Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
So now here I am, alone in this world. I have the wineries all in my name, but I don’t work there. I haven’t been able to bring myself to go there, not since the accident. The winery was sort of like my parents’ other child. They loved it, and everything they created there was amazing. They left it to me, and I know what a special gift it is, but I haven’t been able to go there. I receive my monthly royalty payment automatically deposited into my account, but I don’t touch it.
I look at my packed bags sitting on the floor next to my chair. There are people everywhere, arriving and departing, everyone in a hurry to get somewhere. I like to imagine what each person is doing, what their life story is. The man across the way keeps looking at me curiously, and I wonder if he’s wondering the same about me. I laugh to myself. There’s no way he could guess that I’m a mail-order bride on my way to meet my future husband.
In the light of day and sobered up, I am waiting for the regret to set in. I signed up online with a matrimony matching website, Mail Order Brides for Christmas. The call from Holly Huckleberry to be interviewed via Skype was definitely interesting as I learned all the ins and outs of being a mail order bride. But what sold me on the idea was talking with Joy Mistletoe. She is my husband-to-be’s mother. She wanted to speak to me before I signed any papers. Joy was warm and excited. She reminded me so much of my own mother that I probably would have promised her anything she wanted. She told me that I would be a perfect fit for her son and their family.
I try to recall everything she said, and I can remember her telling me that she has six sons who own their own businesses, and they are all special guys that have found themselves in a time crunch situation. I know she mentioned the name Mason, and I try to remember exactly what the reason was he needed to get married, but the hangover and too much alcohol has caused my brain to be frazzled.
I look at my phone again and read all the reviews for the matrimony matching website. It seems legit. Darn, I hope it is. I told my friend that I had met someone online. If I told her I was getting married to someone I hadn’t even met, heck hadn’t even talked to, I know she would have tried to talk me out of it. And I don’t want that.
Anyone else would probably be worried right now, wondering if this is the right thing to do. But not me. When I woke up this morning, I felt refreshed and without the least amount of worry. I expected some remorse or regrets, but I feel a calm come over me about the whole thing. I feel like leaving my lonely life behind to go and begin a new one surrounded by family is fate taking a hand.
As I hear the call to board over the loudspeakers, I grab my bag and start to walk across the aisle. The man that is sitting across from me stands up and waves for me to go in front of him. I smile easily at him and show the attendant my boarding pass before walking on to the plane. As I settle into my assigned seat, I think, This is going to be just like a fairy tale.
Mason
I’m staring at the paperwork in front of me, reading through it all. I shouldn’t even question it. The prenuptial agreement was prepared by Mr. Davis, our family’s lawyer for the last twenty years. He’s trustworthy and knows his stuff. It has all the common information on it and includes the clause that we each take what was ours with us when we get divorced. I’ve tattooed over too many ex-lovers’ names on countless clients to be naïve enough to think that anything real can come of this arranged marriage.
I still can’t believe that my mother set this whole thing up. As soon as she learned about the Titan Corporation coming in to buy the town, she’s been searching to find a way to stop it. We all have. But Mother took it into her own hands. She’s really clever and probably one of the most headstrong women I know. She came up with this idea, contacted the mail-order bride company, and put everything into motion.
The rules for the town’s ownership are clear and say I have to be married. I’m working on a clause. Something we can figure out about changing the antiquated laws of Snow Valley. Phew! It’s crazy. The law states that the owners must be married. It’s a crazy idea, and the rules definitely need changed. Until I can figure it out, we will stay married.