Touched by Starlight by Linda North

Author:Linda North [North, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi, pdf
Publisher: Sapphire Books Publishing
Published: 2016-01-21T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Friday, September 19

Ariel sat next to Michael while he drove Crestview Estate’s four-wheel drive pickup truck to her home. Michael offered to drive her in one of Kiernan’s two limousines, but Ariel didn’t want to take the chance of drawing the attention of any media that might still be lurking around.

Fortunately, for the past two weeks, media attention wasn’t as intense. This was partly because her mother’s neighbors called the police to complain about media vans and vehicles blocking the driveways and parking places. Last week, the neighborhood association received permission from the city to declare the curbs in front of residences as private parking areas. The police enforced this by ticketing and towing away any unauthorized vehicles. Ariel had a suspicion Kiernan was behind this effort because the city was willing to cooperate.

Ariel had recovered from her bout of pneumonia, and she had received the all-clear from Dr. Mendelson yesterday. She called her mother last night to tell her she wanted to come out and visit as well as pick up her motorcycle.

Michael pulled the truck into the driveway and let Ariel out.

“Thanks, Michael.”

“Anytime you want to go anywhere let me know.”

Ariel hurried up the steps, placed her palm against the keypad, heard the lock click, and opened the door with a loud and excited, “I’m home!”

“I see you are.” Joanna hugged her. Keeping an arm around Ariel, she inspected her closely. “You look a little flushed.” Joanna pressed the back of her right hand on Ariel’s brow.

Ariel laughed. “Mom, that’s what you said just about every time you visited me. I’m fine, don’t worry.” Ariel snugged into the living room sofa.

“How about a drink?”

“You don’t have to wait on me. I know where the kitchen is.”

“Yes, I suppose you do.” Joanna sat in the chair across from Ariel. “What have you been up to?”

“I’m thinking about taking some online classes for an aerospace engineering degree.”

Joanna looked at her with surprise. “Oh?”

“Kiernan will have the project on her light-speed ship up and running in two years and wants to hire me as a design engineer.”

“How do you feel about doing that type of work?”

“I think I’d enjoy it. After the baby is born…” Ariel couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence. The thought of bearing a child in the circumstances she was in, upset her.

For a few seconds, her mother didn’t say anything. Ariel saw a sad look flash across her face before she smiled. “You always had a thing for spaceships.” She hesitated. “Do you mind me asking how you and Kiernan are getting along?”

Ariel shrugged. “I don’t see much of her. She’s working late into the night on meeting the deadline for a freighter delivery.” Ever since that day in the orchard, Ariel distanced herself from Kiernan as much as possible. She feared Kiernan would seek her out for sex, and she might not refuse.

On weekends, Ariel rebuffed long conversations over dinner by feigning tiredness and retiring to her suite.

Ariel didn’t want to think or talk about Kiernan.

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