“That will be seven dollars and forty-two cents,” she told the customer with a forced smile.
“How about I give you ten and you keep the change.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Thank you. My team will appreciate the tip.”
He leaned his elbows on the counter. “Why don’t you give me your number and
let me take you out to dinner?”
And there it was. It wasn’t the first time she’d been hit on since taking this job and she doubted it would be the last. If it weren’t for the fact her rapidly growing breasts kept pushing the limits of her work shirts, maybe she could go a day without some asshole thinking she needed a date.
“Thank you, but we aren’t allowed to date the customers.” She smiled to soften the blow.
He reached out and stroked the hand she’d braced on the counter. “No one
would have to know but us.”
“Exactly. I would know that I was breaking company policy. You don’t want me
to get fired do you?” And it was time for the grand finale. She took a step back, away from the register, and ran a hand over her rounding stomach. “I need a paycheck to take care of my baby.”
His eyes bugged out and he backed up. “Yeah, uh…you’re right. You definitely
shouldn’t break the rules.”
He snatched his receipt from Lydia’s hand and beat a hasty retreat to the end of the counter to wait for his drink. With a sigh of resignation, she stepped back up to the register and smiled at the next customer. Being female, she couldn’t help but admire his partially exposed chest and strong forearms. she really had a thing for arms.
He cleared his throat and Lydia blushed, realizing she’d been caught staring.
“What can I get for you?” she asked.
He smiled an easy smile and her gaze caressed his green skin. He was definitely a Kilion, and if she wasn’t mistaken, there was a Liptu behind him. Aliens had been part of her reality for a while now, but she still had to adjust to seeing them doing something as ordinary as ordering coffee.
“I’ll take a large coffee. Black.”
Lydia nodded and rang it up, gave him the total, and hoped he wouldn’t tell her boss she’d been checking him out. She accepted his credit card, swiped it, then handed it back along with his receipt.
“I’ll get your coffee for you,” she said, turning her back toward him and heading over to the coffee machine. She paused after she picked up a large cup and looked over her shoulder. “Dark roast or medium?”
“Dark.”
Lydia filled the cup, popped a plastic lid on it, and carried it back over to the sexy alien. Truth be told, she had yet to see an alien who wasn’t sexy. They looked like rainbow colored GQ models, in her opinion. She’d be willing to bet there were ripped abs under that shirt. God, she hoped she wasn’t drooling.
She handed him the cup and smiled at the alien behind him, startling
momentarily at the woman and child with him. She’d heard the aliens were here seeking mates, and had even looked up the Interstellar Love Agency that specialized in matching human females with alien males—out of curiosity, of course—but she’d never seen any of the local aliens out with their families.
The little boy was adorable and she addressed him first. “And what can I get for you?”
His cheeks flushed and he glued himself to his mother’s leg. Too precious!
The woman smiled at her. “Our son will have a hot chocolate and a blueberry
muffin, and I’d like a small skinny, decaf, caramel Frappuccino.”
The alien with her pulled out his wallet. “I’ll just take a black coffee. Medium roast.”
“Size?” Lydia asked.
“Large. I’m going to need all the caffeine I can get to keep up with these two.”
Lydia smiled and finished ringing up the order, gave him his total, then swiped his card. She filled out the cups, asking for names, and then got the alien his coffee. And so it went, one order after another for the rest of the morning. By the time eleven rolled around, her feet were aching and her back felt like it might snap in half at any moment.
She clocked out and got her lunch out of the staff refrigerator in the break room.
She nearly groaned in relief as she sank into the hard, plastic chair. Anything was better than standing. Even though she was starving, she ate her lunch slowly. She’d learned the hard way that scarfing down her food resulted in heartburn and sometimes an upset stomach. This pregnancy did not agree with her! Lydia felt a little flutter in her stomach and she smoothed a hand over her baby bump. Twenty weeks until she’d get to hold her baby. Twenty weeks of backaches, foot aches, swollen ankles, and weird cravings—ketchup on mashed potatoes? Or even better…ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, slaw, and BBQ baked beans on hot dogs—and so much more. At least the
nausea had lessened. Certain smells still got to her, but she was no longer throwing up all day every day.
A magazine on the table caught her attention and she pulled it closer. No, not a magazine…was this a catalog for the dating agency? A stunning orange alien graced the cover and she flipped it open. Aliens of all colors and descriptions were shown inside, along with what they were seeking in a mate. A few even said they were open to marrying someone who already had children, which made Lydia pause.
Her baby moved again and she rubbed her belly. When she’d discovered she was
pregnant, and had tracked it back to the night of the frat party, her friend, Lauren, had talked her into attending, she determined that she was finished with men. But what if alien men were different from human men? What if they weren’t pretentious assholes who only thought of themselves? Her gaze scanned the booklet again. If she went to the dating agency and was paired with one of these men, would they really accept her in her pregnant state? Was it possible she could still give her child a father, and give herself someone who might actually care about her, someone who wanted to walk beside her instead of dragging her along behind on a leash?
