will purchase two more. They are beautiful and some of the finest workmanship I have seen.”
The store holder looked up at her and she turned her back on Fedora to wink at him. He bagged up the scarves and she handed over her credits.
“Tranke,” she told him.
“You are most welcome, milady.”
Fedora smiled at the store holder who just stared back at her coldly.
“If I had known you wished to go shopping, Zoey, I would have invited you along with us,” Fedora told her. “May I introduce Thesare and Lucita. We shop each week. We would so love you to join us.”
“Thank you. I will think about it.”
“You must be lonely, with Dex so busy,” she added. “When I saw him earlier today, I told him I would stop in and visit you. I do hope you still don’t hold that incident with the Zota ball against me.”
“Of course not. You couldn’t know I would react that way.”
“Why, I felt so awful.” Fedora placed a hand on her chest. “I really think I need to apologize.”
“No need. All is forgiven.”
Zoey resisted the urge to scratch her leg; it had been growing increasingly itchy. She really had better things to do than stand here, yapping with Fedora.
The other woman stepped forward, placing her elegant and smooth hand on Zoey’s arm.
“I have wanted to speak to you, Zoey. But I have been so ashamed.”
Ashamed? Huh?
“I do not think I made the best impression that first day we met. I do not want you to think that I view Dex as anything other than a beloved brother.” She looked back to her friends who were quietly chatting, then leaned in. “I believe Liula may have wished differently, but I want you to know that I never thought Dex and I would mate.”
Zoey stared into the other woman’s eyes. Crap, she had the lushest, thickest eyelashes Zoey had ever seen. Was anything about this woman not perfect? Was it too much to ask that she have bad breath? A hint of B.O.? A pimple? Just one, pus-filled pimple, it’s all she wished for.
Fedora sounded sincere, but should she believe her?
“That’s okay,” she said finally, knowing she couldn’t just keep staring at the other woman.
“Good.” Fedora placed a hand on her chest. “I could not sleep for worry of what you must think of me.”
If that was all she had to keep her awake, then Zoey envied her. Nightmares of Targos’ attack on her still caught her unawares.
“I could not believe what Liula said to you after you ate the Zota ball,” Fedora whispered. “I am certain that allowing Dex to address the matter with her was appropriate move to make.”
What was she talking about?
“I have to go,” Zoey told her.
Do not ask. Do not ask.
“Oh, so soon? We were going to visit our favorite boutique and I had hoped you would join us.”
“Another time.” Zoey attempted to move past the other woman.
“Good. I will ensure that we do that.”
“Sure, your people call my people.” Zoey strode off without looking back. What the hell had she been talking about? What had Liula said about her? And how had Dex dealt with her?
Chapter Seven
Dex didn’t know when he’d last been this tired. A day spent solving disputes, answering questions and reading document after document, and he was ready to collapse.
Still, at least he had managed to get away early tonight. He felt guilty about how little time he’d spent with Zoey lately. He intended to make that up to her tonight. He had arranged a dinner by the ocean, under the stars.
He had gotten the idea from the Earther novels he’d been reading.
As soon as he walked into their quarters, he knew something was wrong. There was a definite air of tension as Zoey turned away from the window to glare at him.
Giz looked up and hissed at him. Even Boris gave him a dark look.
What was going on?
“Zoey, are you well?”
“Did you confront your mother for saying something nasty to me the other day? What exactly did she say, Dex?”
“Why? Has she spoken to you?” If his mother
The store holder looked up at her and she turned her back on Fedora to wink at him. He bagged up the scarves and she handed over her credits.
“Tranke,” she told him.
“You are most welcome, milady.”
Fedora smiled at the store holder who just stared back at her coldly.
“If I had known you wished to go shopping, Zoey, I would have invited you along with us,” Fedora told her. “May I introduce Thesare and Lucita. We shop each week. We would so love you to join us.”
“Thank you. I will think about it.”
“You must be lonely, with Dex so busy,” she added. “When I saw him earlier today, I told him I would stop in and visit you. I do hope you still don’t hold that incident with the Zota ball against me.”
“Of course not. You couldn’t know I would react that way.”
“Why, I felt so awful.” Fedora placed a hand on her chest. “I really think I need to apologize.”
“No need. All is forgiven.”
Zoey resisted the urge to scratch her leg; it had been growing increasingly itchy. She really had better things to do than stand here, yapping with Fedora.
The other woman stepped forward, placing her elegant and smooth hand on Zoey’s arm.
“I have wanted to speak to you, Zoey. But I have been so ashamed.”
Ashamed? Huh?
“I do not think I made the best impression that first day we met. I do not want you to think that I view Dex as anything other than a beloved brother.” She looked back to her friends who were quietly chatting, then leaned in. “I believe Liula may have wished differently, but I want you to know that I never thought Dex and I would mate.”
Zoey stared into the other woman’s eyes. Crap, she had the lushest, thickest eyelashes Zoey had ever seen. Was anything about this woman not perfect? Was it too much to ask that she have bad breath? A hint of B.O.? A pimple? Just one, pus-filled pimple, it’s all she wished for.
Fedora sounded sincere, but should she believe her?
“That’s okay,” she said finally, knowing she couldn’t just keep staring at the other woman.
“Good.” Fedora placed a hand on her chest. “I could not sleep for worry of what you must think of me.”
If that was all she had to keep her awake, then Zoey envied her. Nightmares of Targos’ attack on her still caught her unawares.
“I could not believe what Liula said to you after you ate the Zota ball,” Fedora whispered. “I am certain that allowing Dex to address the matter with her was appropriate move to make.”
What was she talking about?
“I have to go,” Zoey told her.
Do not ask. Do not ask.
“Oh, so soon? We were going to visit our favorite boutique and I had hoped you would join us.”
“Another time.” Zoey attempted to move past the other woman.
“Good. I will ensure that we do that.”
“Sure, your people call my people.” Zoey strode off without looking back. What the hell had she been talking about? What had Liula said about her? And how had Dex dealt with her?
Chapter Seven
Dex didn’t know when he’d last been this tired. A day spent solving disputes, answering questions and reading document after document, and he was ready to collapse.
Still, at least he had managed to get away early tonight. He felt guilty about how little time he’d spent with Zoey lately. He intended to make that up to her tonight. He had arranged a dinner by the ocean, under the stars.
He had gotten the idea from the Earther novels he’d been reading.
As soon as he walked into their quarters, he knew something was wrong. There was a definite air of tension as Zoey turned away from the window to glare at him.
Giz looked up and hissed at him. Even Boris gave him a dark look.
What was going on?
“Zoey, are you well?”
“Did you confront your mother for saying something nasty to me the other day? What exactly did she say, Dex?”
“Why? Has she spoken to you?” If his mother
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