Page 26 of Tail, Dark and Handsome: Celestial Mates
“Ow!”
Zero said, “Honeymoon is a funny word. What does it mean?” He repeated it a few more times, dragging out the O sound.
“It’s when you get married and go on vacation to…”
“Mother!”
“To get to know each other,” Valerian said, rolling her eyes.
Zero’s gaze bounced between Mari and her mother, curious. Winter, however, seemed to pick up on exactly what went unsaid and who wasn’t at the table. “You’re mated?” Zero asked.
The fork hovered at her mouth. Mari remained motionless, unsure how to answer. She could soften the story about how Tomas left her for another, that he followed his heart along the path of true love, and ignore those pesky details about taking her money and leaving her in debt to people you don’t want to owe money to. Valerian would know she glossed over details, but really, being nice about the failure of her engagement only helped Tomas.
Mari did not have the energy to spare being nice to that man, and somehow, it felt right to be honest. Between the curious twitch to Zero’s ears and the scowl on Winter’s face, she wanted no misunderstandings between them. It made no sense. She barely knew the father and kit. She owed them nothing, much less the truth about her heartbreak and humiliation. Still…
“My fiancé ran off with my friend on our wedding day and took all my money with them. Apparently, he owed money to the wrong person. I don’t know if he really loved me, because I’m not exactly rolling in the dough, or if he had to run to stay ahead of…” she searched for the correct word, “debt collectors.” Everything had come out in a rush. The tightness in her chest eased once she got the words out. “I don’t know him, and I think I never really knew him at all. This trip was paid for, and I just couldn’t bear going back…” Her voice trailed off, unsure how to express how the sheets still smelled of Tomas’ shampoo and soap.
The table went silent. Were they judging her? Of course they were.
“I don’t miss him. I refuse,” she added. Her heart hurt, yes, but considerably less so after a week. In a month, she’d forget the sound of his voice and question what drew her to him. He was good-looking, but in an average way, so it wasn’t an overwhelming attraction. Charm? He made her feel like she mattered, and it felt nice to be important to someone.
Her emotional neediness made her vulnerable and embarrassed. She hated that far more than she hated Tomas.
Zero fidgeted with his silverware. Winter stared at something over her shoulder.
“That male sounds terrible because you are perfect,” Zero said.
“Thank you,” she said, not expecting the compliment. Any lingering embarrassment she felt disappeared. “Tomas did us both a favor, I think.”
The server cleared their plates and brought the much-anticipated lemon slice. The whipped topping melted on her tongue like a dream, and the cake was tangy and bright. Perfect.
“So you want to be mated?” Zero’s spoon hung above his bowl of frozen cream and fruit.
“I’m fine on my own.”
“Your star chart says you’ll be mated soon,” Valerian said, speaking over Mari and giving a not-so-subtle look to Winter. “That’s why I believe it was Tomas, but you never know who the universe will put in your path.”
So subtle.
Mari could murder her mother, and no one would blame her. She knew what Valerian would say once they got back to their cabin. “Oh, he’s such a goodfather. And he’s traveling in a custom-built starship, which means he has money. He’s such a catch, Marigold. Don’t let this one slip away.”
Okay, fine. Winter was all those things. She had enjoyed their time playing King’s Table, listening to father and son tease each other while they waited out the storm. If she was a little more coldhearted, she might figure out a way to extract credits from the obviously wealthy man, but no.
“Don’t you agree?” Valerian asked Winter.
The man blinked. “About?”
“That the universe gives us what we need. If it brings us an opportunity, we should grab it with both hands.” Valerian practically put a giant For Sale sign on Mari.
Aging daughter. Lightly used. Free to a good home.
Ugh.
If Mari smothered Valerian in her sleep with a pillow, it’d totally be justifiable. She should have never gone on this trip. She should have looked for a new apartment or a new job, something that’d take her far away from Olympus Station and the lingering memories of Tomas. Instead, hiding away and licking her wounds during what should have been her honeymoon seemed like the worst idea possible.
“I’m fine on my own,” Mari repeated, staring daggers at her mother.
“I just think—”
