by Leela Ash
“A dance recital. It’s kind of a big deal. At least, in a small place like this. She has been practicing all summer and this is one of the big events. I guess she has been excited to see the two of us together again.”
Rhett eyed the man. “You and your ex-wife aren’t together anymore,” he stated out loud, more to himself than to the man speaking. It seemed so strange to him that humans were so unlikely to stay together over the course of time. He wanted to understand just what drove them to making poor matches and then ultimately betraying the ones they had devoted themselves to and pledged loyalty toward.
What could possibly drive two people so deeply in love, at one time, apart? On his planet, it was unheard of. He knew that it was possible for humans to have fated mates just as easily as it happened for his kind, so why didn’t they hold out the hope of finding them and appreciate them more once they did?
“No, thank goodness,” the man said with a short laugh. “She and I didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of issues and it ended up getting in the way of our marriage. I mean, we still love each other, but we make better friends than we do partners. Does that make sense?”
Rhett stared blankly at the man before finally nodding. He expected that another human would believe that he made sense. It wouldn’t make much difference whether or not Rhett could understand personally. He would have to try to fit in to this strange planet.
“Oh, you don’t need to lie to me,” the man said with a deep chuckle. “I don’t expect everyone to get our situation. The best thing for us is to just be on good terms. We are co-parenting my daughter, Melody, so it makes more sense for us to be on the same page. My name is Jackson, by the way. Jackson Davis. I work here as a fire marshal.”
He extended his hand, inviting Rhett to shake it, and Rhett took it quickly, giving it a firm pump. He was actually one of the first human males he had been able to stand since arriving on Earth. It was nice to be treated well by someone rather than ostracized just because he was still trying to get used to the strange planet and its customs.
“I’m Rhett. Rhett Gregory.”
“Nice to meet you, man.”
Jackson stubbed his cigarette out and tossed it into the trashcan on the corner of the sidewalk before turning back to Rhett. “You ever been married?”
“No,” Rhett said. “I am dating, though.”
Actively dating, he sighed to himself. He had been instructed to follow up on any leads he might have that could get him more experience on the dating field. So, if one of the women tried to contact him, he was supposed to follow up on it. He was supposed to get good at dating so that he wouldn’t pass by his opportunity to woo his fated mate once and for all. It was a ridiculous position he found himself in, but an important one, whether he liked it or not.
“Well, dating can be nice. But confusing.”
“I don’t really understand it,” Rhett admitted. “I assumed that I would date just a few women and then I would find the one I am fated to be with and that would be that. But there is so much more to it. So many other women that get in the way. I guess it will be good to be practiced for when my fated one comes along.”
“You believe in all that soulmate crap?” Jackson asked, smiling at Rhett. His tone was kind, and his eyes sparked curiously.
“I believe there is someone out there meant for me and I am meant for her. We just haven’t found each other yet.”
Jackson nodded slowly. “Well, it isn’t the craziest thing I have ever heard. And trust me, you get some doozies when you are a fire fighter.”
“I’m sure,” Rhett said, nodding thoughtfully. “Anyway, I don’t think that there’s anything crazy at all about it. I think that anybody could have a fated mate that they are truly capable of loving for the rest of their lives. It can be hard to find them but once you do, you shouldn’t let them go.”
“Well, that is a nice way to look at it,” Jackson said, nodding at Rhett. “I wish it was easier to find the one you are meant to be with, if that’s the case. In fact, if that’s the way it is, why make it so hard to find? Why not make it easier to get through the bullshit and find the one that can make you happy?”
Rhett paused for a moment as he considered this. “I guess it’s because if it was that simple, maybe you wouldn’t appreciate everything you had to do to get there and love each other the same way. I’m not sure. Plus, it’s a learning experience. All the things that are most worthwhile, you end up having to work for and earn. You have to earn the right to take care of someone else. I guess maybe that’s why it can be so tough. But I am willing to wait it out.”
As he spoke the words, Rhett couldn’t help but wonder how true they were. After all, he had nearly lost his dedication when he met Mia. She wasn’t a descendant. She wasn’t even a potential. And yet, he was consumed with her. She hadn’t left his thoughts since they had met. And it was more than obvious that she wasn’t his fated one. How could she be? She was nothing but a human.
“Looks like my ex-wife is here,” Jackson said as a large white car pulled up beside them. “It was good meeting you, man. I would love to hear more about your thoughts on this. Give me a call sometime.”
Jackson pulled out a card and handed it to Rhett, who quickly pocketed it and shook his hand again. “Sounds great.”
“See you later,” Jackson said, climbing into the car with his ex-wife. Rhett studied her curiously, wondering what it was that had led someone as seemingly down to earth as Jackson to sway him into believing that she was meant to be with him and that they should spawn a life into the world.
But the car sped away before too long, leaving Rhett standing there with the distinct thought of Mia circling his head. Maybe it was easier than one might think to fall into the trap of believing that someone who wasn’t good for you at all might actually end up being someone you could spend the rest of your life with. It could happen to anyone. Because, frankly, human women were confusing and the signals they gave off could apparently drive men crazy. If Jackson’s attraction to his ex-wife was anything like Rhett’s attraction to Mia, then no, it would be far too difficult for him to refuse such a thing. Especially without the knowledge and willpower of a dragon shifter.
