Mail Order Bride: Not What He Expected (Mail Order Brides Book 1) Read Online Free

operation.  She believed that Levi would help her learn everything she needed to know to do her part. And she was looking forward to it, as odd as that seemed for a city girl like herself. She wouldn’t let Levi down.
    However, there still was the looming question of the woman. She thought a lot about this as Levi showed her the ranch. Why was she here? What had Levi said in his letter that had led her to believe that he wanted her to fund her trip here? Then again, if she could afford a trip here, then why did she want to come so badly? She had to know that she wasn’t a sure thing, but then again, that means that neither am I.
    The thought that she was in a competition scared her to death. She was never the first choice of any man, so why did she even think there was a miniscule chance that this would work out in her favor? She tried not to think about it, but she couldn’t help herself.
    Everything seemed to take her back to that conclusion, and that was something that terrified her. She had no reason not to trust Levi. It was possible that there was a miscommunication, and if the woman was as self-serving as Levi let on, she could understand how the woman would shamelessly refuse to take no for an answer.
    Something about it just didn’t feel right. However, wanting to give Levi the benefit of the doubt, she decided that there was no use in accusing him of something when she had no proof. After all, she didn’t want to set any negative precedent for their marriage. There was time enough for that, and she wanted to hold off for as long as she possibly could.
    And so she enjoyed the tour of the ranch and tried her best to get to know Levi. She did her best to ignore the persistent bad feeling about the presence of the woman.
    Everything seemed to be going well. When the two of them made it to the inn, Levi walked her into the lobby.  They sat quietly together for a few more minutes in a small parlor area in the back of the lobby. He assured her he would be back first thing in the morning to pick her up and teach her more about how his ranch works.
    “That sounds lovely,” She answered, “Thank you for everything that you have done for me so far,” She answered.
    “Of course,” He replied as he took her trunk into the room. When he came back out to the door, he asked, “Is there anything else that you need?”
    Lucy shook her head and answered that she would be okay.
    Still, before he left, he placed a few dollars in her hand, “This is if you need anything at all. I do not want you to feel stranded here. I know you don’t know anyone, so this way you can get anything you need quickly. Just ask and if you need me, everyone in this town knows who I am. I will be here within an hour.”
    “Thank you, Levi, but I do have money. I saved up to make this trip.  I don’t want to be a burden,” Lucy answered, handing the money back to him. 
    “I insist,” he said quietly and replaced the money in her hand.
    Lucy felt her cheeks reddening again, and she just smiled at him as he turned to leave.

Chapter Five
     
    Lucy had been able to push her fears aside for a while in her time with Levi. She realized that she liked him in person even more than she liked the man she was writing letters to.
    After he left she was feeling like a stroll around the inn would help her sort out her thoughts and get comfortable in her new surroundings. As she wandered around, she saw a woman sitting alone at a table.
    She was beautiful and at first, Lucy thought that was why she thought she recognized her, but when she looked her way, she was sure that she had seen her before. She dug into her memories to see where their paths had crossed.
    Then it hit her. The woman sitting at the table was the woman who had shown up at Levi’s ranch. The hopeful and positive feelings she had worked so hard to bring to the front of her mind were now gone.
    Did he lie to me? She thought, feeling a deep-rooted, familiar stab of betrayal, stinging her