Marry Grinchmas (Moosehead Minnesota Series Book 1)(2)
I am still gripping the steering wheel when she lays her hand over mine and pries it from my hands. She intertwines her tiny fingers with my large ones and gently sets our hands on my thigh. At that very moment I was goner. Nothing has ever felt more right than in this moment. I realize I have no intentions of ever leaving her side again. My mother is going to have a field day with this. If her grandmother is who I think she is, she will be over the moon, too.
IT’S JUST MY LUCK. WHEN I finally meet a guy who makes the butterflies in my stomach dance, it is when I have made a ninny of myself by running into a ditch. The truth is; I don’t know what I was thinking as I packed my bag, climbed in my car, and started driving for Moosehead. All I knew was there is no way I could stay home and have everyone looking at me with pity and/or smug concern.
What did I expect would happen after I started dating the most popular and rich guy in our town? I believed or convinced myself that Chase really liked me. He tittered around the shop any time he came in, always finding ways and reasons to get my attention.
When he finally did ask me out, I thought my life would be a fairytale. I would marry prince charming and live happily ever after. But it turned into a nightmare.
It wasn’t long before rumors started saying he was carrying on with Sandra Brooks behind my back. I didn’t believe them, or maybe I didn’t want to believe them. When I finally got the nerve to confront him, he denied it. He told me he loved me and asked me to marry him.
Of course I said yes. A man who is cheating on his girlfriend wouldn’t ask her to marry him right? I mean, right? I decided they were jealous and started to plan my wedding keeping my head in the clouds.
A big problem with having your head in the clouds is that the world is very fuzzy. It looks a lot more, clear when you finally come back down. Walking in and finding the two of them in bed together helped put me on my way down.
It is amazing with all the drama I’ve had in my life recently; I am currently sitting in a truck next to an extremely handsome man. My body is being a traitor and acting like a complete hussy even though I never had this kind of a reaction to Chase. Who is the girl that took off her pants with no underwear on in front of a stranger? I definitely need to talk to my Nana about this.
I got a warm and fuzzy feeling inside my body as he tells his brother not to look at me, making it sound like he wants me all for himself. His very strong reaction to seeing me almost naked worries me. Watching him gripping the steering wheel tightly makes me think his hands might fall off.
What’s a girl to do when her man is hurting himself? My man? Wait! Did I just say that? Oh boy. I have stepped in it now. But truthfully, the moment he opened my door and carried me to his truck, I felt a connection to him. There is no explanation other than to say we are soul mates.
I know it sounds silly and fanciful. I have definitely had enough fanciful, considering all fanciful has gotten me in the past is egg on my face. I need to be practical and keep my heart and silly notions to myself.
“You never did tell me who your grandma is.” he says to me, breaking into my thoughts.
“Greta Kimber. I’m sure you’ve heard of her because she kicks up more dust than a sandstorm. The woman has never met a problem she didn’t stick her nose in. God love her.”
“Shit! Yeah. I know Greta, alright. She and my mama are best friends, and if I may say so myself, they are the original troublesome twosome. If there is something happening, you better believe those two are in the middle of it. Seems to me your grandma and my mama are going to be pleased as a pig in mud over us meeting, don’t you think?”
Shoot. He’s right. If my grandma sees me getting out of his truck, she will have us all but married within 48 hours. Dang it! I have to get him to let me out before her house.
“You know what? Why don’t you drop me off at the corner and let me walk the rest of the way. It might be good for me to get some fresh air and think. I’m sure you can understand?”
“Well darlin’, that won’t be happening. No woman of mine is going traipsing through the snow by herself.”
“Woman of yours? When did I become your woman? I came into this town the same I was born. Alone. Mister. I don’t need a man telling me what to do.”
“Do you understand me, Ham?”
“I see I will need to teach you a few things my little lamb.”
Uh-oh. Why does that worry me and turn me on at the same time? Yea Lordy. I have really stepped in it.
THE WOMAN HAS A SMART mouth that I didn’t realize I would love instantly.
“Yes. My woman. If you have a problem with that you best tell me now so I can talk you out of it.” She laughs, and it is one of those huge belly laughs that seemingly come from her toes.
“Yes Ham. I do have a problem. I am not your woman.” She says in a soft voice with a huge smile, while squeezing my hand that is still joined with hers. However, she swiftly removes it.
“I guess you best get yourself prepared for me working hard to get you, because I won’t stop until I make you mine.”
She gives me a smile and looks out the window.
I pull the truck into a parking space near the municipal building. Moosehead has a small population and nothing but a couple of mom and pop restaurants. We have to drive about twenty miles to come upon St Paul or Minneapolis, which isn’t a big deal.