Excerpt from The Temporary Wife

A Contemporary Mail Order Bride Story

Book 1 of the ‘Love Unexpected’ Romance Series

Print ISBN 979-8-9880236-2-3
Ebook ISBN 979-8-9880236-0-9

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission expect in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction which have been used without permission.

Chapter 1

After seeing his uncle and cousin to their car, Chet walked back into his sister’s living room and stood for a moment, watching his mother as she looked out the window. She seemed older lately, but still as beautiful as ever. Chet sat down next to her.

“It was a lovely Sunday lunch,” his mother said, still gazing outside.

“Yeah,” was all the response Chet could manage in a half whisper.

Helen turned to her son. “Junior, you okay, honey?”

Chet straightened. “Yes, absolutely.”

Helen offered a small smile, took her son’s hand, and gave a small squeeze. “I’ve had a good life—no regrets. I want the same for you. Don’t waste a day.”

Chet shrugged. He hated the worry in his mother’s voice. “Me? I’m fine.”

“Oh, I know you are, dear.” After a pause, Helen cleared her throat. “Junior, I’ve been wondering…do you ever see Sally Winters these days?”

Chet startled. What in the world would make his mom think of Sally? “Uh…Sally got married after college. Moved to Ohio, I heard.”

Helen sighed. “Too bad. She was such a nice girl. Well,” Helen said as she stood, “now that everyone’s gone, I think I’ll take a nap. I want to be up to snuff for my bridge game tonight.”

“What? Mom, do you think you should be out late playing bridge?”

“Honey, I’m not on my deathbed…yet.”

Chet recoiled and wished he could take his hands and cover his ears. “Oh God, please don’t say things like that.”

“I’m sorry. I know you’re worried. But the doctor said I can continue doing whatever I want as long as I feel up to it. So, I’m going to get that nap, and I’m going to play a mean game of bridge tonight.” Helen laughed and turned to walk to her bedroom. “I’ll see you in a few days?”

“Uh, sure.” Chet shook his head and corrected himself. “I mean—yes, absolutely.”

Chet watched his mother amble down the hallway. He couldn’t believe all that had happened in the last few weeks. His mom had been cancer-free for over eight years, but now the cancer had returned and was no longer confined to her breasts. The prognosis was grim—another year at most. All at once, Chet’s world was fragile. He couldn’t imagine not having her here—she’d always been the center of their family. And through his entire childhood, she’d been his biggest cheerleader—helped him through all the tough times, all his social difficulties.

Chet gathered the rest of the dirty dishes in the living room, walked into the kitchen, and set everything by the sink where his sister was busy scrubbing a pot. He leaned against the counter and stood silently, watching his sister as she worked.

After a moment, Jenna turned to him with a curious face. “Something on your mind?”

Chet shrugged. “Nothing really…well, it’s something mom said.”

“Yeah?”

“She asked about Sally, you know—if I ever see her. What would make mom think of Sally Winters after all these years?”

Jenna laughed and shook her head as if their mother’s question was of no surprise. “That’s mom. Ever the optimist.”

Chet cocked his head. “Optimist? How’s that?”

Jenna turned to Chet, disbelief splashed across her face. “You can’t figure out what she was hinting at?”

Chet straightened and gave it a moment of thought. He came up empty and shrugged. “I have no idea. But you obviously do, so spill.”

“Oh, Chet,” Jenna sighed. She paused a moment and set down the pot she was scrubbing, and dried her hands on a dishtowel. “It’s mom’s way of saying she wishes you’d find someone,” Jenna said in a quiet voice.

Chet startled. “Find someone? Like…a girlfriend?”

Jenna nodded tentatively. “Or even better, a wife.”

“Oh,” Chet said reflexively. His sister’s words were like a ton of bricks raining down and knocking the breath right out of him. He took a few steps and slumped onto a stool, staring off at nothing in particular.

“Hey,” Jenna walked to Chet and put her hand on his shoulder. “She’s from a different time—most everyone married back then. And she’s your mom—she can’t help worrying about you.”

Chet raised his arms and splayed his hands. “Worry about me?” he said with a shake of his head. “I don’t get that. I’m healthy. I have a great business. I have plenty of friends. I have you and the boys. What the hell is there to worry about?”

Jenna rolled her eyes and walked back to the sink. “Oh, don’t get yourself all in a lather. So, mom wishes you had a woman in your life. Big deal! You and I know that’s never going to happen,” Jenna laughed and tossed her head back. “Chet Connors married—now that’s comical!”

