Page 41 of How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business

And now I was stuck alone in the back of Southern Charm with a sprained wrist and an alien. A green alien with incredible hair and striking eyes. Who I had kissed—and maybe still wanted to kiss?

I rubbed my forehead with my good hand. Now my head and my wrist were smarting, and I was pretty sure I was in shock.

“Are you alright, Lola?”

Kal was still kneeling on the floor, a tentacle rested on my knee, my injured hand held loosely in his own. I hadn’t realized we were still touching like this.

“I’m not going to lie to you, Kal,” I said. “No. I’m in serious need of painkillers, and I’m still processing the fact that aliens are real.” And that, despite that, I still want to kiss one.

I paused. “Sorry, is that offensive? Calling you an alien?”

The corners of Kal’s lips pulled into a tentative grin. “No, not at all. You can call me whatever you want.”

“Great, thanks,” I said, lowering my eyes to the floor, hit with a sudden bout of shyness.

“So, here’s what needs to happen. The first aid kit is out of painkillers, but I think I have some at home. I can walk there, but there’s a chance I could pass out, so I need you to come with me.”

“I’ll carry you,” Kal said.

“Oh! Um, you don’t have to do that. I just need you there in case I get lightheaded and—”

Before I could finish, Kal had already scooped me into his arms—and tentacles. Too stunned to protest, I let him carry me as far as the front door.

“Wait!” Kal stopped short. “Your, um…your alien is showing.”

Brilliant job, Lola. Very chill.

Kal flicked a stray curl away from his face. “Stars above! I almost forgot.”

He placed me down gently, and I watched dumbly as Kal slipped his tentacles (all four of them!) into that stretchy skin suit of his and pulled it up past his torso, over his arms, to his shoulders. When Kal began to put the suit up his neck, I laid a hand on his forearm, stopping him.

“Please,” I said. “Leave it off.”

Concern was written across Kal’s face. He was clearly nervous about being seen for what he was. But Roswell Falls was my town, and I knew it well. If it was after dark, there was practically a one-hundred percent chance no one would be outside to see us. Besides, I couldn’t imagine Kal covering up his real face with that mask again. He was too beautiful to stay hidden. Or maybe that was just my pain-addled brain talking.

Well, that’s one problem solved, I thought as I entwined my arms gently around Kal’s shoulders. Despite the painful injury, some good came of my accident that night: I didn’t have to invite Kal to my apartment.

Instead, I’d forced him there by being hopelessly, pathetically in pain. Much better.

I grunted as Kal carried me up the stairs to my apartment, the shock of the injury finally wearing off into just plain old discomfort. I directed him to set me down at the kitchen table, which he did so very gently. Immediately, I missed his touch. And equally immediately, I recognized how much trouble I was in.

I had a crush on Kal. My employee-slash-coworker, who was incredibly kind and sweet and funny. Who was gorgeous, and caring, and an actual alien.

“There should be a bottle of pills in my bathroom cabinet,” I said, coughing to clear my head. “Blue and red. Can you bring it to me?”

I listened as Kal shuffled through my things. He came back a few minutes later, empty-handed. Somehow, I had run out of painkillers—probably from the constant headaches I’d been nursing because of restaurant stress. I dropped my head onto the table and let it sit on the hard surface. I rose and let my forehead fall again.

“Are you okay?” Kal asked, voice laced with concern.

“Just peachy,” I said, sitting up. “Except I’m about to do something stupid against my better judgment, and I apologize in advance.”

Minutes later, I could hear Jacob stomping up the stairs outside the apartment. He slammed through the front door without so much as knocking.

“You rang?” my little brother said, shaking a bottle of pills like a maraca. “Wow, you look terrible.”

“Gee, thanks. You know what I love most about having a brother? How he dotes on me.” My head was pounding like a kick drum, but I still had the wherewithal to argue with Jacob. As always, I was good at maintaining priorities.

Jacob eyed me up and down. “Whatever, you should just be happy I came to your rescue. What happened anyway?”