by Black, Tasha
“Seriously?” Ruby breathed.
“Of course,” Olivia said.
“I hate to break it to you, but you were coming anyway,” Margot told her. “You’re going to be my maid of honor.”
“I am?” Ruby squealed.
“Damn it, this is exactly why you weren’t supposed to leave the theater,” Olivia griped. “We should have this moment on film.”
“Eat a mozzarella stick, Olivia Fontaine,” Wayne said firmly.
“I’m on keto,” she said, shaking her head crisply.
“You are on Earth,” he corrected her. “And you will be happier when you eat the cheese. It is covered in fried breading.”
Margot watched in awe as Wayne slowly held out a mozzarella stick to Olivia.
Olivia took a bite, never breaking eye contact with him, a strange tension between them.
Across the table, Parker was smiling at Ruby as if he were a little kid and she had just offered him a puppy.
Was Margot going crazy or was everyone around her falling in love?
Or maybe it was just her own joy spilling over.
She glanced up at Kent only to find him gazing down at her, his eyes filled with love.
“I can’t wait to marry you,” he whispered.
“Well, you’ll have to wait at least two weeks until the set is built,” Olivia said. “The production company just blasted social media with the news. The whole world is counting down until the first episode of My Big Fat Alien Wedding.”
“Is this title not insulting?” Kent asked, looking surprised.
“No, no, it’s an homage to a famous movie with a similar name,” Margot reassured him.
“It sounds like a very impolite movie,” Wayne said firmly.
“It’s a great movie, really,” Ruby said. “It’s funny and sweet.”
“We’ll all watch it together,” Margot offered. “Actually, we should make a night of it, maybe we’ll watch a couple of other wedding themed movies.”
“Oh good idea,” Ruby said. “A movie night.”
“Olivia Fontaine, you will join us for this ‘movie night’,” Wayne announced.
Olivia gave him an appraising look.
“Yeah, okay,” she told him. “It will be good research.”
“I look forward to learning more of your culture,” Kent told Margot tenderly. “I want to learn everything about my new home. And I want to do it with you by my side.”
Margot rested her head against his shoulder contentedly.
She had no idea what tomorrow would bring, or the day after that.
But whatever happened, she had found her voice.
And she had found her mate.
Everything else would fall into place.
* * *
Thanks for reading So You Think You Can Marry an Alien!
Are you ready to find out what happens when Ruby is faced with the most difficult wedding planning challenge of her life? Do you want to know how she reacts when an old flame turns up and gets between her and her newfound feelings for Parker?
Then keep reading for a sample of the next book: My Big Fat Alien Wedding!
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My Big Fat Alien Wedding
My Big Fat Alien Wedding (Sample)
1
Ruby
Ruby knew she was dreaming.
The glow of the candlelight was too bright. The velvet darkness outside the candles’ reach too perfectly black.
And the air was heavy with the sweet scent of the blossoming flowers that hung from the trellises surrounding the grassy clearing where she waited.
Morning glories. Except it was nighttime.
Then the music began, the soft, familiar notes of Pachabel’s Canon in D unfolding with uncanny simplicity.
Ruby’s favorite song.
She had watched countless brides walk down the aisle to these same notes. But there was no bride to be seen.
There was no one at all.
Ruby was alone among the blossoms and the gentle building of the music. Alone in the setting of her own dream wedding.
She knew he was coming before he appeared.
The candles flickered and the morning glories shivered on the bower.
Then he stepped into the circle of light.
Parker’s golden hair glowed like a halo in the soft blaze. He gazed down at her with eyes so blue it almost hurt to look back at him.
“Ruby,” he murmured, his deep voice resonating in her very core.
She was frozen, utterly mesmerized by his masculine beauty.
He held his arms out to her, an invitation to dance. And although Ruby had spent a lifetime avoiding anything that required agility or grace, she went to him anyway.
He smiled when she was in his arms, curling one big hand around her waist, grasping her hand with the other.
Ruby lost herself in the music and the feel of his big warm body.
His eyes twinkled like starlight as he gazed down at her.
He was enormous, with a chiseled jaw and planes of muscles that were clearly visible against the fabric of his button-down shirt.
