Page 3 of My Mail Order Valentine

"It sort of chose me."

Carly looks at me eagerly as if she is waiting for an exciting tale. It is a little bit exciting, but I'm not sure I should be telling a complete stranger about it. I mean, what if she's the town's gossip? Anyway, I need a friend here, and she seems to want to make a connection.

"I was matched to someone here by a mail-order bride agency," I confess, feeling my cheeks burn.

"Oh my god, you're Hunter's bride!"

"Wait…what? How do you know about that?"

"There's a group of older ladies in town that wanted to support Hunter and they signed him up to that agency. They're the reason you're here."

"Does Hunter even know about me?"

"I'm not really sure. The old biddies organized it all. Oh, they'll be so glad you're finally here."

Carly starts to get up from her seat and I grab her hand before she has a chance to.

"Wait, don't go yet. Tell me more about Hunter."

She sits back down reluctantly. I bet she wants to reach for the phone right now.

"He's one of our favorite residents in Hope Peak. He's part of the crew at the Hope Peak Fire Department. He keeps us safe."

"Do you think he'll be happy to see me?"

"I…ah, I mean Mrs. Brown said they told him they were doing this, but that was a while ago when he first…I think he'll be surprised, but you are going to be good for him, Elena. I can just tell."

After saying those words that worry me more than anything else, she gets up and rushes to tend to one of the customers in the shop, leaving me to wonder if my future husband even knows that I'm coming. Will he turn me away?

I sip my hot chocolate slowly. Since I'm no longer hungry, I ask Carly to pack the pastries I ordered to go. Then, I get directions to the Fire Department. I might as well meet my groom as soon as possible. The station is just a couple of blocks from the town center, and I walk slowly toward it, my suitcase trailing behind me.

My head is full of racing thoughts about the man I'm about to meet. I just left everything behind to come here and make a family. If Hunter rejects me, I'll have nowhere to go. I'm so involved in my thoughts that I don't even notice when I've reached my destination.

"Miss. Miss."

I look up to see a tall man with a worried frown on his face. There's sweat beading on my forehead from dragging my luggage around town, but the cold nearly freezes it.

"Hi. I'm sorry, you startled me."

"Do you need help? I'm Marc. I work here at the station."

"Oh, good. I'm looking for Hunter Granger. Is he here?"

"Who are you?"

His direct question startles me, but I take it in stride.

"I'm his bride."

The man, Marc, starts laughing out loud, and then a couple of curious souls gather around me. I'm blushing and want to get out of here immediately. I try to turn around, but Marc doesn't let me.

"Guys, the old biddies finally did it. This here is Hunter's bride looking for him."

Everyone smiles and murmurs things I'm sure I don't really want to hear.

"Is Hunter here, Marc?"

An older gentleman approaches us and extends his hand to me.

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