Since the creation of the Intergalactic Dating Agency, there is a need for quick marriages, and businesses have popped up to help couples plan and execute their dream wedding in a just few days. I return to the kitchen from my studio. "I don't think I can paint."

"No?" Jake asks as he takes my dirty dish from me, and water rushes as he rinses it.

"All I can think about is getting married to you." I walk over to the kitchen table that is now mostly clear, and I set my laptop on it so I can do research. As Jake works on organizing the kitchen to his satisfaction, I peruse wedding planner sites. When I find some acceptable ones I say, "I've narrowed it down to Weddings in a Wink, Quick Click Weddings, and Warp Speed Weddings. They all have openings for us to get married as soon as tomorrow."

"Why don't you just close your eyes and pick one. It worked pretty well the last time."

I glance at my random-pick alien to find he's grinning. Glad that he's no longer upset about how he came to Earth, I tease back. "I think Quick Click fits."

Jake chuckles with me. "Perfect."

I tap on my keyboard and bring up a punch list of the questions we need to answer before we can get on the schedule. "Wow." I let out a sigh. "We have homework before we can even make an appointment for the consultation." I let out a sigh. Why can't anything be easy? "Now I wish I hadn't poured out the coffee."

"Hannah, how many questions are there?"

"A million." He tilts his head in disbelief. "I don't know." I roll my eyes at him and get serious. "Okay, maybe ten."

Jake's voice is soft as he coaxes me. "Read them to me. We'll answer together."

I read the first question to myself. Name and address of the bride and groom. My keys click as I type in the answer, and I read the next question out loud. "When would you like to schedule your wedding?"

"As soon as possible," says Jake.

I type in ASAP, and a window pops up from my response with a calendar of available time slots. I chuckle when I see availability in the middle of the night, because I understand the desperation a couple might feel, considering how heated-up Jake and I get when we kiss. I search for a more reasonable time tomorrow. "How does ten in the morning sound?" I glance up and notice the debris my cabinets contained is almost gone, and two large garbage bags are full of items I’d bet I didn't know I owned.

"Like we better get to work on this if we want to pull it off."

I scan my alien's body with a heated gaze and nod. It's going to be hard to make it through another night staring at the ceiling and wondering what he looks like naked. "Ten o’clock it is." I get back to the questions, and with Jake's help we finish quickly.

While I shower for my busy day, a reply from Quick Click Weddings comes in. Jake yells through the door that he's scheduled for his tux fitting in an hour while I’m choosing my dress. This is all happening so fast, and the possibility of divorce fills my head. I try to push my negative thoughts away, but it only fades as it chants at me to tell Jake about the show.

I step out of the shower into the steamy bathroom and distract myself by thinking about how much Jake loves me. The scent of lavender is in the air as I slather on lotion and imagine what kind of wedding dress I'd like. I'll never be able to decide on my own, so when I get to my room I text my friends and ask for their help. Since Cassie is a lawyer, I don't expect she'll make it. Morgan, however, will close her shop down if she has to, just to get details of my alien match. I smile to myself as I imagine the conversation she and Jake had this morning when she sold him enough coffee to fuel a space ship.

"Hannah!" calls Jake. "We need to go!"

"Be right there!" A hanger clangs after I yank a shirt off of it, and I shove the top over my head before I wiggle into tight jeans. My wet hair needs to be untangled, but I don't think Jake is going to be patient enough to wait, so I stick a comb in my back pocket before I grab my shoes.

"Hannah!" I open my door to a flustered version of Jake.

"I'm ready." I tug on a shoe and hop toward the door as I put the other one on.

"We're late," he says as we step out into the hallway, and the lock clicks shut as he turns the key. "We're going to have to walk quickly."

"Relax. They're not going to turn us away for being a few minutes late."

"That's not the point," Jake says as he presses the elevator button a few times.

I've had this conversation a hundred times with Cassie, and I know nothing I say is going to make Jake feel better so I don't bother. I do my best to keep up with his long-legged stride as he leads us out to the street. My phone dings with a text, and I glance down at it to see Morgan is on her way. I look back up and swerve quickly to avoid an oncoming person.

Jake reaches back and grabs my hand. "You're a menace."

"Am not," I say, knowing I sound like a petulant child.

Jake stops. "Are too." His lips turn up slowly in a smile.

"Why'd you stop? I thought we were in a hurry?"

He takes my face in his hands. "Maybe. But it just occurred to me you're right. They aren't going to turn us away over a couple minutes." He leans in and kisses me, and I grab onto his arms to steady myself as my knees get weak. When he releases me, he takes my hand and starts walking again at a slower pace.

I pick up speed. "I'm impressed with the level of compromise you're extending, but we're almost there and we can make it on time if you move a little faster."

Jake chuckles and hurries along with me. He glances at his watch when we get to the door. "On the minute." He winks at me. "We rock."

I giggle at his slang. "That we do."

We enter the air-conditioned lobby of an office building, and I welcome the coolness on my sweat-dampened skin as we walk toward the elevators. The doors whoosh shut after we get inside. Jake says, "After I get fitted, I'm scheduled to take care of the paperwork. All you have to do is go sign it before you leave."

