Genres/Themes: Science Fiction Romance, Alien Invasion, Single Mom, Matchmaking Agency

Length: 106 pages (Novella)

Publisher: Coastal Escape Publishing

Single-mom and unemployed, not the best combination. Violet has done everything she can to provide for her son, but sometimes you just have to admit you can’t do it all. Dating humans hasn’t worked out so well for her, so why not look for some out of this world kind of love?

There’s just one problem. The official at the Interstellar Love Dating Agency takes one look at her son Simon and nearly has an epileptic fit. Who knew such a sweet and charming little boy could cause such a reaction?

When Tiraz, an alien of the Liptu race, overhears Violet’s pitiful tale, he can’t help but lend a hand. Tiraz might not want a female of his own – just yet – but he knows plenty of males who do. What harm could come of playing matchmaker for this down on their luck family?

Famous last words. The more time Tiraz spends with Violet, the more he starts to feel something. He has no idea what the strange sensation is, but every time Violet is near, he has the urge to hold her, to press his lips to her smooth rosy cheek, and whisper words of comfort in her ear.

What’s a confirmed bachelor alien to do when he realizes what he wants most is the little family living under his roof?

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EXCERPT

Violet eyed the glass building in front of her. It was the headquarters for Interstellar Love, a unique dating agency that catered to the aliens who had made themselves known two years ago. Violet still wasn’t entirely certain she trusted the aliens, but her options were dwindling fast. She’d used the last of her money to pay the rent and utilities,  and to buy a week’s worth of groceries. If she had any other options, she’d have used them by now, but no one in the sleepy town of Birchwood, Georgia was hiring. At least, they weren’t hiring her.

A small hand tugged on her shirt. “I’m hungry.”

Of course he was. At five, her son had just hit another growth spurt and was trying to eat her out of house and home. If this plan didn’t work, she was scared to think of what would happen to their small family of two.

“Simon, I’ll take you home and make you a peanut butter sandwich when we’re finished here, but remember what Mommy said?”

He sighed. “Be still and be quiet.”

“Right.” She squeezed his hand. “Let’s go.”

Her heart thumped wildly against her breast as her clammy hand pushed open the glass door. The lobby was swanky with leather furniture, a flat screen TV, and a reception desk that looked like it was made from marble. The woman behind the desk was dressed in a no nonsense suit, her hair back in a severe twist, and her expression pinched at best.

“Do you have an appointment?” the woman asked in a clipped tone.

Where had they found the Ice Queen?

“I spoke with Mr. Anderson this morning and he told me to stop by any time.” Violet licked her lips. “If now isn’t a good time, I can always come back later.”

Simon’s stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly and Violet’s cheeks flushed. Great. Now they’ll think I starve my son.

The woman’s eyebrows arched as she stared down her nose at them, but she picked up a phone and pressed a button.

“Mr. Anderson, there’s a woman here to see you.”

“My name is Violet Wilcox,” she said.

“A Violet Wilcox. She said she spoke with you this morning.” The woman paused. “Of course, sir. I’ll send her right up.”

She hung up the phone and fastened her frosty gaze on them again. “Take the elevators across the lobby and 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.”

Violet tugged Simon toward the elevators and they made their way to Mr. Anderson’s office. It was easy to find, but once they stood outside the closed door, Violet felt her stomach tighten and her hand tremble. She raised her hand and knocked briefly before pushing the door open. The balding man behind the desk pushed his glasses up his nose and motioned for her to come in.

“Please take a seat Miss Wilcox.” His eyes widened when he saw Simon. “And who might this be?”

“This is my son, Simon.”

“Oh my, oh my. You didn’t mention anything about children when we spoke before. This is…oh dear.”

His face flushed and he looked flustered. Violet wasn’t sure what the problem was. So she had a child. What was the big deal? Were the aliens such assholes that they didn’t like children?

“Mr. Anderson, I don’t understand what’s wrong.”

“Well, we pride ourselves on presenting young women who are seeking a husband, no matter his race, and those women have always been single and never married before. I’m not sure how they’ll handle someone who’s divorced. Most of them believe that a mating is forever. If they discover you’ve been married, and left your spouse, they may not want to risk a relationship with you.”

Nice of him to assume she did the leaving. He must be one of those assholes that always blamed the woman for everything that went wrong.

“Oh. I’m not divorced.”

“Not…Not…I don’t… how can you not be divorced when you have a child? The boy obviously has a father.”

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. After five years, you’d think she wouldn’t be shamed by her lapse in judgment. Not that she was ashamed of her son! Far from it. What embarrassed her were the events that led up to the birth of her son.

“I was never married, Mr. Anderson. Simon is five and I’m twenty-two. I got pregnant the beginning of my senior year of high school and my boyfriend at the time turned out to be a real jerk and dropped us as fast as he could.”

“A teen mother?” He looked nearly epileptic.

Perhaps coming here hadn’t been such a grand idea, but the aliens were so desperate to find a match that they were offering to pay all expenses for the woman to travel to their world and stay for as long as it took. She should have known it was too good to be true. Not that she needed a man to take care of her! She’d been doing just fine on her own. Mostly fine. Well, partially fine.

“Mr. Anderson, I’m here because I’m single and I’m open to a match with an alien. But I wasn’t driven here by a desire to find true love. The truth is I lost my job four months ago, and even with unemployment, we’re barely hanging on. I’ve looked everywhere in town for a job, but no one will hire me. My son is the most important person in my life and if our situation doesn’t change, I…” Tears clogged her throat at the idea of losing her son. She’d have to drop him off at the Winterhaven Home for Boys in hopes some kind soul would take care of him until she was back on her feet. And it tore her apart just thinking about it.

“Miss Wilcox, I’m not sure what you want me to do. Are you seriously suggesting that a potential mate will fly you out to his world, with your son?”

Violet stood, pulling Simon up from his chair. “I can see this was a mistake.”

Tears burned her eyes and throat and she sniffled to keep her nose from running. This was her last shot at keeping Simon with her, and she’d blown it. As she approached the doorway, she noticed a blue male standing in the doorway. And she didn’t mean his clothes were blue. His skin was a pale, powdery blue and his hair was stark white. He reminded her of a winter wonderland prince, with his billowing white shirt and black leather pants.

“Mr. Anderson, did I just hear you turn this young woman away?” the blue alien asked.

“Well, I…” Mr. Anderson cleared his throat. “Tiraz, I don’t see how this is your business. You’ve already told me you don’t wish to have a mate. I can’t fathom why you’re still here.”

“Just because I don’t want a wife today doesn’t mean I won’t use the service at some point. Besides, my brothers seem keen enough to find a match with a human female.”

“We should be going,” Violet said softly. “Obviously, I’ve wasted Mr. Anderson’s time.”

The silver gaze swept over her before landing on Simon. Tiraz held out his hand to the small boy.

“You must be the male of the house.”

Simon shook hands with the blue alien and stared up at him wide-eyed. “I’m Simon.”

“And who is your beautiful mother, Simon?” Tiraz asked.

“Violet,” the boy answered. “Are you going to be my new daddy?”