Carrie plopped down into the chair across from her. “I see you found my book.
You look…intrigued.”
“Just thinking.”
Carrie smirked. “You’re doing more than that. You’re going to go talk to them, aren’t you?”
Lydia shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt just to see what they have to say. I’m done with human men, but maybe aliens are different. When I found out about my baby, I gave up on ever finding happiness with a man. But what if I can?”
“I know the perfect one for you.” Carrie smiled even wider and flipped through the book until she landed on a full-page layout of what had to be the most gorgeous man Lydia had ever seen. “He’s Liptu and he’s open to a relationship with a single mom. That would be you.”
Lydia traced the curve of his jaw on the glossy page. “He’s…breathtaking. I have a hard time picturing a man like that having difficulties finding a date.”
“He doesn’t, but he’s done with casual dating and wants the happy relationship his brother found.” Carrie snorted. “Trust me, he was something of a man-whore until that revelation.”
Lydia reverently touched the ad again. “If you know him so well, why don’t you go out with him?”
“Because I’m not his type.” Carrie grinned bigger. “But you totally are.”
“I don’t think I’d have any say in who they paired me with if I applied at the dating agency. It’s not like I can carry this magazine in there and say ‘I want him.’”
“Why not?”
“I’m not window shopping for a puppy, Carrie. Besides, just because he’s
gorgeous doesn’t mean we’ll get along. He looks so well put together and I’m…not. Not to mention he looks rich, and rich men stay away from poor women like me. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had to sign some sort of agreement before I could even go on a date with him, something that says I won’t try to take his money.”
Carrie rolled her eyes. “He’s really down to Earth.
He’s not an asshole, and even though he has money and doesn’t mind throwing it around, he’s still just a guy, Lydia.
Like all men, he responds to a warm smile from a woman. The fact you’re genuinely nice would be more important to him than your wallet.”
Lydia chewed on her bottom lip.
“Come on,” Carrie wheedled. “You know you want to go check it out. And even
if you don’t take the magazine with you, even if you aren’t paired with Gryf, it doesn’t mean you won’t find some great guy who will appreciate you and love the baby like his own.”
“I haven’t dated since I found out about the baby. I don’t know if I can trust a guy right now.”
No one knew the story behind her pregnancy, and she had no doubt that once a
potential boyfriend heard the tale, he’d run the other way. It was one thing to accept another man’s child, but…Lydia sighed. Her secret wasn’t exactly small. She wanted to trust someone, to fall in love, but what if she couldn’t?
“My break’s over,” Lydia said, and groaned as she rose to her feet. The constant ache in her lower back today was killing her.
She threw her trash away, longingly looking at her unfinished sandwich, and
hurried back out front. There was an endless stream of customers the rest of the day, and by the time her shift ended at three o’clock, she was exhausted. Despite how tired she was, she couldn’t help but think about the magazine in the breakroom. She toyed with the idea of going to the dating agency throughout the afternoon, talking herself into it and then out of it, then into it again.
What was the worst thing that could happen? Men made her nervous now, in an
intimate setting anyway, but maybe going on some dates would be nice. Even if she didn’t meet Mr. Right, she might at least have a nice time. It wouldn’t hurt to get out of the apartment and have a meal with someone.
The decision seemed to be made for her as her car pulled into a parking space in front of the Interstellar Love Agency. Her hands shook a little as she got out of the car and went inside. The woman at the front desk looked a little frosty, like there was a giant stick up her butt, but Lydia smiled just the same.
“I’d like to speak with someone about signing up with the dating agency.” Lydia fiddled with the hem of her shirt.
“I’ll see if Mr. Anderson can meet with you.” The woman picked up the phone
and spoke softly. When she hung up, she pointed toward the elevators. “Go up to the fifth floor. When the doors open, you’ll turn right and it’s the last office on your left.”
“Thank you.”
Gathering every bit of courage she had, Lydia took the elevator to the fifth floor and quickly found Mr. Anderson’s office. Her hand was lifted and ready to knock on the door, but she paused. Should she have gone home to shower and change before coming in? What if they needed to take her picture? Her hair was falling out of its pins, her clothes were wrinkled, and whatever lipstick she’d put on that morning was long gone.
No, she wouldn’t second guess herself now.
She rapped on the door and pushed it open when she heard a voice beckon her
to enter. A balding man sat behind a large desk and he smiled at her warmly. Lydia eased into the spacious office, but she left the door ajar. The man seemed nice enough, but no way was Lydia locking herself in with him. If the door was open, she could make a quick escape if needed.
“Please, have a seat,” Mr. Anderson said. “How may I help you today, Miss…”
“Parker. Lydia Parker. I’ve done some research on your agency, Mr. Anderson,
and after careful consideration, I’ve decided I’d like to sign up to be matched with an alien.” She smoothed a hand over her stomach. “Obviously, it would have to someone who wouldn’t mind raising another man’s child.”
