A Bride for Theo Read online

  A Bride for Theo

  A SEVEN BRIDES OF CHRISTMAS SHORT STORY

  SPIN OFF

  ELISA LEIGH

  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Epilogue One

  Epilogue Two

  Acknowledgments

  Meet the Author

  More Books

  Copyright

  A Bride for Theo

  A Seven Brides of Christmas Novella Spin Off

  By Elisa Leigh

  © Elisa Leigh 2019.

  All Rights Reserved

  By the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for brief quotations used in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows and song titles/lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as an advertisement. Trademark names are used editorially with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

  This book is intended for adults only. Contains sexual content and language that may offend some. The suggested reading audience is 18 years or older. I consider this book Adult Romance due to language and sexual situations.

  ASIN:

  Cover created by: Elisa Leigh using Picmonkey. Photo from Adobe Stock.

  One

  Ellie Richards

  “Just come home Bug, we all miss you.” My sister begs over the phone like she’s done for the past couple of years.

  “I don’t know Jasmine. I think it might be weird. I don’t want to do that to you and Ford, especially with the baby on the way.”

  “I thought we went over this. My home is your home.”

  “But your home isn’t a home, it’s an estate in Atlanta.”

  She laughs. “It’s just a big house.”

  “With servants!”

  She groans into the phone. “They aren’t servants, El. They’re staff that are paid and treated very well I might add.”

  “I don’t know. I feel like I’ll be intruding.”

  I’m sitting in my empty dorm searching for a cheap apartment that I can rent month to month until I figure things out when my computer dings letting me know I’ve got a new email. I click over to pull it up, and I see my sister has sent me a plane ticket.

  “It’s non-refundable, so you have to come.”

  “How did you know I was looking at it?”

  “You stopped talking, plus you’re my baby sister, I know you.”

  She only thinks she knows me. She’d be appalled if she knew what I was thinking of doing for work, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. I don’t remember our dad, he took off when Jasmine was five, and I was a baby. Mom did the best she could, but when I was fifteen, she hightailed it out of our crappy apartment in her latest boyfriend’s truck and never looked back. She’d send money every couple of months, but it was never enough to make ends meet.

  Instead of taking her college scholarship out of state, Jasmine worked and went to school online. When things got really tough, she ended up going with a matchmaker service to find a husband. She wasn’t looking for love, she was hoping for a wedding on paper to help get us out of the financial bind we were in. Ford took one look at my sister, and that was it for him though. No one could blame him, my sister is gorgeous. Not only that, she’s so giving and self-sacrificing.

  “Georgia and Hanford would love to see you again Ellie. They ask about you all the time, and it’s been years since you’ve been back.”

  I twirl my hair around my finger, it’s not like I have anything better to do now that the semester is up. My sister still doesn’t know that I graduated from college early. I didn’t want to tell her because she would have insisted on coming out for the ceremony. I couldn’t do that to her. Ford and her have had the hardest time trying to get pregnant, and now that they finally are, her pregnancy has been deemed high risk. I’m not letting her get her crazy pregnant ass on an airplane to fly halfway across the country. Nope. I’ll just tell her this weekend at some point and hope the stress doesn’t send her into labor.

  “I guess I’m coming home for Christmas.”

  “Yes!” She cheers making me giggle. “You have no idea how much this means to me El. I’ve missed you so much. I can’t wait until school is over and you can come home for good.” She starts crying and my heart hurts. We were always so close growing up only having each other to depend on. Since she got married though she’s had Ford and his parents. I didn’t know where I fit in after that. When I graduated high school, I took the full ride I got from a university out in Colorado, thousands of miles away and left her to start her new life as the wife to a very successful businessman. We still talk often but I can tell the distance has put a strain on our relationship.

  “Well, I have a ton to do if I’m going to be ready and at the airport Wednesday morning.”

  “Call me if you need anything El, you hear me?”

  “Okay mom, see you in a few days. Love you, sis.”

  “Love you too, bug.”

  I hang up before I start tearing up too. The truth is I really need this trip. I’m feeling more alone now than ever. Most people on campus have already left for the holidays. Technically I’m not even supposed to be here since I’ve already graduated, but my roommate is a sweetheart and told me to stay until the new year if I needed it. I look around my dorm room and don’t know how I’m going to get this all packed up and moved out of here in time. That’s what I get for procrastinating. I guess I can just put what I have in storage and then get it out when I figure out what I’m doing.

  Ford is a great guy for my sister. He’s a little bit on the quiet side, but they complement each other very well. He takes care of her, and part of that is also taking care of me, even though he doesn’t have to do that. Every month he puts five grand into a checking account he opened in my name. At first, I tried not to use it because I knew I would end up paying him back every dollar I spent of his money and I didn’t want to be in a mountain of debt when I graduated.

