The Maverick's Bride-To-Order

As she began to read the mushy lines, pleading for a chance to become Zach’s bride, she promised herself that someday she would meet a man who would love her just for being her and no other reason. And until that day happened, she wasn’t going to fret about Zach Dalton and his endless female admirers.

* * *

As soon as Zach had finished his allotted share of the morning chores on the Circle D, he didn’t bother changing clothes. He jumped in his truck just as he was and drove straight to Rust Creek Falls and the Gazette office.

When he stepped through the door, a bell above his head jangled and he looked across the wide space to where Lydia Grant’s desk was situated. At the moment she was busy with a customer. A tall, older man with a bald head and an unlit cigar protruding from the corner of his mouth.

“This will take care of it, Mr. Tuttle. Your subscription is paid up for two years and will be delivered to your post office box.”

“You don’t plan on going up on the price between now and then, do you? I don’t want to have to come back in here and give you more money,” the man said bluntly. “I’m getting sick and tired of all the businesses around town going up on prices. They like to use the flood as an excuse, but if you ask me, it’s just downright greed.”

Zach didn’t know how Lydia did it, but she gave the customer a bright, easy smile. “Don’t worry, Mr. Tuttle. Once your subscription is paid in advance, that’s it. You won’t be charged more.”

“Darned good thing,” he muttered, then snatched the receipt from her hand.

As he stalked toward the door, Lydia called out cheerfully, “Thank you, Mr. Tuttle. And be sure to tell your lovely wife hello.”

The customer acknowledged her with a faint grunt before he walked out the door. As Zach watched him go, it was all he could do not to grab him up by the collar and toss him onto the sidewalk. But Zach was a gentleman and had been taught to respect his elders, no matter how rude they chose to be.

When the door closed behind the man, Zach sauntered over to her desk.

“Nice guy,” he said with wry sarcasm.

She laughed. “If he didn’t have something bad to say, he’d be silent. How his wife deals with him is a mystery to me.” She leaned back in her chair and gave him a bright smile. “So how is your day going? Ready for your mail?”

Zach felt his cheeks go warm. Even though he believed in what he was doing, there was something about Lydia that made him question his strategy. “That’s why I stopped by. To see if anyone had replied to the ad.”

She gestured toward the hard plastic chair in front of her desk. “Have a seat and I’ll grab everything for you.”

Zach eased his lanky frame into the chair and watched her walk over to a row of file cabinets lined against the back wall. Today she was dressed basically the same as yesterday, he noted as his gaze swept up and down her sexy figure. The only difference today was an army-green vest zipped over her white T-shirt.

“I’ve printed out all the emails that have come in so far, but since I’ve not looked in the past hour, there could be more. And you’ll also find a few letters that were hand delivered here to the office.” She placed a stack of correspondence in front of him. “That should give you a good start on your endeavor.”

Zach was amazed. “All of this stuff? It’s only been one day! I wasn’t expecting this sort of reaction.”

Her blue eyes twinkled with something like comical disbelief. “Are you for real?”

“Excuse me?”

Shaking her head, she said, “Sorry. I—Well, I’m getting the idea that you’re not prepared for what you’re getting into. When it comes to eligible bachelors around here, women are piranhas. I’m fairly certain you’re going to be swarmed with hopeful females.”

His gaze dropped to the stack of correspondence. From the looks of it, Lydia could be right. But he felt certain he could filter through them in an intelligent way until he landed on the woman of his dreams. “I think I can handle it.”

She started to say something when a tall redhead somewhere in her early thirties appeared through the open doorway leading to the back of the office building.

“Sorry I’m a little late, Lydia. Tack on another ten minutes to your lunch hour. I’ll handle things here.”

The woman acknowledged Zach with a nod of her head, then suddenly seeming to recognize him, she walked over and offered her hand.

“You’re the one! The man advertising for a wife!”

Zach shook her hand. “That’s right. I’m Zach Dalton.”

“I’m Jolene Sanders. I work in Proofing. I just want to tell you I think it’s great to finally see a man being honest about what he wants in a woman before he ever ties the knot.”

Behind Jolene’s shoulder, he could see Lydia rolling her eyes.

“Are you married, Ms. Sanders?”

