Page 16 of Vawn
If I wanted him to stay? That was dangerous phrasing. If I knew I could keep him, I’d want him to stay for a long time. Maybe forever. But I had to constantly remind myself he was a space racer. He would never be mine. Nothing would ever work between us. “Yeah. I’ll be back soon.”
I went to the bathroom then walked into my daughter’s room. “Hey, sweetie. How are you feeling this morning?”
“Bedder.” She jumped to her feet and tugged me farther inside. “I asked Utahn if you an’ Ojo were gonna be mates. But he said t’ask you.”
I stopped breathing for a moment, wondering why my daughter would think that after she’d only met Ojokun once. And we hadn’t even kissed in front of her. Hadn’t really touched at all, except me sleeping on him.Wait!Had she seen that? “I…. What would give you that idea?”
She shrugged. “I wike him. He’s nice.”
“Oh.” I breathed out a sigh of relief, thankful it hadn’t been for any other reason. “Ojokun is a friend. I first met him when I went to visit your uncles. But I’m glad you think he’s nice because I think so, too. Now, how about we get you washed up?”
Someone knocked on the door, and we both turned to see who it was.
Ojokun pointed over his shoulder. “I was going to go out and get something for breakfast. What would you like me to pick up for you?”
“Palfaloos,” Enif shouted, clapping her hands.
“Ojo, you don’t have to.” He’d already bought us dinner last night. “Because, if you have other plans—”
“I told you, I’m good. I want to do this.” He gave me the sweetest smile, an expression I never expected to see from a space racer.
“Well then, sure.” I took a deep breath. “If that’s what you want to do. I’ll eat whatever. I like anything.” Or almost anything, but I refused to be picky if he was offering. “I’ll give you some credits when you return.”
“No need.” He nodded. “I’ll be back shortly.”
After Ojokun left, I took Enif to the tube shower for a quick washdown. When I had her back in her room and was brushing her hair, Utahn walked in.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
I glanced at my daughter and the brush in my hand. “Um, exactly what it looks like.”
He crossed his arms and wrinkled his nose at me. “I meant with Ojo. Why is he coming back?”
“Because he wants to.” I shrugged. “He offered, and I wasn’t going to say no to breakfast.”
“Well, how long is he going to stay? How long are you going to leave yourself open to heartbreak? He’s a space racer, Vawn. Don’t forget that.”
I sighed. “I know. And he’s on the same team as my brothers, so I’m going to accept his courtesy and not say anything. Even if it hurts when he leaves.”
Utahn shook his head. “You don’t have to do this. I can take the food from him when he returns and tell him not to come back.”
“No!” I gasped, not meaning to say that so loud. “No, you will not. If it was Genj in Ojo’s place, you wouldn’t make him leave. You’d do the exact same thing.”
“Fine,” Utahn huffed. “But when you’re hurting because he’s moved on to someone else tonight or tomorrow, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Warn you ’bout what, Daddy?” Enif glanced up at me. “I fink Ojo is a good guy.”
“I do, too, sweetie.” I wrinkled my nose over her head at Utahn. “And it’s nice that we ran into him while we were on vacation.”
But I wasn’t about to let my guard down. I couldn’t say everything I wanted to say to my best friend in front of Enif. Yet, the message was the same. I wasn’t going to stop being friendly to Ojokun simply because I knew the reputation of space racers. I planned on letting things happen as they were meant to. And if he broke my heart, so be it. I’d let my brothers take care of him.
Chapter Ten
Ojokun
Leaving Rennir was harder than I’d expected it to be on my way there. Not because I dreaded returning to my teammates—well, maybe a little—but because I hadn’t wanted to say goodbye to Vawn and Enif.
I’d checked out of my hotel room to spend my days with Enif on the beach while Vawn worked on his designs. I had no idea why I’d stayed, especially since I slept on the couch. But now I was on Eurebly again, where I had to return to my space racer life. Lots of training, practicing, and racing.
