The Husband Hunt (Karen Kirst).

ИЩУ МУЖА. Софи Тэннер давно перестала надеяться на одобрение и любовь Натана О’Мэлли. Замужество - единственный способ защитить её младшего брата и сохранить ферму их семьи в горах Смоки. Хоть Софи и хотелось бы видеть Натана женихом, он, похоже, не может преодолеть их дружбу или их различия. С детства Натан знал, что Софи слишком импульсивна и упряма. Она постоянно бросается в ситуации, не подумав. Как, например, эта затея найти мужа менее чем за месяц. Натан всегда думал, что полюбит кого-то похожего на себя – рассудительного, осторожного, уравновешенного. Софи же его полная противоположность. Так почему же он не может представить рядом с собой никого, кроме неё?

The golden horizon shimmered just below the jagged mountain peaks as the campus sat and watched in amazement. In the blue sky, breezy white clouds worked their way around the mountains, hugging their mountainous back. The students on that hill overlooked the tiny village at the base of the mountain in front of them. It was a small community, no more than three thousand people making their homes in Preisty Town—a place filled with desperation and hope waiting to happen.

Jacob walked the quiet streets, spotted Sophia walking alone from her dancing class. She was so beautiful; her fair skin and delicate features shone in the subdued sunlight. Yet, her bleak expression made it seem the sun did not linger well on her face. He felt he must pursue her, this girl who seemed locked inside her world, absent of all light, laughter or mystery. Jacob pondered—Jeremy, the lovesick independence activist he had taken upon himself to assist, befriend and protect, quickly ran through his ideas of dear Sophia.

One thing certain; he could not leave her behind in her current phase—faceless, lonely and disconnected. An idea sprung and he immediately pulled out his phone. “Hello, Jeremy? I’m going to Preisty for the first time. I suppose I'll be on foot. Perhaps meet up for lunch? Yes, I know their location on the map. I'm meeting Susan at that wine shop down at 3:30. That good? ” He held out his palm so Jeremy could drive him to the small town in the precincts of Patagonia. “Dimensions, of course!” said Jacob, flashing the cheapest taunt out of his vocabulary.