Jenna’s tone stung, even though Chet knew what she said was true. He wasn’t meant for marriage, or even long-term relationships. And he’d known that for a long time.

“I hate that I’m disappointing her,” Chet murmured, more to himself than to Jenna.

Jenna turned to Chet on a dime. “Oh right! Like you could ever disappoint mom. Remember—you were the favorite.”

Chet chuckled out a groan. “Oh God, not that again.”

“But you were! Probably because you’re the baby. You could do no wrong in her eyes.”

Chet stood, ready to get out of there. He hated that his mother wished he had a life he would never have. “I better get going. I have a big week—two cars towed in.”

Jenna nodded. “Okay. The boys are out of school soon. Can I tell them you’ll spend some time with them?”

“Absolutely. We’ll do some camping, and I read about this new nature trail not far away—it sounded like a good place for us to explore. Also, I’ll look at the both the Springfield Cardinals and the Royals’ game schedules and email you some dates.”

“Thanks. You truly are the best uncle my boys could have.”

“Call me if anything comes up with mom that I should know about.” Chet began walking out of the kitchen, but before exiting the room stopped sharply and turned back. “Oh, and for the record, Sally and I were mostly friends. I never got past second base.”

Chapter 2

Abby Becker was working rounds, checking in on all the patients on the ward. When she got to Mrs. Morrison—an elderly woman with gallbladder issues—Abby became concerned. Although the woman’s vitals were normal, she seemed off—pale and a little dazed.

“How are you feeling, Mrs. Morrison?”

The elderly woman turned slowly. “A little tired.”

“Remember,” Abby said, holding up the call button attached to the side of the bed, “all you have to do is press right here if you don’t feel well, and someone will come to check on you right away.”

Mrs. Morrison nodded.

Abby rearranged the woman’s blankets and pillows and set off to get some help.

“Lydia,” Abby said when she found the nurse. “It’s Mrs. Morrison. She looks tired, and she didn’t chat with me. Usually, she loves to catch me in a little conversation.”

“Were her vitals normal?” Lydia asked.

“Well yes, but—”

“I’m not too worried. I’ll check in on her after I take care of one of my other patients. Thanks for letting me know.”

Abby nodded and went on her way, but a little later she glanced back into Mrs. Morrison’s room and saw the woman staring blankly at nothing. On her way to help with a procedure, Abby saw nurse Lydia working on the computer at the nurses’ station. She doubted Lydia had even bothered to check in on the patient.

A couple of hours later, Abby was back in Mrs. Morrison’s room doing the next round of vitals. This time, the woman didn’t even look up when Abby came into the room. Abby knew something was seriously wrong when the blood pressure reading was considerably lower than earlier.

She ran to find Lydia and told her the stats.

Lydia flinched. “Oh, goodness. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll call for a doctor,” Lydia said.

A doctor arrived promptly, and Mrs. Morrison was taken to the ER. Abby watched as Lydia pushed the gurney down the hallway, an oxygen mask now covering Mrs. Morrison’s face. Abby ran behind them and asked if there was any way she could help.

“We’ve got this covered,” Lydia said as they got into the elevator. “But Mr. Jacobs wasn’t feeling well when breakfast was served. Could you call food service and order something for him?”

“Sure,” Abby nodded. But, at the same time, she felt that familiar pang of frustration. It was that hurtful reminder of her limited role at the hospital. Abby had gone to one of the best nursing schools in the country for two and a half years, but the money her family set aside for her education ran out. The program wasn’t cheap, and she had been afraid to take out a loan that would put her too far into debt. She’d hoped to save up to finish the program, but now, eight years later, Abby could barely support herself on her medical tech salary, so she’d never gotten back to school. It was frustrating because she knew how to do everything the nurses did—all the protocols, the medicines—and she was good with the patients. But none of that mattered. She wasn’t certified. And so, as was usual, Abby had to stand aside, dejected, and watch others take over as soon as there was real health care to be delivered. It was like being a third-string bench warmer…every single day.

After calling for a food tray for Mr. Jacobs, Abby snuck into a supply cabinet. She took her lack of career advancement hard and, at that moment, she needed a little cry. Just a tad of self-pity for all that she was supposed to have done with her life, the things she’d planned since she was a young girl, for all that her parents had hoped for her. But none of those things had happened. And as time ticked by, it was looking ever more likely that they probably never would.