She smirked. “Divorced. That’s why I like your style. I only wished I’d known what was on my ex’s mind before I ever married him. The wedding would’ve never taken place.”

Lydia lifted a lightweight jacket off a standing coatrack. After tossing it over her arm, she stepped around the desk.

“I’m off. See you in an hour,” she said to Jolene, then cast Zach a perky smile. “Nice to see you again, Zach. Happy hunting to you.”

She started out the front door, and before Zach realized his own intentions, he grabbed up the pile of correspondence and hurried after her.

“Lydia! Wait up!”

She paused on the sidewalk and looked back at him. “Did you need something else?” she called out.

He needed his head examined. That was what he needed. But he’d worry about that later.

Trotting up to her, he tried not to stutter. “I, uh, overheard you say you’re going to lunch.”

“That’s right. I usually go at twelve. Someone has to take over the front desk while I’m away. And Jolene would rather eat later.”

The bright sunshine gave her skin a golden sort of glow and made her blue eyes sparkle even more. The evocative scent he’d noticed the first day he’d met her drifted around him like a warm, hazy day. Zach didn’t understand it, but something about her just naturally perked his spirits. And since the wildfire, his mother’s death and the family’s move here to Rust Creek Falls, he needed to grab what little pleasures he could find.

“I see. Well, would you like some company? I’ve not eaten since very early this morning. A hamburger would sure go down good right about now.”

Surprise flickered across her face and then she happily looped her arm through his. “A burger sounds great to me. There’s a nice little place just around the block,” she said, pointing behind them to a side street that crossed Main.

“Works for me. My truck is parked right down here. I’ll lock my mail in the cab and we’ll be on our way.”

The weather had turned cooler overnight, and as they walked, Zach helped her into the jacket she’d carried. The leaves on the trees growing out of dirt squares in the sidewalk were beginning to turn to shades of yellow and red. In the far distance the mountain peaks were still shaded in green, but it wouldn’t be long before white caps of snow would remind everyone of the long winter months to come.

“It’s cool today, but beautiful,” she exclaimed as her jaunty walk kept up with his longer strides. “I love this time of year. When the air turns brisk and the fall is just around the corner. I start getting visions of hot chocolate and pumpkin pie. Not necessarily together, that is.”

“Are you a good cook?” She was still holding on to his arm as though it was a natural thing and Zach realized he liked her easy manner. A man wouldn’t have to pretend to be perfect around this woman, he decided.

“Are you interviewing me as a candidate for your wife?” she asked with a saucy laugh.

Zach felt himself blushing. He would never see Lydia as wife material. Not when she was the absolute opposite of the kind of woman he wanted. “No. Just curious.”

“Okay, Mr. Curious. I can’t cook. But I can open cans and pop things into the microwave.”

She obviously didn’t wear pretty lace or have straight hair, either. But that hardly mattered to Zach. He wasn’t taking her out for a hamburger because he wanted to marry her. He simply wanted a bit of company for lunch.

“That’s about all I can do, too,” he said. “So we’re even with the cooking.”

Laughing, she said, “Yes, but we don’t have much else in common. In fact, you’re not like anyone I’ve ever been friends with.”

He glanced down at her. ”I don’t think I’ve known anybody quite like you, either. But we do have one thing in common and that’s The Rust Creek Falls Gazette. I need the newspaper to help me find a wife. And it’s your job to sell ads. So we’re helping each other.”

“Hmm. You’re right. Finding you a wife is our common ground. Let’s hope we succeed.”

He grinned at her. “Right now I’d be happy to get a good lunch.”

She chuckled. “I might not be able to find you a wife, or even cook, but I can promise you a good meal. Follow me.”

Chapter Three

A short distance down the next street, Lydia guided him to a stop in front of a redbrick building with the words Gold Rush Diner painted on the plate glass front.

“Here we are. It’s small, but good,” she promised.

“Where did the name Gold Rush come from? Was gold ever taken out of this area?”

“Not that I’m aware of. But I suppose anything might have happened back in the eighteen hundreds before the area was settled. Why do you ask? Are you thinking about prospecting for gold?” she asked impishly.