“Being pregnant will limit the number of interested males, but it’s not impossible to find a match for you, Miss Parker. You’ll have to complete a questionnaire and then we’ll input your information into our system. We could have a first date set up for you as early as next week!”
A week? She had hoped for something sooner. Lydia feared if she had too much
time to think about what she was doing, she would change her mind. Maybe she should have brought that catalog after all and shown him the males she’d like to be paired with. It would beat waiting a week.
“What sort of questionnaire?” she asked.
“Well, it’s actually a short psychological exam so that we can pair you with the right male. We’ll input your scores into our system and match you with someone who will compliment you. For instance, we wouldn’t want to pair a very assertive, dominant female with a headstrong male, or they would fight constantly.”
Lydia frowned. “Wouldn’t a strong female need a strong male to keep her
challenged and interested?”
Mr. Anderson looked surprised by her answer.
“I mean, I obviously don’t know anything about the matchmaking business, but I would think a strong woman would eventually tire of a weaker male. Women can feel empowered without having to be in charge all the time. Sometimes it’s nice to have a man take the lead.”
“I never thought of that.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not a strong, dominant female.” She smiled. “I would be quite content to be paired with a strong male, but not too domineering. I do have my limits on what I will tolerate for a long period of time. And forever is a really long time to put up with someone you can’t stand.”
“Have you perhaps met one of our males who might interest you?” he asked.
“No. I’ve spoken to a few at work, but I don’t know that they’ve signed up for your services. We didn’t discuss anything more intimate than their coffee order.” She paused. “Although, a coffee order can actually tell you a lot about a person.”
“You work at a coffee shop?”
“Yes. I just started at Espress Yourself two weeks ago. I don’t think I’m cut out for the job though. I make a lot of mistakes.”
“And what did you do before the coffee shop?”
“I was a full-time student, but when my parents found out about the pregnancy, they kicked me out and left me without funds. I rented a studio apartment and took the first job I could find so that I would be able to provide a home for my baby.”
Mr. Anderson leaned his elbows on his desk. “And is it important to you to
finish your degree? Or would you be content letting your husband make all the money?”
“Well, I would like to finish my degree, but if I did find a husband who could support me, I’d really like to stay home with the baby, at least for the first year. I could maybe take some classes online at home to finish my degree, and then when my baby was a little older, I’d be ready to graduate and find a job.”
“And if you found yourself pregnant again?”
Lydia chewed on her lip. “Before this pregnancy, I’d always thought I’d be one of those career women, climbing the corporate ladder and trying to make a name for myself in my chosen field. But this baby changes things. My goals have shifted. Now, I just want to be the best mother I can be and provide my child with a safe and loving home. If I need to work to help with the bills, then I’ll work. But if my husband wants a large family, I would be all right staying home to take care of the children. I don’t have to work full-time to be fulfilled or feel like I’m pulling my share of the weight.”
“Good answer.” He smiled. “I’m going to walk you to the room down the hall
where the testing takes place. You can move along at your own pace; it isn’t timed or anything. Just answer the questions as truthfully as you can. When you’re finished, come back here and we’ll discuss what’s next.”
Lydia followed him down the hall and sat at one of three computers along the
wall inside of what had to be the smallest office in the building. Mr. Anderson showed her how the program worked and then left her to answer the questi
ons. Lydia had no idea how long she had sat there, but finally she was finished and she returned to Mr.
Anderson’s office. A large, blue male was sprawled in the chair in front of Mr.
Anderson’s desk and she tried to duck back into the hall unnoticed.
“Miss Parker, are you finished already?” Mr. Anderson asked.
Lydia took a step into the room and froze as the blue male turned toward her. It was the male from the catalog, the one Carrie had called Gryf! Good God, but he was even better looking in person. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth as she tried to form a coherent sentence.
“Miss Parker?” Mr. Anderson prodded.
“Y-yes. I’m finished,” she stammered.
The blue alien stood and came toward her. He held out his hand. “I’m Gryf.”
“Lydia Parker,” she said as she clasped his hand. She instinctively leaned into his touch, the instant spark of desire not what she’d expected.
“Are you here seeking a match, Lydia?” Gryf asked.
“Yes.” She smoothed a hand over her slightly rounded belly. “I was told that
some might not mind the fact I’m pregnant.”
“A baby is always a blessing,” Gryf said, an easy smile on his full, kissable lips.
“Gryf, you know I have to see if her test results match with your profile,” Mr.
Anderson said. “You can’t flirt with a woman just because she’s in my office. You know it doesn’t work that way.”
Gryf arched a brow and turned to face Mr. Anderson. “You’re here and have a
job with the agency because my people, and others who have come to this planet, have tasked you with a job. However, never mistake that we can just as easily take it away. If I wish to know Miss Parker better, then I will.”
Lydia And Her Alien Boss Page 3
