A Match Made In Bliss

“I didn’t mean to intrude on your work time, Lauren.”

This time there was no mistaking how her heart leapt when Garrett said her name. What was up with that? It’s not as though she was interested or anything.

“I’m glad you stopped by. I need to head back anyway. Can you recommend a good restaurant for lunch?”

His eyes brightened. “Want to have lunch with me?”

“Sure, that would be great,” she said, meaning it.

“Good,” he answered. “I’m really glad you came, Lauren.”

There was that heart flip again. He’d better quit saying her name or she’d need a pacemaker.

DIANN WALKER

and her husband, Jim, started on a three-mile trek through Amish country in 1997, and at that moment, she had no idea she was taking her first steps toward a new career. Inspired by their walk, she wrote an article, which was published a year later. Other articles soon followed. After studying fiction writing, she celebrated her first novella sale in 2001, with CBA bestselling novellas and novels, written as Diann Hunt, reaching the bookshelves soon afterward. Wanting to be used by God in the ministry of writing, Diann left her job as a court reporter in the fall of 2003 and now devotes her time to writing. Well, writing and spoiling her four granddaughters. She has been happily married forever and loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog and, well, chocolate. Be sure to check out her Web site at www.diannhunt.com. Sign her guestbook and drop her an e-mail. And, hey, if you have any chocolate…

A Match Made in Bliss

Diann Walker

MILLS & BOON

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding; in all

your ways acknowledge Him, and

He will make your paths straight.

—Proverbs 3:5–6

With heartfelt thanks:

To my wonderful agent, Karen Solem, for your

constant support and wise counsel.

To my editor, Krista Stroever, for your upbeat

attitude that always encourages me, and for your

expertise that challenges me to grow as a writer. It

is my privilege to work with you.

To my friend and kindred spirit, Colleen Coble,

who patiently sees me through every crisis and

critiques my words in their roughest form.

I thank God for you.

To my supportive husband, without whom my

stories would never have felt the warm embrace of a

book binding. I love you more than words can say.

Most of all, to you, my readers, who are kind

enough to spend a few hours of your time to

journey through these pages with me.

May God bless you all.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Letter to Reader

Chapter One

“I can’t believe you did this without even consulting me!” Garrett Cantrell stomped across the den of the Woods Inn Bed and Breakfast. His footsteps were muffled once he stepped on the oriental rug, then thumped again when he turned and walked across the hardwood floor.

He stopped and frowned at his daughters, who sat quietly on the sofa. “What were you thinking?” He turned to his firstborn. “Macy, you’re a high school graduate—and older than most at that,” Garrett said, referring to the childhood illness that had caused Macy to start school later than others, giving her almost a two-year edge over her peers. “You’re old enough to know better. Would you appreciate it if I manipulated your life?”

Macy lifted her chin in a rebellious attitude. He shot her a quelling look, and she lowered it once again.

“And you.” He looked at Molly. “You’ll be a senior next year. How about I set you up with Reggie Snodgrass?” The look on her face would have been comical had Garrett not been in such a foul mood.

Reggie didn’t exactly turn the girls’ heads. Well, he did, but usually in the opposite direction. Everyone in the area knew Reggie had been sweet on Molly since first grade. He was tall, skinny, wore black-rimmed glasses, talked with a nasal twang and snorted every time he laughed. The typical high school geek.

Molly lifted her face to her dad, her eyes wide with fear. She wisely kept her mouth shut.

Garrett paced some more. “I knew I should have gotten rid of that computer.” Stopping in front of them again, he said, “Let me get this straight. Because of your fascination with that reality TV stuff, you came up with the brilliant idea to advertise in a chat room, a contest called ‘Win Daddy’s Heart’? Then you left details on a message board.”

The girls sat rooted like potted plants.

“You picked five applicants from pictures and bios e-mailed to you and offered the women a free two-week stay at our B and B.”

Completely mute. Macy’s right eye twitched.

