“Come again?”
Gerri laughed. “I’m something of a matchmaker, Lexi. I bring people together, and I do very well at it. It looks like you’ve had a bit of bad luck in the dating world, and I know I can fix that. You seem ready for a change.”
“I am,” Lexi said, nodding. She had been thinking the exact same thing. “My job just laid me off. I can’t pay the rent without Chester, but he cheated on me, so I’m not spending another second under the same roof with him.”
“Understandable,” Gerri said. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll email you a video link, and you can watch it when you have time, then make up your own mind.”
Lexi gave her the email address. She was beginning to feel a bit skeptical. “I can’t pay you,” she said. “Are the men the ones who pay?”
Gerri smiled. “Some things in this universe are more important than money.”
“Like what?” Lexi laughed. “Karma?”
Gerri’s smile widened, but she didn’t say anything more. She turned and walked down the street, getting into her limo and pulling away. Lexi’s phone dinged with the video link.
It took a couple of hours to finish up the yard sale, and when it was done, Lexi hurried upstairs to the apartment. It felt kind of empty without Chester’s stuff … without Chester too.
Don’t even. He’s been sleeping with those other girls for months and keeping it from you. Don’t you dare miss him!
Lexi sat on the floor, pulled out her phone, and clicked on the link. Immediately a beautiful woman appeared on the screen. Her features were pretty, but what made her so beautiful was the happy glow about her.
“I’m Bella Treyvall, and I am Queen of Nova Aurora.”
Where the damn hell is that?
The camera panned out away from the woman, showing an opulent, luxurious room. Lexi only got a glimpse of it as the camera focused out the window, revealing lush purple trees and a dusky sky.
It’s an alien planet!
The camera panned back to Bella, and she talked enthusiastically about Gerri’s agency and how successful she was at matching shifters with humans. Lexi felt her excitement growing.
How many people from Cincy can say they’ve been to space?
Bella was still talking about the planet and the people who lived there, giving basic information about the different clans and the geography. Lexi was more than curious and actually found herself craving to go there. It was exactly what she was looking for to get her out of this rut.
Then, Bella talked about her time on Earth and how she was brought to Nova Aurora to meet her match.Wait … aliens? Am I going to be matched with an alien? If he has tentacles or whatever, I am not going.
“Come on in, darling,” Bella suddenly said, looking over her shoulder. She then turned back to the camera, her eyes sparkling with joy.
“I’d like all of you to meet my husband, King Alyx,” Bella announced. A man appeared behind her, gently touching her shoulders and leaning down to kiss her. Lexi made a small, strangled sound.
The guy was hot. Big, dark eyes, dramatic features, and an utterly ripped body.Not a tentacle to be seen.Lexi grinned, thinking that he probably had at least one tentacle.
Bella went on to say that a month on Nova Aurora with four dates was the usual time frame for a new couple to get to know each other. Lexi was excited to accept. This vacation was exactly what she needed.
Lexi had no illusions that things would work out with the guy. That was simply ridiculous. She couldn’t expect any relationship to work after she’d been burned so many times. It was just that Nova Aurora looked so cool, it was all expenses paid, and if the guy looked anything like King Alyx, then she wouldn’t find a few dates with him difficult.
I’ll just play along. I don’t have to take it seriously.
Lexi called Gerri, and they made plans to leave the next day.
CHAPTERTWO
LEXI
Early the next morning, Lexi was waiting on the curb for Gerri. It was so early that the day had not fully begun.Can’t remember the last time I got up before dawn.
She only had to wait a few minutes before the limo pulled up, and she grabbed her bag and hurried to get inside. She only had one small duffle, as Gerri had told her she wouldn’t need anything.