Page 23 of Rescued by the Alien Bull Rider (Cowboy Colony Mail-Order Brides #6)

JOLENE

I ncoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones : Happy wedding day, Jolene! When is the ceremony?

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Thanks! It was this morning. Now we’re just getting back to work. Lots to do around here, but it’s good. Keeps me busy.

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: Yay! Congrats! So how was your second night here, JoJo? Do people call you JoJo?

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: You can totally call me JoJo. It was OK! Pretty quiet.

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Were there any snakes in your bed last night?

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Snakes????

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: Nooo, Darcy. Don’t scare her.

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: NICE SNAKES!!!

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Do I need to be worried about snakes?

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: Well, yes, but…

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Snake emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Tentacle emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Worm emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Noodle emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: What the hell did I just walk into?

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: WELCOME JAYA. I am spreading the gospel of our snakey saviour. The beloved cock tail.

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: I think you misspelled cocktail. I would know. I basically lived at Sal’s bar before I got pregnant.

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: Not that kind of cocktail…

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: That’s what Tasha said, too…

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Cocktail emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Horned demon emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Chef’s kiss emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: I think what Darcy is trying to ask is if you and Zohro… you know…

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: DID HIS SNAKE COME SEEK YOU OUT IN THE NIGHT???

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: She is going to leave this group chat so fast, I swear to God... JoJo, I promise that we’re mostly normal!!!

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: DIDST THOU CONSUMMATE THINE MARRIAGE!!!!

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: We weren’t married last night yet. Or, um, yesternight?

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: Why are we suddenly getting so…. Medieval in here…

Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: This group chat needs an exorcism. Or, at least, Darcy’s caps lock does.

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: Don’t know of any priests on-world, I’m afraid. Does a warden count?

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: NO BOYS ALLOWED IN THE HOLY COCK TAIL HOUR.

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: I believe I sent you the document I’ve started writing on the Zabrian males, Jolene. That should make some of this… innuendo… more clear.

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Oh, was it in the giant data transfer? I must have missed it, there were a ton of files. I’ll look for it. Darcy, are you asking if we fucked? You can just say that. I’m not shy.

Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: Damn girl, OK. So… Did you?

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: How was it???

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Oh, no. We didn’t. I don’t really think that’s going to be happening.

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: Why not?

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Well, for one thing, I am extremely pregnant. I’m not exactly in my prime over here able to give Zohro some sexy come-hither glances.

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: So??? You’re cute as a button!

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: You’re gorgeous!!!

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: I am a pregnant potato.

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: YOU ARE RAVISHING!!!! OUR REDHEADED QUEEN OF FERTILITY!!!!

Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: Seriously, you’ve got that glow.

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: And you know these guys haven’t seen women since they were kids, right?

?? I’m fairly certain any one of them would have tried to fuck a vaguely lady-shaped hay bale before they got married.

In fact, I can’t even say with certainty that Fallon hasn’t attempted such a thing…

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: OK, well, thank you guys. You are all way too sweet and whenever I need a pep talk, I know exactly where to come.

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: I know where you should come…

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: Darcy…

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: ON ZOHRO’S BIG PINK DICK!

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: Wow, we’re really going there.

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: OF COURSE WE’RE GOING THERE!

Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: Darcy will drag her there.

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: Dear God, this entire chat is like one big human resources nightmare.

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: It’s all good. Don’t worry, Tasha. It’s nice to have some girl talk. I didn’t really have that on Terratribe II. I was surrounded by a bunch of emotionally constipated cowboys.

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: So not much has changed, then!

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: You guys are cracking me up. I appreciate the support so much. But I just… I think Zohro had other reasons to want to marry me besides all the lovey dovey, sexy ones.

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Oh, gotta go. Zohro’s got some more of my salve ready.

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: Salve?

Outgoing Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: My skin is sensitive to some of the grass here. He made me this special soothing salve. It’s amazing. He helps me put it on. Says we have to do it twice a day. And he made a bunch more for the baby, too. Talk to you guys later!

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: That grumpy-ass pink dude made her a special salve? And helps her put it on???

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: And he almost died saving her that first night…

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: So who’s going to tell her?

Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: Tell her what?

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: How gone her husband already is for her.

“I will need your tablet tonight,” Zohro said after our second round of salve-spreading. “After my work for the day is done. I must start reading the literature Tasha sent.”

“That’s fine. Um. Is there a shower or something I could use before bed?” I asked, pulling my top into place. I’d just pulled it clean from the line earlier today, but it already felt kind of gross. “There must be. You looked nice and clean for the ceremony.”

“I washed under the hose outside.”

“Dang. Even in this weather? The sun is nice, but it’s pretty cool outside.”

“It is not too cool yet. Winter will be worse.”

“OK, well, I definitely do not want to be washing under a hose in the winter! And what about Baby Girl?”

When his eyes grew suddenly white and intense upon my face, I realized it was probably because I’d just spoken about remaining here with her after the trial period. Like it was a given.

Which, at this point, it probably was. I was basically satisfied by now that being with Zohro posed no danger to me or my daughter. There would be no reason to leave.

And if that were the case, we definitely needed a better shower set-up.

“I have heated water in the operating theatre.”

“Operating theatre? Where the heck is that?”

“I will show you. Come on.”

