Page 70
Kendra slowed to a fast walk, her hands bunching into fists as she arrived outside the office of My Single Alien. She stomped in to discover Sinead, Nell, and Ivy.
“We need to talk,” she spat at Ivy.
“It’s nice to see you’re alive. You sure got that Rolon riled up.”
Kendra grabbed the collar of Ivy’s jumpsuit and yanked her to her feet. “You have explaining to do.”
Ivy’s eyes narrowed. “Take your hands off me.”
She glanced at Sinead and Nell, who stared at them with wide eyes. “Not in here.” She dragged Ivy into Vegas’s empty office and slid the door shut behind them before pushing Ivy away. “You got me into this mess.”
Ivy straightened her jumpsuit and glared at her. “I’ll admit there was a small problem with your date, but as I can see for myself, you’re fine.”
Kendra sucked in a breath. “I am not fine.”
Ivy crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t see any problems. Sinead told me she got to you in time. And we have a new Rolon client.”
“I wouldn’t be involved in any of this if I hadn’t sat in on the speed dating. I’d never have met Faron, and if you hadn’t twisted my arm, I’d never have gone on more dates with him.”
“It was a few dates. Don’t tell me you’re in love. Nobody falls that fast. I—”
“Stop talking,” Kendra growled at her. “You know nothing about me.”
The smirk faded on Ivy’s face. “You’re into this Tolong?”
“That’s not important. You risked my safety to get publicity for My Single Alien. I should never have dated that Rolon when I was fertile.”
Ivy shrugged. “First, the speed dating was your idea. You didn’t have enough women on the night, so you had no choice but to sit in. Second, you could have ignored Faron and not kissed him. You aren’t blameless in this.”
Kendra scowled at her. “It wouldn’t have progressed if you hadn’t forced the issue. I wouldn’t have gotten to know Faron, and I wouldn’t have just confronted his family and heard how inferior I am.”
Ivy’s mouth opened, but she didn’t speak for several seconds. “You’ve already met the family? He moves fast.”
“He’s a Tolong. They do when it comes to finding a mate.”
“His family didn’t take to you?”
“No! They’ve found Faron somebody else.” Kendra’s chest felt tight as she recalled the conflict on Faron’s face when she’d asked him to choose. “They consider me less than ideal. So does he.”
Ivy tilted her head. “How do you feel about that?”
Kendra threw her hands up in exasperation. “Hacked off. It should never have come to this. I didn’t go on that speed date looking for anything, let alone a mate.”
“Hold up, Little Miss Innocent. You did encourage Faron on your dates. You have to admit you are into him.”
Kendra squeezed her eyes shut for a second. “I didn’t realize my feelings for Faron were real. I don’t want them to be. This is too hard.”
Ivy quirked an eyebrow. “Oh, my stars! You’ve fallen for your gorgeous alien.”
“No! I mean I don’t know. He’s rude and abrasive, and he’s told me repeatedly that I’m not right for him. He’s not right for me.”
“Yet, he keeps coming back. And you keep finding reasons that mean you are right together, or you could be if you both stopped messing around the edges of your feelings.”
“We aren’t meant to be. Faron’s about genetic compatibility and having dozens of kids to show off his social value. He cares nothing about feelings.” Kendra knew that wasn’t completely true, not anymore, but it was still important to him. Important enough for him to reject her.
“Maybe he didn’t before he met you.” Ivy settled a hip against the desk. “It’s a funny thing when a human couples with an alien. We do something to them. They change us, as well, but I think the pairings are successful because of the differences between us.”
Kendra let out a long, slow breath. “Like you and Karn?”
