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Ivy arched an eyebrow. “Really? You’re telling me you’ve spent no time discussing this and wondering why you discovered my profile in the database?”

Vegas shrugged, and a small smile crossed her lips. “Okay. We might have talked about it a bit. We were curious. You seem so self-sufficient, like you don’t need anybody.”

“I don’t.”

“I used to think that,” Vegas said. “Then I met Solan.”

“I’m nothing like you,” Ivy said. “I don’t need some musclebound alien to make my life complete.”

Vegas raised a hand. “I never said you did. I meant, I didn’t know what I wanted until I discovered it. I liked being on my own. Things change. Maybe things have changed for you.”

Ivy felt her fingers clench. “Nothing’s changed. I must have pressed the wrong button when I submitted to the agency.”

Vegas looked down at the tablet she’d brought in with her. “You don’t want to see the match we’ve come up with for you?”

Nerves fluttered through Ivy’s chest. She shouldn’t care. She didn’t want to be with anybody. It would only complicate things. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“I can delete the record. I thought you might be interested. The match was almost instant. We’ve never seen such a quick match. Normally, it takes weeks of sorting and refining to come up with a top ten of matches. You got one. It’s an almost one hundred percent match.”

Ivy blinked slowly. Who would be such a good match for her? He’d have to be wealthy and confident. Maybe someone high up on the Council of Representatives. They always gained prestige and status when they joined. Her nose wrinkled. The images she’d seen of council members showed a bunch of pompous aliens who liked to play god with the galaxies. Whoever her match was, he needed to know how to enjoy himself.

“You can have time to think about it,” Vegas said. “I won’t delete anything until you tell me to.”

Ivy held her hand out. “Show me my match.”

Without saying a word, Vegas turned the tablet around.

Ivy swallowed. It was Karn. How was that possible? “Is this a joke?”

Vegas’s eyes widened. “No, it was an instant match. You submitted your profile, and the database did the rest. I double checked everything myself because I was so surprised by how quickly it happened. This Forka is your ideal match.”

“He can’t be. We’ve met. I know him.” Was Karn really her ideal match?

Vegas smiled. “That’s a great start if you’ve already met. Do you like him? Is there any chemistry?”

Ivy thought back to their last date. The chemistry had been so strong, she’d been tempted to break her third date rule and let him into her room, maybe even to spend the night. “I’m not sure.”

“Sometimes the spark can take longer. You need to get to know your match before you grow fond of him. A slow burn can be the best way to true love. Friendship first and then the passion comes.”

Ivy handed Vegas the tablet. Indecision churned inside her. She was never like this. She made a decision, moved on, and never looked back. Well, never looked back on most things. There were some learning experiences you needed to remember.

“If you want me to, I can arrange a meeting. I haven’t told your match yet that he’s been paired with you. He knows nothing about this.”

“Make sure it stays that way,” Ivy said. “I’m not sure about him. Forkas don’t have a good reputation.”

Vegas nodded. “I’ll admit I was surprised when he came up in the database. I did a background check. He’s been here for months. He works freelance by the looks of things.”

Ivy already knew that. “He’s an intelligence gatherer. A spy.”

“As you can imagine, that kind of work doesn’t leave much of a trail. His history is patchy. You might like to investigate that yourself if you decide to pursue him.”

Ivy tapped her fingers on the table. “Maybe I should check him out first. You’re certain your database isn’t messing about again?”

“The match is a positive one. You might have just found your perfect single alien.”

“There’s no such thing. No one is perfect, not even your hunk of burning Galaxar love.” Ivy sat back in her seat. Her perfect alien. She hadn’t even been looking for any alien, let alone a perfect one.

“What do you reckon? Shall I arrange for the two of you to meet?”

Ivy shook her head. “Don’t bother. I can sort that out for myself.” She’d message Karn back and confirm their date for tonight. It was the perfect opportunity to learn more about him and see just how compatible they could be.

She didn’t need My Single Alien’s help. Ivy would figure this out on her own.