Page 39 of Monsters in Love: Lost in the Stars

Medea

This was, by far, the stupidest idea I’d ever had, and I had moved solar systems to be with a guy as an unknowing side-piece.

Technically it was Camphor’s idea, but she wasn’t the one here now, alone at a bar, waiting on someone who called themselves “Igneous”.

Flicking my wrist discreetly, I peeked back at his photo. I didn’t know any humans who had dated or even slept with a Typhorian, but the app had an algorithm that ensured anyone paired with you would be physically compatible. It even warned of mating bond risks and heats so that no one walked away from a temporary situation with a permanent link accidentally. Igneous had a charming smile, with high, craggy cheekbones and incandescent yellow eyes. He was cute.

Not that it mattered, currently, as he was also extremely late.

“Can I get you anything while you wait?” The bartender eyed my empty glass and the empty chair next to me.

“I… I’ll take another glass of wine, please. I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.”

The bartender offered me a pitying smile.

I don’t think either of us really thought this Igneous was coming. I had been here for twenty minutes already.

“Are we still on for tonight?” I finally gave in and sent the text, a last ditch effort to salvage the evening… and my shredded pride.

What did it say about me if even an escort, someone hired to spend time with me, stood me up?

Stop being a whiny bitch, Medea Mathis.

I never used to be like this; I was a cheerful, glass-half-full kind of woman who enjoyed quiet nights at home and the occasional night out with friends. Now, here I was, having a little pity party for myself while sitting alone in a bar, waiting on someone I was hiring to spend time with me as a fake boyfriend. Before Jason, I hadn’t exactly been a social butterfly, but I had friends. I met new people. After we started dating…

I had let him slowly become the center of everything.

How had I lost so much of myself in a man, let alone one who gave me so little in return?

I had to leave this funk behind me.

I could feel it settling in my chest, almost a physical ache even now. It had been there since we reached A4-23, even. I had gotten off the ship and felt something tugging at my heartstrings, like I was being led forward.

I had brushed it off as indigestion or nerves, but maybe it was intuition telling me something was wrong and leading me to the truth.

I rubbed at the spot absentmindedly, furrowing my brow.

“One more fire brew, please.”

No!

An arm brushed against mine and I winced, already knowing what I would see when I looked at it.

Black scales flowing over muscles, a black button down with the sleeves rolled to the elbow, leading up to the second-to-last being I wanted to see tonight.

I knew Cal’s voice too well to mistake the gruff timbre of the infuriatingly handsome dragonkin. Of course, he had to show up when I was at another low point.

The bartender nodded at him as he slid my wine towards me, turning back and grabbing a mug to make Cal’s drink.

Cal pulled the stool out beside me, but I looped my ankle around the leg of it, holding it tight. He arched a brow in question, those orange eyes alight with mischief.

Mischief and Cal seemed so at odds that I paused for a moment, mouth parted in surprise before I shook it off.

“I’m saving that seat for someone.”

“I know.”

The pushy dragon pulled at the stool, not hard enough to hurt my leg, but enough that I let it go, blowing my bangs from my face as he slid into the seat.

“What do you mean, you know?”

“Well, Azure, Igneous asked me to come here and meet you for him.”

Wine burned in my throat as I choked on my latest sip.

Cal patted my back, flagging down the bartender for water while I sputtered and fought to gain my composure.

“What?” My voice was a hoarse rasp.

Cal brought up the arm not at my back, lifting his wrist to show me his comm screen.

Igneous smiled back at me from the image beside Cal, who gave the camera a barely-there grin.

“Igneous, as you know him, is my roommate.”

Dread pooled in my belly, sinking like stones in a river. “Is this… is this some kind of game? Some kind of prank?”

I knew Cal hated me, but not like this. Did this mean that Camphor was in on it? Had they all conspired to make a fool of me? Were they going to tell our colleagues, have a good laugh at my expense?

My gaze spun around the bar, waiting for the “gotcha” moment.

“Medea, wait, no. It’s nothing bad.”

