by Ruby Shae
“Leave him alone,” Tyler reprimanded. “When’s the wedding?”
“She’s staying in the hotel for two weeks. If we decide to wed, we’ll marry on Sunday, two weeks from today, and you’ll both be there wearing a suit and a smile,” he said, glaring at Trent.
“Whatever,” his brother said, rolling his eyes. He stood up and started limping toward the door, his cane tight in his grip. “I’m leaving.”
“Don’t ruin this for me, brother,” Travis called after him.
With his hand on the doorknob, Trent sighed and bowed his head, but he didn’t look back.
“I promise I’ll be on my best behavior,” he said, and then he opened the door and walked out.
Travis stared at the door, and listened as his brother slowly walked down the sidewalk to where his car was parked on the curb.
“Don’t worry about him. You know he’ll be good,” Tyler said.
“I know, I just wish he wasn’t so…,” he trailed off, unable to find the right word. Trent had a valid reason for being a grouch, but he feared his brother would never know happiness again. The thought saddened him.
“Yeah, me, too,” Tyler said.
“Okay, you have to go, too. I need to eat and finish my laundry.”
“You want me to drive over to the hotel and scope her out?” Tyler asked, raising his eyebrows.
“No! You stay away from there. I don’t want to make any judgments until I see her for myself.”
“I can’t believe you guys didn’t exchange photos first. What if you’re not attracted to her?” Tyler asked.
“I don’t think that will happen, but I’ll cross that bridge when—if—I get there.”
“I hope it goes well. Keep us posted.”
“Will do. See you tomorrow.”
“Later,” Tyler said.
After his brother started his truck and drove away, Travis took a deep breath and glanced around the room. He kept a clean house, but he’d still spent most of the day making sure things were perfect for Sabrina.
Sabrina.
The thought of her in his home made him smile, and he went to his desk to retrieve the reply she’d written. He hadn’t told his brothers, but her response to his ad had been the only one he’d received.
Luckily, he’d liked what she’d written.
Her note had touched him, and he’d wanted to respond immediately, but fear held him back. He’d made himself wait nearly two weeks so he could gauge his reaction to her words against those of the other responses. When they didn’t come, he felt fate had a hand in helping him find the one woman he could spend the rest of his life with.
I hope this isn’t a mistake!
It didn’t feel like one, but his desire to wed and start a family ran deep. He hoped he wasn’t putting too much stock into one letter. He pulled her response out of the drawer, and carefully unfolded it. She’d responded via email, but he’d printed and reread it several times over the past week.
Dear Bear Seeking Bride,
My name is Sabrina Parker and I am thirty years old, and a plus-sized, human woman. I decided to answer your ad because when I read it, I thought we might make a good match. I, too, make a modest living, so I’m used to living within my means, and I don’t have any outstanding debts. I’ve wanted to get married and start a family for a long time, but so far, I haven’t met anyone who I would like to spend the rest of my life with, or that I feel would stay committed to me. Honestly, I don’t know much about shifters, and I’ve never been to a shifter town, but I’m not afraid, nor shifter obsessed, and I’m willing to relocate if we decide to wed.
Whether or not you decide to take a chance on me, I wish you all the best.
Sabrina Parker
He refolded the note and put it back in the drawer.
Tyler’s offer to visit the hotel had been tempting, but he already felt like he had the advantage. Sabrina had driven a long way to see him, and he would uphold their agreement.
He glanced at his watch.
Only sixteen more hours until he met his future wife.
***
“I just don’t understand why he didn’t want to exchange photos,” Caroline said.
“He wants our first impressions to be based on real-life, not a photo,” Sabrina said, and pulled two more shirts out of her closet.
“The blue,” Dawn said, pointing to the turquoise, frilly tank top. “I get it, and it’s sweet in a retro kind of way, but I’d never do it. I’d hate to drive all the way out there and have him reject me to my face.”
Dawn looked away and Sabrina exchanged a look of concern with Caroline. Though the situation had been different, their friend knew what it felt like to be rejected based on her looks.
Caroline broke the heavy silence in the room, and Sabrina smiled at her, grateful for her quick thinking.
“Yeah, or you might have to reject him. What if he’s an ogre?” Caroline started stomping around the room, mimicking her version of an ogre. It apparently crossed with a rhyming giant. “Fiddle-di-dee…do you want to marry me?” She said in her best ogre-giant voice.
Hysterical laughter filled the room as they all pretended to be giant ogres. They stomped around her bedroom, chasing each other, until their stomachs hurt from laughing too much. They’d all collapsed on the bed and the friends continued to help her pack by voting on which articles of clothing they liked best.
Later that night, Sabrina lay in bed and did a mental inventory of her suitcase. She’d packed enough to last a little over a week, knowing she’d have to do laundry at some point. Shopping for a few new items had crossed her mind, but she wanted Travis to be accustomed to her usual attire, and she didn’t need new clothes.
