The Academic Bride

by Lucy McConnell

  Fred stood on the back of the sled while Johnathan ushered Mia aboard the snowmobile. Buddy ran over with her jacket. “Here.” Mia didn’t have time to put it on before Johnathan whisked them all to the EMTs waiting at the front entrance to the lodge.

  Mia was frozen to the snowmobile with shock over what had just happened. As they loaded Ryder into the ambulance, he told them what hurt—something about his knee. Before they shut the doors, Johnathan pulled her off the machine and shoved her into the back.

  “But I can’t,” she protested as the doors slammed shut. She was on the clock. She left her purse in her locker. She wasn’t supposed to leave.

  “Mia?” Ryder’s voice was quiet, like a child scared of the dark.

  “I’m here.” Mia reached for him and touched his ski boot. Ryder was obviously scared, and she couldn’t blame him.

  “I can’t see you.”

  Mia looked at the paramedic as if she could tell her what she was supposed to do with a man who had confessed his love and thought they were getting married. She cringed as her heart betrayed her with a leap. If only that were true.

  The fifty-ish woman with an old set of highlights gave her a sad smile. “You can move on up there and hold his hand.”

  Swallowing against the lump in her throat, Mia shifted until she was alongside Ryder’s chest. She tentatively reached out and laid her hand over Ryder’s. She was scared for him. Scared right down to the toes of her Sorel fur-lined boots.

  He smiled up at her. “You’re so beautiful, Mia. I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

  Mia sniffed. “Says the guy headed to the hospital.” She wiped a burning tear off her cheek. Her dad used to call her beautiful. She hadn’t heard those words in a long time.

  “You’re here. That’s all that matters.”

  “Do you—do you want me to call someone?” She thought of her two worlds: the one at the B&B where she was a seasonal employee and friend of the Montgomery family, and the other one where she was a liftie who flirted with Ryder. Worlds weren’t supposed to collide—that was catastrophic. But for Ryder, she’d do what needed to be done.

  The paramedic twisted a syringe into the IV hooked to Ryder’s arm. “Okay, hon. I’m going to give you a little something for the pain.”

  Ryder’s eyes went wide. “Don’t let them call my dad—don’t tell him …”

  The next thing Mia knew, Ryder’s eyes lolled back and he fell asleep.

  Dropping her head to the side bar of the bed, she focused on the cold metal against her skin. “Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.”

  “I gave him something pretty heavy,” warned the woman.

  “I wasn’t talking to him,” Mia muttered. Any minute now, I’ll wake up and this will all be a crazy dream.

  Chapter 2

  Mia crossed and uncrossed her legs as she sat in one of the upholstered chairs in the emergency waiting room, running her jacket zipper up and down. A woman with long brown hair, wearing capris and clutching a book, wandered in, her phone pressed to her ear. “Kirk’s getting stitches on his arm. I was just about to call his dad to let …” Her voice faded as she made her way down that hall.

  Mia blinked. His dad. She should call Ryder’s family, except that was … tricky.

  Ryder, who had been wheeled into the emergency room unconscious, was Roy Montgomery’s oldest son from his first marriage. Roy’s wife died when Ryder was four. Less than a year later, Roy married Bonnie and they proceeded to have Carter and then Isabelle.

  Poor Ryder, young, hurting, and confused, never gelled with his stepmom and moved out the day he graduated from high school.

  About five years later, Mia’s dad died and the Montgomerys took her in. They hired her to clean rooms and take reservations in the off seasons. In her three years at the B&B, Ryder hadn’t set foot inside the mansion-like building and he rarely spoke to his dad even though they lived in the same town. He had no idea Mia loved his stepmother like a favorite aunt or that she took cooking lessons from his godfather, Amos.

  It was a mess.

  Roy would want to know Ryder was injured.

  Then again, Ryder didn’t want his dad to know.

  Leaning forward, she dropped her face into her hands. Mia, who had no siblings, no parents, and only heard from her grandparents on major holidays, felt hugely inadequate to break into the Montgomerys’ family issues.

