In Her Eyes Read online

  In Her Eyes

  By:

  Jeanette Lynn

  Smashwords Edition

  ***

  Published By:

  Jeanette Lynn

  on Smashwords

  In Her Eyes

  Copyright 2014 by Jeanette Lynn

  Smashwords Edition,

  License Notes

  Thank you for purchasing and downloading this e book.

  It is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or noncommercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to purchase and download their own copy.

  Thank you for your support.

  Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events, or locales, is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademarked ownership of all trademarks and word marks mentioned in this book

  ***

  Books by Jeanette Lynn

  Cosmic Soul Mates Series

  Stellar Proportions

  Book 1

  (Neyenn & Molilah)

  Out Of This Orbit

  Book 2

  (Jaye & Darlah)

  On Her Axis

  Book 3

  (Marre, Magenta & Perre)

  (m/f/m)(no m/m)

  Book 4 Coming Soon

  The Brides of Mordenne Series

  A Mate To Match

  Book 1

  In Her Eyes

  Book 2

  Other Books

  Jingle Belled And Mistletoed

  When She Least Expected It

  (William Geralds from Jingle Belled And Mistletoed)

  The Bridal Hunt

  Reader advisory, contains: (m/f/m)

  (no m/m)

  Of Another Dimension

  Reader advisory, contains: (m/f/m)

  (no m/m)

  Table Of Contents

  Penelope- You can back out, Pen…

  Ben- What the hell is going on?

  Penelope- So much for following my gut instincts

  Ben- I washed the dishes…

  Penelope- I startled awake…

  Ben- I paced the living room…

  Penelope- After I’d calmed down a little…

  Ben- My little wife is just full of surprises…

  Penelope- I woke up and stretched my limbs…

  Ben- I opened the door…

  Penelope- I watched from my perch…

  Ben- A week passed…

  Penelope- I feigned sleep when…

  Ben- I tried to call Penny…

  Penelope- We could go to the movies…

  Ben- We pulled up…

  Penelope- I woke up just as…

  Ben- Oh, they’re so precious!

  Penelope- You can’t distract me forever…

  Made To Match Headquarters

  Epilogue

  Other books by Jeanette Lynn

  About the author

  Warning:

  This book contains sexually explicit material intended for readers 18 and older.

  ***

  Penelope

  "You can back out, Pen, there's still time. It's not too late, yet," Viv reasoned.

  I rolled my eyes at her cajoling tone, snorted, and put the last of my things into my little red hatchback.

  I closed the door with a hard slam and gave it a 'good job' pat for staying shut.

  I'm surprised the door hasn't come off its hinges with all my stuff crammed into the back the way it is.

  "It's too late, Viv, and you know it. I've already decided. The papers are signed and as soon as I'm sure I haven't forgotten anything, I'm out of here." I gave her a rueful smile.

  "It's just not... normal, Penelope," my sister, Vivienne, chided, trying her best to use a stern voice and failing miserably.

  Someday she'll figure out that even though she's two years older, it doesn't give her any hold on me, whatsoever.

  I'm impervious to it.

  I shrugged mentally.

  Until then... I'll let her have her fantasy.

  I smiled at my snarky thoughts, then tuned back into her tirade.

  "It's positively barbaric, if you ask me! Who, in this day and age, becomes a mail order bride? You've never even met the man. What if he's a beater, huh, Pen? What are you going to do then?" she questioned, voice high and almost squeaky, so full of anxiety about the whole thing, grasping at any angle she could think of to talk me out of it.

  "Beat him with a stick or murder him and bury him out by the wood shed, haven't decided which yet," I said with a serious expression, nodding my head thoughtfully, like I was seriously considering it, which of course, I'm not.

  The agency I went through, Made to Match, was very thorough in their screening of candidates, or so they say, with thorough background checks and the whole lot, trying to make sure everyone is up to par.

  I can't put my finger on it, but the woman I met with, the one who helped me through this whole process, was very up front from the beginning about everything.

  She was very forthcoming, I felt, really open and honest, making me feel comfortable and at ease with them handling things, like I was in capable hands.

  I had this sixth sense about her when we met, something that kept telling me I should trust her, to just go with it, so I followed my gut feeling.

  "Would you be serious, Pen, this isn't funny!" Viv sighed, bringing me back, flapping her arms at me, exasperated at my quirky sense of humor.

  She looks like a very distraught, blonde chicken.

  ...Clucking at me like a mother hen, flapping her arms- or in this analogy, wings- at me in distress.

  I cracked a smile at that and let a small chuckle escape my lips.

  "Pen, are you even listening to me?!" she demanded.

