Free Charlotte and the Alien Ambassador by Jessica Coulter Smith

the Terran took her to was larger than she’d expected, but not as big as an apartment. There was a bed and dresser, along with a sofa and television, a small table with two chairs, and a bathroom. It was more than adequate. She thanked him for helping her, then closed the door and leaned against it.
    What am I going to do now ?
    The first thing she was going to do was find something to eat. She remembered seeing a food court of sorts when she’d come here the first time. Charlotte just hoped she could locate it and then make her way back to her room. It took her several wrong turns and stopping to ask for directions twice -- both times earning her strange looks thanks to her voice -- but she eventually found the small area with various food choices. Two were Terran cuisine, but the rest were things like Chinese food, pizza, and two popular fast food restaurants.
    She was craving lo mein so she went to the Chinese place and placed an order that would normally be large enough to feed two people, but she found she was starving. She’d missed lunch and it was now nearing dinner. As she ate, she wondered if there was a branch of her bank nearby so she could find out exactly how much money was in her account and possibly get some cash out. Then she’d have to figure out the job situation. She’d never worked a day in her life, but if Charlotte wanted to survive and provide for her baby, that was going to have to change.
    The last bite was shoved into her mouth as a Terran male took the seat across from her. He was huge and wore the customary leather vest and pants. He gave her an easy smile and flipped his hair over his shoulder, a move that made her want to laugh because it looked ridiculous on a man so large.
    “You’re new here,” he said. “Looking for a mate?”
    She smiled but shook her head.
    “Too bad. I’d like to get to know you better, perhaps change your mind?”
    “I found a mate,” she confessed. “He didn’t want me.”
    He looked momentarily startled. Another Terran came over and whispered something in his ear. His eyes went wide as he stared at her and she wondered what was going on. She hadn’t been at the station long enough for there to be gossip about her already.
    “You should eat more,” the second Terran said. “What about dessert? We have an ice cream machine in the staff lounge.”
    Her brow furrowed, still not sure what was going on.
    “What about pizza?” the first one asked. “I’ve heard it’s popular here on Earth. Perhaps you should have some.”
    “Um. I’m fine. Really.”
    “Then you should take something to your room for later.”
    She looked back and forth between the two of them. “What’s going on? Why are you trying to feed me?”
    “Terran babies require a lot of food. Word is spreading that one of our males got you with child then abandoned you. If he won’t take care of you, then we all will.”
    Charlotte wasn’t sure if she should be embarrassed that everyone knew she was pregnant and had been dismissed from her mate’s life, or if she should feel warm and fuzzy that they wanted to take care of her. Other than Borgoz and Larimar, no one had ever watched over her before. It was a feeling she could get used to, but she didn’t want them to get the wrong idea. She wouldn’t be mating with any of them. If she was going to have a mate, it was going to be Borgoz or no one.
    “I’m fine,” she assured them. “I think I should return to my room for the night.”
    The Terran across from her rose to a rather impressive height. “My name is Cosmir, and I will be happy to escort you to your quarters. And if you should need anything, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask for me.”
    “I don’t want a mate,” she said softly. “If I can’t have the father of my baby, then I don’t want anyone at all.”
    “We understand,” the second Terran said. “My name is Vordro. I will also be happy to be of assistance. We aren’t trying to claim you as