Accidental Mail Order Bride by J. S. Cooper

City girl in Montana looking for her Romeo…

Sounds like the start to a Hallmark movie right? Well, it would if they had movies about idiot women flying across the country to marry a man they’d never met.

Yup, that’s what I did. I responded to an ad in a random newspaper that I found on the train. And now I’m trying to find Horseshoe Ranch so that I can marry some cowboy I’ve never even seen. And no, this isn’t the 1800’s. I’m just desperate.

To make matters worse, the cowboy doesn’t even know I’m coming. His mom and dad arranged it all. The only reason I’m going is because I have $100 to my name and an old mafia boyfriend after me. I figured life couldn’t get any worse in Montana. I was wrong.

In my excitement, I left the address and phone number to the ranch at home, so now I’m here in Montana and I have no idea where I’m supposed to go. So I took a taxi and stopped at a local bar to ask for directions. And that’s when all my problems began.

Excerpt Accidental Mail Order Bride by J. S. Cooper

Beau sat down on the chair next to me and looked at me. “So, Lucy Kensington, what are you doing here in Montana?”
I gave him a small smile, not really sure what to say. He obviously wasn’t going to let it go. “You remember my full name?”
“Well, of course,” he laughed. “Who would forget your name? You’re beautiful.”
“Wow, thank you.” I was surprised at the compliment.
“I’m sure you know you’re beautiful, especially if you’re from New York City.”
“Well, why do you say that”?
“I just mean that even in a city as big as New York City, I’m sure you’re considered beautiful. What brought you out here to Montana?” he asked again.
“Wow, you really want to know badly.”
“I guess we just don’t get many visitors, and I’ve never heard of you before.” He shrugged. “I’m just curious.”
“I’m an old friend of your mom’s,” I didn’t like lying, but I couldn’t really say, I’m actually here to marry you. How’d you feel about that?
“Oh, I thought I knew all my mom’s friends.” He looked surprised. “How do you guys know each other?”
“Oh, well we go way back.” And if “way back” meant one month, then so be it.
“Way back, huh? Don’t tell me you’re my mom’s age, and you just had really good plastic surgery or something?”
“Well, hey, I didn’t want to say.” I laughed. “So, you think I look young, huh?”
“Well, you certainly don’t look my mom’s age.”
“No, I’m not your mom’s age, obviously. I’m just a younger friend of hers.”
“Hmm, do you have friends who are younger?”
“Do I have friends that are younger than me? Yeah.”
“When I say they’re younger than you, I mean, by a couple of years, not by a couple of decades.”
“Well, I don’t like to be ageist or anything.”
“What’s your story, Lucy Kensington?”
“I don’t have a story. I don’t even know what you mean.”
“You’re giving me that innocent little face, aren’t you?” He shook his head. “I’m going to get the story out of you one way or another. I know, there’s more to this than you’re letting on.”
“I don’t know what you mean. I mean, I’m just …” And then I paused because I heard more voices and they didn’t sound familiar. “Oh, I think maybe some of your other brothers are home now.”
“Probably. You know, there are seven of us, right?”
“Of course, Amelia told me.” Five minutes ago, I was thinking in my head.