Mountain Man's Bride

by Lauren Wood

  “Like I said, I had no other choice.”

  Annie remained quiet. For the first time, contemplating the proper response. “Where did you get that idea?”

  “From them. Now I guess you can say that we are even.” He smirked, holding Annie for another day.

  THE END

  LAUREN WOOD SNEAK PEEKS

  MOUNTAIN MAN’S BEAUTY - SNEAK PEAK

  PREVIEWS

  A MOUNTAIN MAN ROMANCE

  Chapter 1

  Merle

  Getting a ride the last part of the journey was easier said than done. I had several offers but they were from sketchy people and I was sure that I would be found next year when the snows melted in some far off place by hunters.

  I finally found a female that was going to Nome and I was lucky enough to talk her into letting me tag along. I had a couple of duffel bags with all of my equipment in it, so I had to toss those in the back of the truck and get in. It was a couple of hours and that gave me time to learn more about the place where I was headed. Molly was an older woman and she liked to talk. I got a basic tour of everywhere we passed by and when we got to our destination, I felt like I had actually learned quite a bit. She would have been perfect to do tours. It was like Molly was made for it.

  “Well good luck Merle. I hear that the diving out there right now is dangerous. Have you ever done it before?”

  I told her that I had, just not with the cold that was Nome, Alaska right now. It was easy to see how it was dangerous, but I’d always wanted to dive for gold. It was literally just sitting on the bottom of the ocean and I wanted to go scoop it up. This was to be how I paid for my last year of school. I came up here with high hopes and a name that I was supposed to contact when I got here.

  At the moment I was outside of a small bar that had drink specials on a board. I wasn’t here for a drink, but directions. Molly hadn’t known the man I was looking for. His name was Kevin and that made me nervous that she didn’t know him. Everyone kind of knew everyone in places like Nome and I wasn’t sure what that meant for the man who had a rig and was supposed to hire me. I had come a long ways and I didn’t even want to think about the idea that I was not going to have a contact here. The season was already in full swing and it might be hard to pick up some work now. I certainly wouldn’t get the good percentages that I was promised before by Kevin.

  When I made my way in, it was hard to see because it was so dark in the interior. I had to go slow and let my eyes adjust to the new surroundings before I was able to start noticing faces and trying to find the one face that I was there for. Kevin told me to meet him here. He said he was here if he wasn’t on the rig. Now I was sure that it was a dead end, but I went up to the bar and waited for the bartender to make his way to me.

  The bushy-haired man’s eyes matched the brown hair on top of his head. He looked like he was fresh from electrocution and I had to look away before the smile on my face got bigger. It wasn’t a good way to start the day. Of that I was sure and I straightened up enough so that I could ask about Kevin. I half figured that the bartender wouldn’t know who I was talking about and I was going to be stuck here with no real direction of what to do next. I didn’t have a plan in place and I was nervous now. It had been a big leap of faith, I knew that, but maybe it was bigger than I would have imagined.

  “Oh Kevin Leer. You must be talking about that newbie that came down. He says he is going to make his fortune on the gold here, but I don’t think he will. He is usually held up in that back booth, shooting the shit with someone, but he is out on the water today.”

  I was worried that he had found someone else to take my place and I wasn’t going to be wanted or needed when it comes down to it. I was so afraid of him picking a local that had more experience than taking a chance on me. I knew that I had what it took, but as I had never dove in these conditions before, I know there was a question of if I was going to be able to do it or not.

  “Do you know where I could find him?”

  The bartender gave me direction, but told me that I had most likely missed Kevin. If he was sober before noon, he would be out on the water early. It was sounding like he liked to take his gold and melt it down for cash pretty quickly and once he had ran out, it was time to go out and get some more. I wasn’t sure if I was comfortable with that arrangement, but I just needed a chance. If I could have a few good dives, there is a possibility that I could find a spot with another captain and boat.

  So I made my way down to the shoreline. He was in walking distance from what the bartender told me. I just had to find the boat, Second Chances. It was a name that sounded about right for Kevin. He was fresh from a divorce and after losing everything in the divorce, he planned to get his money back by picking it up off the sea floor. It was one hell of a gamble, but it was the same one that brought me here so I knew the chances too, yet here I was, gambling it all.

  I walked down the dockside and saw hundreds of boats of all shapes and sizes. It looked like about half of them were set up to gold mine and I started to get excited. It was strange to realize that I was finally here and I had a feeling that I was going to find my fortune out here as well. It may have been misplaced, but I was starting to have hope again. I just had to find Kevin and I was sure that I was going to get what I came here for.

  Chapter 2

  Merle

  “Hey are you looking for me?”

  I turned around, hoping that it was Kevin, but it wasn’t and my face must have showed my disappointment.

  “Not used to that sort of reaction.”

  “Sorry, I thought you were Kevin. I have been waiting out here for quite some time. His boat is here, but Kevin is nowhere to be seen.”

  “He is most likely passed out in there the whole time. He must not have been sober enough to get it started. That pull start can be a bitch. Do you want me to check and see if he is in there for you?”