He’s an alien, she reminded herself, thinking this might calm the lust that skittered across her skin and smoldered in her veins.
But he was so gentle, holding her as if she might break.
And there was something puppyish about him too, as if he hadn’t quite grown into this big body yet.
He needs to mate. He needs to click with a human.
Ruby was the opposite of frightened.
His expression turned tender as the music swelled and she felt herself lifted emotionally, flying on wings of happiness.
When he bent to kiss her she went up on her toes. He swept her off her feet so swiftly she didn’t realize it was happening.
And when he pressed his lips to hers she saw stars.
“Ruby,” someone called in the distance.
She wanted to protest, but her voice wouldn’t work.
“Ruby,” Margot’s voice reached her again, along with a quick knocking sound.
In her dream, Parker’s hold on her was softening, his blue eyes fading until Ruby awoke, alone in her bed.
“Are you up?” Margot asked from the living room.
“Yeah,” Ruby yawned. “Come in if you want.”
“Sorry,” Margot said, slipping into the room.
Ruby’s roommate was an actress. And today she looked more like the formidable queen she played on TV than ever. Confidence and happiness had her standing taller, eyes sparkling.
Margot was going to marry Parker’s brother, Kent, in a ceremony that would be televised live all over the world.
And Ruby was not only going to be her maid of honor, she was going to help plan the wedding.
The whole thing was very exciting. Ruby chided herself for not being more enthusiastic to wake up and get started.
“What’s the plan for today?” she asked, sitting up.
“We’re going to check out a few possible venues,” Margot said. “And Olivia wants to talk with us about plans. She wants to meet at the farm for breakfast.”
“Sounds good,” Ruby said. “Do I have time for a quick shower?”
“Sure,” Margot said. “I’ll be in the other room. I have a couple of calls to make.”
Ruby watched her go.
Somehow Margot was already showered, dressed and looking wide awake.
Ruby only wished she were a morning person.
She dragged herself out of bed, hoping the hot water of a good shower would wash away the vestiges of her dream.
As much as she enjoyed thoughts of Parker, her friend was getting married in short order. And it was Ruby’s job to plan it. These next few months needed to be all about Margot and Kent.
2
Ruby
Half an hour later, Ruby and Margot were pulling up the gravel driveway of the farm, the trees on either growing close enough to form a tunnel overhead.
“Can you believe
it was just a week ago that we were riding our bikes to get here?” Margot asked dreamily.
It figured that Ruby’s optimistic best friend had apparently already forgotten what had happened when they’d arrived last time.
Ruby thought about how Regina Talbot had nearly stolen the contest away from them both right there on the farm.
“It all turned out fine,” Margot said in a teasing way, as if she had read Ruby’s mind.
“I guess it did,” Ruby said, grinning.
They parked and headed up to the farmhouse where Olivia was already seated at a picnic table, chatting with a buxom woman with long brown hair.
“Margot, Ruby, this is Sage,” Olivia said as they approached.
“Hi,” Ruby said.
“Come on, have a seat,” Sage said.
Ruby sat on the bench next to her friend and took in the spread. The table was practically covered with platters of pancakes, eggs, sausage links and bowls of glistening sliced fruit.
“We have a big family living here,” Sage said with a smile. “But you guys get first dibs.”
Ruby figured it must be a very big family if the feast was just supposed to be breakfast.
Sage handed her a mug for coffee, and she took the carafe and poured out a nice serving.
“Sage is the public relations liaison for the men from Aerie,” Olivia explained. “Our resident PR expert.”
“I don’t know about expert,” Sage said modestly.
“Look at the numbers for the first show and tell me you’re not an expert,” Olivia said, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, Sage has been talking to me about how to make an effective wedding show for aliens.”
“Big picture, it’s not just about aliens,” Sage said. “Just like So You Think You Can Marry An Alien wasn’t just about aliens. Most wedding shows have a theme - destination wedding, wedding with an overbearing bride or family member, weddings on a budget, that kind of thing.”
Margot nodded.
Ruby tried to imagine Margot as an overbearing bride, but she couldn’t do it. Ruby’s family was in the wedding planning business, and she knew how to size up a bride.