“You figured we could live off our investments, so the two weeks without paying guests would be no big deal.” Still pacing, he said this more to himself than to them. “Then you took it upon yourselves to write these contestants’ names on the scheduling book so I wouldn’t double book our rooms. When they come, their afternoons will be free, and I am to take them out individually on the nights of my choosing.” He stopped and turned to them.

At this, Molly nodded ever so slightly.

“We all are to mill around and just get to know one another over the two weeks, and by the end of their stay, you’re hoping someone will win my heart, is that it?”

Molly’s face brightened for just a moment. She nodded enthusiastically as if her dad was finally catching on. Macy was much more cautious—and sensible. She didn’t move. Not one inch. He couldn’t even tell if she was breathing. Her eye continued to twitch.

He blew out a long sigh. “Let me see that.” He pointed to the file in Molly’s hands.

She handed it to him. “It’s all right there, Dad. We checked out every applicant, making sure they were compatible with you.” She smiled tentatively, as if proud of herself for being organized with the whole thing.

He glanced through the file. “There are only four applicants here.”

Molly shifted uncomfortably on her seat and looked at Macy. “Well, uh, we seem to have misplaced the information on the fifth applicant,” Molly admitted.

“She did call, though, and said she probably wouldn’t be able to make it. Something came up. So I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” Macy added.

Garrett rolled his eyes. “Perfect.” He slapped the file against the palm of his hand and pulled up a chair. Sitting down with a thump, he faced them. A slight pause followed. “Look,” he said in a gentle voice, “I know you’re trying to help me. I miss your mom, that’s true, but that’s not why I haven’t dated. I just haven’t met anyone I want to date.”

“But Dad, Mom died three years ago. It’s time.” Molly laid each word before him as if tiptoeing across a room.

“That’s not for you to decide,” Garrett snapped. His youngest daughter looked every inch the image of her mother. Her dark-brown hair lay softly across her shoulders like a silken scarf, and her brown eyes glistened in the morning light. He felt his insides go soft. A headache throbbed over his eyes, causing him to rub his forehead. “Okay, here’s what you have to do. You write to each of these ladies and tell them there’s been a big mistake. The search for someone for your dad is off. No free vacations for the applicants. The game’s over.” He started to stand.

“We can’t,” Molly offered in a weak voice.

He stopped in midair, turned to her and sat back down. A sick feeling washed over him. A feeling that said this wasn’t going to go away. “Why not, Molly?”

She cleared her throat and stared at the toes of her sneakers. “Um, because a couple of ladies will be coming tonight. The others will be in tomorrow.”

He gaped at them in disbelief. The grandfather clock ticked from the opposite wall, punctuating the scant moments of freedom remaining. “You’ve heard the story of Jacob and Esau? You know, the selling of the birthright and all?”

His daughters watched him, saying nothing.

“Well, just know your positions in this family are hanging by a thread.” He paced again. “If we send them home, it could be bad publicity for the place.” He mumbled the words to himself. He continued to think it through. The women would have paid for their airfare—he couldn’t exactly make them turn around and go home. He stopped in front of his daughters. “I can’t believe this.” He looked at them incredulously. “I actually have to go through with this.”

Right then the front door creaked open. “Yoo-hoo, anybody home? Hello?” A singsong voice echoed through the entryway. “Anyone here? Yoo-hoo?”

Garrett cringed. His eyes narrowed and he pinned his daughters with a stern glare.

They gulped in unison.

Between clenched teeth he hissed, “If you weren’t so old, I’d put you both up for adoption.” With that he turned and stomped out of the room.

Chapter Two

“Oh, come on, Lauren, you have to go,” Candace and Gwen chimed in over their conference call.

“You need to get away from this place. Get over Jeff, think about where you want to work next and just plain rest,” Candace encouraged.

“But tomorrow? I don’t have anything packed.”

“You always pack light anyway, Lauren,” Candace encouraged.