# # #

After her tough day at work, Abby didn’t feel up to a night out with her friends. But she forced herself to go. Maybe a couple of hours out with the girls would help to pick up her mood. She arrived at the restaurant and settled in for their usual get-together. Abby was enjoying her bubbly Pellegrino, and everyone was laughing and joking. Chloe was bringing everyone up to speed on the new guy she was dating. She swore this guy was ‘the one,’ but Chloe had a history of finding a new ‘the one’ every other month or so. And suddenly, with no warning, Fran veered the conversation in an uncomfortable direction.

“Abby—when was the last time you had a date?”

Abby felt her cheeks heat. The answer was far too embarrassing. She sighed. “It’s been a dry spell.”

“What happened with that guy Laura set you up with?”

“Adam?” she shrugged. “It fizzled.”

“He stopped calling you?”

Abby tilted her head. “Well, he was nice and all, but it wasn’t working, so I ended it.”

Chloe raised her arms as if in despair. “Abigail Becker! What the hell! You always say things won’t work out before they even get started. I think you don’t want anything to work.”

“That’s not true,” Abby spat out quickly. She was pretty sure she wasn’t meaning to sabotage her own love life. And yet, that part of her life had been pretty darn dead since she left college nearly a decade earlier. Abby wasn’t sure what she was doing wrong, but she sure got plenty of advice from her friends as well as her sister. Wear makeup, do something with your hair, get nicer clothes. But those suggestions only shook Abby’s confidence and left her feeling even worse. Maybe everyone was right. Maybe she did push nice guys away.

“Abby!” Chloe interrupted Abby’s thoughts. “Did you hear what I said?”

“I’m sorry,” Abby startled, and turned to Chloe. “What was that?”

“I said you need to take ‘one giant leap’ into the current century and get on a social dating site,” Chloe laughed.

Abby grimaced. “Yuck. As far as meeting men is concerned, I most definitely prefer the way it worked in the last century.”

“So, tell us, what is ‘Mr. Right-for-Abby’ like?” Angela asked.

Abby hesitated, not sure she knew her own criteria for an ‘ideal man.’ But her friends seemed eager to hear her views on the subject—she had to come up with something if for no other reason than to get this conversation over with as soon as possible. “Well,” she said, searching her mind, “I don’t like boastful guys. I prefer someone modest, unassuming.”

Chloe snorted and arched an eyebrow. “That’s it?”

Everyone else burst out laughing.

“Okay, okay,” Abby said, as she worked harder to come up with additional thoughts on the matter that might be more convincing. “Well, I want a guy who would be kind, and…he has to be someone who would be a good father,” Abby said and gazed off. “My dad brought my mom flowers every Friday night.” She felt the warmth of tears threatening. It was embarrassing to become emotional when everyone else was simply goofing around. But the thought of her parents always left Abby hurting.

Angela hooked her arm around Abby and gave a squeeze. “Oh sweetie, he’s out there—but you’ve got to put yourself out there to find him.”

Abby nodded. She knew that was true. And she did want to find love. She yearned to be part of a happy family—like before. Finding the right guy was necessary to make that part of her life’s dream come true. But unfortunately, finding that guy had so far eluded her.

Chapter 3

Abby sat in her sister’s kitchen, breaking up chicken into small bites and placing them on her nephew Colin’s highchair tray. “It’s not that I dislike my job, Nat. It’s that I could do so much more if I finished school and got my nursing credentials. I have good instincts. I see things the nurses miss all the time. But my role is so limited. I’m tired of being relegated to the sidelines. I’ve got to get that degree.”

Natalie set down her teacup and her face turned serious. “Okay then, I’m going to ask for the umpteenth time. Why won’t you move in with us? You could go back to school that way.”

Abby shook her head. “I don’t want to do that.” Her voice was curt—she hadn’t meant to be rude.

Natalie’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why not? Kevin and I want to help.”

Abby knew moving in with her sister would be a smart thing to do. But Natalie had already spent too much of her life being a surrogate parent to Abby. Now, with a husband who loved her and an adorable little toddler, Natalie finally had the life she’d wanted. Abby couldn’t intrude on her sister’s happy little family.

“Oh Nat, I know you want to help, and I appreciate that. But I’m a grown woman now. I can’t be relying on my big sis anymore. I gotta find my own way.”

Natalie looked at Abby curiously, stood, and huffed off.

A little later in the day, with Colin down for a nap, and Natalie busy with chores, Abby worked on her computer in her sister’s living room. Once she finished paying some bills, Abby began a job search, hoping to find something that paid at least a little more than she was currently making. She searched through a long list of med tech jobs, but none of the positions she saw offered much higher pay than she was making. Before closing out of her search, Abby’s eye was caught by an interesting notice. A medical tech job on an international cruise ship.

