The excited voices of my staff discussing the latest on the caffeine addiction problem fill my coffee shop before I call the meeting to order. “Guys. First off I’d like to introduce Oliver.” I turn to Oliver who is smiling, and it makes me smile too. “He’s my alien match and arrived this morning.” Sabrina, one of my younger employees and still a teenager, sighs as I notice the knowing smiles on some of my employees’ faces.

Ian says, “Nice to see you again, Oliver.”

I glance at Oliver. “It is,” he says and turns to me. “Ian worked for me on Eroscia.”

I face the others and say, “Please be assured I plan to deal with our current situation before running off to get married or on a honeymoon. Oliver’s going to listen in on our meeting today.” I glance around to make sure I have everyone’s attention. “I know the future of this coffee shop looks dismal right now, but I have faith we’re going to get through this rough spot.”

I look at my three alien employees, Matt, Derrick and Ian. “Until the government regulates what Eroscians are allowed to have, I’ve decided to refuse service of caffeinated items to all aliens. I’m sorry. I know that’s grossly unfair.”

“No. It’s cool,” says Derrick. “You’ve got to protect yourself. And honestly, it’s scary thinking one of us could over serve someone and cause a serious problem.”

“I agree,” says my manager, Debbie. “Some of those guys frighten me with the way they need their fix.”

“I heard one of the new rules is going to be that Eroscians can’t work anywhere near coffee,” says Gabby, a cute brunette. She looks over at the men. “I would totally miss you guys if that happens.”

My heart aches as I imagine what it must be like to have your job threatened this way. I say, “That’s ridiculous. Alcoholics are allowed to work in restaurants.” I look at the guys. “I’ll fight to make sure none of you have to leave.”

They glance at each other. “We don’t want to go,” says Derrick. “But we’re willing to do what’s best for your business.”

Ian says, “You’ve been great to us. We appreciate you having our backs, but don’t try to fight a losing battle.”

I nod at them before I say, “Thanks. Let’s worry about that if the time comes.”

Debbie says, “Morgan. My sister’s a doctor and she told me it’s dangerous for the addicts to quit cold turkey. What if we’ve got a customer going through serious withdrawal? How do you want us to deal with that?”

“Call 911.”

Oliver says, “It might be best if you don’t let any Eroscians in the shop at all. The last thing you need is a medical emergency disrupting sales. That way you won’t have to worry about any addicts sneaking other people’s coffee.”

I send him a sharp look for daring to speak. I catch myself before I reprimand my match in front of my employees and roll out my canned tactful response. “Thank you for the input. I’ll consider it.”

Debbie says, “That’s not a bad idea. I’m not sure how Sabrina, Gabby or I would ever kick an addict out if we caught them.”

I stiffen with a quick reply. “I don’t see the need to be so severe.” Based on the way Debbie flinches, I think I answered a little more harshly than I intended. “But please make sure to schedule Derrick, Matt, or Ian to cover every shift just in case.”

She nods at me. I go over a few more changes and promise to keep everyone updated on any news I get from the government. When the meeting is over I’m still prickly about the way Oliver spoke up, and I lead him back to my office so I can speak with him in private. As I close the door, he says, “You’re angry with me.”

I cross my arms as I look at him, and my stomach is in knots. I take a deep breath and force my voice to come out calmly. “I don’t appreciate you undermining my authority.”

“That wasn’t my intention, Morgan. I was trying to offer a helpful suggestion.”

I knew he was the kind of guy who thinks he can save me. “What would be helpful is if you didn’t.”

“I see,” Oliver says. “My apologies.”

His words don’t sound sincere, and I think I need to make sure he understands where I’m coming from. “I started this business while I was tending bar to pay the bills. Every extra penny I earned was invested in my company until I could support myself with the proceeds. I’ve spent a lot of time and energy to get where I am.” I realize the volume of my voice is rising, and I pause for a moment to calm down. “So I’m sorry if I don’t take kindly to an alien who waltzes into my life and my staff meeting to tell me how to do things better.”

Oliver’s gaze is cold as he says, “Understood.” He glances at my desk piled high with invoices and other paperwork that I’ve been too busy and too stressed to deal with. I can feel the judgment oozing out of his pores, but he doesn’t say anything about it. Instead he asks, “Would you like me to get lost until Jake comes to get me?”

I look at the bag of his things he stored in here earlier that’s sitting in the corner. The Intergalactic Dating Agency logo is on it, and I recall how excited I was when I picked Oliver. It occurs to me the guy came here for me, with the intention of getting married, and he was probably excited too... until he met the bitch version of me. So far all I’ve done is bark at him. I rake my hands through my hair and go over to plop down in my chair as I take deep breaths to calm down. “I’m sorry. Do you want to leave?”

