Page 1 of Fly's Path

Strike Three

Sheridan

The alien spacecraft exploded into a billion shards that will be hurled through space endlessly until they break down into little bits of dust.

Space dust…that sounds silly.

This book is going to drive me out of my mind. Why did I start writing in the sci-fi genre? I’m a romance girlie.

That’s not what my fans say. Since I started publishing sci-fi, my income has tripled. Focus on blowing up moons or whatnot.

My cell phone rings.

Who’s calling me…my friends always message.

Not that I have many friends. I work too much to keep up with them. “Hello?” I really should look at the caller ID before I pick up.

“Hey, Sheridan.”

“Dahlia. How are you? How goes the wedding planning?” I set down my laptop and lean back against the tall back of the rocking chair.

“Amazing, but I need to put it on hold for a few weeks because I got some exciting news and I need your help.”

My help? I’m the last one anyone calls for help. “Sure, what’s up?”

“Dylan got married.”

“WHAT? No way. She wasn’t even dating. Didn’t she have a bad breakup or something a while ago?”

“It wasn’t bad…just sort of sudden. Anyway, she eloped a little while ago. And I thought the writing club could get together and help throw her a party to celebrate.”

Then, pool some money to help finance her divorce. Not that Dylan has a problem with money, but who knows what’s going to happen with this insanity. “That sounds like fun.” Except I have no money, and you’re half a country away. Not literally, but it’s close with me living down south and Dahlia being up north. But Dylan lives down here somewhere…maybe she’s within driving distance.

“Excellent. The guy she married, Rogue, lives a little outside of Urbium. So I thought we would coordinate everything from my house and bring it there.”

“Um…” There’s no way I could afford that. Maybe in a couple of months. After I’ve gotten a few more decent checks, but now…

“Maverick is making arrangements for his plane to pick you up.”

His plane? People I know don’t have a plane. Most barely have a television and air conditioning.

“There’s a large enough airport for it to land just a little bit north of Beach Haven before you hit Center City.”

I know that airport…who doesn’t? It’s been there since before I was born. The farmers around here used to use it to dust their crops with tobacco for pest control. Flying one of those planes was a dream of mine when I was five…but doesn’t every five-year-old want to fly a plane?

“The plane will be there tomorrow at four if that works for you?”

What? “You’re serious?”

“Absolutely. You can stay in one of my guest rooms. We’ll have so much fun. What do you say?”

Stay here and work all day or go play in the city with my friends for a few weeks…is there really a choice? “Sounds like fun. I’ll be at the airport at three thirty tomorrow.”

“Yay!!! I’ve got to make a few more calls. See you tomorrow.”

“See you—” The phone clicks off before I can finish.

I’m going to Urbium. I’m completely broke and going to visit a friend in one of the most expensive cities in the country…Everything will be just fine. I better get this chapter done.