Page 66 of How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business

Lola hugged Nat and ushered her friend out of the empty restaurant. Only the two of us remained, and I couldn’t help making one last mistake.

I stripped myself of the hu-suit and wrapped Lola in my tentacles. She giggled, then squealed when I hoisted her into the air. Lola’s legs wrapped around my waist and my lower tentacles held her in place as I raised two triumphant fists in the air.

“We did it!” Lola said, laughing. The rise and fall of her chest against mine was intoxicating. One last mistake, Kal. That’s all you get.

“You did it,” I said, nuzzling the underside of Lola’s chin. Just one more big mistake.

Warmth filled me from head to toe, once again confirming what I’d already suspected.

I think I’m in love with Lola. I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I did. It was a confusing swirl of knowing and not knowing—awareness, but complete ignorance.

I kissed her slowly, savoring Lola’s taste with the hunger of a starving man. She wrapped her arms around my neck, her fingers settling in my hair against my scalp, and sighed.

When, finally, we pulled away, breathless and smiling, Lola’s sparkling eyes and half-moon smile were almost enough to break my resolve. But I had made up my mind. When the Xaerean ship finally landed, when it was time to go home for good, I would not resist. I would go back with them, take my punishment, and forget this ever happened. I would do it for her.

I told Lola once that I came in peace, and I planned to go in peace, as well.

As if on cue, I heard the crackle of the comms deck in my pocket.

Which meant it was almost time to say goodbye.

Lola

Whenever I thought of Grandma Gladys, I thought of a strong woman. A formidable woman who built a business from the ground up and kept it running while raising young children through incredible ups and downs. I thought of a superhero.

My Grandma Gladys could do anything.

I always thought that if I wanted to be like her, to truly honor her, I had to be superhuman. But that was unrealistic, wasn’t it? Incredible people, the ones who seemed superhuman, weren’t actually superhuman.

They had strong communities and support systems. Regulars like Ollie, who stopped by every morning you were open, without fail. Employees like Darlene who would do just about anything—including crime—to show their support. Friends and family who always showed up to help, even when you were almost too embarrassed to ask for it. Especially then.

And love.

I had an abundance of love. For a small town in Tennessee, for damn good food. For an alien who had crashed into my life at exactly the right moment, and who showed me what it meant to fall in love again—with cooking, with myself, with him.

I should say it. I needed to say it.

“Kal?”

The drumbeat of my heart was surely too loud for my voice to be heard over it. Yet Kal responded.

“Yes, Lola?”

It was the look in his eyes that stopped me. I remembered what my dad said to me not too long ago: the eyes don’t lie.

Looking into Kal’s eyes, I knew two things for certain. One, I loved Kal. Two, I couldn’t tell him. Not yet. Something was holding him back.

It took more effort than I’d like to admit to blink away my tears.

I am okay. It’s all okay. Think of the positives! Think of all you’ve accomplished, and everything to come. That can be enough for now. There’s still time.

“Nothing,” I said eventually. “Just…thank you again.”

The tip of Kal’s tentacle grazed my cheekbone as he brushed away a wisp of hair.

“This has been the greatest time of my life,” he whispered.

My heart skipped a beat.