Bear Canyon was warm year around, with cool evenings. In the fall and winter, the nighttime temperatures dropped lower, but even then she doubted she’d need more than a sweatshirt. She’d packed tanks, shorts, tees, jeans, a light sweater and her swimsuit. They were in the middle of June, and she figured if the opportunity arose, Travis might as well see what he was getting himself into. She might carry some extra weight, but she refused to hide her body, especially in the heat.
She rolled onto her side and adjusted her pillow again. Butterflies flew around in her stomach when she thought about the adventure awaiting her the following day. She had a long drive ahead of her, but as much as she needed her rest, she couldn’t sleep. Only a day and a half remained until they would be face to face, but it seemed like forever.
She smiled when she thought about his response.
Even though he had taken nearly two weeks to reply, she’d quickly forgiven him when he’d expressed his apologies and his desire to meet her. She’d connected to his ad, and had hoped he would feel the same when he read her note, but she knew how ridiculous it was to hope for some fairy tale connection. He was making the decision of a lifetime, not renting a movie.
He’d expressed interest in meeting her, and suggested she visit at his expense for two weeks. In that time, she could familiarize herself with the town, and they could get to know each other and decide if they were compatible.
He’d wanted to pick her up and drive her back to Bear Canyon, but she didn’t think an eight hour drive was the best way to start out a new relationship, or see your intended for the first time. As much as she would have liked to have known a familiar face her first night in town, she couldn’t see him until she looked her best. He’d requested breakfast, but she wasn’t much of a morning person, and had insisted on lunch.
A few emails later, they’d worked out a plan, and she felt she had a sense of the kind of man he was. He offered to pay her expenses, but didn’t throw a fit when she announced she’d pay for her own car rental. Safety being one of her concerns, she knew if the car were in her name, she’d have a better chance of using it if she needed to escape.
Lending her voice to the plans had been a tiny test, and he’d passed with flying colors. She didn’t want to marry a dictator who thought he would bend her
to his will, and instead they made plans together.
Caroline’s words crept into her mind and she wondered what he looked like. Again. From what little she knew about him, he seemed almost too good to be true and deep down she worried she might not be attracted to him. Or he wouldn’t be attracted to her.
What if he seeks out fat chicks and promises them marriage as some sort of elaborate prank?
She thought about Dawn and some her excitement dissipated. The world was full of mean, hateful people who didn’t care who they hurt with their antics. Could Travis be a fake, and nothing more than a creation by someone intent on hurting her?
He could be, but he could also be the man of her dreams. Until she had a reason to doubt him, she decided to focus on the positive. In two weeks she would either be coming home to lick her wounds and hide, or coming home to pack up her apartment and embark on her new life.
She couldn’t wait for the next chapter to begin.
Chapter Three
Sabrina had set her alarm for nine, and woke up a few minutes before the hour. She stretched and spread out, enjoying the softness of the sheets and the large, king-sized bed.
There were four hotels in Bear Canyon, but only one of them had a five-star rating and Travis had spared no expense when securing her stay.
When she’d checked in, the concierge briefed her on all the amenities the hotel had to offer, and informed her of the open tab on her account. She could order room service, raid the mini bar, or schedule an appointment with one of their skilled masseuses, and everything would be covered.
When she’d called Dawn and Caroline to let them know about her safe arrival, the two friends didn’t disappoint with their differing opinions.
“Take him for all he’s worth,” Caroline had said. “If he’s stupid enough to offer a woman he doesn’t know an open tab, then he deserves it.”
“Maybe he emptied out his savings account to impress you,” Dawn had said. “I’d feel too guilty spending his money to enjoy any of it.”
She understood both points of view, but she didn’t share them. The room itself was more than she’d expected, and she’d never been one to spend frivolously. As much as she appreciated his gesture, she wouldn’t take advantage of him, but she wouldn’t feel guilty either.
She wasn’t responsible for his choices, but it would be wise to watch his spending habits and see if she noticed any red flags. She didn’t expect a man to pay for everything, but she did want someone who could take care of her and their family if they had one.
Even though she didn’t take advantage of the extras, she did enjoy the room. It was decorated in subtle earth tones with gold accents, and the sheets and towels were soft, Egyptian cotton. She’d never had a luxury sheet set, and decided it was something she needed to invest in. She’d been wired and nervous about the following day when she’d arrived, but she’d fallen asleep instantly and slept better than she had in a long time.
Suddenly, the alarm went off, filling the room with its annoying beeps, and forced her out of bed. She cursed as she crossed the room to shut it off, a trick she’d learned years ago after sleeping through her alarm one time too many. She jumped in the shower, brushed her teeth and dressed quickly in a pair of jeans and t-shirt. She ran a quick brush through her hair and rode the elevator down to the lobby.
There was a popular chain coffee shop attached to the side of the hotel, and she walked over to get a large coffee and a muffin to hold her over until her lunch date.
As she glanced around at the patrons in the shop, and the passersby on the street, her only clue to being in a town dominated by shifters was the ratio of men to women. Though the men seemed to highly populate every venue, she didn’t feel self-conscious, or as if she were being gawked at. In fact, aside from being overly polite, everyone seemed to mind their own business.
