Page 61 of Trove’s Purpose

The crunch of boots on sand coming her way caught her ear. But didn't stop her pebble tossing. She knew who it was before he ever moved into her periphery. It was like she had sensed Trove approaching, every cell in her body simultaneously repulsed by and attracted to him.

Trove sat down beside her. He was quiet though. Just a warm presence by her side, watching as she tossed pebbles without comment.

Chee was the one who broke the silence first-

“I thought you’d already be with Rinnicks enjoying your vacation.”

“You really think I would do that?”

“I have no reason to think otherwise,” she hissed, tossing one last rock. She watched the glow flare then fade as the rock sank to the bottom. It felt like all her hopes and dreams were sinking with it.

Trove didn't respond for so long, she didn't think he would.

“I… never imagined I would meet my mate,” he finally said, whispering the words so softly that they were nearly swept away by the ocean breeze.

“Never?”

He shook his head. “No. Not once. Odds were that she would be a domini like me, and I never intended on going back to Turv. My home planet. There’s nothing for me there, and I’m a wanted criminal anyway. It just doesn’t make sense to ever go back. Sure, I could meet a domini female wandering around the universe, but even then, I didn't think it would ever be for me. Not everyone gets a mate, you know? It’s common but not guaranteed. I was so sure I’d be one of those without one.”

“Sorry to ruin your fun,” she muttered, hugging her knees to her chest.

“No, Chee,” Trove turned to her, trying to look her in her face, but she couldn’t lift her head. “That’s not what I meant. I didn't expect you, but that doesn’t mean… I never wanted to hurt you.”

Chee sighed. “I always dreamed of my soulmate. My one true love. My fairy tale. My happily ever after. I always knew it was going to happen for me. I saw it in my parents, so I just knew that I would get the same.”

“Sorry to ruin your fun,” he mimicked her with a weak smile.

But she couldn’t bring herself to protest it the way he had. The silence that strung between them made him flinch as he looked down at his lap.

“I guess I deserve that.’

“You should go to Rinnicks.”

“No.”

“It’s fine.”

“No.”

“I don’t care, Trove.”

“No.”

He reached for her. She closed her eyes, flinching, though he wasn’t moving fast. He also barely touched her. His finger stroked over her cheek. Softly. Ever so gently. Wiping away the tear she had tried so hard to keep from falling.

“You do care, Chee,” he whispered, covering the tear with his thumb and bringing his hand to his chest, like he was going to hold her sorrow close.

“We mean nothing to each other,” she insisted, voice rough.

He let out a single, humorless bark of laughter. “We both know that’s not true. Nor do I want it to be true. I don’t want to be meaningless to you, Chee. And you certainly aren’t meaningless to me.”

Chee said nothing. Her arms tightened around her legs as her lower lip trembled. “Not enough though. Or you would want me.”

“That’s not….” He hesitated before shaking his head. “It’s not that simple, Chee.”

“You don’t want me. I don’t want you the way you are.”

“The way I am?”