Lexylia Beckford wondered if she’d heard her three friends correctly and glanced at the tablet Trina dangled in front of her face. “You’ve all lost your minds.”

“I dare you,” Diane shouted.

“I double dare you,” Jennifer yelled.

“What are we, back in high school? Lower your voice. Everyone is staring at us,” Lexy muttered, throwing a brief glance around the bar.

“Take a look at it, Lex,” Jennifer urged.

“I’ve seen it. Like I’d stand a chance in hell against how many countries on Earth? About two hundred?”

“Right, like every country here is going to participate,” Diane scoffed. “For some, it would be against their religion, and quite a few are obscure little countries. Miss Universe usually only has between eighty and ninety entrants. And for this new pageant, they’re going to choose five winners from each participating planet. It’s being advertised all over Earth.”

Jennifer nodded. “And you meet all the requirements. You don’t have to have won any other pageants to enter. You’ve got university under your belt. You’re the right age. And you are gorgeous. It’s time you realized that.”

Lexy fingered the tablet she’d taken from Trina’s hands and glanced at it. “Think about it…if by some slim chance I was one of the five chosen to represent Earth, the final pageant is held on Drapnor Two, some obscure planet out there in the universe. And what about my job? Besides, since there are fewer prerequisites, do you realize how many women on Earth are going to enter? Thousands.”

“Well, you’ve got a lot in your favor. They’ve relaxed the rules for the Miss Universe a hell of a lot. But for this one, you cannot be married or have been married, can’t be pregnant or have a child, nor had any plastic surgery,” Trina pointed out. “You haven’t done any of the above.”

“Why would a married woman or one with kids want to go traipsing around the universe anyway?” Lexy replied. “That could drastically interfere with a relationship or a family. Why don’t one of you enter?”

“Wake-up call! I’m married, remember? Trina is engaged, and Jen is in a heavy relationship. And unlike you, we didn’t go to university or college,” Diane said.

“Well, Trina is a nurse. That would qualify, wouldn’t it? And Jen—”

“Ha ha. Got a master’s degree in baking cakes and cookies. You’re perfect, Lex,” Jennifer interrupted. “Look at it again. Keep your eye on the prize. Click on the link and watch the hologram.”

“I can hear the cops at the station now. One of our own has entered the Miss Galaxy Beauty Pageant… Ladies, like I told you before, you’ve lost your minds. The prize I’ve got my eye on is to make detective. I don’t fancy losing my job over something like this.”

“Look, it’s not the same as the regular beauty contests. You don’t even have to go anywhere unless they choose you for the absolute finals, and that only involves being interviewed. There’s no huge ceremony, no parading on a stage in a swimsuit and evening gown and appearing before thousands of people,” Trina said. “They’ll choose the finalists by looking at the hologram you submit with your entry and your credentials.”

“I don’t get it anyway. Who came up with this crazy notion? Isn’t Miss Universe enough already?” Lexy argued.

“Cripes, Lex. Read all of it. The Universal Board of Galactic Affairs came up with it. It’s a first, and it’s for the whole universe, not just for Earth,” Jennifer muttered.

“Why hold it on a planet most people have barely heard of?” Lexy continued her argument. There was no way she would enter. She’d made up her mind, no matter what her friends came up with.

“I thought you were studying paranormal phenomena in your spare time,” Trina said.

“Yes, and?” Lexy raised her brows. “What does that have to do with it?”

“You read a lot of sci-fi and books to do with shapeshifters, witchcraft, all kinds of mumbo jumbo. I’ll say again, read the damn article that’s online with the entry form. The woman in charge of everything on Drapnor Two is reportedly a sorceress,” Trina informed her.

This perked Lexy’s interest a little bit. “Really? Next you’ll be telling me that there are shapeshifters and fairies on that planet.”

“There’s a picture of the woman. Look at it,” Diana urged.

“We don’t get together that often anymore. Are we going to waste time talking about this?” Lexy groused. “How about we talk about something else, like… Diane, what’s happening in the baby department? Any luck yet?”

“We’ve just started trying. Stop changing the subject. We’re not going to leave it alone,” Diane said.

Lexy sipped her drink, and while her three friends talked together for a few moments, she studied them. They’d been friends since kindergarten, attending school together right through to the end of high school when each chose their individual career path. But even then, they had always managed to find time to get together at least once a week, which had eventually dwindled to once a month, sometimes longer. They were all busy with their lives and jobs and no longer lived that close together. Not too far apart, but it wasn’t the same as living in the same neighborhood.

Lexy had a small studio in the city not far from the precinct where she worked, while the other three lived in the suburbs of New York. She focused on her career—her dream of becoming a detective and helping to solve mystifying cases, preferably cold ones. And she was determined to fulfill that dream.

One of the girls burst out laughing, interrupting her thoughts. “What’s so funny, Jen?” she asked.