Free Rescuing Mattie by S. E. Smith Page A

people.”
    “Mattie, you’ve seen the guys on this spaceship,” Suzy began hesitantly. “I mean, they are hot. I’m sure there is a chance of you meeting someone. Not all men are like George, you know. Having Curly in my life … I can’t even begin to describe it.”
    Mattie smiled at Suzy. Her friend didn’t have to say anything about Curly’s effect. She saw it every time those two were around each other. Deep down there was a tiny hope she would one day find someone as special as Curly but a part of her was afraid to open her heart again to the pain of being in love with the wrong person.
    She had done it once before when she was twenty-one. George had hired on as part of the setup crew. She had believed his lies when he said he loved her. She had thought she was being cautious. She had dated him almost three months before she let him move in with her. It was another six months before she caught him with another woman at a seedy bar in one of the towns they were performing in. Suzy and Curly had been with her. Curly had punched George and told him he was a dead man if he ever came near her again.
    Mattie looked down at the dogs who were now wrestling with each other. She didn’t like thinking about that time in her life, she wasn’t sure she could have made it without her furry friends. They were what made her get up every morning and push on. Frustrated at the way her thoughts were going, she stood up and motioned for the dogs to come to her.
    “Not everyone is lucky enough to find that special person like you and Curly have,” Mattie said, not looking at Suzy. “The dogs need some exercise. I think I’ll take them for a short run around this level. I haven’t seen much of the spaceship and it would be neat to see what it’s like.”
    Suzy stood up as well. She knew it was Mattie’s way of avoiding discussing her feelings. She hid from the pain. Suzy wished she could have punched Mattie’s parents in the nose as well. They never appreciated what a beautiful, sensitive daughter they had. Instead, she gave Mattie a big hug.
    “Just know that you are loved very much by all of us,” Suzy murmured.
    “I know,” Mattie smiled, as she stepped back. “That is the only reason I agreed to come. I couldn’t imagine losing any of you.”
    “Go run,” Suzy replied gruffly. “I’m cooking dinner tonight. Make sure you aren’t late.”
    “I won’t be,” Mattie said as she started to walk toward the entrance to the storage bay. “Love you, Suzy,” she called out over her shoulder before she took off running.
    “I love you too, Mattie,” Suzy whispered. “I love you too.”

Chapter 2
    Mattie laughed as she watched the dogs play as they ran. The little ones had a lot more energy than Peewee, her huge Mastiff mix. Of course, for every one of his steps the smaller dogs had to take three.
    She kept it to a slow jog as she didn’t want to run anyone over. There were quite a few ‘warriors’ as they were called walking the long curving corridors. Kelsey, another trainer who worked with the more exotic animals like her pet zebras and spider monkeys, had passed her a few minutes before as Peewee had dropped the huge pink chewy ball and had to chase it down from Oscar who had grabbed it as it rolled.
    She couldn’t help but remember how she had thought Walter had been pulling all their legs when he had called a meeting just a few weeks ago. The entire crew of the circus had attended the mandatory meeting. They had been discussing everything from Walter possibly having sold the circus to just closing it down. No one had guessed he would drop the announcement that he was taking the circus to a new level, one that included aliens, warships and moving the whole kit and kaboodle to another planet.
    She slowed as she passed by a warrior who was getting off one of the lifts. Her eyes flashed to his before she blushed and looked away at the sudden heat that filled his eyes. Ignoring her own sudden warmth, she