  I looked to the rigged up boat in front of me and I knew that if what he said was true, I was going to be pissed. I had been waiting for quite some time for this guy and if he was in the boat the whole time, I knew that I was going to be pissed. I was freezing and I didn’t have to wait this long, yeah I was going to be mad that I hadn’t thought to check.

  The man that had walked up and asked if I was looking for him was studying my face.

  “You are new around here, huh?”

  I told him that I was. It was a small town and I was sure that everyone would know that I was new here soon enough.

  “Yeah, just got in this afternoon and I have been looking for Kevin ever since. I have a job with him, but I haven’t made contact yet. Would you mind checking the boat? I don’t know if barging in on him with me being new and all is a good idea.”

  “Sure, Kevin is a bear in the morning, but you just ignore him and he is fine after he gets some coffee in him.”

  “Well thanks for the heads up. I am starting to worry that I hitched my wagon to the wrong boat. Is he doing any good this year?”

  The man that introduced himself as Charlie grinned and then shrugged a little. “When he is sober, he does well. Always have someone else on deck to keep you safe while you are down there. Don’t trust Kevin to do it for you. And I think he is going to have a field day with a pretty thing like you. Does he know what you look like?”

  I thought that was a weird question and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to take that as a compliment or not. It was hard to tell and I wasn’t sure which was to go about it. Charlie had a disabling smile that I was trying hard to ignore, but in a way I didn’t want to. It had been so long since I had flirted with a guy that I had just met and in Nome no less. I hadn’t saw that coming.

  “No, I don’t think so. I mean, I didn’t put my face on the resume.”

  He just shook his head. “Well I doubt he is going to be able to talk around you. We don’t get many women that look like you out here. What are you supposed to be doing?”

  “Diving.”

  He looked at me a
s if he didn’t believe me and that bothered me a little bit. I knew that it was going to be an uphill battle with the area men, but I wasn’t ready for it like I thought I would be. It was a shame that just because I was a woman I was going to have to prove myself, but it wasn’t anything that I hadn’t saw coming nonetheless.

  “Yeah, diving.”

  “Well I can’t say that I have seen someone your size diving. The equipment is rather heavy.”

  I tried not to sigh too loudly. He was trying to be helpful, but he wasn’t being very helpful in my eyes.

  “Yeah I have done it before, so I am sure I will be okay. Do you work out on the boats?”

  “I have a couple out there right now, but I don’t dive anymore. It is easier to get the young ones like you to do it so I don’t have to break my back getting out there every morning. I was thinking that they should be back by now, but it looked like I have a little time on my hands. Seems to be good luck.”

  “Well I would appreciate any help you can give me in locating Kevin. I just want to get my things put up and find a bed for the night.”

  “There are a couple of places in town that will take boarders. Some people live in tents and yurts down on the beach. Even though the weather is nice, I wouldn’t recommend that route for you. It can be a dangerous place for women on their own.”

  “Yeah that’s what I hear. I think that most of the people that know I came up here think that I’m going to get attacked by a local or a bear.”

  “It happens.”

  He left it like that and I felt a little ominous in the way that he was being so serious. There wasn’t a smile on his face or anything else. He couldn’t be for real, right? I mean, it’s not like there is something wrong with a woman being out on her own, even in Alaska.

  “Well I am sure I will be okay. I have lived a lot of places and I haven’t been afraid yet.”

  “Good, don’t let the stories get you down. It is a great place to live if you are willing to work for it. There is no easy life out here, but if you are planning on diving, then I guess that’s not what you are looking for. Let me go grab Kevin and get you two acquainted. If you are any good, I am always looking for another diver for my own boats.”

  I nodded, but didn’t say anything more. I was promised to Kevin as long as he was going out and it was time for the day to begin. I was ready to hit the ground running.

  Chapter 3

  Charlie

  The girl was hot as fuck and I almost didn’t want to go get Kevin. The lucky bastard didn’t deserve such a hot assistant and I wanted to sweep her up and have her work on one of my boats. If I had her to look forward to, I think I would be able to get my ass up a little earlier than usual. Merle was a sight for sore eyes and it almost helped me to forget about another new person to the community that was off limits. If Merle wasn’t here with someone, it meant that I would have a chance.

  I walked onto the other boat and looked around. The place was a mess and maybe I wouldn’t have to do anything at all. The girl might get an eyeful of the place here she would be expecting to work at and she might decide that it isn’t for her. Not unless she isn’t too keen on safety. I saw many problems with his rigging and worried about the woman. It wasn’t that safe when the equipment wasn’t taken care of properly.

  “Kevin, are you in here?”

  I heard a slight sound of waking up and I could have guessed that it was already happy hour somewhere for Kevin. He was inebriated and I didn’t even have to find his slumped over body that was in and out of it to know. He was never sober for long and today wasn’t one of his sober days.

  “What do you want Charlie? It’s too damn early for all of that hollering.”

  “I’m here to get you up because you have someone waiting for you. A diver.”

  He popped his eyes open and nodded his head. “That’s right. So how does he look?”