Lauren Romey released a slight smile in spite of the anxiety welling up inside. Candace Windsor and Gwen Sandler had been two of Lauren’s best friends since college days. If anyone could talk her into anything, they could. Though Candace lived in Nevada, Gwen lived in Arizona and Lauren lived in Indiana, the three managed to meet every year in Candace’s childhood hometown of Bliss Village, California, just a little way from beautiful Lake Tahoe. Lauren had fallen in love with the scenic town the first time she’d gone there, so the idea of going back ahead of their yearly meeting—even for a suspicious surprise getaway like the one her friends were now offering—held a certain amount of charm.

“Now, I can hear your mind clicking from here,” Candace was saying. “Don’t worry about the money. It is our gift to you, and it would be rude of you to refuse us.”

Oh, sure, they always played on her weakness of wanting to please others.

“And since you haven’t found another job yet—”

Lauren winced. “Don’t remind me.”

“You’re free as a bird,” Gwen added. “I’m sorry, I’m not trying to make you feel bad, but it’s a perfect time for you to get away, before you’re tied up with new employment.”

Unfortunately, the new employment thing didn’t seem to be a problem. Despite the number of resumés the unemployed corporate attorney had sent out, she didn’t exactly have employers beating down her door to get to her. The fact that she was “let go” from her prior job, she was sure didn’t help matters.

“Besides that, we have a surprise,” Gwen said in her usual perky voice. A voice that sometimes irritated Lauren.

“Gwen, don’t give everything away,” Candace warned.

Uh-oh, these two were up to something. “Do you need to tell me something?”

“Uh, no, you’ll find out soon enough. Let’s just say we’ve taken care of everything and all you have to do is show up.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Lauren pointed out.

“What’s that?” Candace asked.

“The ‘we’ve taken care of everything’ part.”

Gwen laughed. “You worry too much, Lauren. Just go and have fun.” To Gwen, life was just one big party.

Oh, well, there was no use fighting them. Besides, Lauren needed to get out of town. Away from Jeff and Camilla. Away from the memories.

“Now, write this down,” Candace was saying. “Woodwards’ Bed and Breakfast.” She proceeded to give Lauren the address and phone number. “Your flight leaves at seven-ten tomorrow morning. One short layover and transfer.”

Lauren groaned.

“Sorry, that’s the best we could do. Grab a taxi and you’ll be there by early evening.”

“What about Nocchi?” Lauren asked, referring to her shih tzu.

“They said you could bring her.” Gwen laughed. “We checked.”

It seemed they had thought of everything.

Lauren was silent.

“You still there?” Candace wanted to know.

“Yes.”

“Are we all set?”

Lauren hesitated, then offered a resigned “Yes.”

“Whoo-hoo,” Gwen called from the line.

“Great!” Candace chimed in. “I’m going to London with Mom and Dad for a week. Should get back to the States during your second week. I’ll call you then.”

“Okay,” Lauren said, feeling none too sure about this whole thing.

“Bon voyage,” Gwen called with a laugh.

“She’s not going on a cruise,” Candace said dryly.

Showing her good-natured spirit, Gwen simply said, “Oh, yeah. Well, adios.”

Candace groaned. Being the more sensible one of the two, she too sometimes struggled with Gwen’s constant bubbling. “Have a wonderful time, Lauren. Who knows, this trip could possibly change your life.”

I could use a changed life, she wanted to say. “Thanks, Candace. Thanks, Gwen. You two are the best.”

After they all exchanged goodbyes, Lauren put the phone down and stared at it. Candace’s words rang in her ears. This trip could possibly change your life. Lauren wanted to believe that. Her life couldn’t get any worse.

