One Bride for Five Mountain Men

“Jake!” I object. He merely shrugs again.

“Actually,” she continues slowly, uncrossing her legs, then crossing them the other way, “maybe five million is more like it. Ten?”

“Now you’re just being ridiculous,” I huff. Glancing at the paperwork, I probably could change it to ten million, but why should I? I don’t think that’s really cost-efficient.

Her smile widens and she glances at Jake over her shoulder. Lifting her hand into the air, she waits for him to take it and he does. The gesture is strangely mesmerizing, how she simply lifts a hand and he automatically takes it, like she summoned him.

“I’m just kidding, Carty,” she sighs prettily. “I do not want your money. It’s nice to know you’d give it to me, though!”

Liam and Kill start laughing, with Timothy and Jake joining in immediately. The whole scene is starting to get on my nerves. Exactly who do they think they are laughing at?

“Wow, she really got your number, Carty!” Liam hoots. “I think we should keep her!”

Lola bites her lip and grins smugly. “Oh, is that what you think?”

“Wait… Can we?” Timothy joins in. “I mean, for real? Jake usually brings back a bearskin or something… He’s never brought us a woman! Especially a gorgeous redhead!”

The sound of her laughter is musical, cascading through the air. I want to be angry at her, but she almost seems sincere.

“That’s what big brothers are for,” Jake shrugs. “I told you guys I would take care of you. I keep my promises, you know that.”

Raising my hand, I wait for their laughter to die down. “Okay, okay, settle down, you guys!” I finally bellow, cutting through the noise. “Let’s get a grip, shall we? Lola… What do you really want? Is it money? Maybe ten seconds of fame? Because money, we can do.”

“I want to stay,” she answers in a quiet voice. Suddenly the room is silent.

“What does that mean, exactly?” I ask suspiciously.

She raises one narrow shoulder then lets it drop. Her eyes dart around the room as she drinks in the details: the tall windows, the beautiful handcrafted furniture, the chandelier that spreads sixteen feet across. I can see from her expression that she understands a little bit about what

she is seeing here. Wealth. Real wealth.

“It sounds like I disappeared,” she explains. “And I want to stay disappeared. Just for a little while. Can I?”

“Sure!” Liam interrupts.

“No, of course not!” I correct him. I see the hurt expression on Jake’s face, but continue anyway. “Come on, it has to be said! You can’t just stay here, Lola! You have people, and you should go back to them.”

She shrugs, challenging me with that beautiful green stare. “Give me one good reason why not.”

“Yeah, Carty!” Kill interjects. “Why are you being such a jerk? We have plenty. More than plenty! We don’t even use most of what we have. We don’t even use the whole house! Let her stay if she wants to!”

“That’s not what we’re doing here!” I object. “We’re not running a resort for discontented millennials, okay? And one woman here is just going to cause problems!”

Jake stands up straight, filling up his chest. I can tell he’s about to start yelling, the way he does when he feels it’s time for the oldest brother to take charge. My control of the situation is slipping away, I can feel it. But he doesn’t.

“And if she’s willing?” Jake counters, one eyebrow arched.

“No woman is really willing,” I answer.

Lola sits forward, intrigued. “No woman is really willing to do what?” she asks, licking her lips.

“But what if she is?” Jake continues.

“Yeah, you should ask her,” Liam and Kill say simultaneously.

“Hell, yeah, you should ask her,” Timothy adds, wetting his lips and crossing his arms.

Lola pushes her hair behind her ears. It curls over her shoulders, ending in bouncy spirals.