Bear Seeking Bride: Trent (Bear Canyon Brides #3)

Bear Seeking Bride: Trent

(Bear Canyon Brides, Book 3)

Ruby Shae

Bear Seeking Bride: Trent

(Bear Canyon Brides, Book 3)

Copyright 2015 by Ruby Shae

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

About This Book

Down on her luck, curvy chef Olive Campbell has reached the bottom of the barrel. She has no job, no money, no boyfriend and no prospects. The way things are going, she’ll never get the chance to work with food again. When she sees an ad asking for a mail order bride who can cook, it seems like her luck is beginning to change.

Grumpy, woman-hating Trent Mallory can’t believe the nerve of his brothers. They might be lucky in love, but that gives them no right to place an ad searching for a bride on his behalf. He may be lonely, but he’ll take a lifetime of loneliness over being faced with trusting a woman again.

Angry and confused by his brothers’ betrayal, and the revival of long buried feelings, Trent decides to prove once and for all he’s better off alone. His plan works as expected, but after meeting Olive, he can’t deny his desire for a life filled with love. Thanks to his brothers, he has two weeks to apologize and convince his curvy mate to marry him.

Bear Seeking Bride: Trent

(Bear Canyon Brides, Book 3)

By Ruby Shae

Wanted: A Bride for a Bear!

Successfully employed bear shifter, 34, is seeking a curvy, plus-sized human woman, preferably between the ages of 25-35, to become his wife. Must be willing to cook three meals a day, provide companionship to a lonely bear, and live a modest, quiet life in Bear Canyon. Those who are shifter obsessed, or not looking for a lifetime commitment, need not apply.

Olive Campbell read the personal ad again, and then stared at the balance in her check register. The first of August was rapidly approaching, and while she had enough to keep a roof over her head, she didn’t have enough to secure her residence and buy food.

She looked around the small, furnished studio apartment and sighed. The living space was the size of her personal bathroom in her father’s home, but it would be all she needed if she could find a job.

Six months ago, she quit her job as head chef in one of her father’s top performing restaurants and left her childhood home with a suitcase in each hand. She’d packed up most of her clothing, with the exception of the formal ball gowns and party dresses, and all of her personal belongings, which included the only two pictures she had of her late mother.

She’d called in favors to other chefs, rival business owners, and friends, but her father had reached them all first. No one wanted to be on the bad side of Dick Campbell.

In desperation, she’d even tried several fast food chains, but they’d all turned her away based on her resume. A valedictorian of the most prestigious cooking academy in the United States, with several international accolades earned the two years she’d spent abroad in Europe, deserved more than flipping burgers for minimum wage.

If only.

She’d do just about anything to get back in the kitchen again, even if it meant donning a hairnet and hanging out over the fryer. Unfortunately, none of those managers understood her passion, or her plight, and they’d all lectured her on her poor career choices. She’d found the situation ironic, but she’d listened and nodded each time with a smile plastered on her face. At the end of each interview, she’d politely excused herself, and crossed another potential job off her list.

She’d reached the bottom of the barrel.

She either had to start looking in another field, or give up eating. She looked down at her curvy form and shook her head. She loved cooking and she loved food, and her days of dieting to try and fit into what everyone considered
normal
were long behind her.

She’d made the choice to stop watching her weight when she’d entered the academy, and despite her father’s constant disapproval and dismay, she’d never looked back. She couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t belittled her for being fat, even as he pushed her into the kitchen.

The minute he’d found out she could cook as good as her mother with very little training, he’d hidden her away in the kitchen while admonishing her at every opportunity for wanting to taste her food. It wasn’t like she ate every meal she made, but a chef couldn’t serve without making sure everything tasted perfect.

Unfortunately, in her limited experience with men, she’d only come in contact with men who treated her the same way that her father did. Her high school and college boyfriends were easy to break-up with, but her father’s
golden boy
had been more challenging.

She and Charles met when she returned home from the academy two years ago. He’d pursued her with a sweet charm that had turned her insides into mush, and she didn’t see his true personality until it was too late. Over time, his charm turned into sickening sweet words that made her skin crawl, and his devotion to her father was disgusting. His inability to take no for an answer had been the final straw, and she’d dumped him.