  Would bringing Roy and Ryder together even be good for Ryder’s mental health? He already claimed to be engaged to Mia. A lovely lie if ever there was one. Clearly he’d damaged his cranium. What if seeing his dad brought on added stress that caused more trauma? Besides that, he’d said don’t call. That was pretty specific.

  She wasn’t left to debate how her loyalties should play into all this for long. A nurse in pink scrubs approached, her hands clasped together. “You can see him now, hon.”

  Woodenly, Mia followed her down the corridors and into a private room. The dimmed lights pressed everything down except the volume of the heart monitor that beeped steady. Mia watched it for a minute, thinking about how rapid and offbeat his pulse had been on the mountain. Hers hadn’t been much steadier. Especially after that brief kiss and Ryder calling her beautiful. She pressed her palm to her aching chest.

  The nurse pushed her forward with a hand on her lower back. “They gave him some pretty heavy painkillers, so he might not wake up until tomorrow. Let him hear your voice, hon. Hold his hand. It’ll be good for him.”

  “Oh-okay.” Mia set her jacket on the end of the bed and took the maroon chair on Ryder’s left. The side without IV tubes and bandages. The nurse smiled encouragingly, so Mia reached for Ryder’s hand.

  He had good hands. Who was she kidding? Everything about Ryder was staggering. She’d admired his square, stubble-covered jaw many a time. And, of course, there was that ever-tempting hair. But this was the first time she’d looked at his hands. They were strong with squared fingers. His nails were trimmed but not shaped, and there were these wonderful calluses. Golf or tools? Wanting to know, wanting more than she’d wanted anything, Mia dropped Ryder’s hand, hoping to clear her head.

  “What do we have here?” boomed an older man in a lab coat.

  Mia leapt back from the bed and caused her chair to clatter. “Um …” She grabbed the armrest before the seat fell.

  The doctor lifted a tablet as she righted the chair. “What’s his name?” he asked.

  “Ryder Montgomery.” Mia gulped.

  “Birth date?”

  Mia pressed her palm to her forehead. “Um, why are you asking me?”

  He looked over his spectacles. “Because you’re his fiancée.”

  Mia opened and closed her mouth. “How did you … What?” That little tidbit should have stayed on the mountain. There was no reason for it to follow her here.

  “Look, if you’re not related or almost related, you shouldn’t be in here,” he said with a kindly smile.

  Mia grabbed Ryder’s leg. She couldn’t leave him alone. Her reply was interrupted by the swish-swish noise of Johnathan’s ski patrol snowsuit as he entered the room. Mia blew out a breath and narrowed her eyes. Mystery solved. Johnathan was the one Ryder had told they were engaged.

  Behind him was Sandra, Mia’s new boss from customer relations. Dressed in a grey pencil skirt and a white blouse, she had impressive posture.

  Mia decided it was time to sit back down.

  “I told them what you did with the lift and how you saved his life.” Johnathan grinned. “One day you’ll be telling your grandchildren this story.”

  Mia’s stomach did a flip and then proceeded to turn itself into a pretzel. “Meh-heh.”

  “Don’t think you’re getting away with this.” Sandra shook her finger at Mia, her face drawn in mock seriousness.

  “With what?” Mia twisted the bottom of her shirt between her fists.

  “These heroics. It took me three years to steal you away from the lift crew. They can’t have you back.” She smiled wide.
/>   “Ha!” Mia did her best to return the smile. Ryder may be the one asleep in the bed, but she was having the nightmare.

  “She should at least get the day off to spend with her fiancé,” Johnathan put in.

  Sandra’s face lit up. “This is your fiancé? Mia. Oh my gosh!”

  The doctor checked his tablet. “I have to go, but I’ll be back at another time to talk about the future, Mrs. Montgomery.”

  “Great. Some other time would be great.” Mia nodded, her smile as fake as the plant in the corner.

  Johnathan hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “I’ve got to get back to turn in my uniform before the office closes.” He gave Mia a quick hug. “Everything will work out okay. My family will be praying for you guys.”

  “Sure. Sure.” Mia wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep her cheeks up. Johnathan left, and she spun on Sandra. Grabbing her arm to pull her close, Mia whispered, “He’s not my fiancé.”