He smiles. “Not yet,” he says. “I know dealing with me right now is the last thing you have time for. I promise I won’t be much trouble.”

How can he be so nice when I’m being such a jerk? Hang on. He doesn’t exactly have a choice but to be nice since he was just dropped on my doorstep. He probably thinks he’s got the upper hand because he’s being so calm. I throw back the same kind of cordial reply. “You’re being kind. I shouldn’t be taking my frustration out on you.”

“It’s not a problem.” He walks over to his bag and hoists it on his shoulder. “Why don’t you give me directions to your home, and I’ll go wait for your friend.”

I sigh. I don’t have to be a total bitch. The least I could do is bring him back to my apartment to get settled in. “No. I have a feeling the shop will be slow this morning. So let me show you to your new home, and then we’ll go out to breakfast.”

“Are you sure?” Oliver’s stomach growls and betrays him.

I let out a dry chuckle and remember I didn’t eat breakfast either. Considering the amount of coffee I’ve had, I really need something to sop up the caffeine. “You have to be starving. C’mon.” I lead him out the door toward the back. “I’m told watching an Eroscian taste our food for the first time is an experience I don’t want to miss.”

My apartment is a few blocks away, and as we weave our way through the crowded sidewalks I ask, “When did you arrive on Earth?”

“Not very long before Mrs. Stevens dropped me off.”

He frowns, and I think he’s remembering the way she fled so quickly. I say, “I suspect handing you off to a drug dealer made her uncomfortable.”

He chuckles. “Maybe. We have coffee on Eroscia, though. Ms. Stone made a big show of giving it to us as a gift.” I let out a noise of disgust as he continues. “It became quite popular to drink every morning since our planet is fascinated with all things related to your culture. It seems strange that suddenly so many of us are affected adversely by caffeine.” His tone makes me believe he’s given this serious thought.

When we get to a cross walk, a girl giggles on her phone as we stop and wait with the crowd for the light to change. A couple of women turn to stare at Oliver, and he grabs my hand. I smile, wondering if he’s afraid of them or trying to assure me he has no interest in anyone else. “I agree that the addiction problem seems sudden,” I say. “When the beta testing of Intergalactic Dating ran last year, you’d think at least one Eroscian would have shown signs of the strong reactions we’re seeing now. Especially since your intolerance for alcohol was well documented and the mating guidelines warn us about it.”

The light changes and we follow the crowd as we cross the street. Oliver doesn’t let go of my hand, and I like it when he threads his fingers through mine. “We shouldn’t talk politics on our first day,” he says, and he lets out a small noise of disgust. “But I think we might have a similar view of your president.”

I glance at him. “That’s wise, but I look forward to learning what your planet thinks of her some time.” We’ve reached the steps of my building and I stop. I’m told everything on Eroscia is contemporary and sterile looking. I wonder if he’s going to hate the quirks of my older home. “Here it is.” My apartment is in a historic building with lots of charm. It was originally a mansion, and we step into a hardwood floor entryway with a grand staircase before us. Oriental carpet muffles our footsteps as we climb up to the second floor.

Once we’re inside my place, Oliver glances up at the high ceilings. “This is a beautiful building. Look at that crown molding.” He walks over to the wall. “Chair rails. This room was the dining room I bet.”

“You must watch real estate shows.”

He smiles at me. “I binge watched the one about old home restoration. It made me want to do one myself.”

“Really? I adore old homes too.” I lead him to the guest room. “My dream is to own one some day.”

“Then we will. City or country?” Oliver glances around the bedroom. I found an old sleigh bed frame at a flea market and restored it with gray chalk paint to make it shabby chic. The dresser is redone the same way, and I’ve decorated with blue and gray.

“Country,” I say as he sets his bag down with a thud. “I want a wraparound porch with a swing.”

Oliver chuckles. “Will you make me lemonade so we can sit out there on a hot summer day and wax on about when we were young?”

I smile at the pleasant fantasy we’re creating. “Happily.” I walk over to a small bathroom door. “You have your own bathroom, and I got you some toiletries in case you forgot something.”

“Thanks. I can unpack later.”

“Okay. Let’s feed you.”

“Please. I’m dying to try bacon.”

I grin. “Bacon is good stuff.” As we walk back downstairs, I watch Oliver as he rubs his hand over the thick wooden banister, shiny with years of polish. His gaze darts around as he takes in more details of the home, and my hearts warms as I imagine raising a family in an old house we both treasure. I realize the bad mood I was in earlier has gone away. While I know I’m going to return to my nightmare after breakfast, I think I’m going to like having Oliver to distract me.