When her father found out, he was outraged. He loved Charles like a son, and wanted him to inherit everything, including her. When she’d refused to apologize, her father issued an ultimatum. She had to marry Charles, or leave with nothing.

She left.

It had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done, but standing up for herself had given her a sense of power. For the first time in her life, she was happy, but she could admit she’d be happier if she could find a job.

She didn’t need her father, his money, or a man to complete her life, but she did need a job so she could earn money of her own. Six months was a long time to live without any income and she’d stretched her meager savings as far as she could, even as she cursed herself for not planning better.

She’d never collected a paycheck from her father, certain the money would always be available. When she left home, he cancelled her credit cards and she’d been forced to live off the modest sum her mother had left her. Now it was nearly gone.

After combing through the want ads all day, she’d been ready to throw her laptop across the room until she saw the banner for the dating site. With nothing to lose, she typed in the address and began to read through the posts.

Page after page started and ended the same, confirming her destiny to spend the rest of her life alone. Every ad wanted a tall, thin, active beauty who took excellent care of herself. Several of them went as far as to dictate she act like a lady on the street and a bad girl in the bedroom.

Olive cringed as she read description after description. Did all men think this way? If so, she was doomed. The tiny thread of hope she had wrapped around her heart slowly started to unwind.

She told herself she didn’t need a man, but deep down she’d held onto the possibility that she’d find someone eventually. She’d foolishly thought if she held out long enough, she’d find someone to love all of her. Every. Single. Curve. Now she wasn’t so sure.

She was about to close the page, when a different ad caught her eye.

Wanted: A Bride for a Bear!

The author claimed to want a plus-sized woman to provide meals and companionship. He asked for a bride, but stated nothing about sex. Would he want sex, or would it be a business arrangement? Did he like curvy women, or was this an elaborate prank?

If the author was sincere, he could be the answer.

She wouldn’t get to work in a restaurant, but creating in her own kitchen for someone who appreciated good food was the next best thing.

She had no problems living modestly, and maybe, over time, they could be more than friends. A life-long commitment with someone who actually liked her body would be wonderful.

What if he’s just like your father? Or Charles?

Something told her he wasn’t like either man, but how could she be sure? Charles had pretended to be nice in the beginning. In fact, it had taken him almost a year to change into the monster she’d dumped six months ago.

She didn’t know a lot about shifters, but she’d heard they didn’t believe in divorce. How could she protect herself if he turned out to be controlling and abusive? Would she be bound to him forever, or was there a way?

She shook her head and reread the ad. Something about the carefully chosen words drew her in, even if they seemed almost too scripted. She imagined the author had rewritten the missive several times to set the correct tone.

The thought made her smile. She wondered how many responses he’d received, and if he’d be willing to meet for a trial run. If she was truthful about her financial issues, would he turn her away, or respect her honesty?

As much as she wanted to put her best foot forward, she couldn’t deceive him, especially if she sought special provisions to their agreement.

She decided to keep her response simple, but firm and honest.

***

“You did what?” Trent Mallory roared.

He grabbed his cane in one hand, and pushed off from the side of the armchair with the other. His rage propelled him forward and he stood swiftly, nearly falling in the other direction. Once he grounded himself, he continued his reprimand.

“How dare you!” he yelled again. “You had no right!”

His brother Travis and his wife Sabrina sat across from him on one couch, and his other brother Tyler and his wife Dawn sat on the adjacent love seat. He stared them all down, as anger swiftly coursed through his veins. The urge to shift into his bear form and attack his brothers rode him hard, but he would never do something so primal indoors, especially with humans around. His mother’s rules were ingrained deep, and his brothers knew it, too. It was probably why they’d chosen to have the conversation inside.

His angry voice echoed through the living room and the windows rattled in their frames. He knew the house had been built solid, they’d built it after all, and he forced himself to take several deep breaths.

