4. Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Hunter
T he past two weeks have been a nightmare. After two years of avoiding the feisty grannies in town and keeping them from meddling in my private life, they've finally done it. They've interfered. My buddies at work have been the worst, teasing me relentlessly about this bride I'm supposed to marry.
I keep telling everyone I don't need or want a bride, but no one will listen. They create a 'profile' and say I've got a match. Some poor woman out there thinks I've been searching for her. They're all insane.
To make matters worse, Evie has been sick the last few days, so I had to take time off from work to tend to her because her usual nanny was also sick and couldn't look after her. I don't mind taking care of my daughter; she's the most important thing in my life, but I hate taking time off work. If there's an emergency, the team might need more hands on deck.
I can’t do anything about it now. Evie is feeling much better, with just a droopy nose and some sneezing. She had a fever for a couple of days, but thankfully I managed to treat it with the stuff in my medicine cabinet.
I hear a knock on the door and check my phone to see who is out there in the middle of a workday. I practically groan when I see who it is—Mrs. Brown, one of the town's older troublemakers. With Evie napping, I get up to go to the door and deal with this unwanted visitor.
When I get closer to the front door, I hear mumbling, and it looks like she's not alone. I brace myself for the inevitable and open the door.
"Ladies, it's an honor to see you out and about."
"Hunter! We heard your daughter is sick, so we brought some things to tide you over until she's feeling better."
"You didn't have to go to the trouble, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Callahan."
"Pish, posh. Do let us in, Hunter."
"Aren't you worried you might catch Evie's cold?"
"We've both had the flu shot, now move along."
They might look like little old ladies, but they're quite strong and stubborn. They push me aside and enter my house, leaving me standing at the door, perplexed. One of them goes to the kitchen and just starts making herself at home.
Mrs. Brown, however, sits down on my living room couch and looks a bit uneasy.
"Did you want to talk to me about something, Mrs. Brown?"
"Mmm, let's wait until the tea is served."
I nearly blurt out that I don't want any tea, but I manage to control myself before I hurt their feelings. They've been supportive to me and Evie, stepping in as babysitters whenever I've had emergency calls. They have good hearts, except when they try to invade my private life.
Not knowing what to do with these guests, I take a moment to check on Evie. I adjust her blanket and wipe her nose. She stirs a bit but immediately goes back to sleep. The doctor said it was important that I get more liquids into her, so I leave as silently as I can, taking the baby monitor with me.
I see Mrs. Callahan setting up the tea on the coffee table. I see cream, lemon, and sugar. I know I don’t have some of those items in my cupboard, so they must have brought them along with the 'necessities.'
"How do you take your tea, young man?"
"Cream and sugar, thanks."
She prepares my cup and hands it to me. I realize I have no choice but to obey these old-timers and listen to what they have to say. Who knew my life would be ruled by octogenarians when I'm almost in my forties? I acquiesce and sit down on the sofa next to them.
"So, Hunter. Remember that agency we told you about?"
I almost choke on my tea with that reminder.
"What of it?" I bark once I stop coughing.
They are older ladies, so I'm not proud of myself for growling at them the way that I do, but they have it coming, touching on a sore subject like that. At least they have the decency to look embarrassed.
"Well, good news, you have a match! Someone wants to marry you and be a mother to your daughter."
A chill goes through me.
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"Well, yes, dear, of course we are. We told you we'd help you and Evie."
"You have to cancel it. Whatever it is you did, cancel it."
"Oh, I don't think that's possible. Your bride is probably already on her way. Do you want to see a picture?"
I don't believe I've ever been angrier in my entire life. These women have crossed the line and dragged another person into their schemes.
"What exactly did you tell this woman about me and my family?"
"We only gave general information about you, Hunter, that's why she has to come here and visit with you so that you can both get to know one another and then finalize the wedding arrangements."
I drop the teacup and plate with a crash on the coffee table and get up suddenly. I start pacing around my living room, trying to make sense of it all. Right now, I want to shout at these women. I want to say so many hurtful things, but I know I have a temper, so I begin counting in my head. Unfortunately, it doesn't help.
"Oh dear, Carmen, I think he's upset." Mrs. Brown says.
"Upset...?" I murmur as I circle around them, pacing back and forth.
"You need a wife, Hunter."
Acid starts forming in my stomach. Who are these women to decide what I need in my life?
"Evie and I are doing well. We only need each other. I don't like that you did this behind my back."
"It wasn't behind your back. We've been telling you since you brought Evie to Hope Peak that this was going to happen."
I'm close to exploding, so I take a deep breath and ask them to leave.
"We're not done with our tea just yet, dear."
"Get out, or I'll throw you out."
Both women notice that I'm at my breaking point, and they leap up from the couch, grabbing their bags. I stand by the door, holding it open for them. As they pass by, they mumble curses, and I know I'll be receiving a good talking-to from many of the town's residents.
I watch after them until they get into their cars and drive away, then throw the door shut, making a loud bang. Immediately, my daughter starts shrieking, so I run to the bedroom to see if I can get her to go back to sleep. Evie is very attuned to me, and I worry she will feel my anger when I'm there with her.
This is part of being a parent, though. I need to calm down and step up for my daughter. I go into the bathroom, splash some cold water on my face, and take several deep breaths. Once I'm back in my daughter's bedroom, I sit down next to her and start reading one of her favorite books.
It takes some time, but I manage to lull her back to sleep. I'm feeling a bit sleepy myself when suddenly I hear another knock at my door along with someone calling my name. This time, I don't even bother checking my phone to see who’s at the door. I just stomp all the way to the front door and yank it open.
There's a suitcase in front of me, and hanging onto my mailbox is the most gorgeous woman I've ever met. I see one of the pickups belonging to the fire department drive away, and I realize someone from work must have dropped this beauty off at my doorstep.