The Husband Hunt
WANTED: A HUSBAND. Sophie Tanner gave up hoping for Nathan O’Malley’s approval—and love—long ago. Getting married is the only way to protect her younger brother and keep her family’s Smoky Mountain farm. As much as she’d like Nathan to be the groom, he can't seem to get past their friendship…or their differences. Since they were children, Nathan has known Sophie was too impulsive, too headstrong. She’s forever rushing into situations without thinking them through, like this scheme to snare a husband in under a month. Nathan always thought he’d fall in love with someone like himself–sensible, cautious, levelheaded. Sophie is his polar opposite. So why can’t he picture anyone else at his side?
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Wanted: A Husband
Sophie Tanner gave up hoping for Nathan OâMalleyâs approvalâand loveâlong ago. Getting married is the only way to protect her younger brother and keep her familyâs Smoky Mountain farm. As much as sheâd like Nathan to be the groom, he canât seem to get past their friendshipâ¦or their differences.
Since they were children, Nathan has known Sophie was too impulsive, too headstrong. Sheâs forever rushing into situations without thinking them through, like this scheme to snare a husband in under a month. Nathan always thought heâd fall in love with someone like himselfâsensible, cautious, levelheaded. Sophie is his polar opposite. So why canât he picture anyone else at his side?
Smoky Mountain Matches: Dreams of home and family come true in the Smoky Mountains
âWhat do you think of Sophieâs new look, Nathan?â
Cheeks burning, Sophie couldnât bring herself to look at him, watching instead his large hands near the chessboard, how they clenched and the knuckles went white.
âI would say she hasnât changed all that much.â
âHow can you say that?â said Nathanâs mother, whoâd just entered the room and was setting a plate of cookies on the coffee table.
Sophie inwardly cringed. Of course. Sheâd known, hadnât she, that a new dress wouldnât alter the way Nathan viewed her.
âShe hasnât changed,â Nathan drawled softly in the gathering silence, âbecause sheâs always been beautiful, inside and out.â
Startled, Sophieâs gaze shot to his face. Surely she hadnât heard right? And yet there, in the softening of his mouth, the flicker of a smile, she witnessed appreciation and approval. A giddy sort of joy infused her insides, warming her from the inside out.
Indicating the board, where he had no legal moves left, he said, âStalemate.â
She stared. Very rarely did they call a draw. The gameâs outcome was clear, however. Neither one of them was a winner.
KAREN KIRST
was born and raised in East Tennessee near the Great Smoky Mountains. A lifelong lover of books, it wasnât until after college that she had the grand idea to write one herself. Now she divides her time between being a wife, homeschooling mom and romance writer. Her favorite pastimes are reading, visiting tearooms and watching romantic comedies.
âFor my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,â declares the Lord. âAs the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.â
âIsaiah 55:8â9
For a beloved aunt, Linda McLemore, whose support and encouragement mean the world to me. Thanks for all the laughs and the prayers. I love you.
This dream would not be possible without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
John 15:5: I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Contents
Chapter One
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
August 1881
She was trapped. Stuck high above the ground in her place of refugeâa sugar maple with a trunk too wide to get her arms around and century-deep rootsâcornered by a skunk, of all things. The varmint had sauntered up and planted itself at the treeâs base and showed no intentions of leaving.
Gripping the branch above her head, Sophie leaned forward and commenced trying to reason with him. âYoo-hoo! How about you move along? Iâm sure there are tastier earthworms along the stream bank. You might even catch yourself a frog.â
His frantic digging continued. How long was she going to have to wait?
âYouâre keeping me from my chores, you know.â She blew a stray hair out of her eyes. âWill and Granddad will be wanting their supper soon.â Beans, fried potatoes and corn bread again. Her specialty.
The snap of a twig brought her and the skunkâs head up simultaneously.
Her gaze landed on a face as familiar to her as her own, clashing with silver eyes that seemed to perpetually taunt or condemn her. She swallowed a sigh. Sheâd long ago given up hoping for approval from Nathan OâMalley.
âHello, Nathan.â
One dusky eyebrow quirked. âI see youâve made a new friend.â
She peered down. The animalâs focus had shifted to Nathan, and it was now stamping the ground in warning. âYeah, well, my friend doesnât seem to like you very much.â
He eyed the skunk with caution. Sunlight shifting through the trees glinted in his light brown hair, cut short so he wouldnât have to fool with it, and bathed his classic features in golden light. Features that were branded into her brain. A straight, proud nose flanked by prominent cheekbones. Square jaw. The crease beside his full lips that flashed every time he smiled.
