Page 27 of Starfighter’s Salvation

I sat. “How does the entire base know that I eat granola bars?”

“The entire base knows everything,” Jamie answered. “Think if it like the ultimate small town. There are eight Earth women here now. We’re the entertainment.”

“Eight?” I counted the table again. Five, including me. “Ahh. Alisha found three more graduates who went missing. Brazil, Japan, Minnesota. So, where are they?”

“Rotation on the Resolution,” Mia said. “You will meet them when they come back.”

“If they come back,” Lily said. “Jennix works them like rented mules.”

I took my first bite of something that looked like fruit and nodded in appreciation. It was sweet and juicy, kind of like a mix between an orange and a peach.

Lily put her folded arms on top of the table and leaned toward me. “So, what did you think of Corvan when you finally saw him in person? Sexy, right?”

“Lily,” Jamie warned.

“What?" Lily was laughing. "They're all so freaking hot. Not Corvan, of course. I was talking about his height. Mostly. What did you think I was talking about?”

Mia took a bite of waffle and didn't even try not to laugh. “The game doesn't do them justice, that's for sure. Kassius in the flesh was twenty percent larger than his avatar.”

"Uh, huh. I bet he was." Lily doubled over laughing as Mia blushed.

“I wasn't talking about…. Oh, shut up.” Mia was laughing now as well.

I tried another new item, looked like a pale blue cherry. The blue fruit burst tart and sweet against my tongue and I reached for a bit of waffle to bury the sour making the glands in my cheeks squeeze painfully.

“Mia measures everything,” Jamie explained to me. "She's a genius, and she can't help herself."

“Information prevents surprises,” Mia added.

“Some surprises are fun,” Lily nudged her friend with an elbow, which made Mia's blush darken.

Thank God I hadn't been around long enough to be asked about Corvan's… measurements. I wasn't sure if it would be more embarrassing to tell them he was huge, or to have to tell them I had no idea because the stubborn jerk was still playing hard to get.

“By the way, Elite Starfighter Reyes, there is also a betting pool going,” Mia said. "And if you could help me win, I'd really appreciate it."

“A what?”

“A wager. On which male you will choose in the end. The deck crews are running it.” She took another bite of waffle. “Kassius has money on Corvan. I found the odds insulting and bet on Dekker, who's currently at four to one odds. But he did go to Earth to get you. And he's way hotter.”

“Mia.” Another warning. Jamie, apparently, was the trio's mother hen.

“What?" Mia looked at me and held my gaze. "Dekker is very handsome, and he has made no bones about the fact that he wants you. Bad."

I put my fork down. How the hell did everyone know every detail of my nonexistent relationship with the most frustrating man on this moon base?

They all knew that Corvan had refused to come after me for four days. Somehow, they also knew that Dekker asked me to be his in the first five minutes. I hadn’t spoken about any of this to anyone here. Small town gossip was right. Seems I didn’t have to talk about Corvan's decisions regarding me at all. Apparently, everyone on base knew the truth and, worse, were making wagers on the outcome of my love life. How… humiliating.

“Corvan came for her,” Priya said quietly.

“Late.” Lily argued.

“But he came.”

Forget coffee. I needed a bottle of my favorite vodka to deal with this mess on top of no sleep and first real mission jitters. I took a deep breath and held each woman's gaze in turn. They were going to be my friends. I had no doubt they would all have my back. So, I might as well speak plainly. “That’s the whole problem. I don’t know if I’m supposed to be grateful that Corvan finally decided to show up late, or angry that Dekker wants me just because I completed the training when he doesn't know me at all. Seems kind of self-serving and mercenary.”

“You can be mad at both of them,” Lily said. “Darling, it’s always both.”

Priya looked at me and shrugged. “Welcome to Arturri, Gina. Now that they've met you, they are going to adopt you like a little sister, butt into your love life and have opinions. I’m sorry.”