  A couple weeks into college Jasmine and Ford came for a visit. They were both unhappy with my very unfinished dorm room and sparse living situation. So much so that they took me shopping and totally hooked me up. It was weird to have someone spend so much money on me, but at the same time, it was kind of comforting too. Before the weekend was up, Ford asked me to use the allowance to make my life easier. He said his job was to make my sister happy and part of that was making sure I was taken care of. Over the years Ford and I have gotten a lot closer, and I see him as a big brother now.

  Over the next couple of days, I pack up the last three years of my life and put in a storage unit. All of my things fit into the smallest unit they had available, and it makes me sad that at twenty, I have so little that I can call my own. Hopefully, soon I’ll be able to find a job using my accounting degree. It’s not something that I’m excited about, but I thought it was something that would make me a decent living and I’d never have to depend on anyone to
take care of me. I would never have to be put into a situation where I was doing something I was uncomfortable doing.

  Yet, there are no accounting firms that are hiring around here. I’ve been looking for months, and the pickings are slim. Jasmine keeps telling me I can go and work for Stone Enterprises once I graduate, but I already feel awkward for everything they have done for me. I gave in and started looking for jobs that would pay me a decent salary, one that I could survive on in the city. I was able to save a lot of what Ford has given me throughout the years, but I don’t want to touch it unless it’s absolutely necessary.

  I saw an ad on one of the job sites, a few days before Jasmine called, one that I could do from home and it offered a decent weekly paycheck. It was perfect until a minute into the interview they dropped the bomb that this was for a phone-sex operator position. Good thing this was an interview over the phone. I was speechless. I pulled up the ad again on my computer while Lana, my interviewer, tittered away giving me the lowdown on what this position would be like. I read the announcement more carefully this time and found the highly suggestive phrases that should have popped out at me when I first saw the ad. Was I this person, was I this desperate? Looks like I have some decisions to make.

  I pack two large suitcases full of my most favorite things and all my clothes, not that I had many to start with. Ever since I was a kid, we shopped at consignment shops for our clothes. I might be able to afford nice things, with my brother in laws money, but I still live like I have no money. Of course, my sister always takes me shopping when she visits, and that makes up most of my wardrobe. Maybe I’ll stay a little longer and help Jasmine out until the baby gets here. At least that way I can show them both how much I appreciate their help. When I arrive at the airport, I feel as though my journey has come to an end. Why does it feel like I’ll never be back in Colorado?

  Two

  Theobald Stone

  I come down from my wing of my parent’s home, ready to start my day and grab a cup of coffee before I need to get to the office. When I pass the dining room, I notice my sister in law Jasmine is having breakfast with mom, which they do most mornings. At first, when Ford told me he found his wife through a matchmaker, I was suspicious of her intentions. He told me he knew what her intentions were and didn’t give a damn. He was going to make her fall in love with him. And he did. She’s also one of the sweetest people I know and just so happens to be perfect for my brother. Jasmine and mom have become very close over the years, both finding something in each other that was missing. Mom never had a daughter, and to hear Ford tell it, Jasmine didn’t have much of a mother.

  “Hey, Sis,” I say bending down to kiss her cheek, so she doesn’t have to stand up. The woman looks like she’s going to pop any day now, even though her due date isn’t for almost another month. “How are you feeling today?”

  “Oh you know, I’m feeling great.” She says rolling her eyes and rubbing her large belly. There’s an instant twinge of jealousy that surges through me, wishing I had what my brother does. No, I don’t want his wife, even though she’s absolutely perfect for my brother. I just want what he has. A wife to love and spoil, a child on the way. These are the things our parents taught us to value. These are the things I have yet to find. If I’m honest, there has been something missing for a while now.

  “Only a few more weeks dear,” Mom tells her holding her hand reassuring her. From what I’ve learned about Jasmine, she didn’t have a great family growing up and had to overcome a lot to get where she is now.

  I leave them to it and go into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee for the drive in. I’m not surprised to see a buffet of foods lining the counter. Gina, my parent’s head of house, does a great job with breakfast. To be fair, she does a great job all around. She’s around the same age as my parents and has been working for them since Ford and I were young.

  My parent's wealth has provided us with a certain level of comfort. It never used to bother me until I joined the military and became accustomed to a new way of life. It’s been a few years since I’ve come home, but I think about it every day, especially now looking at all that we have.

  Gina opens the door to walk in, kicking the snow from her boots before she enters. “Hey, there honey.” She says smiling brightly at me. “Can I fry you up a few eggs before you go in today?”

  “No ma’am, my mouth is watering thinking about this breakfast casserole. I’m going to take some to go.”

  “Shoo, get out of here. Let me wrap it up for you.” I hug her side and kiss her cheek. “You’re too good to me, you sure you aren’t single?” I joke with the woman that’s been in my life since I was five.