  Sandra’s brow puckered. “Then why did Johnathan say that?”

  “Because he said it.” Mia pointed to Ryder, all innocence and sleep. “Right after he fell off the lift and I gave him mouth-to-mouth.” And kissed him. But she wasn’t about to mention that to her boss.

  “He thinks you’re engaged?” Sandra pointed to Ryder.

  “I don’t know—maybe. I didn’t get the chance to ask the doctor about a head injury.” She suddenly wished the old man was back.

  Sandra pressed her lips. “You’ll have to sort this out.”

  “Ya think?” Mia immediately regretted her sarcastic tone. This was her new boss after all.

  Thankfully, Sandra let it slide. “In the meantime …” She pulled a thick stack of papers out of her purse. “I came down here to get him to sign a release saying he doesn’t hold Ruby Mountain liable for the accident.”

  Mia recoiled. “He can’t sign now. He’s unconscious—with possible brain trauma.” Please don’t let him have brain damage.

  Sandra rolled her eyes. “I didn’t know what state he was in. This is standard procedure and usually the person isn’t in a coma.”

  “I think it’s just the painkillers making him sleepy.” She pressed her palm to her forehead. “Oh my word, a coma sounds so horrible.”

  “It’s not a coma. Relax! My husband was on painkillers that made him act like Dopey the dwarf—and he got handsy.”

  Mia’s eyes bugged out. “He hasn’t …” She gulped.

  Sandra shook her head. “Anyway.” She held the papers out to Mia. “I need you to stick around and get these signed.”

  Mia leaned away. “Why me?”

  “Because it’s the last day of the season and the office is swamped. Because I have two minors and their parents waiting in my office to discuss their role in the accident. And—” She grinned. “Because he seems to like you. My advice? If he gets handsy, just play along.”

  Mia snatched the document to her chest, the papers crinkling. “That’s not funny, Sandra.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Sandra said over her shoulder as she left the room.

  Mia stared after her, shocked at the turn of events. Her phone beeped. Crossing to the bed where her jacket lay across Ryder’s feet, she rummaged through the pockets until she found it and read the text.

  Can you come over? I need to talk to you about a project—Carter.

  Carter! Why hadn’t she thought of him before? She’d been so focused on the relationship dynamics between Ryder and his dad that she didn’t think about calling his half-brother. Carter would be the one to talk to; he’d always been the neutral ground between Roy and Ryder.

  I’ll be there right away.

  She and Carter were the same age and had always gotten along well. Lately she got the idea that there might be something more in the works. The family hinted here and there, but she always brushed it off. Being with Carter was an interesting thought. Not a thrilling, slow burn in the tummy kind of thought, but something to consider.

  Mia glanced at Ryder slumbering like Prince Charming under a sleeping spell. She patted his leg in an awkward farewell before stuffing the papers inside her coat and calling a cab.

  As she waited in the lobby, she couldn’t help but feel as though she were caught in a snowdrift up to her waist. She was way too deep to pull out gracefully. Extracting herself from this situation would take some digging and probably some embarrassment as well. Her cheeks warmed at the thought of explaining to Ryder that they weren’t really engaged.

  “I’m an idiot,” she muttered as she climbed into the cab.

  Chapter 3

  The cab dropped her off at Ruby Mountain Resort so she could get her car. For a moment, she contemplated the mountain she loved.

  The sun outlined the peaks in light blues and underlined the fluffy clouds in salmon and silver. In moments like this, when the world was crisp with change and Ruby Mountain stood firm, Mia could believe her dad was standing next to her, taking in the view. It was one of the few times she didn’t feel alone. Fortified for the task ahead, she got behind the wheel and headed over to the Emerald Bed & Breakfast: the Jewel of Echo Ridge.

  And what a jewel it was too. The one-time mansion had been converted into a B&B back in the late ’80s. Much of the home had undergone renovations in the last five years. Bonnie Montgomery’s latest desire was to have a theater room in the basement.

  The winding, tree-lined road meandered back to the parking area on the west side. The front door was for guests, who were greeted by the receptionist Ingrid Montgomery, Roy’s niece. The back door was for family, friends, and deliveries.

