Chapter 1
Willow
Igrewupina small town just outside of Chicago and I thought going into the city would be the most adventure I'd have in my life. Boy was I wrong.
If only my dad could see me now taking a bus across the country to meet a guy I did not know, who I will be marrying in just two weeks or less. That alone would probably kill him if he wasn't already dead.
When my dad lost his battle with cancer his savings weren’t able to cover all of his medical bills and his funeral costs. With the sale of our house, I was able to pay those expenses. But that left me effectively homeless and with what happened at the funeral I needed to get out of town and fast.
After staying in a women's shelter for a week, my friend Aspen allowed me to crash at her place. Like me, her mother had just passed away from cancer and was looking for a way to make some money so she could keep her house.
She ended up at Club Red selling her virginity in an auction. I keep thinking about her and wondering how it's going. But I on the other hand decided to look into this mail-order bride website that one of the ladies had talked about at the women's shelter.
So, right now I'm on my way to meet my future husband whose name is Bennett. We’ve talked through e-mail, and I know that he lives on a mountain in a small town called Whiskey River located in Montana. Apparently, it's not easy to meet girls and with his friends, all married he decided to take an unconventional approach to find his wife.
I figure a tiny town up on a mountain that's really hard to find seems like a perfect place to be safe and maybe I’ll be able to let my guard down again for the first time in months.
After the contracts were signed, Bennett sent me more than enough money to get out to Whiskey River, cover any of my food and costs along the way, and have plenty left over.
I had no idea that mail-order websites still existed outside of the Old West novels that my dad used to read. But now I guess it's just a different type of dating with all those reality shows. You know the ones where they know someone for ninety days or less and get married before they even meet the person.
Once I arrive at the bus stop, the photos I have of Bennett are the only way I'll know how to find him. We agreed to meet a few towns over so that we're not drawing any attention to ourselves in Whiskey River with it being such a small town and all.
When I look into his dark brown eyes in the photos, they appear kind and my dad always said that a person's eyes are a window to their soul. But let's be honest, he's not bad looking either. His hair is a bit long and you can tell that he's used to hard work based on the muscles he has, as I'm sure any mountain man is.
Though I was nervous about the thought of living up on the mountain, he assures me he doesn't need me for the hard work. The house would be my domain. I can take care of the cooking, cleaning, and decorating while he would provide for us and any of our future family.
As the mountains start coming into view, my nerves kick into gear. And not for the first time, the thoughts start racing through my head. Is there any other possible way to do this without marrying a stranger? Yet nothing comes to mind.
Finally, I try to distract myself by reading one of the books that I picked up for a quarter at the local library sale before heading out of town. At last, we reach my bus stop and I sit there and look out the window for a moment trying to spot Bennett.
It’s easy to spot him as he's taller than most people and sticks out in the crowd. Though he does look almost exactly like his picture as he stands there with his arms crossed, staring at the bus with a blank expression on his face.
At the last moment, I think that I could stay on the bus and drive to the next town, get a different ticket, and shoot him an e-mail in a few days apologizing. Heck, maybe that's what I should do. But my dad taught me that when you give your word you follow through always. So, I stand up and gather my bag as I make my way to the front of the bus.
Though Bennett can't see into the bus because the windows are tinted, I can still see him and his eyes are glued to the door of the bus. Hesitating for just a moment, before I step out to meet him.
The moment our eyes lock, his expression softens and his arms drop. Slowly he makes his way over to me and offers a very forced smile.
"Willow," he says, but it's not a question
I simply nodded my head.
"Bags?" he asks.
Yet again I nod.
We walk over to where they're unloading bags from the extra storage area in the bus. When I see mine, I reach for it, but he places his hand on mine and stops me. Then, picking up my bag as if it weighs nothing, he places his arm around my back, carefully guiding me to the parking lot.
Even though he's slightly awkward, I find it absolutely adorable. Actually, it helps settle my nerves quite a bit. Then he guides me out to a truck that's obviously well-used and covered in dirt. When he opens the door, I find the inside clean, which is the exact opposite of what I was expecting.
He takes my bags and places them in the back and then helps me into my seat. Though he doesn't close the door until I'm buckled in. While he walks to his side, it gives me a minute to take a deep breath, and recenter myself.
"Ready to head home?" he asks once he is in his seat.
It may not feel like home, but I guess it is going to be my home. Isn’t it? Though it's hard to think of a place I've never seen before as home.
"Yes, I’ll be happy to get there." Then I give him as much of a smile as I can because he's been nothing shy of a perfect gentleman.