Yesterday, on her way to Bear Canyon, she’d pulled off the freeway and stopped for gas on the outskirts of the nearest city. She’d been frightened when a van pulled up to the pump on the other side of hers and blocked her view of the attendant inside the store. She’d finished pumping her gas, got into her car, and drove away without the printed receipt because she didn’t want to stay near the van for one more minute.
A few miles later, when she’d taken the exit that would lead her down the hill and into Bear Canyon, a sense of peace filled her. She’d seen several grizzlies on the side of the road, and a few roaming the sidewalks when she arrived in the center of town, but instead of feeling afraid, or the desire to run, she felt as if she somehow belonged. It was as if she’d finally found where she was meant to be.
The previous night, she’d brushed off the feelings of happiness, and chalked them up to excessive excitement. The possibility of getting married, combined with relocating, had her bouncing off the walls. She knew she’d need to look at the bigger picture after she actually met Travis, and rested.
She still hadn’t met her groom, but after a good night’s sleep, and a few sips of coffee, she delighted in feeling the same way about the town.
Bear Canyon felt like home.
She wanted to go exploring and see more, but the possibility of running into Travis, or someone he knew, plagued her. She paid for her coffee and muffin and retreated back to her room.
Sabrina forced down the muffin, gulped down the coffee and the proceeded to get ready for her date.
A little over an hour later, she’d showered again, washed her hair, shaved her legs, painted her toenails and applied lotion to every part of skin she could reach. She’d dressed in a fresh pair of jeans and paired them with a glittery, dark pink tank top. The color accented her chestnut hair and brown eyes. She styled her hair with the ease of an expert and finished the outfit with a pair of black, sequined flip-flops.
She looked in the mirror and smiled as she applied a light layer of lip balm. She’d never been a fan of make-up, and hoped Travis didn’t expect to meet someone like the girl Simon had cheated with.
Her tiny black purse consisted of her phone, wallet, hotel room and car keys and lip balm. She glanced at her phone, noted the time, and took a deep breath to slow her rapidly beating heart.
Seconds later, a knock sounded at the door.
She took another deep breath and answered it.
***
Travis took a deep breath and knocked on the hotel room door. He noticed there wasn’t a peephole in the wood, which surprised him, but he liked that Sabrina wouldn’t get to see him first.
She opened the door and he forgot to breathe.
A goddess with wavy, chestnut hair and light brown eyes stood before him. She wore a pink tank top that hugged her generous curves and accentuated her ample breasts. She stood about six inches shorter than his six feet, two inch frame, and her toenails were painted hot pink to match her top.
She smiled up at him, and he faltered. If he were picking his wife based on looks alone, he’d chose her and never look back. His cock hardened as he thought about all the ways they could get to know each other in the bedroom, and he cleared his throat and thought about the sour milk he’d smelled in his refrigerator yesterday.
The thought crossed his mind that she might not be his, and he realized he needed to say something to break the ice.
“Hi, I’m Travis. Travis Mallory. Are you Sabrina?”
“Hi Travis,” she said, offering her hand. “I’m Sabrina Parker. It’s nice to meet you.”
He placed his hand in hers and warmth spread up his arm and raced down his spine. He felt his cock start to harden again, and the desire to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless rode him hard. He didn’t think she’d appreciate the gesture, and he wanted to make a good impression, so he dropped her hand and took a step back.
The extra distance didn’t help, and her smile fell, signaling she’d mistaken his actions.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Yes, everything is great. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes, I’m ready.”
They walked down the hall in silence and he knew he’d fucked up. In an effort dampen his blazing lust, he’d given Sabrina the wrong impression and silently convinced her he was disappointed in her physical appearance.
As they waited for the elevator doors to open, he glanced at her reflection in the shiny gold doors. Her eyes were cast downward and she fiddled with the strap of the handbag she held in front of her with both hands.
He racked his brain for something to say, some way to make things right, but he felt lost. He could feel the distance between them growing, and he knew he had to do something before they sat down for lunch, or they’d never get below the surface and really get to know each other.
The elevator seemed to take a lifetime to reach their floor, and after several minutes, she took a deep breath and broke the silence.
“Is Monday a normal day off for you?” she asked.
Her smile was back, but it didn’t light up her face the way he’d seen when she’d greeted him at the door. He wanted to see that smile again, and vowed to make it happen before they sat down to lunch.
“No. I work Monday through Friday and have weekends off,” he explained. “I actually went to work today, but I stayed in the office, and then left early for our date. I knew if I stayed home, I’d drive myself crazy waiting to meet you.”
“Oh. I slept in until nine, and then I took my time getting ready. The room is wonderful, by the way, thank you for booking something so luxurious.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it.”
He liked that she simply accepted his choice and thanked him without criticism.
Finally, the elevator dinged and the doors slowly opened.
Sabrina entered the box first and stood against the back wall. He followed her inside and pressed the button for the lobby. They were alone, and when the doors closed, he ignored all rational thought and pushed the emergency stop button.