Even though he’d been in a bad mood for what seemed like forever, he realized that he hadn’t been close to being this angry in nearly four years.

The night his life changed forever.

Dawn’s eyes widened and she pressed herself closer to Tyler. As soon as she realized what she’d done, she tried to hide her fear, but failed. He looked at Bree and gritted his teeth. He’d scared Dawn, which made some of his anger dissipate, but Sabrina’s look of sympathy pissed him off.

Fuck this shit.

He didn’t want their fear or their pity. He just wanted to be left alone. After he hit something. Preferably both of his brothers’ faces.

Suddenly, his leg tingled with pain and he sighed and sat back down in the chair.

“I know you’re angry, but—”

“Don’t,” Trent barked, cutting off Travis’ words. “I know you all meant well, but you shouldn’t have done this. I’m glad everything worked out for the four of you, but I told you what I thought about your stupid ad from the beginning. Even if I was open to meeting someone—which I’m not—going behind my back was not the way to do it.”

“If they didn’t go behind your back, you would never meet anyone,” Bree reasoned.

“And what part of
I don’t want to meet anyone
don’t you guys understand? I don’t know how I can be any clearer.”

“There was a time,” Tyler started, “when you believed in love. Travis and I wanted to see that part of you return. We know what we did was wrong, but we thought if you could find someone, the way we did with Dawn and Bree, then maybe you’d start to live again.”

Tyler was two years younger than him, and the baby of the Mallory siblings. He was also the peacekeeper among the three of them. Growing up, he’d always been able to goad Travis into a fight, but Tyler had always been the reasonable one. If he had to guess, he’d bet money this idea had been Tyler’s from the very beginning.

As much as he loved his brother, he wouldn’t stand by and let the man insult him.

“What the hell does that mean?” Trent roared again. “I have a home, a job, and I take care of myself just fine. I don’t need anyone to help me
live
. I’m alive, no thanks to a woman mind you, and I’m living my life the way I want to.”

“No you’re not,” Travis offered. “You don’t shift often, you hardly eat, and most of the time, you’re a grouchy son-of-a-bitch. I know you’re not happy, and I’ve seen the way you are with Bree and Dawn. You don’t hate all women like you claim, and I bet you’d smile more if you had someone in your life.”

Fucking asshole.

If Travis didn’t have Bree plastered to his side, he’d deck him.

“I’m nice to Bree and Dawn out of respect for you and Tyler,” he ground out. “That’s all there is to it.”

“You’re lying,” Dawn said.

Everyone turned to face Tyler’s wife. She’d dropped a lot of her nervous habits since the truth about her past had been revealed, but she usually stayed quiet around him.

“Excuse me?” he asked, using his best lethal voice.

“You’re lying. You’ve been nice to me from the beginning, and I know it’s not because of Tyler. You can pretend all you want to, Trent, but I know you’re lonely.”

It’s always the quiet ones.

He hated the fact that Dawn had nailed him so perfectly. In truth, he was lonely, but it didn’t change anything.

“Fuck this! I don’t have to sit here and listen to you all rip apart my life,” he stood, slower this time, and faced them all for the last time. “For the record, yes, I may be lonely sometimes, but no, I don’t want to do anything about it. I refuse to place my trust in another woman ever again.”

“Then you tell her that,” Travis said. “You read her note, she was honest with you. Now you have to be honest with her.”

“No,
you
have to be honest with her,” Trent said. “I’m leaving.”

He turned toward the door, and hobbled away with as much dignity as he could muster.

“That’s great,” Tyler said. “She’ll be at your house tonight at six.”

“What?” he turned back toward them. “You gave her my address?”

“Yes, and she’s looking forward to meeting you,” Bree said.

They explained earlier that when Bree found out about Travis and Tyler’s plan, she’d texted the poor girl and told her what her husband and his brother had done. Dawn had agreed to meet him anyway, despite their deceit, and he could only imagine what they’d told her about him. She probably felt obligated to meet their crippled, lonely brother.

God, he wanted to hide under a rock somewhere. He didn’t want to see her look of pity, or hear her excuses about why they wouldn’t be compatible.