“Hey Nat,” Abby called out. “Listen to this. It’s a med tech job on a cruise ship that operates out of Florida. You get room and board along with a salary.”

Natalie took a few steps into the living room. “Huh?” she said, her face scrunched with confusion. After a moment, she burst out laughing. “Seriously Abs? You get motion sickness in an elevator.”

Abby’s momentary excitement dampened. “Yeah,” she shrugged. “But maybe there are other on-site jobs with room and board. I could save some money that way.”

Natalie’s eyes opened wide, and her face lost all color. “Wait. You’re serious? You’re willing to move away?”

Abby shrugged. “Just until I save money for school.”

Natalie set down the laundry basket she was holding and walked closer to Abby. “Look honey. Going back to school is a good goal, but let’s face it—you’re nearly thirty.”

Abby’s spine stiffened. “What’s my age got to do with anything?”

“Abby, honey, I know you want to get your nursing certification. But what about the most important things in life? I know you like a book and I know what you want most. A family. If you go off for a couple of years to work, and then go back to school, it’s like putting your life on hold. You could end up missing out on the things that matter most.”

Abby startled. “Well, I can’t snap my fingers and find the perfect man, can I? It has to happen naturally. Even if I meet a guy, I want a career too. So, while I’m waiting around for the perfect man to magically materialize, I should work on my career so I can do the things I set out to do, and feel good about myself. And you know what I think?” Abby said. “I think if I finish school and get myself into a better career, I’ll feel more confident. And feeling better about myself might help the dating stuff take care of itself.”

Natalie tsked, shook her head and walked off. Abby hated to upset her sister, but she returned her attention to the job search, undeterred. This time, she specifically began looking for on-site jobs. A host of options popped up: resorts, home health care, retreats and spas, live-in childcare. Glancing down the list of openings, she came upon one most unusual notice:

In search of a “temporary wife”: I am looking for a woman (age 25-35) to marry me and remain married for up to a year. You would live at my home (in Missouri). To the outside world, we would appear as a married couple, but you would have your own room and we would not have any sort of romantic relationship. I am offering a fee of $100,000 for, at most, one year of your time. If you are interested…

Abby gasped, leaned against the sofa, and shook her head, wondering why in the world someone would want a wife for a year? Whatever the reason, the payoff was rather impressive. “That’s the rest of college and then some,” she said aloud.

Abby quickly snapped back to reality—there had to be a hitch of some sort. And anyway, Natalie would surely disapprove, and that gave Abby some pause. But as Abby thought it through, she realized that her life had fallen into a rut so deep it seemed she needed to do something big to shake things up. What would be the harm of sending an email asking for more details about this offer? After a moment of thought, Abby’s decision was firm. She quickly typed in the email address the man provided, and began writing her application, or proposal, or whatever this exactly was, she wasn’t sure. She assumed that an offer of that much money would elicit a lot of response. Most likely she’d never hear from the guy.

Natalie came back into the room just as Abby hit ‘send.’ “Any other job postings look promising?” Natalie asked.

“Kind of,” Abby said quietly, her tone verging on apologetic.

“In Philadelphia I hope.”

“Some were close, some a little further.”

“I wish you’d move in with us so you can save the money without traipsing off to God knows where. You’ve never even lived outside of Pennsylvania.”

“I need to do this my way, Nat. And actually, one job that looked interesting is a ways off. Missouri.”

Natalie went pale. “Missouri! What in the world kind of job would you go all the way to Missouri for?”

Abby quickly filled her in on the notice, watching as her sister’s eyes widened.

Natalie stood, a stunned expression glued on her face, hands on hips. “You must be out of your friggin’ mind. It’s got to be some kind of scam. This guy could be a serial killer.”

“I get that it’s weird, but—”

“But nothing! This is crazy. Why in the hell would you go halfway across the country to play some game of charades with a man you don’t even know? A man who could be a crazy person.”

“Look, I know it’s a long shot. But what if it’s legit? So, I spend one year in Missouri. That’s just fifty-two weeks. When I come home, I have more than enough money to finish school.”

Natalie’s hand flew to her mouth. “You’re seriously considering this?”

Abby nodded sheepishly. “I sent a reply to his notice asking for more information.”

Natalie stepped back. She looked about to say something but instead, she stood still, her mouth gaped for a long moment. “You’ve gone mad,” she finally spat out. She turned sharply and stormed out of the room.

Deanna Roddy

Romance Author

Excerpt from The Temporary Wife

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3