Lexa Dean and the Wellspring (Dr. Lexa Dean, Exoarchaeologist Book 1) by Bethany A. Perry & Cloaked Press

Author:Bethany A. Perry & Cloaked Press [Perry, Bethany A. & Press, Cloaked]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cloaked Press, LLC
Published: 2024-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

“Lexa Dean. Just when I keep thinking you’ve had enough of me, you show up again.” Reid smiled through the phone screen, straight teeth shining. It was sunny wherever he was.

Standing in the Kuarpan equivalent to a phone booth, Lexa pushed the folding door with her back to keep it closed. The rain came down in sheets out there in the dark, almost freezing. Cars whizzed past on all sides, the street corner crowded with people.

“Need a favor, if you would.”

He greeted this with a lascivious smile. “It’ll probably cost you.”

Without warning, she thought of the cruise ship. How she’d “paid” for the use of the phone there. How it’d been fine or whatever, but ugh. Not like Jake. It was going to take some time before casual sex was fun again.

She kept her lip from curling by sheer force of will. “We need to get off this planet discreetly. I don’t want any of this traced back to Elani, or Jake. And I need to go forward, not back to Earth. Can you help me? I’ll pay you.”

He waggled his eyebrows.

“Money.”

His face fell. But he nodded. “Yeah, sure. What can I do?”

“You get that ship booked for Mom and June?”

“Not yet. They wanted to sight-see a bit here on Kuarpa. They’ve asked me to call your ‘uptight Ambran friend’ about six times now, to see if she’ll give them a tour. I told them I don’t know how to get a hold of you but”—he looked over his shoulder—”they don’t believe me.” He narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. “I guess I still don’t have your number. Are you at a pay phone?”

“Yes. It’s best if we just keep this all as hands-off as possible.” Some near-freezing rain seeped in the door, wetting her back in a line. She leaned back harder, one foot braced on the opposite wall, sealing it out again. “When are you getting the ship?”

“I can get it right now, if you need.”

“I do. File your flight plan for Earth.”

He smiled. “Where are we really going?”

“I’ll tell you once we leave orbit. Gotta make some more calls.” She wiggled her fingers at him. “I’ll call you in an hour to find out the dock address.”

“You got it.”

She hung up on him before he could hit on her again. Was she like that? Did people see her on the screen and think, “Not her again, asking for sex?”

Teeth clenched, she dialed again.

“Alamay Fix’s office.”

“Is Fix in, Stev?”

The secretary looked up. “Oh hey, Lexa.” He squinted, curls on the top of his head bouncing. “Where are you? Is that a phone booth?”

“Some street corner. You look warm.”

He chuckled, the beach hut on the screen behind him filled with warm, red sunlight and reflections from what was surely an ocean. “There are advantages to having your office in a tropical paradise. Especially if it’s not on Earth.”

“Yeah, no mosquitoes.”

Stev laughed, the pale skin of his face reddening across his cheeks. He pointed at the screen. “Exactly. Hold on, I’ll get Alamay.

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