Chapter 7

7

Z hoel’s heart thudded in anticipation as he and Lila strolled toward her family’s house, her hand in his. Each breath clouded in the cold, but he barely felt the chill. All his senses were tuned to her presence. Holding hands . Who knew the simple gesture could be so thrilling?

He glanced at her again, taking in the way her dark hair fell around her face, each lock catching the soft light from the streetlamps above as they chatted. Her eyes were bright, and he could still feel the ghost of her lips on his, the warmth of her body pressed against his own. That kiss… it was more than just a meeting of lips. It was a connection, a spark that had ignited something deep within him.

She is my mate .

His Iki’i thrummed at the thought, and suddenly he knew it without a doubt. Zhoel had always assumed he wouldn’t recognize his mate when he found her because of his flawed Iki’i, but the pull he felt toward Lila was like gravity drawing him in—undeniable. And based on her desire to continue their kiss in private, she seemed to feel the same way.

She was his mate. There could be no other explanation.

Ahead, Lila’s house came into view, Christmas lights bright in each window. Zhoel’s heart beat even faster. He imagined them slipping inside and finding a quiet corner where he could kiss her again, where he could hold her close and tell her everything that was in his heart.

Suddenly, Lila halted, her grip tightening around his hand. “Oh, no.”

“What is it?” He looked at her in alarm.

“I forgot tonight is the family’s annual white elephant exchange. Everyone’s at the house.” She pointed toward several cars parked in the driveway, their silhouettes dark against the snow.

Zhoel blinked, his universal translator filling his mind with an image of a lumbering, large-eared creature with an extended snout. “You exchange elephants for Christmas?”

Lila laughed. “No, not real elephants. It’s the name of a game. Everyone brings a wrapped gift, and we take turns choosing or stealing them from each other.”

“Stealing gifts?” Now he was even more baffled. “What does this have to do with elephants?”

“Uh, I don’t know. But it’s fun,” she said, her smile widening. “Want to come? I have an extra gift you can bring.”

He nodded. It wasn’t the private moment he’d been hoping for, but it was an invitation to share in something that mattered to her and another human experience he could add to his list. “That sounds fascinating.”

As she led him up the driveway, his HGU buzzed with an incoming message. He reached into his pocket and dismissed it without looking. It had buzzed him during their kiss, as well, but whatever it was could wait. He wanted to stay present in these moments.

Lila opened the front door, and they entered the house, enveloped in the sweet scent of hot cocoa and cookies. Chatter and laughter echoed from the living room, and Zhoel shrugged out of his coat, feeling Lila’s shoulder brush against his as she hung her coat on a hook. The contact, though fleeting, sent a pleasant shiver over him. He caught her eye and found her watching him, a small, private smile playing at her lips. He returned it, astonished how a mere look from her could leave him feeling breathless.

Lila’s mom poked her head around the corner. “Lila, you’re here. Good.” Her gaze slid to him, expression becoming guarded. “Is your friend joining us?”

“Yes, he is,” Lila said with a hint of defiance in her tone. “I have an extra gift upstairs. Zhoel, please make yourself at home while I grab it.” She gave his hand a quick squeeze, then darted toward the stairs.

Diane’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she gestured for Zhoel to follow her. “Come on. Everyone’s in the living room.”

Zhoel suddenly felt very conspicuous without Lila by his side. The scene in the living room only heightened his unease. At least twenty people sat around the space, far more than had attended dinner last night, and the noise was a dull roar in his ears—laughter, conversations, the excited shouts of children. The overall mood was eager excitement, but there were so many people, he had to repress his Iki’i to avoid a headache.

“Zhoel!” Josh bounded from amongst the crowd, skidding to a stop in front of him. “You’re here!” The child grabbed his hand. “Come on! You have to see the presents!”

Zhoel let himself be pulled forward, unable to resist the boy’s enthusiasm. People stared as he passed, but many of them smiled, and his tension lightened. The lights on the tree twinkled brightly, casting a festive glow over the gathering. Brightly wrapped gifts had been placed beneath the low boughs, and several other children stood near it, practically vibrating with anticipation.

“These ones are for kids.” Josh pointed to a pile that was set a little apart from the others, his face scrunched up in contemplation. “Which one do you think has the best toy?”

Zhoel wasn’t sure what constituted a good gift in this human game, but he tried to play along, pointing to a long one wrapped in red striped paper with a large white bow on top. “I think that one looks interesting.”

Someone nudged his elbow, and he turned to see Aunt Maggie at his side. His throat tightened, worried about what she might say. “Hello Maggie.”