She looked around her bedroom decorated with modern furnishings and deep crimson-colored walls with white trim. How long had she lived in this apartment? Three years now? As a two-bedroom, it wasn’t huge, but it was spacious enough for her. She liked the layout of the place and the fact that it was brand new when she moved in. With it being situated so close to work was a definite plus. She wasn’t sure what had held her back from buying a home, but given the current situation of living off her savings, she was glad she wasn’t tied to a mortgage. Besides, with her best friends living in other states, the bigger home would only increase her feelings of loneliness.

Lauren left her bedroom and headed toward the attic to retrieve her luggage, all the while praying her friend was right.

By Saturday afternoon four of the contestants had arrived. No one was sure if number five would show. Since they had lost her application, Macy and Molly seemed a little relieved.

After dinner, Garrett stepped outside behind their B and B. Twilight had just settled over Bliss Village, and he needed a breath of fresh air. Macy and Molly could take care of entertaining the guests for now.

Once outside, Garrett gazed at the evening sky. Was he crazy for trying to run this place? After all, the B and B had been his wife’s dream, not his. They’d only lived there, what, two years when she died? Hardly seemed possible that he and the girls had lived there five years already.

He walked over to get Bear, his black Lab, from his pen. He had never seen such a diverse group of women. Where in the world had his daughters found them—on weirdbadandugly.com? He sighed. Okay, he wasn’t being fair. They weren’t ugly, after all. But they were, well, a little weird. He kicked a rock out of his path. Maybe they weren’t strange at all. It might just be him—he didn’t know what to look for in a woman anymore.

Bear trotted alongside him as they took a pine-laden path in the woods behind his B and B.

Besides, Garrett had to admit Gracie appealed to him, with her lithe body, long brown hair that looked soft enough to wallow his face in and brown eyes that could match that of any doe in the county. It had been some time since he’d been attracted to a woman.

If only he could duct-tape her mouth.

There was something about her voice, or maybe it was the way she said things, or what she said. He didn’t know. But he had a sneaking suspicion if he was with her for very long, they’d have to put him in a strait-jacket. In fact, he figured the government could use her as an instrument of torture in times of war.

No wonder she lived on a mountain.

Maybe he should reserve judgment. Perhaps she was nervous. He’d give her the benefit of the doubt.

He’d try to give them all the benefit of the doubt.

Garrett came to the wicker bench he had placed on the rough trail and sat down. The air smelled damp and heavy with the scent of pine. This place calmed him like nothing else could. Birdsong whispered through the trees that cooled and protected him when he visited during the heat of the day.

Bear walked around, sniffed here and there, then strutted back. With the stance of a lawn ornament he sat at attention beside Garrett’s feet.

Brown cones and pine needles littered the area. Garrett sighed and ran a hand through his thick dark hair. He couldn’t remember such a stressful day. Oh, he knew his daughters meant well, they constantly nagged him about dating, but he had a feeling the next two weeks would be about as comfortable as wearing a suit and tie on a fishing boat. He leaned over and scratched Bear’s head. The dog leaned in for a good rub.

“What am I going to do, Bear?” Garrett kept scratching. “There’s not a woman there I can relate to. I know the girls have put a lot of work into this, so I have to follow through, but it won’t be easy. I have a feeling we’ll be making lots of trips out here, ol’ boy.” Bear looked up and Garrett was almost certain he saw a smirk on the hound’s face. Sometimes Garrett felt his dog was close to human.

He rubbed his forehead. Why did Susie have to leave him? He wouldn’t be going through this whole mess if she were still here. They had so many dreams for their future. He could still remember how her eyes used to sparkle whenever she talked about the B and B. She had such a passion for people, for…life. He sighed. Those days were over and there was nothing he could do about it now. But, oh, how he missed her.

How long he sat there Garrett wasn’t sure, but darkness had fallen over the trees, with only slivers of moonlight poking through the branches. When he stepped into the clearing, the full moon sailed high in the sky and lit his way back to the house. He hoped to sneak up to his room, since the actual “contest” didn’t start until tomorrow. With any luck, they’d all disappear with the morning fog.