“The only thing I’m searching for is a wife,” he told her. “And hopefully, that’ll be easier than finding a vein of gold.”

Zach opened the door and above their heads the rattle of a cowbell announced their arrival.

Several of the red vinyl booths were already taken with early lunch diners, but they managed to find one in the back of the room, not far from the kitchen.

As Lydia settled herself on the bench seat and removed her coat, she could feel several sets of eyes turning in their direction. No doubt some of them had recognized Zach from the classified ad and were curious about him. Others were probably wondering what a plain Jane like her was doing with a walking dream like him.

Lydia was wondering the same thing.

When Zach had approached her on the sidewalk, the last thing she’d been expecting was for him to ask her to lunch. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. She only knew it would be foolish to think it might mean more than a friendly offer.

Zach sniffed as he removed his hat and placed it next to him on the seat. “Something smells good.”

Lydia chuckled. “I think that’s called fried food.”

He grinned and Lydia’s heart fluttered in spite of herself.

“Why is it that the things we want the most are the things that are bad for us?” he asked.

He was a prime example of one of those bad things, Lydia thought. Just sitting there with him was messing with her mind and making her heart do ridiculous acrobatics.

“I don’t know. But if I could figure it out, I might be able to stop my chocolate habit.” Resting her forearms on the edge of the table, she leaned slightly toward him. “So tell me—what did your family think about your ad?”

He shrugged. “Well, after they ribbed me about it, my brothers mostly thought it was ingenious. Unfortunately my dad didn’t see it that way. He’s rather disappointed in my strategy to find a wife. I’m hoping as time goes by he’ll quit lecturing and mellow about the idea.”

She could see that his father’s lack of support troubled him. Lydia could only wonder what it was like to have a father who even bothered to pick up the phone and say hello or drop a birthday card in the mail. At least Zach’s father cared enough to voice an opinion on his son’s future.

“I imagine he wants you to take the customary route,” she suggested.

A frown pulled his dark brows together, and as Lydia’s gaze slid over his handsome face, she figured there were already countless females who’d been sighing over his photo and plotting to become his wife. Poor guy, he was in for a bumpy ride. Unless this business of searching for a wife was just a ruse to create a dating pool for himself.

No. Lydia didn’t want to think Zach was that calculating. As far as she could tell, there didn’t seem to be a conniving bone in his body. But, according to her mother, every man had his own selfish agenda.

“Right,” Zach said with an emphatic nod. “But I’m twenty-seven. I’ve been dating ever since high school and not one woman has ever felt like she was the perfect fit for me. Frankly, I’m tired of waiting.”

Lydia was a year older than him and still single, but she wasn’t pushing the panic button. Yet.

She was about to tell him that being in a hurry might not be wise, but before she could think how to word it in a sensitive way, a young, wiggly waitress with long black hair approached their booth.

Her entire attention on Zach, the woman placed two menus onto the table. Flashing a suggestive grin at him, she said, “Hi. How’s it going?”

He smiled back at the waitress and Lydia wondered what he was thinking about all that long, straight hair. Maybe he was getting the idea that the tight apron she was wearing meant she was great in the kitchen. Or the bed. Either thought made Lydia a little sick to her stomach.

“It’ll be going great as soon as we can get our lunch,” Lydia spoke up.

The waitress shot her an annoyed look before settling a dreamy-eyed stare on Zach. “Aren’t you the guy in the newspaper? The one taking applications for a wife?”

His face a little red, Zach shifted around on the seat. “I’m the guy,” he admitted. “But the application part—I wouldn’t exactly put it that way.”

“He’s taking résumés,” Lydia said, hoping her cheery smile didn’t look as phony as it felt. “And the one that has all the right answers wins the prize.”

“Oh,” the waitress mumbled uncertainly. “I’m not good at résumés.”

Zach shot an annoyed look at Lydia, then said to the waitress, “That’s not my intention. I’m just trying to find a girl that suits me.”

“Then I think it’s awesome,” she gushed. “Like the TV show where the bachelor picks his love from a group of ladies.”

Zach and Lydia exchanged amused glances.

“If you want to think of it that way,” Zach said a bit awkwardly.

Thankfully, the waitress suddenly remembered why she was at their table and pulled an order pad out of a pocket on her uniform. “So what would you two like to drink?”

