His Secret Vow

Chapter One

Melody Rivers jumped off her bike and ran into the pet shop, her brown hair flying everywhere like a bird’s nest in a windstorm. She was late again, and she knew her boss, Mr. Paws, would give her that look, the one that made her feel like a puppy who’d chewed his favorite shoes.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” she called, rushing past the fish tanks. The goldfish seemed to judge her with their big bubble eyes.

“Melody Rivers, you’re seventeen minutes late,” Mr. Paws said from behind the counter. His voice was gruff, but his eyes were kind. His real name was Paul Pawowski, but everyone called him Mr. Paws because he loved animals more than people.

“I know, I’m sorry! My nephew Tommy wouldn’t let go of my leg this morning. He was crying for another dragon story.” Melody tied her messy hair into a bun and grabbed her cartoon-puppy apron from the hook.

“That nephew of yours has you wrapped around his tiny finger,” Mr. Paws said, almost smiling. “Speaking of wrapped around fingers, your grandmother friend is here again.”

Melody’s face lit up. “Grandma Ruth is here?”

In the corner, on the bench they’d placed just for her, sat Grandma Ruth, elegant in a purple dress, pearl necklace gleaming. She wasn’t Melody’s real grandmother, but three months ago Melody had pulled her out of the way of a speeding car, and since then, the old lady visited almost every day.

“Melody, my sunshine girl!” Grandma Ruth called. Her silver hair was perfectly styled, her blue eyes twinkling.

“Hi, Grandma Ruth!” Melody hugged her. The woman smelled like expensive perfume and cookies. “How are you? Is your hip better?”

“Oh, marvelous, dear. But I’m worried about you.” She patted the bench beside her. “Sit down a minute.”

“I just got here late and...”

“Mr. Paws won’t mind, will you, Paul?” Grandma Ruth called.

Mr. Paws waved his hand, fine, but make it quick.

Melody sat, feeling Grandma Ruth’s eyes study her. “What’s wrong, dear? You look tired.”

“I’m okay,” Melody said automatically, but her shoulders slumped.

“Now, now. Tell Grandma Ruth everything.”

The words poured out. “It’s my brother-in-law, Jake. He and my sister Emma fought again about money. But I pay them three thousand dollars every month! I buy my own food, help with Tommy, clean everything. Yet Jake says I’m a burden, that I eat too much cereal and use too much electricity.”

Grandma Ruth’s eyes flashed. “That horrible man! You pay three thousand dollars to sleep in a tiny room?”

“It’s not that tiny,” Melody said weakly. “And I do eat a lot of cereal. I love the chocolate ones.”

“Everyone loves chocolate cereal, dear. That’s not a crime.” Grandma Ruth pulled out her sleek new phone. “I might have a solution.”

“Unless you have a magic wand to make Jake less grumpy...”

“What if I told you I could get you married to a nice young man with his own apartment where you could eat all the cereal you want?”

Melody laughed so hard she nearly fell off the bench. “Grandma Ruth, that’s crazy! I don’t even have a boyfriend. My last date forgot my name, twice!”

“This would be a practical arrangement,” Grandma Ruth said calmly. “My grandson Ryan needs to marry for business reasons. He’s thirty, works constantly, not ugly, has good teeth, and never yells.”

“You want me to marry your grandson? I’ve never even met him!”

“You saved my life, dear. I know your character. You’re kind, honest, hardworking, better than most.”

Melody’s head spun like the hamster wheel in the corner cage. “This is insane. People don’t marry strangers anymore.”

“But you need a place where you’re appreciated, and Ryan needs a wife. It’s perfect!” Grandma Ruth clasped her hands. “Just meet him once. If you hate him, we’ll forget it.”

“But Emma will worry if I just move out suddenly.”

“Tell her you’ve been dating Ryan secretly. Say he’s been too busy with work to meet her. Please, dear. Ryan’s a good boy, just too serious. He needs someone cheerful like you.”

“This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” she said slowly.

“Crazier than when you tried to teach that parrot to sing Happy Birthday in Spanish?”

“Mr. Feathers almost learned it!” Melody protested. Then she sighed, chest puffing. “Okay. I’ll meet him. But if he’s mean or scary or has bad breath, I’m running.”

Grandma Ruth clapped her hands like a child. “Wonderful! Can you meet him tomorrow at ten? At City Hall?”

“City Hall? That’s where people get married!”

“Yes, dear. Ryan really does need to marry quickly. But don’t worry, if you don’t like each other, you can always get divorced later. He’ll take care of you. He’s not warm, but he’s got a good heart under that grumpy shell.”

Melody’s brain felt like scrambled eggs. This was bonkers. But she remembered Jake’s harsh words last night: “Your sister’s just dead weight, Emma. She’s twenty-five and still acts like a kid. When will she grow up and move out?”

Those words hurt worse than the time she scraped both knees falling off her bike.

“Okay,” Melody whispered. “I’ll do it.”

Grandma Ruth hugged her tight. “You won’t regret it, dear. Ryan’s like a coconut, hard on the outside, sweet inside.”

“I hope so,” Melody said. “Because this might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. And I once tried to give a cat a bath in the sink.”

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Melody fed animals, cleaned cages, and sold three goldfish to a little boy who promised to name them after dinosaurs. But her mind kept drifting to tomorrow. What kind of man agrees to marry a stranger? What if he was a serial killer? What if he collected toenail clippings or something equally gross?

That night at dinner, Jake complained the pasta was too soft while Emma tried to keep the peace. Tommy threw mashed peas at the wall and laughed like it was the funniest thing ever. Melody picked at her food, her stomach doing flips.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Emma said gently. She had the same green eyes as Melody but darker circles from chasing Tommy all day. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Melody lied, crossing her fingers under the table.

“She’s probably tired from playing with puppies while some of us do real work,” Jake muttered into his beer.

“Jake, stop it,” Emma snapped.

“What? It’s true. She’s got the easiest job and still can’t wake up on time.”

That night, Melody lay in her tiny bed, staring at the ceiling. A water stain shaped like a butterfly rested in the corner. She’d named it Fred. “What do you think, Fred?” she whispered. “Am I crazy for doing this?”

Fred didn’t answer, which was probably good. If ceiling stains started talking, she’d have bigger problems.

Tomorrow she’d marry a stranger. Tomorrow her life would change forever. Tomorrow she’d either

be the bravest or the dumbest person in Silverdale City.

As she drifted off to sleep, one thought spun in her mind: What kind of man is Ryan Cross?