She winked at him. “I’d stay away from gifts that look too perfect. Those always turn out to be lemons.”

He frowned. First elephants, now lemons? “Lemons are bad?”

Maggie chortled and nudged him again. “Well, I suppose they might make you pucker up.” She pursed her lips and batted her eyes coyly. “Though I hear you and Lila have already been doing that.”

Zhoel’s cheeks warmed. Before Aunt Maggie could continue, he caught sight of Nana Pearl waving at him from across the room. Relief washed over him like a cool breeze, and he offered Aunt Maggie a polite nod. “If you’ll excuse me, I think Nana Pearl is trying to get my attention.”

Maggie’s eyes twinkled with amusement, but she stepped back, allowing him to move away. “Of course.”

Zhoel pressed through the crowd toward the elderly matriarch. She sat in an armchair with a ball of yarn in her lap and two long, pointed sticks gripped in her gnarled fingers. “I was hoping I’d get a chance to speak with you,” she said, smiling and setting aside the sticks. “How has your date with Lila been? It’s been a while since I’ve seen her this happy.”

A pang of guilt twisted in Zhoel’s chest at the reminder of the misunderstanding Nana Pearl had over his email. Not that it mattered now. What had begun as a business trip had become something with far more important ramifications for his future; thanks to Nana, he’d found his mate. He smiled at her. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been this happy, too.”

Something soft brushed against his leg and he glanced down to see the fluffy orange family pet weaving around his ankles. He bent and stroked its head.

“Oh, my. I’m surprised the cat lets you pet him,” said Nana. “He hates everyone except Adam.”

Cat . Zhoel catalogued the name for his translator. “He was in my room last night.”

“Sorry about that,” called Lila’s dad from his chair. “But if you can make Whiskers like you, you’re okay in my book.”

Zhoel grinned. Good thing he’d realized the creature was a pet last night instead of assuming it was vermin.

One of the children squealed, sending the cat darting off to hide under a nearby chair. Zhoel straightened and spotted Lila making her way toward the tree with a pair of wrapped gifts in her arms. Their eyes met, and she smiled, the sight sending a familiar thrill through him.

“Looks like we’re about to get started,” Nana Pearl said, following his gaze. “Better get back to your date.”

The air buzzed with playful energy as people found their spots, some sitting cross-legged on the floor, others perched on the edge of chairs. Zhoel joined Lila standing at one end of a long sofa. The soft glow of the Christmas lights reflected in her eyes, her smile radiating pure joy as she looked around at her family.

The rules of the game were explained quickly for the children, then they went first, laughing and trading rather than stealing. It seemed none of the gifts were undesirable, and the children scampered away, happy to play while the adults continued the game.

As numbers were handed out for the order of choosing gifts, Lila leaned close and whispered, “Don’t overthink it. Just pick whichever gift catches your eye. The fun part is the trading… or trying to avoid trading.”

He nodded, aware of every point where their bodies touched, of the subtle scent of her hair—like vanilla and something floral. It took a conscious effort to focus on the game and not just on her.

The first few rounds went by in a blur of laughter and light-hearted banter. Gifts were unwrapped to reveal things like a snowman-shaped mug or a pair of fuzzy socks. Lila took a turn and got a box of something she called hot cocoa mix. “We can drink it later,” she told him as more presents were swapped and stolen, the lively energy growing with each turn. It was a dance of sorts, a series of strategic moves and light-hearted thefts that brought out the playful side in everyone.

Tom’s turn arrived, and he scanned the pile of gifts thoughtfully before picking a huge, brightly wrapped box. He unwrapped it with a flourish, revealing another festive box inside. The room erupted in laughter as he opened boxes of decreasing size. Finally, he groaned dramatically. “Dog gone it. Not the snow globe!” His gaze zeroed in on Lila. He strode over and swapped the snow globe for her hot chocolate. “Yoink!”

“Tom!” Lila cried in mock outrage as everyone laughed. “You’d steal from your own sister?”

Zhoel leaned close, eyes fixed on the bauble. It depicted a scene of dancing elves, a sleigh with a wildly waving Santa, and penguins skating on an ice rink. “I thought your family valued these items,” he said.

Lila laughed and wound a key on the bottom. The ornament emitted a scratchy tune he didn’t recognize, but that sounded cringingly off key. “This is the first snow globe from our family’s collection,” Lila said. “Grandpa brought it back when my dad was just a boy, and it’s been re-gifted ever since. It makes it feel like he’s still a part of the gift exchange every year.”

He smiled, appreciating how her family valued keeping past loved ones present.

Tom’s girlfriend Simone went next, receiving a neon green throw blanket she swapped for Tom’s hot chocolate. She leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “All’s fair in love and gift exchanges.”