Garrett and Bear trudged the path toward the house. “Good night, ol’ boy,” Garrett said, hooking the hound to a chain and giving him one more scratch behind the ears. Then Garrett straightened. As if on cue, Bear yawned and walked back to his doghouse, completing their nightly ritual.

When Garrett stepped inside the back door and into the kitchen, he was pleasantly surprised by the silence that met him. Seeing a note on the kitchen island, he walked over and picked it up. “Dad, we took the women to the coffee shop. Figured you’d appreciate some time to prepare for tomorrow. Be back in a little while. Love, Molly.”

“Ah, thanks, girls,” he said to the empty house, feeling himself relax. Pulling a cold soft drink from the fridge, he grabbed a hunting magazine and settled into an overstuffed beige chair in the den.

This evening held promise after all.

Recognizing some of the familiar sights in Bliss Village, Lauren knew the taxi had to be getting close to the bed-and-breakfast, though not close enough for her. The stench of stale smoke and cheap cologne filled the car, making her wish she’d not eaten the greasy hamburger at the airport. Even Nocchi whined and pawed at her nose. A country-and-western tune whined through the radio speakers, while the taxi driver concentrated more on scratching the whiskers on his face than driving.

Frustration mounted as Lauren fumbled through her bags in search of—but not finding—the paper with the information on where she would be staying. The bed-and-breakfast was located on Pine Road in Bliss Village and the name had “wood” in it—she remembered that much. If the driver went to Pine Road, they were sure to find it. She finally gave up her search for the paper, shoved everything back inside her bag and zipped it closed.

She glanced out her window. Earlier, they had passed a few quaint, cozy Victorian homes with warm, inviting lampposts and porches. Now they approached a more rustic area lined with cabins and woodsy-type homes. Lauren saw a sign on the lawn of the next property. Woods Inn Bed and Breakfast.

“There it is!” she said, pointing.

The driver hit the brakes and screeched to a sudden halt at the curb, practically giving Lauren a whiplash in the process. She knew some personal-injury attorneys who would love this guy.

Quickly she checked on her dog in the carrier beside her feet on the floor. The driver got out of the car and Lauren followed suit, then reached back inside for the carrier. Once outside, she took in a big breath of fresh air. The driver slid her bag from the trunk as if he hadn’t the strength to lift it, and let it drop on the street with a thunk. Feeling less than charitable, she paid him reluctantly for his services.

The taxi squealed off and she glanced around the property dense with pines and large, leafy green foliage. Gothic arches adorned the thick massive stone structure that loomed before her. Not exactly the cozy Victorian she had expected, but it had a sort of earthy quality about it.

Lauren grabbed her things and looked at the front door. “Well, here goes nothing.” Trudging up the incline toward her home for the next two weeks, she hoped Candace and Gwen were right and that she could get some rest here.

Once she reached the door, she set her luggage down beside her, took a deep breath and knocked.

Upon hearing the doorbell, Garrett leaned his head back against the comfy chair and glanced toward the ceiling. “Great, contestant number five.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a fraction of a second, as if it would all go away like a bad dream. With reluctance he pulled himself from the deep chair, walked down the hall, around to the front door and opened it. The visitor took him by surprise.

“Hi, I’m Lauren Romey. I have a reservation here.”

Now here was a welcome sight. Dressed in stylish jeans and a long white T-shirt adorned with a classy silver belt at her waist, this woman had definite potential. It didn’t hurt that she had hair the color of buttercups and eyes that made him feel he had stepped into the clear, blue-green water of Emerald Bay. His spirits improved considerably.

“Garrett Cantrell, owner of the place.” He shook her hand, then stepped aside to allow her entrance. “So you decided to come after all, huh?”

She raised her eyebrows and looked at him with surprise. “Oh, uh, yeah.”

“Here, let me get that for you.” He reached for her luggage. In her other hand, he noted a dog in a carrier.

“You have a dog, Miss Romey?”

“That’s what they call ’em where I come from.”