  "Nope," I said without any preamble and went back into the house to grab my purse and the directions to my new home, my new life.

  "You still have time to meet a nice man here and marry him..." she started, then shut up when I gave her 'the look'.

  You know, the look you give someone that says, 'Don't even go there'.

  I’d tried dating and it always ended in disaster, some way or another.

  The men liked my personality well enough, or so it seemed, but they always wanted to mold me into their image of the ideal woman.

  In other words, they wanted me to starve myself into a size two.

  I looked down at my shapely body and smirked.

  Yeah… I don't think so.

  I laughed at the idea.

  I like my body just the way it is. I don't feel the need to change myself, just to please someone else.

  Take me as I am or leave me be...

  And considering I signed up for the mail order route, I would say the majority of the men I've dated chose the latter.

  I like my curves and I enjoy good food, real food.

  Not that bunny kibble people starve themselves with.

  I love some greens on my plate, don’t get me wrong, just like any other person, but there better be some meat and maybe a potato too.

  I’ve always been more on the bigger side of the spectrum and I tried the whole diet this and starve to that…

  I lost some weight, yes, but I was miserable.

  Didn’t take long for me to realize what I was doing to myself and knock it off.

  Life is too short to spend it acting like a calorie spaz...

  I'm not unhealthy about it or anything. I eat right. I just enjoy the good stuff too.

  Heck, I even exercise regularly fro
m time to time, when the mood strikes.

  Does chasing after the ice cream man count?

  Just kidding!

  But anyways…

  So I have a little jounce to my bounce.

  So what?

  I’m happy, I’m healthy, and that’s what matters.

  Period.

  I glanced over at Viv as she chewed her lip, clearly upset about me leaving our shared house to start my new adventure.

  My new life.

  A new beginning…

  That's how I saw it... a new adventure, a new chapter in my life.

  I want a family, a husband, a home, and I don't want to wait around forever for prince charming to ride in on his large white horse and sweep me away.

  It could be a long wait.

  Miss La Faeii, the director for Made to Match, has told me all about Bennard.

  That's his name, my husband, the one I haven't met yet.

  I know, sounds kinda crazy, but yeah, he’s my husband and we really are married.

  She said he was a hard worker, enjoys nature, has a house of his own, has no family, but wishes to start one soon, and is looking for companionship and honesty in a future wife.

  She also let me know that Bennard has a hereditary facial deformity. She said it didn't affect him in any way, other than his appearance.

  Not being one to care all that much for the outer wrapper, I’m happy on Bennard's behalf, to hear that it didn't cause him any problems or anything, functioning wise.

  It’s just a superficial issue.

  It must be lonely, I thought, having no family at all... no one close like that to share things with... add to that a difference in your appearance that might put the more superficial types off...

  Something touched my heart at that and, along with everything else she’d said about him, I picked him out of the other men she’d suggested would be suitable matches.

  Through Made to Match, we each received a letter- they have you write one to a prospective bride or groom in the initial sign up process- explaining yourself, your wants, your needs, whatever you feel impertinent to say to a prospective, future partner in life.

  Kind of like a peek at yourself, a little peek into the window of ‘you’.

  His letter was short and to the point, stating much the same as Miss La Faeii had already told me, but I liked the precise and decisive manner in which he wrote things, seeming so sure of exactly what he wanted out of life, who he is, what he wants in a wife, what he hopes for the future.

  I wonder if his facial deformity is why he had decided to enlist the help of an agency to find a spouse.

  He seems like a strong, independent, smart, capable person.

  He has his own business, he owns his own home... he has no obvious real issues, like drinking, doing drugs or a tendency towards violence or anything.

  To me, he sounds like a catch.

  If people are that stupid about things, like a hereditary abnormality, something someone has absolutely no control over, then their loss.

  Appearances mean nothing, wolves often run around in sheep's clothing. The most sane looking people can be the most crazy and some who seem the sweetest, can turn out to be the most vicious.

  When I was growing up, there was this man on our street, he was a big, thick, burly man with a long scruffy beard and a grim look about him.

  He looked like he never smiled, maybe even ate little old ladies for breakfast.

  You’d think he was the biggest hard ass you’ve ever seen, but if you saw him around town with his wife, escorting the petite, church going blonde wherever she needed to go, he was nothing short of gentlemanly with her, friendly, charming even, smiling down at her lovingly whenever she looked his way, completely smitten.

  If you actually talked to him, he was really a nice guy, he just looked a little different.

  It was a total contradiction to the initial impression everyone had already formed about him, just from his appearance alone.

  It showed me first hand to look past the covering, see what’s inside, give people a chance.

