Lorelei (Trinity Hill Brides Book 2)

Lorelei (Trinity Hill Brides Book 2)

~ A Western Romance short from bestselling author Celia Yeary ~ <br />Mail-order bride Lorelei Hastings arrives by train in Trinity Hill, Texas. Instead of a handsome dark-haired man who looks rather prosperous, a tall, muscular man wearing dusty work clothes greets her. The man is Daniel Carpenter, a livery owner. He explains the banker ordered two brides to choose between, and he's already made his choice. <br /> <br />Lorelei is the "leftover" bride. <br /> <br />She is furious, but has no recourse except to drive home with the big blond man who speaks very little. <br /> <br />Excerpt: <br />"All right, I'll just lay it all out. No need to beat around the bush. You see, ma'am, Mr. Teasdale ordered two brides, and since he's paying for both, I have to take the leftover. You." <br /> <br />Now she backed up a step and sucked in a breath. "My lands, whatever on earth are you talking about? And you're calling me a leftover?" <br /> <br />"Sorry. Bad use of a word." He removed his beat-up felt cowboy hat, twirled it in his hands, and then replaced it on his head. He shifted his weight. "See, it's like this. I couldn't afford a bride, so he made a deal with me. He would take his pick, and for the nominal fee of shoeing four horses for him, he'd let me have the leftover... Uh, I mean, the one who got left...over." <br /> <br />Feeling a little sick and very confused, Lorelei sank to the edge of the trunk. Popping out her handkerchief, she carefully re-folded it and held the cloth in her lap with both hands. She smoothed her hair on one side, straightened her spine, and sighed heavily.