Margot was good-natured to begin with. And now that she was madly in love with Kent, she was downright jolly. There was no way they were going to get her to go full bridezilla.
“We’re thinking that between the way these guys fall hard and fast, and the demand for another show quickly after the success of the first, we have to do something entirely different,” Sage said.
“What did you have in mind?” Margot asked.
“Although we are keeping the working title - My Big Fat Alien Wedding, our theme is wedding-in-a-week,” Olivia said with a smile.
“Wedding in a week?” Margot asked, looking a little shocked.
“Yes,” Sage said. “But don’t worry, you’ll have a ton of support.”
“The whole crew, of course,” Olivia said, “and an extra special guest star.”
Olivia paused to take a sip of coffee, allowing the suspense to build.
Ruby took a sip of her own coffee, wondering what minor celebrity was being brought in to sing at the wedding.
“It’s Tag Tuckerton,” Olivia said softly, her eyes flashing.
“Who’s that?” Margot asked.
Ruby nearly choked on her coffee.
“Oh wow, you don’t watch a lot of TV, do you?” Olivia asked Margot. “Tag Tuckerton is the star wedding planner. He’s had several reality shows. Right, Ruby?”
Ruby nodded wordlessly, still recovering from her surprise.
“We absolutely have every confidence in you, Ruby,” Olivia said quickly, clearing misunderstanding Ruby’s silence. “We just thought that with the quick turnaround you could use a partner. And of course, Tag is used to the televised aspect.”
“That’s great,” Ruby managed. “It’s a great idea.”
“Wonderful,” Olivia said with a relieved smile.
“Tag will be arriving later today,” Sage said. “Margot, if you and Ruby want to discuss your own plans you’ll be able to catch Tag up when he gets here.”
“We’ll get started with that now,” Margot said, eyeing Ruby with concern. “Want to get out of here?”
“Sure,” Ruby said, hopping off the bench. “Thanks for breakfast.”
“You hardly ate,” Sage protested.
“We’re too excited,” Margot assured her. “Can we take our plates in?”
“Oh no, you’ve got to leave something for the boys to do,” Sage said. “Go on, have fun planning.”
They scurried down the hillside toward the car as Olivia and Sage resumed their conversation.
Margot stayed quiet until they were pulling out of the gravel drive, for which Ruby was grateful. It gave her a moment to collect herself.
“So what’s the deal with Tag Tuckerton?” Margot asked.
“I don’t even know where to start,” Ruby admitted.
“You don’t like his shows?” Margot asked.
“It’s not that at all,” Ruby laughed. “My family and I make a point to watch as many of them as we can.”
“So you’re a fan?” Margot asked.
“It’s more than that,” Ruby said. “I guess you could say that it’s personal. Tag used to work for my family’s wedding planning company, back when I was a teenager.”
“No way,” Margot said. “That’s awesome.”
“Yeah,” Ruby said a little dreamily. “I had a huge crush on him.”
“Oh, now I get it,” Margot said, smiling. “Poor Parker.”
Ruby looked to Margot.
“You thought I didn’t notice?” Margot asked. “I was sort of hoping this might wind up being a double wedding.”
“There’s nothing going on between Parker and me,” Ruby protested.
Though she liked the sound of it a lot.
“Well, maybe there isn’t, but I’ll bet he wishes there was,” Margot said. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
“I don’t know why we’re talking about me at all,” Ruby said, desperate to change the subject before her feelings got the best of her. “We’re planning your wedding. And now we only have a week.”
“When you put it that way, I think maybe I’m Team Tag now,” Margot said, raising an eyebrow.
“He’s not even going to remember me,” Ruby predicted darkly. “I was madly in love with him, and he barely noticed me.”
“How could anyone forget you?” Margot asked.
“My parents are going to flip when they hear he’s part of this,” Ruby said. “I still can’t believe it.”
“Everything that’s happened here has been incredible,” Margot said, nodding. “Who would have thought that on top of it all, you’d have the chance to work with your dream guy?”
“Yeah,” Ruby agreed. “My dream guy…”
* * *
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My Big Fat Alien Wedding
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Tasha Black lives in a big old Victorian in a tiny college town. She loves reading anything she can get her hands on, writing paranormal romance, and sipping pumpkin spice lattes.
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