“Eliza!” I smile as I turn to the woman calling my name, and it strikes me that my grin is real. “Is that really you?”

“It is,” I say as I place a bag of lemons in my shopping cart with a thump.

A woman about my age with dark hair to her shoulders says, “Oh my gosh. I love you so much.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to hear that.” I’ve gotten used to the compliments from strangers and do my best to make them all feel appreciated. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Meg. I’m a huge fan of your shows. I even signed up at the Intergalactic Dating Agency with the hope I can get a man as sweet,” she blushes as she drops her gaze and adds, “and as sexy as Logan.”

I chuckle. “I am pretty lucky.” While at first I was uncomfortable with my fame, I’ve come to terms with it now. I realize I provide a valuable service to many women as they prepare for their own alien match. I care deeply about family, and knowing I can make a difference in people’s lives makes me feel as if what I do matters.

I look at her cart and notice she’s got brussel sprouts. I featured a recipe for them with a balsamic reduction in today’s episode of my cooking show so I ask, “What are you making for dinner?”

“I’m trying the salmon dish you made today. I hope I do it justice.”

“I’m sure you will. I’d love it if you let me know how it turns out.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Send me an email.” I think about the show tickets I carry in my purse for occasions like this, and they’re slick in my fingers when I retrieve them. “I don’t know if this interests you, but I have two tickets to a show next week if you and a friend would like to come.”

“What?” Meg flaps her hands in excitement. “No way.” She takes the tickets I offer. She glances down at them and squeals. “Front row!”

I used to be shocked that people would get excited to see my show, but now it makes me warm with happiness. “Those tickets will let you come up after the show and eat whatever I made, so come hungry.”

“I will. Thank you so much, Eliza.”

“You’re very welcome. I’ll see you next week.” The handle of my cart is hard in my palms as I push it away. Logan suggested I hire someone to do the shopping because I’m so busy, but I’m too hands-on for that. I need to touch my produce, and often something catches my eye and gives me ideas for a new twist to a current recipe. I walk over to the cheese section and notice Kara. She’s in charge of this area of the store and I befriended her a while back. I’m glad I did because she lets me know when any new varieties come in.

“Hi, Eliza.” She grabs a wedge of cheese and holds it out to me. “I just got a balsamic-rinsed sheep cheese in. It’s scrumptious.” She sighs. “I can’t wait to see what you do with it.”

“That does sound delicious. Thanks.” I inhale the aroma of the cheese and blink at the intensity as my mind begins to race with food combinations. “I’ll definitely play with it.”

My favorite part of my job is my creating new recipes for my show, and many nights Logan is my taste tester. Fortunately the man grew up eating food on Eroscia that tastes like cardboard, so even when I make something that isn’t quite right, he doesn’t mind.

After a few weeks of acting classes, I became more comfortable with my public persona, and while some days I can’t wait for silence, most people can’t tell I prefer it. Logan insisted on compromise when I decided to remain in our business, so the only other show I appear on is our wedding planning series. It’s an easy role to play since the viewers are more interested in Logan than me. The mostly female audience longs for their own alien mate, and I don’t think we’ll have any trouble running it again with a new couple next year.

A cold breeze that smells like snow blows through my hair and chills my face as my trunk pops open with the push of a button, and I load my grocery bags in my car. Nancy took over the craft show for me, and we discovered she and I work well together coming up with new ideas. I enjoy our weekly meetings to brainstorm future projects. The rest of my time is spent working with my husband and the writing teams to plan the content for our other shows and book projects.

There’s also one other project Logan and I are working on. Oysters clatter in their bag as I put the fish package in my trunk. While I don’t need to work on my husbands sex drive, I know he’ll laugh when I serve him the aphrodisiac. The two of us are trying to get pregnant.

When I get home, I find Logan is back from the studio, and I hear his voice as he talks on the phone. Grocery bags rustle as he takes them from me and says, “Sounds great. My lovely wife just got home so we can talk more tomorrow.” He brushes his lips against mine quickly. “Thanks, Brad.”

Once Logan hangs up, he pulls me into his arms and kisses me properly. When we’re done I say, “Now that’s why I like having you home when I get here.”

“You mean it’s not my sparkling personality?”

I shake my head as I grin. “Nope.” I drag my fingers down his chest to the waistband of his slacks. “But that hot body of yours is another reason.” I step away and begin to empty the grocery bags.

Logan lifts the sack of oysters. “And yet you still need these.”

“Ha!” I elbow him in the side. “I bought those for you.”

My husband’s eyes twinkle with his amusement. “The day I say no to you is the day you get to make cracks like that.”

“Good.” While I’d love to take him to the bedroom right now I’m really hungry and my stomach growls. I toss a lemon in the air, and it smacks in my palm when I catch it. “Shuck those babies for me please. I’m starving.”

“Wow. If I hadn’t heard the proof I’d think you just turned me down.”

I place my hand on his arm. “It’s weird. It must be the fall weather because I’ve been this hungry for a few days now.” My jaw drops because it hits me there might be a good reason for that. I recall how strong the balsamic cheese smelled earlier. “Oh my god.” I rush toward the bathroom where I have a pregnancy test.

Logan is right behind me. “Are you pregnant?”

A drawer scrapes open, and the box is light in my hand when I lift it out. “I might be.” He grabs the test out of my hand and tears the packaging as I chuckle. “You can open it, but I’d rather not have you watch me pee.”

“Fair enough,” Logan hands me the kit and leaves the bathroom.

Before I can give it much thought I take the test. When I’m done I walk out to the living room and hand the stick to Logan. “You watch it. I’m too nervous.”

He takes a deep breath. “Either way is good, honey. There’s no need to rush this.”

I smile at the man that always has something supportive to say to me. “I know. But I’m not sure about the timing.” Our fancy wedding is in two weeks.

“Hush. You’ll still fit in the dress and we’ll fake everyone out with ginger ale in the champagne glasses.”

I nod. “Can we also pretend we didn’t know until afterward?”

Logan tips my chin up with his finger. “Of course. We should probably keep this a secret until the second trimester anyway in case something goes wrong.”

I smile. Logan has read more about what to expect with pregnancy than I have. “Okay.” I glance at the stick in his hand. “I think it’s time.”

My husband looks at it and a huge grin covers his face as he holds it up. “We’re having a baby!” He tosses the test over his shoulder, and I squeal when he grabs my hips and lifts me in the air to twirl around.

I grip his firm shoulders as I laugh, and when he finally sets me down I say, “My life is so perfect. I have an amazing husband and career, and now we’re going to start the family I’ve always dreamed of.”

“Eliza, you’ve made me the happiest alien on Earth. No. In the universe. I can’t believe I have an amazing career that involves the love of my life. And now my earth girl is having my baby.” He puffs his chest out. “I might need to roar or something.”

I shake my head. “No. You need to kiss me, Logan. And touch my heart the way you have since the beginning.”

“Done.” He leans down and kisses me, and the familiar warmth of him surrounding my heart and soul fills me with a love I know will last forever.

I pull away to gaze into his eyes, and the swirl of color that signifies his happiness mesmerizes me. I think about how I was reluctant to give him a try. I couldn’t imagine the intensity of our love, and I didn’t trust Lexi’s brilliance in her matchmaking program. Just like with becoming Eliza Grady, the homemaking queen, I didn’t believe in myself or the possibility of us. Logan has helped me realize dreams I didn’t know I could have. I place my hand on his cheek and he leans into it as I say, “TS-028, you really are the perfect match.”