Page 6 of Mated on Live

“He’d have to agree too.” Jeanie looked at the screen. Behind a single click held all the information True Match had about her mate. “I really hope he’s at least partially human looking. Just so he looks better on screen. I don’t personally care. I love the aliens, but for optics, a more human-ish type is best. But if he isn’t, I mean, we can work with it. Frame it so that only part of him is showing, kind of going for a mysterious theme, you know?”

“Hey, that’s my mate you’re bashing,” Sophie said jokingly, only partially offended. “I’m sure he’s perfectly handsome… No matter what he looks like.”

Jeanie sent her a smile. “Yeah, I bet he is. So, will you do it?”

Sophie considered the choice carefully this time. Not just flippantly agreeing like she had not even a full hour ago.

It wasn’t that she was against being a spokesperson for someone. She and Jeanie had been friends in undergrad and, though they had drifted apart after their careers took them in two different directions, she still liked her. She believed in her enough that she was willing to promote her company without actually knowing how well it might be performing.

But to give up her home, to leave Earth completely…

“You know,” she gave Jeanie a grin, “usually, when a franchise gets to the point that they add ‘-in Space’ to their title, it means they’re going downhill.”

Jeanie smirked back, a wide, toothy grin. “You’ll be the very first influencer in space. The other humans that mated off Earth don’t post vlogs and videos of their life. You could be doing the most mundane thing, but it will suddenly be incredible because you’re off Earth. Your subscriber count would skyrocket. No one would ever be able to equal your content. And whenever you do a trend, you get to do it a hundred times better just by virtue of being in space.”

“And I’ll be able to keep doing it? Uploading, I mean.”

“Sure. Earth is connected to a communication array that transfers everything between the two different softwares – so to speak. It takes a bit longer to do it, but it’s certainly possible. Just think: the latest dance, the latest challenge, the latest anything, will be that much more exciting coming from you.”

Sophie laughed. “And I get my soulmate too.”

“Of course! Even better! Trust me, it sounds like new age, hippie dippie, nonsense, but this mating thing is real. My mate and I are… I’ve never been so happy, Sophie! And this could be you, too. Plus a few million more subscribers. Plus a lot more money.”

“The only downside is leaving Earth.”

“That’s why True Match has a six-month, money back, return to Earth guarantee. If by the end of six months, you’re unhappy, you can return to Earth, get all fees repaid, and you don’t have to worry about a thing.” Jeanie nudged her with an elbow. “It’s something we offer on all worlds and no one has ever taken us up on the offer.”

Sophie laughed, giving in. The out kind of made it less intimidating – which, she was sure, was the entire point. “Okay. As long as he’s cool with it. And as long as I get freedom to speak honestly. Good or bad, no matter what, I want to be able to tell people the truth.”

“Done!” Jeanie beamed.

“That confident, are you?”

“Trust me,” Jeanie grinned. “You’re going to love him. If you say yes, we’ll take care of everything. All you have to do is get ready to leave Earth. We’ll coordinate the first meeting, pay for everything, just take pictures of yourself and do normal influencer promotions. Here, let me show you what he looks like-”

“No!” Sophie stopped her before she could open the file. “Wait. Save it.”

“Save it?”

“Yeah. Get our first meeting on camera. A first look reaction. People love that kind of thing.”

“It doesn’t really represent what we do, though. The contact information of your mate is given to you after you’re matched. We don’t do a blind meeting.”

“No, but that doesn’t matter. The moment is what matters, and getting people to be a part of it makes them even more excited.”

Jeanie laughed, leaning away from the computer. “You’re a genius, Sophie.”

Sophie grinned, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She did some reaction content – not often, as she preferred to do her own thing – but people really loved seeing her react to things. Getting her first reaction to her mate in real time would no doubt get her tons of views.

“I really hope he understands my work,” she said.

“Your soulmate will complete you. Promise. Do we have a deal?”

Jeanie held out her hand. Sophie’s heart fluttered with excitement as she smacked their palms together in a firm handshake.

“Deal!”

Chapter 2

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