Since I'm sure women take a lot more time finding the perfect dress to rent, I say, "Smart. Should I meet you at home?"

"Yeah, but don't rush. I have an errand to run."

I raise my eyebrows at him as it occurs to me I need to get him a ring too. Jake exits the elevator on the third floor, and I continue up to the fifth. The moment the door opens, I see the two happy faces of my best friends. "You both made it!"

I step into a group hug before an older woman claps her hands twice. "Ladies, my name is Greta. You've got two hours to get Hannah in the perfect dress. I suggest you keep the chitchat to a minimum and get started."

The three of us glance at each other with wide eyes and clenched lips as we fight to contain giggles. Greta leads us to a large room with rows of clothing racks that must contain thousands of dresses. Morgan says, "Wow. And you thought picking an alien was hard."

The woman clears her throat. "Pull out the dresses you like and leave them like this." She demonstrates how to yank a gown out and twist it so that it’s supported by other dresses. "You'll go through two times, and what's left you'll try on." Cassie lets out a large sigh of pleasure as she begins to look at the gowns. She pulls one out. "This is the best dress-up ever."

"Be selective," says Greta in a stern tone. "And remember which one of you is the bride."

When she walks away, Morgan presses up against us and sing-songs in a low voice. "Cassie's in trouble."

Cassie hits Morgan's arm. "Stop. Hannah loves it when we pick out her clothes."

"I do," I say. Cassie and Morgan have a way with fashion and usually find me things that look great on my body that I would have never picked. "Why don't the two of you go first and I'll follow behind."

Cassie leads the way and is methodical about picking dresses for me, while Morgan keeps showing me what she finds and explains why it would look good on me. When Greta tells us we need to have our selections done in fifteen minutes, I'm exhausted and grateful to be done soon.

Cassie says, "This is crazy. We need more time to get through them all."

"It's fine," I say. "We're talking about a dress I'll wear once in a quickie ceremony. I don't need to find the absolute perfect one."

"She's right," says Morgan. "There really are so many stunning choices. I'm sure we'll find her something gorgeous."

As Cassie plows through the remaining dresses, Morgan asks, "Are you ready for your show? I saw an advertisement. It's in two weeks, isn't it?"

A heavy weight descends on my shoulders, and my chest tightens. I had hoped to avoid thinking about my painting, but my damn show keeps coming up. "Yes, it's coming faster than I want, but I'm almost ready."

"I'm glad Jake is around to take care of you when you enter the frantic, get-it-done mode. I hear he really does know how to cook."

"I heard you two met."

"He's adorable, Hannah."

"You might want to know that aliens and caffeine aren't a good mix. Jake was ready to fly back to space on his own power this morning."

Morgan chuckles. "He really likes coffee." Her voice is taunting when she adds, "And you."

I smile as I think about Jake, and my heart fills with the warmth of our love. I might sound a little delirious when I say, "He's sooo great."

"Ladies!" barks out Greta. Morgan and I stand at attention while she tells me to go into the dressing room and my friends to sit on the couch and stay there. When I get to the dressing room, Greta is there with five gowns hanging on the hooks. She says, "I've been doing this for a long time, and I know exactly which dress will look the best on you."

"You do?"

She points to a slim-fitting garment that has a bodice in a V-shape to give the appearance of an hourglass figure that I lack. It's covered in tiny beads and lace, and when I first saw it, it took my breath away. Greta's good. I walk over and touch the shimmering gown, and the beads are smooth on my fingers. "It's gorgeous."

"Your friends would have you here for days. But you seem like a no-nonsense girl, so let's give them a little show before you walk out in your dress."

I do as she suggests, and when I finally step onto the small platform designed for the tailor wearing the gown Greta picked for me, my friends let out a sigh. Morgan says, "Oh my god, that's the one."

I smile in the mirror at them and notice Cassie's eyes are shiny with tears. She sniffs and says, "It really is, Hannah."

I nod at them both as my eyes fill with tears too. Even Greta cracks a smile as she says, "You're going to be a beautiful bride." She grabs a pin cushion and squats down to begin working on the alterations.

Cassie says, "Your life has done a one-eighty in such a short time. Just think. Only a few months ago you were struggling to pay your rent and convinced you'd be a lonely old lady living off the mercy of your friends. Now you have a blossoming career and the man of your dreams."

"He's perfect for you," says Morgan. "You give me hope I can find the right alien too."

Greta tells me to go take off the dress and before I shut the door, I say to my friends, "I'm sure you both will. I can't wait to be doing this with you in a few weeks."

When I step out of my perfect dress, a pin pricks at my finger, and I flinch as my career predicament floods my mind. I let out a sigh, because no matter how wonderful the next few days are going to be with Jake, I can't avoid the fact that I have to deal with Miranda. She's been calling for days and I haven't had the heart to call her back and tell her I can't do the show. The longer I wait the harder it's going to be for her to cancel the preparations, and I know I should get in touch today. I take a deep breath and vow that's exactly what I'll do once I get home.