“Of course it’s bad. You must think I’m such a fool.”

“No, please listen.”

The dragon ducked his head to catch my line of sight. Orange eyes burned into mine, but his expression made me freeze.

He looked… concerned. Caring, even. Not like a man about to enjoy ruining a woman with a prank.

“The man you were supposed to meet tonight is my roommate, and he does work for the app. He was tied up at work and asked me to come meet you in case they closed communications for lockdown before he could call us both.”

I puffed out my cheeks, releasing the air in a nervous habit as I mulled over his words.

“He had no way of knowing that I knew you, and your photo didn’t come through before the line was cut off.”

I frowned at that. “Then how did you know it was me?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been here for a while, watching everyone. I knew he was meeting a human woman, and there weren’t too many here tonight. You and a blonde were the only two alone. When she left, process of elimination confirmed you were likely his date.”

I nodded. It made sense, the analytical breakdown fitting. “I… appreciate you letting me know, Cal.” I picked at a bar napkin, fumbling with my hands just as I fumbled with my words. “Listen, I know… I know you don’t like me, but could we please keep this between us?”

The dragon went stock still. His jaw clenched and smoke curled from his nose, his body seeming to vibrate.

I froze, skin prickling with awareness. The intensity of his reaction drove into me and held me captive, waiting for a threat, an explanation, anything to ease the tension.

“You… you think I don’t like you?” The words were even deeper than his usual voice, silk over gravel.

I whipped my head back to look him in the eyes, gasping at the emotions blazing within their depths. Shock and fear, surprise and… want?

What in the stars was going on?

“Medea,” he growled, “I don’t hate you. Not one bit. I’m just… I’m not the best at expressing myself.” Cal clenched and unclenched his hand on the bar, each time seeming to help soothe the upset dragon.

Part of me yearned to reach out and take his hand… which would be incredibly stupid. And inappropriate. Even if I thought he was hot as hell, this was the longest conversation we had ever had and the friendliest he had ever been. I wasn’t going to take advantage of that or push my luck with a strange, impulsive move.

Pull yourself together, Medea.

“I know you were here to meet Bal— Igneous, and I know what he does. He is stuck at work in lockdown, and I’m not sure how long it will be. Sometimes it’s a few hours, sometimes it’s a few days.”

My heart sank. The party was tomorrow. “Oh.” I nodded and cleared my throat. “That’s, um, that’s alright.”

“Could I help?”

“What?” I gaped at the dragon and his shy smile. It seemed so out of place on his face when I was so used to his brooding scowls.

“I don’t know what you were meeting my roommate for, but if it’s within my power and not too uncomfortable for you, I could help.”

Cal could be offering to go to dinner or to rail me into next week—both were possibilities with the escort service. Did he know that?

“I…”

I could lie. I could play this off and leave Cal none the wiser, but that didn’t change the fact that the party was tomorrow, nor that his face was the first one that had popped into my mind when I needed to find a date—and that was when I thought he hated me.

I scrubbed my hand over my face, peering at him from the corner of my eye. He watched me carefully with an expression that seemed hopeful.

Polishing off my wine for courage, I turned to face him fully.

“I need someone to be my date for the company party tomorrow night. But not just my date. I need someone to be my boyfriend.” He waited silently, not laughing or running away yet, so that had to be a good sign. “My ex will be there, with the woman he was with while we dated. I didn’t know, I swear I didn’t, but I know now and it’s awkward being around them.”

“Do you still love him?”

The question made me jump; Cal winced. “I’m so sorry, Medea, I shouldn’t have asked that.”

“No.” I shook my head. “No, I don’t love him. But I don’t want him to see me there alone, as if I’m still broken while he carries on happily.”

‘You are anything but broken.” His whispered words are almost reverent.

I’ve felt broken for so long, but maybe he’s right.

Maybe I’ve just been telling myself I’m broken, when I’ve really just been hiding.

“Medea Mathis, will you have me as your office party boyfriend?”

I took Cal’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “You’re hired.”