The Lost Ship of the Tucker Rebellion - Marie Sexton Page 0,58
so Denver kept going. “The next closest person to her age is Ginn, who she only sees in passing, if at all. Marit’s the only other female on board, and she’s not exactly warm and fuzzy. And to top it all off, you guys are basically quarantined to this little corner of the cargo bay.” Denver shrugged. “It’s no wonder she wants somebody else to talk to. I mean frankly, maybe it’d be good if she found a rat to tame.” He frowned, thinking about it. “As long as there’s only one. We don’t need a swarm of them climbing through our supplies, that’s for sure.”
Spence’s brow wrinkled as he thought about it, but Denver was glad to see he looked somewhat relieved. “You’re right. I just keep thinking about how this will be better for us both in the long run. I mean, I think it will. I hope it will. But that’s not really much comfort to a seven-year-old, is it?”
“Probably not.”
“And even though I’d do anything for her, I can’t do much about loneliness.”
Denver frowned. The word “loneliness” echoed with him a bit more than he liked to admit. But at least Spence was smiling. “It’ll get better, I’m sure.”
“Spe-ence,” Treesa called, managing to turn the name into a two-syllable word. “I need help with my denomivators!”
Spence gave Denver an apologetic grin. “Duty calls.”
“Sounds like it.”
Spence almost turned to go, then hesitated. He eyed Denver, as if weighing his options, then stepped close, his cheeks turning slightly red. He stood on his toes and kissed Denver—not the lingering type of kiss they’d shared at the club, but a quick, soft peck on the lips. “Thanks.”
And before he could react, Spence was gone, leaving Denver feeling lonelier than ever. “You’re welcome,” he said to nobody.
Denver found himself back in the kitchen. He’d hoped to maybe lure Marit into a drink. To his dismay, he found only Ginn, who he ignored as he made himself a cup of coffee.
“It’s great to be so welcomed here,” Ginn said, sweeter than the strongest artificial sugars and just as genuine. “I really feel the love.”
“I can’t imagine you’re surprised. Nobody except Laramie wanted you on board to begin with, and then we don’t find out you’re here until it’s too late to do anything about it.”
“Not surprised, no.” Ginn slouched in her seat, staring into her own cup. Her posture was idle, but her eyes were sharp. “I guess I’d hoped for a little more warmth than I’m getting, though. Laramie’s sweet, but there’s only so many things we can talk about before we start repeating ourselves, and I’ve seen all the entertainment you’ve got saved a dozen times.”
Denver was a little interested in her play despite himself. In his experience, Ginn never did anything without a reason. “What form were you hoping this warmth would take?”
“Well, I sure would like to know where we’re headed.” One hand idly traced the fading blue patterns on her opposite arm. Ginn was like a little flower slowly losing its fancy petals. Soon she’d be a weed, just like the rest of them. “That would be a nice start.”
“Laramie already told you. The Kuiper Belt.”
“Which is huge. Too big to be an actual destination. I’d like specifics.”
“Why don’t you ask your boyfriend?”
“He’s having a sulk right now, and besides.” She smiled winsomely. “I’m already asking you.”
“Uh-huh.” Denver felt a perverse sense of satisfaction at the prospect of denying Ginn what she wanted. He knew he’d have to make his peace with her eventually, if they were going to be traveling to a new world together, but not quite yet. “Sorry to disappoint you, but that’s not for sharing. Not now.”
Ginn’s shoulders twitched, and she frowned. “Oh come on. Who am I going to tell, all the way out here?”
“I don’t know,” Denver admitted. “Probably no one, but I’d rather not risk it. Just sit tight, and you’ll know soon enough anyway.”
“You’re a son of a bitch, you know that, Denver?”
His smile showed all his teeth. “Careful, that’s your boyfriend’s mama you’re talkin’ about.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You think he and I have never talked about your past? You get up on your high horse just because you own a ship, but you don’t even know where you come from. On a place like Titan X, that makes you ground floor. Laramie was lucky to get with someone like me, and he knows it.” She tilted her head in coy assessment. “You, though, you