Page 2 of Mail Order Bride for the Scrooge

I hadn’t dated anyone in a long fucking time. I was lonely and a little sad. I tried to tell myself it was just the holiday doldrums, but I wasn’t very convincing. The longer I sat with myself, the louder the little voice in my head got.

Go. Run. Find somewhere new, where you can live your life and have some adventure. Nothing is holding you back.

If you ask me how I found the ad for a mail order bride for a guy in Wyoming, I can’t tell you. I’m going to chalk it up to fate and think of it as a good thing. The moment I saw the ad talking about a former military man in Wyoming looking for a wife, I couldn’t ignore it. It felt right.

I sent an email with a photo, as requested, and a long diatribe about who I am. I didn’t even realize I had so much to say about myself until I was pouring my heart out to a stranger, who might or might not turn out to be a psychopath. Granted, I hadn’t considered that aspect until only miles outside of Jasper Ridge, but still.

When I got a response asking about how long it would take me to get to Jasper Ridge, along with some information on my soon to be husband, Gannon, I sat and stared at my laptop with a goofy as fuck grin on my face for far too long. I called my boss, quit, and started packing without remembering to even respond at first.

Now I’m on an adventure I never pictured for myself, but it could be the start of something beautiful. At least, I hope it is.

I needed something, anything really, to give me a fresh start. Even if I don’t end up marrying Gannon because we don’t click, then maybe Jasper Ridge is the right place for me anyway. It’s beautiful around here.

Even if I decide to keep moving, I know for sure I’m not going back to Seattle. I can’t go back. Life needs to move forward, and I’ve allowed myself to continue to be the abandoned little girl I’ve always been. I want more. I want to grow.

Just as I cross a sign signifying that I’m in Jasper Ridge, my phone rings. I know, without even looking, it’s Nico. He’s been calling regularly, and I’ve been lying to him about what I’m doing and where I am. When he finds out the truth, he’s going to be pissed.

“Hi, Nico,” I chirp when I answer with a press of a button on my steering wheel. Nico’s the one who bought me my ride. I tried to refuse it, but he insisted on getting something safe for me and I couldn’t say no then. “How’s your trip?”

“Lake,” he growls, “since you’ve been acting strange as fuck, I sent Rites by your place. He just told me you moved out. You want to explain to me what the fuck is going on?”

I swallow hard as I grip the wheel tighter. I wish I could say my mind is racing with a million different lies and excuses, but it’s not. It’s blank of everything except the truth.

“I’m in Jasper Ridge, Wyoming,” I admit reluctantly. “I saw an ad for something, applied, and was chosen.”

I take a deep breath because that was vague as hell and when I tell him the truth of the ad, he’ll freak out. I wince as he starts cursing up a blue streak. He even busts out a few combinations I’ve never heard before.

He snarls, “What the fuck do you mean you saw an ad and now you’re in fucking Wyoming?”

Uh oh. Two fucks in one sentence. That is never a good sign.

I sigh, hoping I don’t destroy the relationship I have with the only family I have left. “I love you, Nico. You saved me. You’ve been teaching and protecting me my whole life.”

“Because you’re my sister. It’s my job to protect you, but how the hell am I supposed to do that right now?” He sounds like he’s on the verge of a rage filled panic and it makes my chest feel tight. I can’t even enjoy driving through the town and it looks kind of cute in that postcard sort of way. It’s nothing like Seattle. He growls, “Why the hell would you go to Wyoming?”

“You’ve been my rock for so long, but I realized that I’m not really living. I need the chance to do something on my own and to find my place,” my voice cracks. “You’ve found your place with the club. I love that for you. It’s where you’re supposed to be, but now it’s time for me to find the same. I’m taking a chance.”

“Fuck,” Nico sighs, one word filled with pain, torment, and a little resignation on the side.

I glance at the paper with the last part of the directions and know I need to focus so I don’t get lost. I hate upsetting my brother, but I’m not even sure how this is all going to play out yet.

“I’m sorry. I should have talked to you about how I was feeling, but I need to go.”

“You better call me and give me more details. Friar is dealing with some shit here in Tennessee, but if you need me or if I don’t hear from you my ass will be in Wyoming so fucking fast your head will spin.” There’s a warning in his voice, “I mean it Lake.”

“I know you do.” I find myself smiling as I promise, “I’ll call you and fill you in. I promise.”

“You better,” he grumbles before hanging up.

Talking to Nico makes me feel a little better, at least I’m not running away without him knowing it anymore. It was eating at me more than I realized. I know I’ll have some more explaining to do, but what can he really do? At least now I know how far away he is, it’s an advantage I didn’t have before.

I wonder what he’s doing in Tennessee while I make the last bit of the drive into the mountains. Honestly, I’ll focus on anything other than meeting the man I’m probably going to marry in just a matter of minutes.

I let out a small gasp when I stop in front of a stunning log cabin home. It’s not nearly as rustic as I thought it would be. It’s also a lot bigger than I imagined. It doesn’t look like a place a killer would live, but, then again, what does a psychopath’s home even look like?

I step out of my car on shaky legs and start to head toward the porch which looks like it wraps around the structure. I’m just lifting my foot to the bottom step when the front door swings open and I lock gazes with the deep blue eyes of the hottest man I’ve ever seen, and after being around my brother and his club that’s saying something.

His shoulders are so broad I’m fairly sure he’s going to have to turn to the side in order to step through the doorway. He has a beanie pulled down on his head and his beard is a little long, but neatly trimmed and clearly taken care of. The flannel he’s wearing is stretched across his chest and makes him look cuddly.

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