Tom laughed. “How ‘bout we share our gifts later?”

Zhoel glanced at Lila, thinking something similar, and caught her watching him. With a smile, she turned back to the gift exchange, laying her cheek against his arm. Joy spread through him like a warm beverage on a chilly day. He wanted to feel this way forever.

When it was Zhoel’s turn, he moved forward to examine the remaining gifts. He chose a flat box that felt light in his hands, opening it slowly. Inside, he found a plain green sweater, various colorful felt pieces, pom-poms, miniature bells, and a tube of glue. “What is this?”

“It’s a kit to make an ugly Christmas sweater,” Lila explained, her grin widening at his confusion. “You going to keep it or swap it?”

He licked his lips, uncertain he was ready to steal gifts from her family, even in play. “Why would anyone want to create an ugly garment intentionally?”

“I don’t know. It’s a tradition.” Lila shrugged.

“It’s from the Depression,” Nana called across the room, lifting her needles to drape a long swath of cloth down toward her lap. “From when people needed sweaters for warmth rather than style.”

“Nana, we love your sweaters,” Lila said, joined by agreeing nods and shouts from the rest of the family.

Zhoel looked down at the kit again. “Then I shall keep this gift.”

Lila laughed, looping her arm through his. “I’ll help you decorate it later.”

When the last gift had been claimed, the family dispersed, a few leaving for home, some heading toward the kitchen for more snacks, others chatting in small groups. Lila led Zhoel to the den. “We can have a little privacy in here until everyone goes home. Let’s put your sweater together while we wait.”

The promise in her eyes made his groin ache with need, but he kept himself in check as they moved to the den. Lila turned on the fireplace and pulled over a low table. She took his sweater kit and began spreading the contents across the table in a chaotic array of colors and textures. “Let’s see what kind of masterpiece we can make.”

They settled on the rug, shoulders brushing, and Lila explained how to attach the felt pieces to the sweater. Zhoel watched her closely, more focused on the way her lips moved, the way her hair fell around her face, than on her instructions. They were so close, just a breath apart, and he could feel her heartbeat echoing his own, fast and unsteady.

She looked up, and he realized she’d asked him a question. But the moment their gazes connected, the air between them seemed to thicken. Without thinking, he leaned in, his lips brushing hers.

She responded immediately, her hands sliding up his chest and around his neck. The kiss deepened, became more urgent, a spark igniting into heat that spread through him like magma. His need was both thrilling and terrifying in its intensity. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her tightly against him, her breasts soft against his chest.

“I never imagined I’d actually find my mate,” he murmured against her lips.

Lila’s breath hitched. “Mate?” She pulled back, the word hanging between them like an icicle about to drop. “We’re just kissing.”

He felt his chest tighten with familiar anxiety. He’d misread situations too many times in the past, letting his emotions cloud his judgment. Had this entire day been a mistake? Before he could say anything, the sudden, sharp rap of knuckles on the doorframe demanded attention.

Diane stood there, looking none too pleased. “Zhoel, there’s someone at the door for you.”

Confused, Zhoel followed Diane out, Lila close at his side. Who would be looking for him here?

In the foyer, a tall Kirenai in a white and yellow Intergalactic Dating Agency uniform stood waiting, his blue face stern. Zhoel’s stomach filled with icy dread. The messages I ignored. He pulled his HGU from his pocket, but didn’t have time to read it.

“I’m here on behalf of the permitting office,” the IDA representative said, his tone formal and cold. “You are to cease all business here on Earth and return to the orbital station immediately.”

Zhoel’s fists clenched in frustration at his sides. Kuzara . The IDA must have caught wind of his plans. “What seems to be the problem?”

Lila’s hand slipped into his, squeezing lightly. He held onto the sensation, needing it to steady himself. Her family had gathered to look in from the living room, their whispers a low, anxious hum.

“There’s a problem with your visa. Please avoid making an intergalactic scene and return to the station with me now.”

Before Zhoel could ask what the problem was, Nana Pearl stepped forward, her voice surprisingly firm. “He hasn’t finished his date with my granddaughter yet. He’ll come along when they’re done.”

Zhoel groaned inwardly. Nana Pearl didn’t realize the gravity of her words—by galactic law, all romantic relationships with humans had to be coordinated by the IDA. It was one reason he was so determined to get his business up and running, to break their stranglehold over the market.

“I see,” the representative said, raising his eyebrows and smirking slightly. “Then this is definitely a violation.” He pulled out a pair of cuffs. “Zhoel Aedul, you’re under arrest.”