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“That’s something we agree on.”
He raised his head. “I want a future with you. Let’s forget about the past. We can start again and try somewhere new, a fresh start on a new planet. How exciting would that be?”
Ivy sighed. Given her increasingly limited options when it came to life on the space station, it didn’t sound dreadful. Things had gone to shit overnight, and she was likely to lose her job. If that happened, what else was there? The lying words of Karn? No, thanks.
“You’re tempted. You always bite the inside of your mouth when you’re thinking things through.”
Ivy stepped back. She hated that Marcus knew her so well. “Where do you have in mind?”
Marcus’s eyebrows rose. “What do you mean?”
“You must have done your research if you’re serious about this. Where in space do you want to live? Another space station? On an alien planet?”
“I haven’t figured out the details. We can do that together. I want us to be true partners in this relationship.”
Ivy smirked. “Or maybe you’re making this up. You haven’t given it any thought. You don’t know where you’re going. How are you even going to fund this new life of yours? Some aliens won’t let you move to their planet unless you have savings.”
“You know me. I always make money when I need to. The newscasts on Earth are always going on about job opportunities in space. We’ll land on our feet wherever we go.”
“You expect me to give up my job here?” Not that she’d have much say in the matter when Diadora fired her.
“You’re the best in the business. People will clamber over themselves to hire you. Besides, aren’t you bored? You’re always looking for something new as soon as you start a job.”
Ivy inspected her nails. “That’s not true. I like a challenge. I get bored easily.”
“There you go. Now is the perfect time for you to make a change. You’ve been up here on your own for over a year. That’s got to get stale. The novelty of being independent must have worn off by now.”
Ivy hesitated. It hadn’t. Sure, the people she worked with bugged the hell out of her. Sometimes, she wanted to scream at the aliens when they wouldn’t do what she needed when she ran a photo shoot or interviewed them, but it was always different. Every day, she never knew who would come aboard the station or which matches would be made. Ivy always got messages and comms about new alien babies. Clients were so grateful to My Single Alien. Was she ready to leave that and head off with Marcus?
“Maybe you’ve got somebody here you don’t want to leave behind.” Marcus scuffed his feet on the floor. “I suppose some gorgeous alien has swept you off your feet.”
“Hardly. You don’t see a ring on my finger.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re not involved with somebody. What about the Forka? What do you think of them?”
Ivy’s head shot up. “What do you know about Forka?”
Marcus shrugged. “I might have met one earlier.”
“Where?”
“I forget.”
“Hold on. You’ve been in the holding cells. I bet station security chucked you in there because of your drug blunder. You’ve met Karn.”
Marcus shook his head. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Yes, you do.” Ivy jabbed Marcus in the chest with a finger. “That’s why you’ve only just come to see me. You’ve been locked away. So much for you having changed.”
“I’m out and got let off with a warning.”
Ivy glared at him. “What do you know about Karn? Why ask me about him?”
“He rubbed me up the wrong way. He said some things about you I didn’t like. I protected your honor.”
“What things?”
“He made out the two of you were together. He pretended he knew you and that you liked champagne and to dominate him in the bedroom.”
