger back, feeling like I’ve been dealt aphysical blow. From the moment I saw Jackie hunched over her console at work, pencils stuck in her messy ponytail and her pristine white Converse shoes bouncing on the floor, I’d known she and I were going to be friends. Two women, both succeeding in a field dominated by men, it was clear we should join forces. And our friendship was cemented the night I’d gotten her drunk and she’d confessed her cowboy romance obsession to me. But never, in all our shenanigans, did I think she’d choose me to be her maid of honor.I never thought anyone would choose me.
I blink a few times, rub my sternum and take a few deep breaths through my nose before responding.
“Of course, hooker. I’d be honored.”
I swear I can hear her smile through the phone.
“Yes! But try not to call me hooker in your maid of honor speech, okay? Holt has a thing about cursing.”
