Pursuing the Panther: BBW Shifter Mail Order Bride Romance (Mail-Order Mates Book 7) Read Online Free Page B

this girl and says she’s your match. That doesn’t make it true. They’ve done well with matches in town; I have to admit that much. But I don’t know if they’ve done well for you, Ben.”
    “Really? And how do you know? You haven’t even talked to her.”
    “You didn’t give me a chance,” Maude snapped. “Besides, I have a feeling. I’m good at judging these things. She doesn’t seem right.”
    Ben crossed his arms. “Thanks for giving me your unsubstantiated and unfounded opinion. I know you came to talk, but you’re going to have to go.”
    “Excuse me? You’re kicking me out because I’m suspicious of some girl you just met?”
    “I’m asking you to leave because I need to get ready for a date tonight. I have to find a gift to make up for the way you treated her.”
    “A look isn’t poor treatment. No mother would be thrilled to find a barely clothed girl all over her son in the middle of the day. It was incredibly improper.”
    “She was fully clothed,” Ben said calmly. “I don’t really care what you think. Have whatever opinion you want. It isn’t going to make her stop being my mate.”
    “I don’t know how these shifter things work, but maybe it’s just lust. Anyone would be fooled by a pretty girl. You have no idea what her motives are. She could be using you to get to your money.”
    Ben sighed. “She didn’t want to stay because I lied about the money. I didn’t tell her that I was well off, and it freaked her out. I think that says enough about how much she wants my money.”
    “She was lying. She was pretending to get you to trust her. I know these types and how they think. You should see some of the divorce settlements. They would make your eyes pop out of your head. Just six months of marriage and she could get half of everything you own.”
    “Thanks for the information. If I can convince her to stay, maybe you’ll get a chance to get to know her later. Or not. It’s entirely up to you. Goodbye, Mother. You know where the door is.”
    Ben left the room and went to his office. He heard the front door open a short time later and breathed a sigh of relief. There was work to do. He had no idea where he was going to take Zelda, but it had to be somewhere good.
     
    ***
     
    “I have a room reservation,” Zelda said to the pretty girl behind the counter. She looked to be just a little younger than Zelda and she had a similar look. The girl looked 1950s girl-next-door retro cute. Zelda’s retro glam was a little more punk, but she liked the girl right away. Anyone who could get a ponytail that high and tight would always be cool in her book.
    “You must be Ben’s girl. I’m Jackie Lunar.” The girl put out her hand. “I have your room ready. You’re upstairs in fifty-two.”
    “Thanks.”
    “I’m an LK Bride too.” Jackie handed her the room keys. “I know it’s tough at first, but it gets much easier.”
    “I don’t know about that,” Zelda said. “Ben’s different than I was expecting.”
    Jackie laughed. “I ended up with two guys. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel. Give it a little time and I swear you’ll feel right at home with him.”
    “ Two guys?”
    Jackie nodded. “My husbands are the alphas of the town’s wolf pack. They’re great guys, but I never in my wildest dreams imagined I’d marry two men.”
    “That sounds very complicated.”
    “It can be, but it works for us. There are a lot of brides in town. They’ll all tell you the same thing. Give it time and trust in your match.”
    “I’ll try. Thanks for the advice.”
    “No problem. Enjoy your stay.”
    Zelda set up her stuff in her room and checked the time. She had time to kill before her date with Ben and she was starving. She decided to walk down to the Chinese food place she’d seen on her way through town. She ordered her food and sat down. There were two women at the table next to her.
    The store was so small she could hear everything they were saying. She tried not