Page 1 of Braden

Chapter One

The sounds of the nightclub surrounded Braden but left him untouched. He took another deep drink of his feelgood and checked the table. All of his friends’ dates had shown up except for one. And his was a total no show. The resort manager’s words rang in his mind.

“At the literal last minute before her shuttle took off her ex-boyfriend rushed on board and proposed,” Geoff Delain had said. “According to the apologetic com she sent my office, she said yes and they were married within the hour. We wish her happiness of course but it does leave us—and you—in a bind.”

Braden certainly didn’t want to have wasted his five day date on Resort Planet on a woman who so plainly was fickle at the very least. He murmured the obligatory well wishes for the girl he’d never meet now.

“Ordinarily we have a fallback position. Every eligible employee of the Intergalactic Dating Agency including myself has a dating profile in the system and we can usually arrange an alternate date without too much difficulty. Unfortunately the terms of the Ardannan contract are quite strict about certain aspects of the arranged match and there’s no one working at the resort who qualifies and matches your profile. We can’t get anyone else here in time so I’m afraid you’re going to have to sit this week out and try again with the next set of Ardannan bachelors.”

It wasn’t news Braden wanted to hear. It was bad enough he and his unit had been pulled from active duty along with an old retired comrade of theirs to waste their time on this dating nonsense but to learn he’d have to repeat the experience? He wondered if his government had an appeals process. Surely showing up in good faith ought to get a man a mark in the check box and he could get on with his life. It was hardly his fault the intended match had married someone else rather than come and meet him.

“You’re welcome to remain on Resort Planet for the five days of course,” Delain was saying. “I’ve given instructions to comp your meals and feelgoods. Treat it as a vacation, enjoy the ocean and the clubs and go back to your job refreshed.”

The manager was smooth, Braden would give him that. He was given a token to use for the free meals and drinks and ushered out of the office with efficiency. Having nothing else to do he made his way to the club where his friends were and ordered the most expensive feelgood on the top shelf of the bar. Three of his buddies were now paired up with their human dates. The fourth, Derius seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument with his and Braden shuddered. At least he’d avoided being publicly embarrassed.

He nursed his drink and watched the crowd of happy couples. The next five days were going to be a grind with all this activity happening that he wouldn’t be a part of. Since everyone was paired up by the famous IDA algorithm, he had no chance of meeting anyone else in the old fashioned way either.

* * *

Wandering the promenade, Elodie realized she’d left her area of the resort behind. Clutching her tiny purse, she decided she’d go into the next club she passed and get one of the ridiculous feelgoods with the paper umbrellas. She’d drink her cares away for a bit before heading to her hotel way down the beach and facing the ordeal ahead. Her feet were killing her. Once inside the club, she sat at the bar and studied the crowd around her. All couples. At first she couldn’t believe her eyes. There had to be single guys here who wanted to dance and have a fun evening at a club with no strings.

Nary a one. What kind of alternate universe had she wandered into here? No singles?

Wait, there was a guy sitting alone.

Peeking over the top of her drink she evaluated the man. He was good looking, if a bit rugged, messy hair in a strangely attractive mane—made her want to run her fingers through it—really built, with a kind face. Right now he looked tired and exasperated but he was the only person by himself besides her. Elodie decided to take a chance, ordered a second drink and headed for the man’s table.

“Mind if I sit here?” she asked with a smile. “I brought you a drink.” Setting it in front of him, she offered her hand. “I’m Elodie Farantson and you and I seem to be the only two people here on our own. Thinking maybe we should stick together.”

“I’m Braden Hartwell. Your date was a no show too?” he asked, scooting his chair over a bit.

How the seven hells did he know? A little alarmed, Elodie sat “Well, no that’s kind of my problem. He’s my ex-boyfriend actually, dumped for good reasons, and now I’m dateless. And I don’t want to show up to the party alone—it’s so embarrassing.” She shuddered, remembering the lies she’d told her stepmother and others about her fantastic new boyfriend. Yeah, the one who didn’t exist.

Braden was watching her with a curious expression on his face. “IDA paired you with your ex-boyfriend?”

She blinked. How much feelgood had she consumed already? “You lost me there. What?”

Sitting back in his chair, Braden said, “I think we need to start over or at least add context to our self introductions. You’re sitting in the middle of night one of the Ardannan Dating Project, arranged by IDA. That’s why everyone is paired up and I have a feeling you weren’t one of the dates brought in, am I right?”

“Oh wow, no, not at all. I must have walked further than I knew. I’m here with a wedding party. I’m a bridesmaid or I’d have begged off after breaking up with Chet. I’ve heard a little about the Ardannan dating thing.” She glanced around with a worried expression. “I’d better get going then, sorry to have bothered you. I’d hate to mess up your date.”

“She married someone else instead of coming out here,” he said with a chuckle, raising the feelgood to his lips and taking a swig. “I was rejected sight unseen. At least you got to do the dumping.”

“Clearly she was an idiot,” Elodie said and then felt embarrassed at her open appreciation of Braden. The drinks were having more of an effect on her than she’d realized.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence. Can’t you avoid this Chet jerk for one night and a wedding reception?”

“The problem is that this is a destination wedding and Tamarind—the bride—has laid on all these activities for the next three days and then the wedding. And the reception. There are hundreds of guests and Chet—wait for it—is the best man.”

“I see the problem as far as keeping your distance from the guy.”

Gathering all her courage, Elodie said, “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to volunteer to be my date? I know it’s a lot to ask, especially since you won’t know anyone⁠—”

He gave her a look, his face neutral. “Aren’t there going to be any single guys at this event? Or are you worried this Chet person is going to stalk you?”

“I’m not in any danger from Chet, other than the annoyance factor. He’s dating the maid of honor in fact.”

“Then why do you need me?”