They both ordered iced tea, and after the young woman hurried away, Lydia shook her head. “I’m sorry, Zach. I shouldn’t have said that about the résumés. I wasn’t really making light of your...effort. It’s just that she was so—”

She broke off and with a sly smile Zach finished for her. “Obvious?”

Lydia expelled a long breath while wishing she could kick herself. “Yes. That’s what I was trying to say. I hope you’re not angry with me.”

His chuckle filled her with relief.

“Forget it. I’m not offended. But I am curious. Is that really the way you see my endeavor? That I’m looking at the whole thing like a job interview?”

It was all Lydia could do to keep from squirming. “Well, to be honest, it rather looks that way. But from the little time we’ve spent together, I get the impression you won’t marry a woman unless you’re wildly in love with her. And that’s all that matters.”

His lips spread in a wry smile and Lydia found her gaze focusing on the dimple carving his cheek and the way his white teeth glinted against his tanned skin.

He started to make some sort of reply, when the waitress returned with their drinks. As Lydia watched her write down their orders, she wondered how the young woman could possibly know what she was scrawling across the pad. Not with her ogling gaze never leaving Zach’s face.

“We’ll have these orders right out, Mr. Dalton.” Playfully wrinkling her nose, she let out a nervous giggle. “And if there’s anything else you need, I’ll be happy to get it for you.”

As the waitress walked away, Lydia had to stop herself from groaning and laughing. As for Zach, he seemed unaffected by the flirtatious behavior of the waitress, which made her wonder if she’d underestimated this man. Maybe he wasn’t nearly as gullible to the wiles of women as she’d first believed.

He looked across the table at Lydia and smiled. “Now, where were we?” he asked. “I believe you were saying something about me needing to be wildly in love before I picked a wife. Tell me, Lydia, have you ever been wildly in love?”

She didn’t know why, but the question brought a stinging heat to her cheeks. “Uh, no. Not that I remember. When I was about twenty years old, I had a crush on a bull rider.”

His jaw dropped. “A bull rider? You don’t seem the sort to go for that kind of guy.”

Laughing, she shrugged. “Well, he had the swagger in his walk and wore his hair a bit too long to be conventional. And guys just naturally look sexy in a pair of spurs.”

“What happened?”

This time her short laugh was brittle. “Nothing. He never knew I existed.”

“Hmm. What about high school? All girls at that age think they’re in love, don’t they?”

She shook her head. “Not me. There wasn’t really any guy I could hang my starry gaze upon. You see, back then I was a little plump and my complexion was a mess. The only thing I didn’t have was braces. But that was only because my mom couldn’t afford them.” She gave him a wide enough smile to expose her teeth. “See, my right front tooth has a tiny lap over the left one. But it doesn’t bother me. None of us are perfect, right?”

“Not at all.” He leaned closer, his eyes focused on her mouth. “And I happen to think your teeth look natural and nice.”

She was an idiot for letting his words thrill her. He was simply giving her a friend’s opinion. But it wasn’t often a man like Zach Dalton ever bothered to give her a compliment and the feeling was empowering.

“Thank you.”

He took a long drink from his glass, while she peeled a straw and jammed it into her iced tea.

“Tell me if I’m being too personal, but are you hoping to get married? Have children?”

Even though they shouldn’t have, the questions stung. Still, she mustered a casual voice. “Oh, back in those days of the bull rider—when I was twenty and everything about life looked fresh and wonderful—I dreamed of having a family. I expect most women do. But it just never happened. Now that I’m older, I suppose I’ve quit thinking so much about it. Someday I might find that perfect guy. But until then I’m content to stay busy at the Gazette.”

His gaze scanned her face and Lydia wondered what it would be like to have him look at her with love shining in his eyes. Would any man ever look at her with such devotion? He’d be faking it if he did. That was what her mother would say.

He tossed her a teasing grin. “So you’re not thinking about advertising for a husband?”

She laughed. “I think I’ll wait and see how things work out for you before I go that route.”

He rested his broad shoulders against the back of the booth. “I’m sure you’ve heard about my cousin Travis getting on reality TV.”

