The Alpha's Mail Order Bride Read Free Page B

us have to learn what we can from our troubles, or forever be at their mercy.”
    Akala crunched her granola and tried to think of something to say. She’d never met someone who exuded the sort of openness that Haley did, and as refreshing as it was, it was also disarming and a little confusing. What did you say to someone who spoke with the sort of depth of emotion and philosophical manner that Haley did. Thankfully, the B&B owner saved Akala from having to figure out what to say.
    “ This is getting to be much too serious for a lovely morning like this. What do you say we take a walk around the garden out back after breakfast? Care to keep me company while I harvest a few things for dinner later?”
    “ You know, that sounds like it would be wonderful.” Akala had nothing to do all morning but fret about the upcoming date with Nashoba, and she had a feeling Haley was doing her best to keep her busy and distracted from worrying about it.
    Still, she thought as she sipped at her tea, it was nice to have someone to talk to. The truth of it was that she could hardly think of anything other than the looming lunch date, and she was incredibly thankful to have Haley there for her through this bizarre experience.
     
    By the time Nashoba arrived at the B&B to pick Akala up for their date, she was in a wonderfully happy and open mood after a morning spent with Haley. Nashoba’s cousin had a way about her, something Akala could only describe as a vibrant light, that was reassuring and invigorating to be around. Akala had never met anyone quite like that, and she was giddy with positive energy by the time her date pulled up in his old truck.
    Unfortunately, Nashoba was as awkward and quiet as he had been the previous night when he’d come to pick her up at the airport, and by the time they parked in the nearby small town of Mountain View, Akala felt that awkward energy wash over her as well. She didn’t know what to say to open the conversation, and all of her questions along the drive had been met with single word responses of either yes or no.
    The restaurant itself was cute, and Akala reminded herself of everything Haley had warned her about her cousin. Nashoba looked every bit as shy and flustered with this whole experience as Akala felt, and she told herself that it was just the early date jitters and that they still had a chance to turn things around.
    “So what’s good here?” she asked, looking over her menu to where Nashoba sat with his hands clasped and the menu still folded where the server had left it.
    “ I always order the shepherd’s pie,” he said with the faintest of smiles. “I can’t tell you about anything else on the menu.”
    “ Well maybe I’ll try that as well,  then.” Akala folded her menu and sipped her water, desperate for something to say and relieved that the server came to take their order.
    When they were alone again, it was Nashoba who spoke first. “I’m happy you accepted my offer to come meet me. I understand that it must be something of a strange experience for you?”
    It confused Akala that he’d asked it as a question, but she put it down to nerves on his part. “Yes, it is a little intimidating to have someone offer to fly you halfway across the country for a blind date. Is this the sort of thing you’ve done before?”
    “ No. You’re the first.”
    “ Oh. Well I suppose I should be flattered then.” Akala toyed with the fork and knife at her place setting. “Were there many other people who responded to your ad?”
    “ A surprising number, actually. The whole idea of posting on Craigslist was strange to me, but it was Haley who suggested I try it. I exchanged emails with a few of the women who contacted me, but I have to say that you were the most intriguing and attractive from a purely mental viewpoint.”
    “ And now that I’m here?” Akala bit her lower lip in what she knew was a nervous habit but couldn’t stop herself from doing.
    Nashoba’s eyes