Zohro led me to what looked like a small barn or large shed on his property. But inside, it looked nothing like a barn at all. It had smooth, pristine floors, shelves of supplies, bright lights, metal sinks, and a big plastic tub in the corner.

“Sometimes I perform small procedures on the animals.”

“Ever dealt with a birthing horse or bracku in here?” I asked.

“Of course.”

There was a flippant confidence in his tone. Like transferring his medical training to the livestock had been nothing at all for someone like him.

“I have used that tub for washing a sickly newborn calf,” he said.

“It’s clean now, of course. It can be filled with warm water.

I will show you how later. I must do a few more things today.

Get the shuldu back in their stalls for the evening now that it’s getting towards winter. The wind can pick up at night.”

“I’ll come with you,” I said, forgetting about my need to bathe and perking right up at getting to see the shuldu again. I wouldn’t be comfortable riding one anytime soon, but I was ready to learn everything about caring for them.

The sun was setting, casting everything in shades of orange and gold, when we came upon the three shuldu.

Today, they weren’t with the cattle in their paddock, which was a relief.

I was not excited about coming face to face with that charging bull again anytime soon.

Wyn left the other two and came towards us at a slow, comfortable walk.

The way the dipping sun hit her beautiful golden coat made me suddenly breathless with an odd mixture of nostalgia and hopeful longing.

She and the other two shuldu really were beautiful animals.

So horse-like, with their strong legs and long necks.

But instead of a mane, she had two large horns on her head.

And her tail wasn’t long like a horse’s but rather shorter and pointing straight up.

In that light, with her colouring, she reminded me a little bit of Glory.

“What a beautiful girl,” I crooned as she reached us. I reached out and let her nuzzle my hand, then patted her velvety neck. Zohro produced a small yellow something or other – like a seed or hard berry – from his pocket. The shuldu whinnied in excitement, already nosing for it.

After a beat, Zohro gave it to me instead.

“Thanks,” I said, my voice cracking. I cleared my throat and let Wyn take the treat from my hand. “That’s a good girl, eh?”

“You are very comfortable with them.”

“I told you I grew up on a ranch,” I said, continuing to pat Wyn. I couldn’t seem to stop myself. It felt so damn good. “We had our version of shuldu called horses. I loved them so much.”

“Why did you leave? If you had a home, a safe place to raise your child already? And the horses?”

I watched my pale fingers as they stroked Wyn’s shiny coat. It was easier to say the hard things if I wasn’t looking at him.

“Yeah, I had a home. I grew up with Pa. He was my mama’s husband, but not my biological father. He was more of a guardian I guess. An unwilling one.”

“He did not wish to take care of you?” Zohro sounded absolutely astounded by that, which made me want to simultaneously hug him and hide from him. Bless this big pink Zabrian. So protective, so willing to take me in, even if it was only for atonement for what had happened to Meryn.

“It’s complicated,” I said. “My mama… He really loved her. She got thrown from a horse late in her pregnancy which put her into labour, and she started bleeding… She died right after I was born.”

“This is why you did not want to ride a shuldu.”

“Yeah. And I just… If she hadn’t died, I think things could have been really different for us. But he was too sad. And I reminded him of her too much. People used to tell me all the time that I looked more like my mama than my own mama did. When I told him about my pregnancy, he kicked me out.”

“He kicked you?” Zohro hissed with such fury that Wyn startled and tossed her head away from my hands. Giving Zohro suspicious side-eye, she wandered away to munch on some grass.

“Not kicked physically,” I assured him. “He made me leave.”

Zohro hardly looked comforted by that.

“He forced you from his home? This was not your choice?”

“No. But, like I said. It’s complicated. I think he has a lot of trauma about what happened to my mama, and-”

“Why do you make excuses for him?” Zohro’s question was cutting. Knife-like. A demand I could not escape from.

“I don’t think I’m making excuses… I just…”

“You just think he has adequate reasons for turning you out of his house? Pregnant and alone?” Zohro made a sound of disgust, low in his throat. “Your Pa. The father of your child. The pilot who brought you here. How is it that you have been so thoroughly failed by every single male in your life?”

Yet another demand. His white eyes dug into mine, seeking answers. Something told me that he would not accept me running away from his questions. Or from him.

“That’s… That’s just the way things are.”

How was I supposed to tell him that I’d never been somebody people wanted to go to bat for? That I’d never been anybody’s first choice?

Not even his. If I hadn’t been pregnant, if he hadn’t seen his sister in me, then Zohro himself probably would have chosen someone else to marry.

But he’d made his decision, and it seemed he planned to stick to it. That Zabrian sense of honour was holding fast.

“That is not the way things are now,” he practically spat.

He pointed a savage claw towards the house.

“As long as I live, Jolene – no, longer . As long as that house still stands with my bones buried beside it, you have a home. All others before have failed you.” He dropped his hand and raised his chin. “I will not.”

And I knew in that moment, standing in that sunset-burnished field with the beautiful shuldu grazing around us, Zohro’s eyes like hot stars and his words like a vow, that I would stay. I would stay beyond the trial period.

Stay forever.

Even if he never cared for me the way I was already terrified that I was beginning to care for him.

That night, I told Tasha and the warden that I was alright now. I told them they could leave.

So they did.