Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 20927 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20927 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
I give her directions to the lodge, not bothering to tell her I own it. She’ll figure out that one soon enough. Most of the time, I meet the brides before their big day. They come and tour the place, make sure it’s what they want. But every now and then, I marry a mail order bride off to a cowboy. Must be the case here.
Evening has started to fall by the time I point her in the right direction.
Mundungus is happily resting on the passenger seat, purring as he sleeps. He’s probably dreaming of what he’ll steal from me next.
She glances at the darkening sky and chews on that plump lower lip. I want to run my tongue along those little indents she’s leaving behind. “Could you use a lift to the lodge? I’d rather not get lost in the dark.”
I give her a nod and do my best to contort my body into the car. It’s not easy and my head scrapes the roof, but I manage it.
She gives a soft giggle when I’m finally settled, and I know how ridiculous this must look. Like she’s crammed a giant into a toy. A giant with a cat on his lap.
She waits until I’ve managed to wrap the too tiny seat belt around my big barrel chest before she starts puttering along the mountain road. “There’s no chance we’ll run into the bear again, right?”
It’s close to hibernation season and the poor creature is probably just looking for a few last meals to stock up on. But I’m not going to tell her that. It’s better if she stays distracted. “What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a dispatcher for the South Tahoe Police Department. My dad was sheriff until he passed away. Now my brother is. It’s kind of a family business.”
“You enjoy it?” I ask, noting the sadness in her voice. She doesn’t sound all that enthusiastic and I hate the idea that she might be clocking in on a job she hates. Then again, what does it matter to me? I shouldn’t be upset at the idea.
She’s a bride, just like Jane. As soon as the thought floats into my brain, I remind myself to keep my distance and stay professional.
She lets out a soft sigh. “Truthfully? Not as much as I used to. But what about you?”
“I love my job,” I answer. Sure, I don’t believe in love. Haven’t in a long time. But that doesn’t mean I’m a cold-hearted bastard. I can rejoice with two people who are just hopeful enough and crazy enough to believe they’ll beat the odds and have a marriage that goes the distance.
Sure, it’ll probably end in divorce with at least one of them losing every material thing they hold dear and carrying life-long scars, but that’s love. It leaves us a little bit damaged and a whole lot dysfunctional. Just ask any honest marriage therapist. “Where did you say you’re traveling from?”
She tells me about South Tahoe, the town where she lives and works. It sounds like Sweetheart in some ways. Both places depend on tourism dollars to keep everything running and both are quaint, little towns seemingly unaffected by the passing of time.
When she pulls the vehicle into the parking lot for the lodge, I jog around to get her door and she follows me inside. Mundungus scampers past the lobby toward my room. Well, his room. If he could talk, he’d say I’m just his guest.
The lobby is quiet tonight. Most of the staff members have the evening off since I’m not expecting a wedding party until the day after tomorrow.
Alone with her, I can’t help but wonder what the lodge looks like through her eyes. I’ve worked hard to make it an inviting space where brides can imagine exchanging vows.
She slips her bag off her shoulder and rubs the spot where the strap was. “Do you think you could help me find Gray? She’s supposed to help me get settled.”
“I am Gray,” I answer, frowning. Something niggles at the back of my mind. Zoey called yesterday.
Zoey Hart is a romance author that interviewed me for one of her books a few years ago. For some reason, we hit it off and became good friends. She got married a few months back, but I wasn’t able to make it to the wedding.
She called me yesterday and said her sister-in-law would be coming by. She asked me to reserve her a room and show her around town. I promised to watch over her, but I’m going to have a hell of a time keeping my hands to myself with this curvy woman.
3
PIPER
“I’m Piper Parker, Zoey’s friend,” I tell Gray. I can’t believe he’s the lodge owner and my assigned tour guide for the next week. You would think he would have mentioned that on the drive up here.