Veronica was relieved when Brooke and Trinity caught up to them, with Conan and Hawkeye right in step.

She unlocked the doors to the old academy and they all went inside.

It was dark and a little spooky, but there was just enough moonlight to make out the black and white tiles of the entryway floor. To the left was a space that had once been the commanding officer’s study. Now it was Brooke’s office, though the walnut built-in bookcases remained. To the right was a huge parlor that had been used for meetings, now set up as a small karate studio.

The real gym was in the basement though. The ring and the mats and serious equipment were kept down there.

Veronica flicked on the lights over the stairs and they all headed up.

Each floor had two suites of rooms. Although the third floor rooms were larger, the women had decided to stay in one of the second floor suites since it was cooler. Their three bedrooms were clustered around a small common room in the suite to the left of the staircase.

“Let’s see if this suite has enough beds and sheets,” she said, heading toward the identical suite on the right side of the stairs.

The others followed behind her and she was reminded for a moment of the way the dogs trailed after her curiously when there was something new in their enclosure.

Happily, there was a bed in each room and clean linens in each of the built-in dressers. She grabbed sheets out of one of the drawers and Lobo moved to help her.

Suddenly they were alone again. Conan, Brooke, Trinity and Hawkeye must have been doing the same in the other two rooms.

“I know how to make a bed,” Lobo told Veronica. He sounded a little proud, not at all sarcastic.

“I don’t mind helping,” she replied, trying to hide her smile. It wasn’t his fault that bed making was new and wonderful to him. On the other hand, there was something hilarious about such a boyish statement coming out of a man who was… well, all man.

They finished making up the bed in silence.

At last Veronica fluffed up the pillows, and there was nothing left to do but stand back and look at their handiwork.

“This bed is very well made,” Lobo said with satisfaction. “It almost seems like a shame to sleep in it.”

“I’m sure you’re very tired after your trip,” Veronica said with a smile.

“Yes, it was a most interesting journey,” Lobo mused.

Veronica wondered what he had found most interesting. It was strange to see the world through the alien’s eyes.

But something about the proximity to both Lobo and the bed was making her feel electrified. A hum of excitement seemed to buzz around them.

“I’d better get some rest,” she told him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Will you teach me to work with Zeus tomorrow?” Lobo asked.

He looked hopeful and again she was struck with the way he had bonded with the troubled animal.

“You like him, don’t you?” she asked.

“Zeus and I are simpatico,” Lobo told her.

Veronica laughed.

“Simpatico means sympathetic,” Lobo explained.

“Yes,” Veronica told him, nodding. “And I agree, I think you and Zeus are simpatico. I just wouldn’t have thought to put it that way.”

“Your smile is as beautiful as sunset,” Lobo said quietly.

“Oh,” she replied, stunned.

“Sleep well, Veronica,” he told her. “Thank you for helping us.”

She slipped out and wandered back into her own suite in a daze.

“Not so fast, smooth talker,” Brooke said, before Veronica could grasp the handle of her own bedroom door.

Damn.

“Yeah?” Veronica asked.

“Seriously?” Trinity asked. “Is she just messing with us?”

“She’s not messing with us,” Brooke said thoughtfully.

Veronica turned back to the living room.

Brooke and Trinity were sprawled on the sofa, each clutching a frozen water bottle - part of their constant battle against the heat.

“Guys, I didn’t know,” Veronica said.

“So Georgia called you and said she was sending three hunky guys your way and you didn’t figure it out?” Trinity asked.

“When you put it that way, it seems like I should have known,” Veronica admitted.

“Yeah,” Brooke said. “No doubt.”

“In fairness, she didn’t call them hunky,” Veronica said.

“What exactly did she say?” Brooke asked.

Veronica sighed and flopped down on the couch next to them.

Trinity tossed her a frozen water bottle. The cool condensation felt good in her hands.

“She said she needed my help finding internships for three people,” Veronica said. “She said I would recognize them. And that I should try to make sure they met good women.”

“Those clues were not exactly subtle,” Brooke said.

“I got pulled out of a training session for an emergency phone call,” Veronica retorted. “I was so surprised it was Georgia calling, I guess I didn’t really think too much about her wording.”

“He seems really nice,” Trinity said softly.

“Who?” Veronica asked, knowing her shy friend meant Lobo, but unwilling to show her hand.

“Lobo, you moron. Who do you think she means?” Brooke demanded.

Veronica grinned in spite of herself.

“I knew it,” Trinity crowed.

“No, no,” Veronica said, pulling herself together again. “He’s a nice guy and he’s good with Zeus. That’s all.”

“That’s definitely not all,” Brooke said. “But I’m curious about why you would say that’s all.”

“I just met him,” Veronica suggested.

“How long did your friend Georgia know her new husband before she fell head over heels for him?” Brooke countered.

“I’m not like Georgia,” Veronica said firmly.

“You’re exactly like Georgia,” Brooke said.

“It’s Ralph, isn’t it?” Trinity asked.

The sympathy in her friend’s voice was too much. It made Veronica want to cry. It wasn’t fair that the mention of her ex-boyfriend could still make her feel this way.

“It’s not him,” she said. “Well, maybe it is a little bit. I learned a lot from that experience.”

“Yeah, you learned that Ralph was a cheating bastard,” Brooke retorted.

“That’s true,” Veronica said. “But bigger picture, I’ve learned to be self-reliant and I like it. I’m not really into having a big intense relationship right now. And these guys need the biggest, most intense relationship.”

“You know Ralph was just a dick, right?” Brooke asked. “You’re not going to use him as an excuse to become a crazy cat lady, are you?”

Veronica laughed.

“I think you mean crazy dog lady,” she teased.

“Officer Biscuit is her best friend,” Brooke said archly to Trinity.

“How can we compete with a dog in uniform?” Trinity teased.

“Seriously, guys, I need some sleep,” Veronica said with a smile. “Can we pick this up tomorrow?”

Brooke shrugged.

“Good night, Veronica,” Trinity said. “Thank you for bringing us aliens.”

“My pleasure,” Veronica said. “Make sure you teach them some life skills, okay? Don’t just flirt with them.”

Trinity rolled her eyes.

“Good night,” Brooke said.

Veronica wandered off to brush her teeth.

Staring in the mirror a few minutes later she asked herself the same question Brooke was asking.

Why wasn’t she interested in Lobo?

I am interested in him.

The problem was that she had been burned before. Badly. She’d been serious with Ralph for two years. They had lived together, for heaven’s sake.

And he had been nothing but a dirty cheater.

It was bad to realize she couldn’t trust him.

But it was worse to think that she couldn’t trust her own judgment. She’d thought Ralph was The One.

No, Veronica, she told herself. Stick with the dogs. They’re loyal and they love you no matter what. Everything else is either a distraction or a heartbreak waiting to happen.