  “Don’t let Mr. George hear you, he might take offense.” I quirk my eyebrows at her mentioning her secret love affair with my parent’s driver, but she only laughs and turns to wrap up my breakfast. I say secret, but everyone knows, they just haven’t come out and told us yet. They’ve been keeping it to themselves for years.

  When I’m finished making my coffee, Gina has my breakfast ready for me to take. I go to leave the kitchen and stop beside where she’s cleaning something off the counter. “If only I were thirty years older. Mr. George is fortunate to have a woman like you.”

  She blushes and smacks my arm. “Go to work you nuisance.”

  I laugh and walk out of the kitchen. I love riling her up. I’m walking by Jasmine when she grabs my hand and squeezes, hard. I notice her face is red and she looks like she’s in pain. I drop to my knees in front of her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Call Ford, I need him. I think…” a fat tear rolls down her cheek. “I think the baby is coming.” I hear my mother gasp as she walks in and that’s when I notice Jas’s pants are wet and there’s a puddle around her chair, that I’m kneeling in. She clutches my hands again and looks me in the eyes as pure pain washes through her. “You gotta breathe sis, I know it hurts but you have to breathe before you pass out.” In the distance, I hear mom calling my brother, but I keep my attention on Jas. I start doing the breathing technique we’ve all seen pregnant women do on movies and it makes her burst out laughing. “There you go,” I say rubbing her back trying to calm her down.

  “They’re coming on fast. I don’t know if we’ll make it to the hospital in time.”

  I stand and sweep her into my arms. “Mom tell Ford to meet us at the hospital. I’m taking her now.”

  I tell her and immediately walk out of the house. I put Jasmine in the back of my Escalade, and mom hops in on the other side. It’s usually a twenty-minute drive, but I make it in fifteen. When I pull up to the drop off zone Ford is waiting for us with a wheelchair and a nurse.

  Once Jasmine is settled and my mom at her side I get in the car to go park, but Jasmine's sweet voice stops me. “Theo, will you pick up Ellie from the airport? I’d send George, but family should be there.”

  “Of course.”

  Ford tells me he’ll text me the information. Instead of parking and going in to be with them I’ve got a new mission. I turn back for home needing to change. No one told me my Ellie was coming home. I thought I had another six months to prepare before she finally graduated.

  I only met her once, the weekend of the wedding, but that’s all it took for me to be completely captivated by her. I came home for a long weekend so I could be there for Ford when he got married. I wasn’t in the best mood since I had only heard about the wedding a few days prior and was thinking Jasmine was only after his money. I was all caught up in what kind of woman he was marrying, and I’m sure I came off as a major douchebag to her and her sister. My dad even pulled me to the side and gave me a what-for for almost ruining a happy day for this family.

  The moment I saw her I was done for. All other women meant nothing to me after that because I knew I had just met the woman I was going to spend my life with. The problem was she was the sister of my brother’s wife and was only seventeen. Ellie was a senior in high school for Christ’s sake, and I was a twenty-five-year-old man in the
Army. I ended up leaving the wedding early, giving my family the excuse that I was called back in for an emergency. If I had stayed, I don’t know if I would have been able to control myself. Over the next several months I called Ford as often as I could to find out how Ellie was. Most often it was the same, she was quiet and doing all right.

  I learned that she loved to read and go on hikes in the woods. She never asked for anything and wouldn’t talk to him much even though he tried. I longed to change her world and give her everything that would make her smile. After the second call, he figured me out. Initially, I was going to wait until she graduated high school and then stake my claim, but Ford convinced me otherwise. He said if I wasn’t able to give her all of me, then I should stay away until I was. Ford was right. I still had things I wanted to accomplish in the military, and she wanted to go off to college. It wouldn’t be fair to ask her to wait for me when I was across the world in dangerous situations seventy percent of the time.

  When she went away to college, I set up an allowance for her. Ford told her it was from him so she wouldn’t become suspicious. She also had security in place that she had no clue about. I refused to leave her unprotected without any family around to help. I stayed as close to her as I could get by reading the daily reports her security team sent and looking over her bank statements. She had social media accounts, but she rarely posted on them, if at all. Mostly I lived to hear about what Ford would learn from their visits to see her. It was a funny way to get to know your future wife, but that’s how it went. Now it’s time to get her, and this time I’m not waiting another goddamn minute.

  Three

  Ellie

  When my first flight landed I tried texting and calling Jasmine, but there was no answer. She’s probably busy, or maybe she’s taking a nap, she’s been taking a lot of those lately. Poor girl, she won’t be getting much sleep when the baby gets here. Worry starts to set in though and by the time I land in Atlanta I’m full blown freaking out thinking something has happened to her and the baby. When I power up my phone, I try again to get ahold of her, but she doesn’t answer.