Page 3 of Manny for the Alien
Good with children? For a moment I went completely blank, wondering why he’d ask that, and then I remembered that he had kids. Was this Hyacinth looking for a babysitter? Hell, it would be better than nothing while I looked for something else.
I’m not bad with them. I used to babysit my little sister growing up.
Weak resume, but it was all I had.
And I already know you can cook their meals too. Would you like to come discuss details? I’ll have time tomorrow if you’re free.
My heart started pounding. The idea of meeting him for a potential job—even a small part time gig, made me nervous after months of trying to find something.
Sure thing.
We spent a few minutes going back and forth about the time and then Hyacinth politely bid me goodnight and that was it.
So much for flirting and getting a cute, reliable boyfriend, but hell, at this point a job had to come first. Hopefully he would like me.
I wasn’t sure where I’d been expecting an alien immigrant to be living, but Hyacinth’s house was a normal one on the east end, which basically meant that he was pretty loaded. Seriously. A house in the city?! Who could afford that?
I had gone on exactly one date with another alien about a year ago and aside from that, rarely met them. But I knew that you never knew what to expect when it came to aliens. The array of planets and cultures out there was infinite.
He’d seemed pretty normal, if a little formal, through text, but I was still nervous as I lifted my hand and knocked.
He was expecting me already but for a moment I was sure that no one was home until I could hear footsteps from within and finally the door swung open.
I opened my mouth to say hi, but the words dried in my throat as I landed eyes on Hyacinth. Holy hell. He wassohot.
He was blue, which I already knew, but for a moment I was sure that he was the model used on theAlien Matesbillboards and ads. His skin seemed to glisten and his dark, exotic features were alluring.
And I was staring.
I blinked, tried with all my might to shut my gaping jaw and failed miserably because he shifted and wings lifted up behind him.
Like two ethereal butterfly wings that caught the light in every iridescent shade of blue, purple, pink and green.
“Wow,” I breathed.
Then finally, I caught the way that the poor guy was looking at me. Like a deer in headlights, like he didn’t know what to say or do.
“Fuck,” I muttered. “Sorry.”
I clapped a hand over my mouth as I remembered that this was supposed to be an interview to work with children.Hischildren.
“Oh my god, I wouldn’t swear in front of your kids, I promise.”
He still didn’t seem to know what to say and for a split second I considered just turning around walking to the nearest grocery store and buying a tub of ice cream, and using the rest of my savings on booze to drown myself in. Ifinallyhad an interview and this was how I acted.
But Hyacinth seemed to recover before I could do anything.
He offered a polite smile and moved out of the way for me to enter.
“Please, come in.”
Heart racing, I stepped forward, immediately swept up in a beautiful floral scent as I entered into his home.
Chapter Two
HYACINTH
The human, Marco, seemed to calm down once he entered. Thepapilionoidean pheromones effected humans the same way that they affected our own kind and I had doused the doorway in my most welcoming scent upon moving into this residence. It was best to avoid conflict and start on a peaceful foot when someone came to visit and was common practice back home. I hadn’t given it much thought growing up on Sanctity; it was just one of our many customs.