  Elise Gibson was climbing into her car as Mia got out. The interior designer was climbing into her car as Mia was getting out of hers.

  “What are you doing here so late?” asked Mia.

  “I was measuring the basement. Bonnie hired me to oversee the renovation.”

  Mia made a gagging face. “Good luck with that wallpaper.”

  Elise laughed. “It’s awful, isn’t it?” She sat behind the wheel. “Have a good night.”

  Mia nodded and waved. The wallpaper was a fleeting thought as Ryder filled her head once again, causing her stomach to pleasantly tighten. How he could do that when he was unconscious and pale and not even in the vicinity was a mystery to her. There was something between them. Something bigger than the flirting they’d previously shared. Perhaps it was the shared crisis. More likely, it was the way Ryder had looked at her with love in his gaze. Leaning against the door jam, she took several deep breaths.

  “He doesn’t love you, you sap. He was delirious.”

  With a hefty mental shake, Mia entering through the kitchen. She brushed her finger over the welcome sign that read “Back door friends are best,” hoping that at the end of the night, she’d have a friend in the house.

  “I hope you saved me an orange roll, Amos.” She hung her jacket on a hook in the mud room.

  Amos, a white-haired culinary genius, stood at the grey and white marble countertop, whipping cream by hand. “Mia, honey, I saved you two.” His heavy mustache twitched with a smile. When the guests had been fed and sent off to explore Echo Ridge, the billiard room, or a good book, Amos liked to bake. The rolls were for family. Tomorrow morning’s breakfast menu would include cinnamon waffles with strawberry sauce and whipped cream—it was a longtime favorite at the B&B served every Thursday morning.

  Mia reached up on her tiptoes and pecked a kiss on his cheek. “I could use two today.”

  “Rough day?” He nodded towards a plate with two rolls at the end of the counter. The other rolls were in the pan by the fridge. Carter must have told Amos she was coming over. It was kind of nice to know she was talked about, thought about, and planned on.

  Mia grabbed a fork from the drawer and shoved in a bite of orange heaven.

  Amos set a glass of milk in front of her.

  Gulping, she shrugged, unsure how to explain and not wanting to get into it with anyone but Carter. “Last day of the season.”


  “Ah. For you, it’s hard to say goodbye to winter. For me and this bum knee, it’s a pleasure.”

  “You used to ski as much as I do.”

  “How do you think I got the bum knee?” Amos covered the whipped cream bowl with plastic wrap and slid it into one of the two industrial-sized fridges.

  Mia swirled a forkful of roll through the icing, her stomach whirling at the task ahead. She contemplated telling Amos, but the man had a tendency to avoid uncomfortable situations and anything that had to do with confrontation. He wouldn’t want to be shoved between his godson and his best friend any more than Mia wanted to be there. Although being up close with Ryder didn’t sound all that bad.

  She turned towards the family picture on the wall, taken right before Ryder hauled off to college. Everyone smiled—man, they looked so young. Ryder’s and Carter’s shoulders were thinner, their jaws free of stubble, a youthful fullness to their cheeks. Both men had impressive builds now, square jaws, and chiseled features.

  “Amos? How come I’ve never seen Ryder here?” Mia nodded toward the image, hoping to gain a little more insight into the situation.

  A heavy sigh came forth from deep inside Amos. “I’m not going to lie to you, Mia—I feel a rock right here.” He pounded his fingers on his chest. “Every time I think about how Ryder left this place. We all hoped he’d stick around—at least to honor the memory of his mom.”

  Mia nodded. A picture of Samantha in her wedding dress sat on a table in the library. She had died from a strange disease, something about her heart tissue thickening. Mia had never felt like she could ask Roy for specifics, because he hardly spoke of her. “But he didn’t want to stay?” prompted Mia.

  “I was in the kitchen, even back then, and Ryder would come in crying and I’d feed him snickerdoodles and we’d talk. He didn’t want a new mom, and when Carter arrived a short time later, Ryder felt like Roy had replaced both him and his mother. He never quite got that thought out of his head.”