Alaskan Bush Bride

Chapter 2

*MATT'S POV*

I walked into the little store that served as the post office in the small town of Hoonah. My brothers and I had business in town and while they were getting our next haul ready, I decided to check in at the store to see if we had gotten any mail. I gave the lady at the counter our name and she handed me a single envelope. I said thank you and stepped outside. I looked at the envelope and realised it was addressed to me. I rarely got mail and it was from the matchmaking service my mother had set us up with months ago.

I quickly opened it and read the letter telling me that they may have found a match for me. I looked at the picture of the girl. She was gorgeous. Long blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail in the picture. Radiant hazel eyes and smile that screamed fun. I read through her profile and seen she was from Wisconsin. I thought that was kind of crazy. Why would they send me someone from Wisconsin?

I looked at her picture again. She couldn't possibly be interested in someone like me. I was just average looking and lived so far away. I looked at her phone number and debated on calling her but my thoughts were quickly cut short when the paper was ripped out of my hands.

"What you got there, Matt?" Bam asked as he looked over the paper.

"Just a letter from the matchmaker," I said as I snapped the papers back.

"You mean the one that ma had us meet with?" Bear asked.

I nodded as I stated at her picture. Do I call? Is it even worth it?

"Well, are you going to call her or just stare at her picture?" Gabe asked.

"I don't know."

Bear put his arm over my shoulder and began leading me back into the store. "You're calling her," he said.

I didn't have time to think or react. My brothers had ushered me inside and into a booth before I could protest. They handed me a phone and sat there staring at me. "I'm not calling if you are going to stare at me like that," I said.

"Oh come on, Matt. Just do it," Bam said getting annoyed.

I sighed and dialed her number before I put it up to my ear. It rang twice before she picked up and I forgot to speak. Her voice sounded like angels singing and she almost hung up when I finally gathered myself. "Uh, hi. Mandi? This is Matt Brown. The matchmaker gave me your information. I was wondering if you would like to talk sometime? I don't have a phone though so I'm borrowing one and I'd have to call you. I can call on Saturday say around noon?" why was I talking so much? I know I talk a lot but this is way more than normal.

Mandi laughed and it brought a smile to my face. "I'd love that. I'm actually at work right now so that would be way better for me. I honestly thought you would never call me," she said.

My smile widened. "I wasn't expecting anything to come in the mail. I'm sorry."

"I'm just happy you did. I'm looking forward to hearing from you on Saturday."

My smile grew. This woman seemed very straight forward. "I'll call you Saturday then," I said before hanging up.

I was excited. I knew a relationship with Mandi was going to be hard. She lived in the lower 48 but somewhere down inside I had some hope. Although I didn't let it show, I was ready to settle down. I had built a house and now I just needed a woman to make it a home.

I looked around at the faces of my brothers who were still staring at me. I gave them my signature smile. "Lets get this haul over with so we can get back to town," I said enthusiastically as I jumped out of the booth. "I've got a phone call to make on Saturday!"

My brothers followed my. Hooting and hollering as we made our way back to the Integrity. I was feeling good about things. Hopefully, Mandi felt the same and she wouldn't be scared away by our way of life. I wasn't giving that up for any one...

*MANDI'S POV*

I woke up Saturday morning in a very good mood. I was excited that Matt had called me but even more so that he was calling me again today. It was the highlight of my whole week and I was overly excited about talking to him more. When he had first called me 2 days ago, I was surprised with the connection I felt instantly. I wondered if he had felt it too. I just hoped it wasn't short lived.

I cleaned up my apartment which I had been neglecting lately and waited for the time to pass. I never thought to ask if Matt meant noon his time or mine. We were in different time zones after all. I heard my phone start to ring and I made a dive over the back of my couch in a hurry to get to it.

"Hello?" I said excitedly.

"Well hello to you too. Why are you in such a good mood?" I heard Ashley's voice say on the other end.

I groaned. Not who I was expecting at all. "What do you want, Ash?" I asked sounding a bit annoyed even though I hadn't intended on it.

"someone didn't have their Wheaties this morning. I wanted to know if you wanted to go out tonight?"

"I can't. I have plans."

Ashley became quite which I knew meant only one thing. Suspicions. "What kind of plans? Ones you'll blow your best friend off for?"

I ran a hand over my face as I leaned on my coffee table. I was still sitting on the floor after my leap over the couch. "honestly, it's your fault I have plans. Of you wouldn't have put the matchmaker idea in my head then I wouldn't have plans tonight."

Ashley squealed. "you actually did it! You have a date with a guy! What's his name? Where's he from? Tell me everything!"

Normally her teenage enthusiasm got on my nerves but I was excited and couldn't keep it all in. "I don't know a lot about him. That's why he's going to be calling me soon. His name is Matt though. From his picture he looks absolutely breath taking. And he lives in Alaska," I said like it was nothing.

"Alaska?! How are you going to make that work?"

"I don't know but I'm sure if things workout, we will figure something out," I said as my phone beeped letting me know I had another call coming in. I quickly looked and seen it was the same number that Matt had called me on before. "I gotta go." I quickly hung up with Ashley and accepted Matt's call.

"Hi," came his rough voice. It was so sexy and that little accent of his made it so much better.

"Hi," I said nervously.

We began to talk and before I knew it we were laughing and it had been almost an hour. Matt told me of his family and I told him if mine. He told me about where he lives in Alaska and I told him if my small farming community where I lived. We talked about everything and I didn't want to hang up. And when he said he was going to have to go soon, I felt my heart drop to the floor. I didn't want this to end.

An idea popped into my head. "What if I came to visit you? Not to stay just yet but I need a vacation and Alaska sounds so intriguing. I could be there next weekend," I said. My words came out as desperate.

I heard Matt's silky laugh on the other end. "That desperate to see me, huh?" he said.

I could hear the smile in his voice and I knew it was the right choice. "Maybe but don't go getting an ego. Can you call me on Wednesday and I can let you know for sure what day I'm coming out?"

"Anything for you," he said.

I smiled as I hung up the phone and immediately booked a flight. This may be the craziest off the wall thing I had ever done but it was well worth it. Alaska, here I come...