  My musings on outer coatings aside, I know exactly what I want in a husband and that’s what I’m hoping I’ve found.

  I want a man with a good heart and a kind soul.

  Apparently, during my ruminations, Viv had thought of a new straw to grasp at.

  "Screw men!!! They can rot! Let's get you an annulment! We can become cat ladies... spend our days never shaving our legs... doing whatever we want... I don't know... raise llamas? Anything!!!!" she pleaded, gripping my forearm.

  I dragged her along with me, making my way to the couch to collect my things.

  I laughed at the absurdity of the whole thing and pried her hands off of me.

  "You're allergic to cats, Vivi Divvy, and I'm not getting an annulment, so give it up, sister. Nice try though," I chuckled at her.

  She huffed and tried her hand at glaring at me.

  I laughed at that too.

  "Llamas..." I chuckled again, unaffected by her shrewd stare.

  Where does she come up with this crap?

  I think poor Viv has been hanging around me way too much.

  My 'weird mojo' must be rubbing off on her.

  "You'll be fine, Viv. You don't need me."

  I gave her a big reassuring hug.

  Not a good bye hug, this isn't a 'good bye', it's just an 'until next time'.

  The hug ended soon enough and I walked down the steps of the house to my car, swinging open the door.

  I started to get in and paused, turning enough to look up at Viv.

  I gave a little wave.

  "I love you, Pen," Viv said, sniffling from the top step, eyes red rimmed, arms hugging around her middle, blonde hair fluttering in the slight breeze.

  I grinned at her and blew her a kiss.

  "Love you too, Vivi Divvy. Don't worry so much, you're going to be just fine," I promised her.

  "It's going to be quiet around here without you, you know. You weirdo," she said with a watery smile, attempting to make light of everything now.

  Seems she's accepted the inevitable... I'm really leaving.

  It wasn't a decision made easily on my part either.

  I hope she sees that.

  It was a big thing for both of us, having always depended on each other, being there for one another when we needed it.

  True sisters, not just in name, but in heart.

  Our parents had died in a car accident when Viv turned twenty and I was barely eighteen.

  We didn't have any extended family left, so from then on it was just the two of us, bonded together, through it all, braving new things together.

  It’s just as hard for me to leave as it is for her to let go.

  We’d often turned everything into a joint adventure, her and I, sisters in arms, taking on the world.

  Not this time though, this was something I needed to do by myself, just for me.

  An adventure just for Penelope.

  "Be good! It's not going to be as much fun around here without my Lucky Penny, you know" she called out as I got in and started my car.

  I smiled at her and the use of the nickname Daddy had given me.

  His 'Lucky Penny' he used to say, because I would bring 'good luck' to whomever I graced with one of my pretty smiles.

  My mouth quirked up at one of the corners at the fond memory.

  Daddy...

  Sometimes it’s like they never really left... like they hadn’t really died. Like I might be able to go back into the house and find Mama in the kitchen cooking dinner and Daddy just getting home from work.

  But I know better.

  I’ll always have the memories though...

  My daddy was a proud, thin man with twinkling eyes and a booming laugh. He always had a hug at the ready for his girls and all the patience in the world.

  Then there was mama...

  I shook my head at that and smirked.

  How different two people could be.
>
  Like day and night... but I think that’s why they worked so well together.

  She was blunt and full of sass, the most fun to be around on the holidays, always coming up with fun things for us all to do together.

  She always kept us real close.

  Mama had a nosy streak a mile wide with a temper to rival a rhino. She had the patience required to be a parent, but no more and had no qualms about letting you know you were getting on her ever loving nerves.

  I grinned in remembrance.

  Mama was all bark and no bite though.

  She was a mama bear when it came to her girls, too.

  And if you really knew her, that was all part of her charm.

  I miss them so much, I thought sadly, then shook my head, as if to rid it of any latent sadness.

  This is a good thing, today is a happy day, I told myself, trying to perk up. Today, I meet the man I married... ‘by proxy’, but that's neither here nor there.

  I think, in a way, they’d be proud of me, my parents. I think they’d be glad I’m doing what I really want to do, going forward, no backing out.

  I pulled out of the drive and with one last wave at Viv, I was off.

  No regrets, I told myself, no turning back... this is it.

  Now if only I could get the stampeding butterflies in my stomach to knock it off.

  I followed the directions Miss La Faeii had given me and slowed down, hoping I didn't lose sight of the road in this soup like fog.

  I drove at a crawl, my free hand rubbing absently at the necklace Miss La Faeii had given me as a bridal gift.

  "Wear it when you go to meet your new husband," she'd said and winked at me. "Trust me on this," she'd whispered conspiratorially.