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Page 15 of Kranow (Brides of the Mylos #4)

“ How was your day? ” Kranow asked Marley over dinner.

“ It was good, ” she said. “ I went out to lunch with Steven and the girls. ”

“ Girls? ”

“ Melissa and Darla, ” she clarified.

“ Ah. It went well, then? ”

She beamed at him. “ It did. We took the shuttle over to Rodan ’ s Bliss and tried the food at a new bistro that ’ s opened there. The pizza and ice cream were fantastic. I also got to try some cannoli, at Melissa ’ s insistence. She ’ s currently craving them, it seems. ”

“ Mmm, ” Kranow murmured, spearing some meat on his fork, pleased to hear that Marley was being accepted so well.

Marley took a few bites before venturing, “ There was one sticky moment. No, nothing bad, ” she rushed to reassure him at his look of concern. ” Just they wanted to know why we weren ’ t having a wedding ceremony. ”

“ I assumed you did not want one, as you did not mention it. I thought perhaps it was because of the possible press coverage and such. ”

“ Yeah, ” she said softly.

“ Do you want one? ” he asked. “ I am not opposed. ”

“ Maybe on our first anniversary. ”

He regarded her steadily, then nodded. “ Very well. I will make a note and we can discuss plans closer to the time. ”

She smiled at him gratefully. Now, if anyone asked about the topic again, there was an answer that wouldn ’ t bring up more topics for conversation.

“ I had a conversation today to discuss with you, as well, ” he said. Kranow was trying to look and sound casual as he spoke, glancing up briefly before studying the food on his plate as if needing to deliberate what to take a bite of next.

She froze. “ Oh, yes? ” she asked, her lips stiff.

“ You were not due to start your time at the school for a few weeks yet, when the new term started. ”

“ Uh huh. ” I knew it. Someone has complained and they are going to tell me I can ’ t teach now.

“ Gundar wanted to know if you could start sooner, perhaps the beginning of next week. The teacher you were to assist says that she would like to have you come in to help with bulletin boards and classroom set up. ”

Marley brightened. “ I ’ d love to. Do I need to contact Gundar or … ? ” her voice trailed off meaningfully.

“ I can tell him that we ’ ve spoken and you are agreeable. I ’ m sure he ’ ll arrange a meeting with you and Charlotte. ”

“ Sounds great! ” Happiness suffused her. Never in her wildest dreams would she have seen herself finding friends and acceptance so easily. She swore to herself to never let down those who had reached their hands out to hers. She eyed Kranow ’ s nearly empty plate and found to her surprise that she too only had a couple of bites left. “ You up for some dessert? ”

Kranow beamed. “ Is it one of the human sweets I have tried already? I have loved them all. ”

“ No, this is a new one. I made flan. Well, I had Xero make it and I put it in the chiller unit. ”

“ Flan? ”

“ It ’ s like a custard with caramel sauce over the top of it. ”

Kranow hurriedly took his last bite before replying. “ I am eager to try it. I quite liked the caramel on top of the split banana dessert yesterday. ”

Marley ’ s lips twitched. “ Banana split, and yeah, that ’ s good, but that is a different caramel sauce. This is thin and there isn ’ t any hot fudge either. Or bananas or ice cream. ”

“ Another time, then for those, ” he said hopefully.

Marley laughed before taking her last two bites of rice. “ Yeah, another time. ” She stood and carried their plates away before returning with the desserts. Kranow regarded it curiously before leaning in to sniff.

“ The scent is most pleasing, ” he pronounced before digging into it with his spoon. Marley ’ s lips twitched once more. He really can be such a big kid. He looked up at her. “ The taste is also most pleasing. After the banana split, this is my favorite. ”

Marley beamed. “ I ’ ll remember that, ” she promised him.

“ Also, my favorite human main meal so far is the one you called prime rib, served with the baked potato. I do not know what kind of animal a prime is, but it has the most delicious meat. ”

“ Oh! Um, actually, it ’ s the dish that ’ s called prime. The ribs are from a cow. ”

He nodded solemnly. “ The cow makes delicious eating. The steak and meatloaf are made from this animal as well, are they not? ”

“ And hamburgers and tacos and such, yes. ”

“ I would like to try these. ”

“ Well, tomorrow is Tuesday, so why don ’ t we do Taco Tuesday! ”

He polished off his flan. “ Yes. I like the sound of this holiday. ” Marley gave into her urge to giggle. Kranow looked at her with mild puzzlement but said nothing. He picked up his empty bowl. “ I will put these away, ” he said, reaching out for her dish.

“ Thanks. ”

He dropped a kiss onto the top of her head before taking the dish. “ Would you like some of your coffee? I remember how you showed me to make it. ”

“ That sounds divine. ”

“ Give me a few minutes then and lI ’ ll bring it. Why don ’ t you go make yourself comfortable in the living room? Perhaps we can watch a movie? Gundar and Junrig told me about this peculiar set of films today while we had lunch together in the mess hall. Your idea of war among the stars and aliens and such, with a man in cape and wearing armor who makes heavy breathing noises. ”

Marley laughed. “ I know the film. Sure, why not? You make the coffee and I ’ ll get Xero to queue up the film. ” This should be interesting. I wonder what my pilot hubby will make of the Falcon and Han Solo?