Pausing, he gazed at her with a completely serious face.
“He is a good man. I might have done the same thing if Iknew that we had been matched—Wheaton or no.” Chucking her chin in a friendlyway, he smiled, showing his fangs. “Plus, you are one of the first to not befrightened by my teeth.”
Realizing he was trying to joke to defuse the situation, shegrinned back and asked, “Oh really? What did Hannah think about those awesometeeth of yours?”
Behyr laughed and turned back to the boxes. “You are acurious thing, aren’t you?”
“Why yes I am. It’s a fault, I know. Curiosity killed thecat and all that jazz.”
Hearing the tone indicating that someone was at the med doorwas the only thing that stopped her from trying to weasel any more out of Behyrregarding his time with Hannah. Jogging to the door, she bounced from one footto the other as the men laughed at her antics.
“They’re here! They’re here!” Poppy was obviously actinglike an idiot at the prospect of meeting some other women but she didn’t care.She took a deep breath to calm herself and then let it out on yet anotherdisappointed sigh when the door opened and it was just Val and Thorne.
“Oh, it’s just you guys.”
“Well gee, best friend, thanks for the welcome,” Val saidsarcastically, giving Poppy a little arm punch.
“Sorry. I was just hoping you were the other brides who weresupposed to come by today. I have been waiting to meet them for what seems likefor-e-vah.” She frowned, realizing she’d forgotten Val’s appointment was first,and that the brides would be a while longer.
“Just us…so sorry to disappoint you.” Sticking out hertongue at Poppy, Val held Thorne’s hand and grinned at the doctors. “We’re hereto run the test on the regen bed, yes?”
Sensing why Val was asking to be scanned, they ushered herquickly back to the exam room.
Val grinned behind her and said to Poppy, “Want to come inand show me how this works?”
“Sure thing.” Poppy smiled back at Val. She could tell thatVal was nervous. And by the look of Thorne, he was equally on pins and needles.
“Plus, you can keep my big guy calm while we wait. He’s morenervous than I am if that’s possible,” Val whispered to Poppy once she’d caughtup to her in the exam room.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Val’s screening was just as easy as Poppy’s had been. Asthey waited for the results, Poppy tried to distract Thorne with questions.
“So…I thought you guys were going to be here earlier thismorning. What took so long?”
Thorne jumped when Val elbowed him to get his attention, andthen appeared sheepish as he realized that Poppy had been talking to him and hehad ignored her.
“Sorry, I am just…anxious,” he explained.
“So, where were you?” Noticing his gaze still hadn’t leftthe doctors who were staring at the screen of the regen bed, she tacked on,“You know that watching them like a hawk won’t make it go faster, right?”
“Of course, of course. Sorry. We were held up in Councilmeetings.” Surveying the room now, he seemed to realize something. “Where isWheaton?”
Now Poppy was confused. “What do you mean? Wheaton was atthe Council meeting all morning.”
The weird expression on Val’s face didn’t make Poppy feeltoo good about what was coming next.
“No, he wasn’t, Poppy. Both Hannah and Wheaton were absentthis morning,” Val replied, squirming under the scrutiny.
Poking her head out of the exam room, Poppy yelled, “Behyr!”
He came running into the room, which he scanned as if hewere checking for an enemy. Finding no one was in danger, he relaxed slightly.“Why did you yell for me? I thought something was wrong.”
Waving her hand at him, which she knew he hated, Poppybrushed off his words. “Where is Hannah today?”
She could see he was confused at her question but heanswered, “At Council meetings,” then became confused at both Val and Thorneshaking their heads at him.
“Apparently not. These two just came from the Council andsaid that neither Wheaton nor Hannah were there this morning.” Shenodded to the pair.
Now everyone was confused. But at that moment the regen bedbeeped, letting them know the scan was complete. Thorne practically barreledpast Poppy to get to the doctors. If Poppy could guess based on the smiles ontheir faces, she had a friend to schedule playdates with. Her suspicion wasquickly confirmed when Thorne turned and raced across the room to lift Val upand hug her so tightly that her back should have popped.
“So yes?” Val whispered.
“Yes,” Thorne answered in a soft but happy voice.
“Yes!” Poppy couldn’t help but exclaim with a fist pump intothe air.
“Yes what?” Behyr asked, watching everyone apparentlycelebrate, but not knowing why.
Thorne turned with his arm around a beaming and slightlycrying Val and announced to everyone within earshot, “Valerie is having mybaby!”
The entire scene made Poppy laugh. Thorne seemed pleased aspunch that Val was pregnant. Val was happy as well if her beaming smile wasanything to go by. The docs were patting each other on the backs as though theypersonally had had a hand in the baby-making while Behyr was stunned, hisconfusion apparent on his face.
“You and Valerie?” he said, pointing between the two ofthem. “But you weren’t matched…” Unable to get out what he was trying to say,he stopped and then asked, “Does the Council know?”
Thorne nodded and hugged Val tighter to his side. “We metwith them this morning and explained the situation. I have petitioned for amatch with Valerie and it has been approved. Now we are waiting for thepaperwork to be signed.” He sent Poppy a grateful smile. “Poppy had suggestedthat we point out it would be to the benefit of the Council to have a liaisonstationed here and it worked to our advantage. They did not want an unattachedfemale on the ship permanently, but a liaison who is also a bride was perfect.”
Walking forward to give hugs and congratulate the couple,Poppy whispered to Val, “I’m so happy for you.”
Sniffing back her tears, Val laughed a little. “It’s a bithard to take it all in. I mean, I