“Oh sure. Everyone in town has been talking about The Great Roundup! I haven’t missed an episode. It’s so fun watching people I know on TV.”

“I’ve been watching the episodes at the Ace in the Hole,” he said. “I have to admit it seems a bit surreal seeing Travis on TV. But so far he’s hanging strong with the competition.”

“I’m excited to see how the contest unfolds. Things are getting a bit nasty with some of the contestants. I hope Travis and Brenna are on the lookout for saboteurs among the group. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of them might go as far as to cut cinch straps on saddles or deliberately spook a contestant’s horse.”

He nodded. “My same thoughts. Last week when that big burly cowboy with the handlebar mustache got bucked off his mount, I wondered if someone might have planted a burr or something sharp beneath his saddle pad. Some folks will do anything for money. Especially the prize of a cool million dollars.”

“Sad, but true,” she said, then offered him a bright smile. “But Travis is a tough guy. He might just be the one bringing the million dollars home. And a new wife, too. I think everyone was a little shocked over his sudden proposal to Brenna O’Reilly.”

Frowning, he picked up his tea glass. “I doubt anyone was more shocked than me,” he admitted. “Proposing marriage isn’t something a guy should do on impulse. But then Travis always was the reckless sort. I only hope he hasn’t set himself up for a miserable fall.”

“Well, from what I’ve seen on The Great Roundup, I get the sense there’s a real connection between him and Brenna. That’s the important thing.”

“Lust or love. With my cousin, who knows? I’m still trying to figure out if his proposal to Brenna was real or just a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

Lydia tapped her fingers against the tabletop as she mentally weighed Zach’s comments. “So you don’t believe picking a wife from a newspaper ad is impulsive?”

Thankfully, he wasn’t offended by her question. Instead, the faint grin on his face said he found it amusing. “I haven’t proposed yet, Lydia. Whenever I do, it will be after a lot of careful consideration.”

He sounded like a man weighing the appeal of a bologna sandwich against a rib eye steak. If he was truly in love, he shouldn’t need to “consider” anything, Lydia thought. His heart would know who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But that wasn’t her worry.

To her relief, the waitress suddenly arrived with their meals, and the interruption allowed their conversation to move away from love and marriage.

Once the flirty waitress made certain Zach had everything he needed, she left them to enjoy their burgers and fries.

“Mmm. This tastes great,” Zach exclaimed after he’d swallowed a hefty bite of the thick burger. “I’ll have to remember this place.”

“I’m glad you approve. Being close to the Gazette makes it easy for me,” Lydia said. “I can walk here.”

“How long have you worked for the newspaper?”

“About six years. When I applied for the job, I didn’t have much experience. Actually, the only experience I had was the work I’d done on the college newspaper. But at that time, the boss of the Gazette was nice enough to take a chance on me. Since then I’ve worked my way up to assistant manager. My main job is graphic design and I also do the cartooning for the paper, along with anything else that needs to be done. Like taking classified ads, answering the phone and—”

“Fixing the plumbing,” he finished for her.

Surprised that he remembered, she chuckled. “That’s right. I do know how to handle a crescent wrench.”

His eyes sparkled. “I’ll try to remember not to make you angry. A woman that can handle a crescent wrench can be dangerous.”

Laughing softly, she dipped a french fry into a pool of ketchup. “Don’t worry. I can hardly bring myself to swat a fly.”

* * *

By the time Zach and Lydia finished the meal, her lunch hour was nearing its end. After taking care of the bill, Zach walked her back to the Gazette, then drove straight to the Circle D.

As soon as he parked his truck near the barn, he spotted his brother Cole pushing a wheelbarrow filled with horse manure and dirty shavings toward a pile of compost.

Expecting he was going to catch hell for being gone part of the morning, Zach left the vehicle and walked over to his brother.

“What’s going on? Cleaning horse stalls?”

“Where have you been?” Cole demanded. “Have you forgotten there’s work to be done around here? Yeah, I’m cleaning stalls—all by myself, I might add. Shawn and Booker took off on horseback to go round up a bull. He crashed through a fence at the back of the property. So that leaves me and you to finish the dirty chores here in the ranch yard.”

“Sorry,” Zach apologized. “I had to go into town.”