  It told me that Kevin had no idea who he’d hired, though I was sure that he was going to be just fine with who showed up. Merle was gorgeous and even if she can’t dive, that didn’t mean that she couldn’t be something pretty to look at for everyone else. She would be a good addition to any boat and I didn’t even have to see what she had to offer to know that I wanted her on mine.

  “Well, I will say that the person is a little small. I don’t know how they are going to be diving, but the weight issue may come up. I don’t know if they can even pull the dredge.”

  “I was told that the diver was small, but assured that the weight wasn’t an issue. Damnit. I don’t want some fairy boy making me look like an idiot.”

  I wanted to assure him that it wouldn’t do him any good to get all upset about it. If Merle said she could dive, I was inclined to believe her because she didn’t seem like the type that would lie about something just to lie.

  “Seems to have a good head on their shoulders. Why don’t you meet them and then you can decide if the wait for the diver was worth it. Said that you two have been talking since back in September.”

  “Yeah, I have to do better this year or I am going to lose my slip. You know that can’t take my house, but they will take my boat.”

  “I’m sorry; I didn’t know that it was that bad for you. Are you sure you don’t want anything bought for the boat.” If he didn’t find some gold, enough to replace what he lost, then what are we going to do? I didn’t want to imagine a day that I wasn’t running into Kevin on the shoreline, talking about the next big score that was just moments from getting pulled out of the water. H seemed like a lifer and I didn’t like the idea of him getting pushed out.

  “Well I am not throwing in the towel yet. Thought I would bring some young blood in and see if that helps at all. Merle sounds like a stand-up guy and I look forward to meeting him.”

  “Well he is outside right now if you want to finish what was started.”

  “I will. Thanks for waking me up. Are you actually going to go out yourself and get some work done?”

  I told them that I wasn’t sure because I really wasn’t and it started to rub on me. It is definitely not a subject I like to think about.

  “You know that I try to stay off the rigs if I can. I like the gold they bring back, but I am still not a fan of all of that freezing water and waves. I feel myself getting sick just thinking about it.”

  Kevin chuckled as he got up and wiped his mouth. From everything that was going on and more, I wanted off of the raggedy boat that was making me a little uneasy. I had been told more than once that I was in the wrong business because of my dislike of water and the feel of it around me. It was devastating to have a fear of it because I was surrounded by water. It was something that I really needed to get over.

  “Well I guess it is as good of a time as any to get up. What time is it?”

  I looked at my watch and gave him an answer. It didn’t faze him that he had been awaiting for her for an hour. I almost tried to get him up again, but I was convinced that he wasn’t as bad as he appeared. I’d seen Kevin function on far more in his system, I was sure of it. Kevin finally wobbled up, even though he was swaying badly.

  I went out to the top side and breathed a sigh of relief when I was off of the boat and my back was to the water. The dock moved underneath my feet and it was like before. This time the woman was in front of me and instead of it doing what I was supposed to, I felt the queasiness take over. So I went to follow her and the dock moved again. I tried to steady myself, but I was going face first into the water before I knew it.

  The water was so damn cold, an immediate shock to my system. Damnit, it looked like my day had just taken a turn for the worst. I sputtered out the cold water and tried to push back the flash backs that they caused.

  Chapter 4

  Merle

  Kevin was not at all what I expected, but it was the man in the water that got my attention back. Charlie was hauling himself up from the cold water and I could tell that he wasn’t happy. I felt responsible somehow because he had only gone to get Kevin bec
ause of me. Now he was soaked and even though he was trying to hide it, he was shivering and I knew that it wasn’t good. Hypothermia could happen quickly and he didn’t even have a wet suit on to dampen the blow. I knew that he was cold and I knew that I was going to have to do something about it. At least I had my bags with me, even if I didn’t have a vehicle at the moment.

  “Come here Charlie. I have some extra blankets in here. You need to get out of these clothes before you catch your death.”

  He tried to shrug me off and said that he was fine, but his lips were trembling and I knew that it wasn’t the case. I proceeded to take his shirt off and when I realized that he was too tall, I had to ask him to bend over.

  “You don’t take no for an answer Merle, do you?”

  I told him that I didn’t. It was easier if he knew what he was up against. I wasn’t going to let him off of the hook until I knew that he was dry and warmer than he was. He wasn’t going to get sick from helping me. I wasn’t going to allow it.

  “Come on Charlie, just work with me or I am going to have to strip you down the rest of the way.”

  He stopped and looked down at me. “I don’t think I would mind at all.”

  His blue eyes were twinkling and I got the impression that he was calling my bluff. The funny thing was though that I wasn’t bluffing. I was going to do what I set out to do and when he moved closer, my hand went for his jeans and he finally got the hint that I wasn’t joking around.

  “I didn’t think you were being serious.”

  “I am. I have extra blankets and clothes that will probably fit you. You can’t be out here in this wind as wet as you are. I don’t want something to happen to you because you helped me.”

  Kevin chimed in after a moment. He was not sure who the woman was, but he liked the show that she was putting on and he liked how uncomfortable his friend was at the moment.