Poor Jackson.
Rhett forced the thoughts away and looked down at his watch, thinking deeply about the strange incident at the lodge and hoping he would be able to seek out some resolution from it. If it turned out that Mia and the others were in danger, he would have to eliminate the threat as soon as possible.
Rhett prowled around the area, his hackles raising as he investigated the neighborhood, shrouded in darkness and mystery. He could sense something strange being off but there was nothing that he could sense was out of place. What was he doing there? What was going on?
A sudden buzz caused him to startle and Rhett scowled, shoving his hand into his pocket and pulling out his phone. “Yeah?” he answered irritably, expecting it to be Gavin.
“Mr. Gregory! I am so glad I was able to get a hold of you at this hour. This is Andrea Smalls, from the speed dating service. I know it is probably a bit soon for you to decide on your perfect match, but you have had quite a number of women interested in you.”
Rhett grunted in response, his eyes darting around the darkened alleyway he was walking through, hoping to sense some kind of danger. But there was nothing.
“I couldn’t help but notice, though, there was only one woman you were interested in, Rhett.”
Rhett paused, a small flush heating his cheeks. Why had Gavin made him do that stupid speed dating event anyway? Now, he was all embarrassed and awkward.
“Did you know that one of the women who was interested in you is the only person you showed an interest in?”
Rhett frowned. “Really?”
She hadn’t seemed all that impressed with him by the end of the night. He had realized his error pretty quickly, but by then, it was already too late and she was off flirting it up with other men who were better at being human than he was.
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br /> “Yes,” Andrea said. “And if you would like, we can set up a private date between the two of you at a prime and romantic location. I know that whether this turns out to be something special or not, most people are more upset at themselves for not taking the chance to find out.”
Rhett let out a deep sigh and emerged from the alley, still checking for any signs of danger. His eyes rested on the lodge down the street, over the hill, and he remembered the intense connection he had felt when Mia had taken the photograph from him. She had dropped it before she had left, and he hadn’t known what else to do.
“I don’t know…”
“Mr. Gregory, with all due respect, there really is no point in you having spent all this money on our service only to refuse the possibility of connecting with the woman that seemed a good fit for you. Part of our fee was in arranging this gettogether. It will be all-expenses paid and you are guaranteed to have a good time, whether with each other or not. It will be worth your while. I promise.”
Rhett groaned inwardly. He knew that the others wanted him to experience the event in its entirety. And that he still had a lot to learn about dating before he met his perfect match. While Mia might not have been dragon shifter blood or a Loni hybrid, she was still the only person he had an interest in talking to. And if he had to be stuck practicing dating with anyone, it might as well be with someone interesting, right?
“Fine. I guess,” Rhett finally answered. “Whatever.”
“Great! We will be in touch with you about the details as soon as we confirm with Mia.”
“Wait. She hasn’t even confirmed yet?”
Rhett snorted. That was a joke. They would probably have a hell of a time getting her to agree to something like this. Why even call him about it in the first place?
“Well, not yet, but she will. I am sure of it! Just leave the matchmaking to us, Mr. Gregory. We will make sure that everything is taken care of!”
“All right,” Rhett said with a low sigh. “Whatever you say.”
“Great! Have an amazing night, Mr. Gregory! We will be in touch soon!”
“Great,” Rett mumbled. “Looking forward to that.”
His sarcasm seemed to be lost on the cheerful woman and she hung up, leaving Rhett alone in the street, his mind suddenly off the potential dangers and completely consumed with Mia.
7.
Mia was exhausted after her shift at the diner, and glanced at her phone, furrowing her brow when she saw that she had missed a call. She listened to her voicemail immediately, worrying that something might have gone wrong with her daughter. Jewel was an adventurous spirit, sometimes finding that she got herself into trouble by doing what it was that she enjoyed, which was generally roughhousing with the local boys and climbing trees, breaking elbows, and being an overall wild child.
And despite the hospital bills and doctor’s visits and frequent call outs from work, Mia wouldn’t have her any other way.
She was expecting another random emergency call summoning her to the pediatrician’s office, so she was surprised to hear the excessively cheerful voice of the host of the speed dating event informing her that Rhett had agreed to meet with her on an all-expenses paid date with the man she had stupidly jotted down as her first pick when it came to compatibility. The other men had been droll and boring. At least Rhett had made her feel something. Even if it was revulsion.
She was ready to call back and refuse the date, but something stopped her. She had written his number down for a reason. Whether she liked or understood that reason or not, maybe there was something more to it than that. And besides that, she had been thinking about him ever since the speed dating event. She hadn’t been able to get him out of her head and her body had an involuntary physical response to him, for some reason. Why was it that she was so ridiculously attracted to this man?
