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“Vanessa,” I said earnestly, “I am sorry if my actions have caused you any discomfort. But please, allow me the chance to prove to you that we are destined to be together.”
Her brow furrowed, and she hesitated for a moment before replying. “Zorak, I... I don’t know.”
“Please,” I pleaded, “as an Orkarian ambassador, I have one month left on this planet before I must return to my home. Give me that time to show you that our love can transcend our cultural differences.”
I wasn’t going to let anxiety, hers or my own, stop me from conveying how I felt.
Chapter 5
Vanessa
I had everything I needed and wanted. All my life, I’d worked to get to this point and could not afford distractions that would upset that particular apple cart. It was a good apple cart with lovely apples, shiny wheels, and a solid oak finish.
I wasn’t going to lose all that because some hot alien ambassador guy I hooked up with on vacation decided that we were mates. Even if he was really hot. Even if our night together was pretty amazing. Even if…
There I went again, losing focus. I took a deep breath and got to work. Little did I know.
There I was, hunched over my desk, furiously typing up a report for the important case I’d been working on when the door to the office swung open with a bang. I glanced up to see Zorak, grinning from ear to ear, arms laden with ostentatious alien gifts. My stomach churned as he strolled into the room, causing a scene and drawing attention from my coworkers.
Again.
Zorak had told me the day before that he was only here for a month, but it looked like it was going to be a very long month.
“Vanessa! My love, I bring you offerings from my home planet!” he announced, his voice booming. A few of my coworkers snickered while others stared in awe.
“Zorak,” I hissed, forcing a smile as I tried to keep my mortification under control, “what are you doing here? Again. I’m at work!”
“Ah, but Vanessa,” Zorak replied, setting down an enormous bouquet of what appeared to be glowing, gaseous flowers on my desk, “work should not stand in the way of love!”
“Love?” I choked out, feeling my cheeks burn as my coworkers openly gawked. Had my upbringing not been so sheltered, I may have known how to handle this situation better. But all I could do was cast a panicked glance around the room, praying for an escape route.
I caught a withering stare from Lyle as he passed, and I knew I had to quiet Zorak down quickly.
“Listen, Zorak,” I said, leaning in close to him and trying to sound firm, “I appreciate the... gifts, truly. But right now, I’m working on a very important case and need to maintain professionalism. This” – I gestured vaguely at the array of strange objects he’d brought – “isn’t helping.”
“Ah,” Zorak said, nodding sagely, though his eyes sparkled with mischief. “I understand. The pursuit of justice is noble, and I am nothing if not supportive of your passions.”
“Thank you,” I said stiffly, unsure whether to be relieved or wary. With Zorak, it was hard to tell.
“Very well!” he declared, clapping me on the shoulder with a bit more force than necessary. “I shall leave you to your work, my dear! But fear not, for our love will only grow stronger in my absence!”
As he strode back toward the door, his arms still laden with bizarre gifts, I couldn’t help but wonder how I’d ended up in this situation. How could someone so... insane be so certain that we were soulmates? And why did everyone else seem to find him so charming?
“Hey, Vanessa,” one of my coworkers called out as the door swung shut behind Zorak. “Those flowers are really something! You’ve got yourself quite the catch there!”
“Thanks,” I muttered, sinking into my chair and burying my face in my hands. This was going to be a long day.
As I sorted through legal documents, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow through the office windows. I initially put Zorak’s antics out of my mind, focusing on the critical case. But just when I thought I could finally find some peace, the door to the office swung open, and a delivery drone buzzed in, carrying an assortment of tantalizing-smelling dishes.
“Delivery for Vanessa!” it chirped in a robotic voice, hovering near my desk. My coworkers glanced over curiously, their interest piqued by the exotic scents wafting through the air.
“Uh, I didn’t order anything,” I said, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. But as I eyed the food, I couldn’t deny that it looked intriguing – colorful sauces, steaming vegetables unlike any I’d ever seen, and some sort of tender-looking protein that resembled a cross between chicken and lobster.
“Compliments of Mr. Zorak,” the drone announced before depositing the feast onto my desk and zooming out the door.
“Wow,” said Jen from the office next to mine. “First those crazy flowers, and now this? Your boyfriend sure knows how to make an impression.”
“Ugh, he’s not my boyfriend,” I muttered, though part of me couldn’t help but appreciate Zorak’s determination. If nothing else, the guy was persistent. And honestly, the food did smell amazing…
