Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“I just had some, uh, personal issues,” Sammi explained, feeling guilty for leaving a student behind. “And I got a job offer with the Kindred—up in the Mother Ship,” she added. Which only made her think of Roark and want to cry again. Grimly, she held the tears back.
“Really? What a coincidence!” Bernard exclaimed. “I’m working for the Kindred now, too!”
“You are?” Sammi frowned uncertainly.
“Oh, yeah—they’re great guys.” He lifted a hand and waved at one of the warriors inside the HKR building and the warrior smiled and waved back. “Always so friendly,” Bernard remarked, smiling.
“Yes. Most of the time,” Sammi said in a low voice. Roark had never been friendly or approachable at all, but somehow she had still managed to stupidly fall in love with him…
“Of course, it’s not like a real career or anything,” Bernard said, derailing her train of thought. “I just take people back and forth from the HKR building to wherever they want to go. Kind of like a Kindred Uber driver.”
“You do?” Sammi asked hopefully. “Um, does it cost anything?”
“No charge—the Kindred are a class act. They just want us humans to be happy.” Bernard grinned. “Why? You need to go someplace?”
“Actually, I do but it’s kind of far away—up in North Tampa?” Sammi asked, raising an eyebrow.
Bernard made a shooing gesture.
“North Tampa’s not a problem. I drive people all the way out to Pinellas sometimes.”
“Oh, well in that case, could you take me?” Sammi asked. “I mean, if you’re not waiting on anyone else?”
“Well, I was supposed to have another passenger but she’s apparently going to be another hour or two. Getting some stuff from the Mother Ship or something.” He shrugged. “So sure, I’ve got time to take you. Hop in.”
He walked to a plain black sedan parked at the curb just a little way away and opened the back door for her.
“Thank you.” Sammi nodded gratefully and got in.
“Watch your hands and feet!” Bernard said and carefully closed the door. “All right,” he said as he got settled in the driver’s seat and put on his seatbelt. “Where to?”
Sammi gave him the address of her Aunt Vicky’s house and then settled back and closed her eyes. She hoped Bernard wasn’t going to want to make small talk and to her relief, he seemed to see that she didn’t feel like making conversation. Instead, he turned on some soft music and turned his head briefly.
“This okay?”
“It’s nice.” Sammi leaned her head back against the cushions. “Really nice.”
“Glad you like it. Just relax. Traffic sucks this time of day so it might take a little while.”
“Okay.” Sammi nodded, keeping her eyes closed. She felt completely worn out from the awful morning she’d had. From finding out she was pregnant, to confronting Roark and having him brush her off completely, she was both emotionally and physically exhausted.
Roark was horrible and she was in a bad situation but she couldn’t dwell on it just now, Sammi told herself. Right now, she just needed to be calm. Later she could tie herself in knots again but for now she just needed to take it easy.
The rocking of the car and the soothing music worked together to help her relax. Before she knew it, Sammi had slipped into a doze.
She didn’t even notice when the car turned South instead of North and started heading out of town.
Forty
“Where’s Sammi?” the human female outside his door demanded.
Roark frowned at her. He knew her vaguely—wasn’t she Samantha’s best friend? He had met her once or twice in the corridor when she came to meet her for “girl time” as Samantha had called it. Was her name Meg? He thought so, anyway.
“Excuse me?” he frowned at the woman who had blonde hair and a scowl on her face.
“I said, where’s Sammi?” she repeated impatiently. “Look, I know it’s none of my business, but she came to talk to you over an hour ago and now I can’t find her anywhere. I know your lab is top secret but is she in there with you?”
“No, she most certainly is not,” Roark growled. “If you must know, she is no longer in my employ. I’m afraid I had to let her go this morning. Good day.”
He started to shut the door to the lab but found he couldn’t because Samantha’s friend had stuck her foot in the doorway to block it.
“Wait a minute—you fired her?” she demanded, her eyes snapping with anger. “She came to you and told you she was pregnant and you fired her?”
“None of that is any of your business,” Roark snapped.
“The Hell it’s not!” Meg raged. “Sammi is my best friend and you’re the abusive asshole who got her pregnant and then fired her!”
“I did not get her pregnant,” Roark snarled. “Though I believe I know who did.”
“Oh yeah?” Meg put a hand on her hip and glared at him belligerently. “This ought to be good. Just who do you suspect?”