Instead of following her first impulse and deleting the message, she sighed heavily and picked up the phone to call back. She agreed to the date without allowing herself to think twice about it. After all, it was important that she follow her instincts, right? She had been reading everything she could about attracting good fortune to herself and always saying yes to every opportunity. So, whether she understood it or not, she found herself setting up what may turn out to be a date with destiny.
But, that was only if it turned out this guy wasn’t a chauvinist pig after all. She would have to set up a good line of questioning to be sure. If she was able to trust his responses, then she would be able to give him a chance. If it turned out that he genuinely believed that women couldn’t understand engineering, then he was just as big of an asshole as she originally thought. She had been known to jump the gun in the past. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to wait it out and give this guy a chance. Right?
Mia shook the thoughts away and got behind the wheel, debating whether or not to pick Jewel up and bring her home to spend the night in her own bed or if it would be better for her if her grandmother brought her to school. Mia had to work another early shift in the morning, it would be a lot of hassle to wake her daughter up and bring her back just for her to end up having to head to school in the morning. They were used to Mia’s odd hours at the diner as she attempted to get her new age business up and running and had taken to bringing along Jewel’s school work any time she went to her grandmother’s house. It was a huge help to Mia, who lived a chaotic life as she attempted to sort herself out well enough to actually be a good mother and achieve her dream of becoming a life coach.
What kind of life coach couldn’t even keep her daughter at home every night? She was a mess. And now, she was a mess with a date at the end of the week with a man she wasn’t sure she would be able to stand. But she had to think positively. That was all part of her new outlook, right? Attract the energy you want by putting that energy out into the world. She could do this.
Mia sighed heavily and headed home, then picked up the phone. It would be helpful to let her mom know that Jewel would be staying the night and heading to school in the morning. And if her mom couldn’t take care of her, she could just grab a shower and pick her daughter up. No big deal.
“Hey, mom,” Mia said, carefully stripping her socks off and swooping to the floor to begin gathering up some of the laundry that had begun to accumulate in the living room. “How was she?”
“Oh, she was a little angel as always,” Mia’s mother said with a low chuckle.
“Yeah, right,” Mia said with a laugh. “What did she do?”
“Oh, she got it in her head that she was going to be a mailman. So, she started writing a bunch of letters to random people I assume she made up and started going door to door to deliver them. It’s lucky this is such a friendly neighborhood, because Sue down the street called to let me know where I could pick my granddaughter up. You have to keep an eye on this one.”
Mia sighed heavily. “Don’t I know it.”
“Well, other than her wild streak, she is a little doll. Got all her homework finished up and even helped me finish the dishes after dinner. You have quite a little housekeeper on your hands.”
“I know, she’s better at this stuff than I am sometimes,” Mia said, letting out an exasperated laugh. “I don’t know what I would do without her.”
“She’s laying down to sleep, should I get her up so she can get home and rest or do you want her to stay the night?”
“They asked me to cover for Stacy in the morning, so I think it might be better if you just get her off to school and she can come home tomorrow. I will be done by the time school’s over.”
“Okay, honey. How did the speed dating event go, by the way? You haven’t told me anything about that yet. Did you meet anybody interesting?”
Mia’s thoughts flashed immediately to Rhett, and she sighed imperceptibly. “You would think that if I had met anybody interesting, you would have heard about it by now, right?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” her mother said. It was annoying just how good her mom’s sixth se
nse was sometimes. It was probably the main thing that had convinced Mia as a teenager that there might be something to all the new age philosophies. There always seemed to be something more than meets the eye. “Maybe you just didn’t have enough time to talk about it between being a full-time mother and full-time waitress, on top of working on getting your business together…”
“I mean, there were a lot of interesting people at the event, but that doesn’t really mean anything, does it? We all have interesting qualities sometimes, don’t we?”
Her mother sighed. “You know it would do you some good to get back into dating again. I know you are skeptical and everything, and for good reason, I am sure, but wouldn’t it be helpful for you if you could keep an open mind to the positive possibilities? Can you imagine how much better things could be with a caring partner to help you take care of Jewel? You wouldn’t be so frazzled all the time.”
“As nice as it would be to have someone like that, I have to do everything in my power to make sure that the person I am with is actually able and willing to take care of me and my daughter both. We have to be compatible on a really specific level. I want a man who will be a good influence for my daughter, not a close-minded chauvinistic, no-good…”
“Okay, okay,” Mia’s mother laughed. “I understand. But it would also be really good to try to be objective and learn more about people before judging them too harshly.”
Mia froze. There it was again. One of those uncanny things her mother had a tendency to say or do that seemed to be far more than just coincidence and more in the realm of the psychic. It was eerie, really.
“Okay, mom. Well… it just so happens, I was going to ask you to keep Mia Sunday night. I have a date.”
“What?” her mother squealed in excitement and Mia rolled her eyes.
“Yes, a date,” Mia said with a heavy sigh.
“What is he like?” her mother asked, clearly far more excited about the prospect of her daughter dating than she was about the man himself. It had been a while since Mia had put herself out there and allowed herself to be vulnerable in the dating world, but, apparently, that was no matter. As long as she was willing to try.