Her Red-Carpet Romance
MATCHMAKING MAMAS: Playing Cupid. Arranging dates. What are mothers for?Hollywood heart-throb and widower Lukkas Spader knows his women are just photo ops for the paparazzi. He's sworn off dating. In fact, he might have forgotten how! But the big-time movie producer needs a Gal Friday. And Yohanna desperately needs a job. So what if she's beautiful, and their relationship starts out like a typical "chick flick"? That doesn't mean they're going to fall in love….She's never felt the sparks between herself and the parade of potential husbands her mother's insisted she meet. So Yohanna Andrzejewski has given up on romance. But when she poses for the cameras with sexy, gorgeous Lukkas–trying to keep the gossip mongers at bay–she realizes that there's something in the air…call it Sparks. Bells. Magic. Because Lukkas and Yohanna may not be looking for love–but something–or someone–is making sure it finds them!
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It reads like a Hollywood script!
Yohanna
Iâm not looking for romance. Iâd rather just focus on my career; itâs what Iâm good at. Love?
Not so much.
Lukkas
Itâs been years since Iâve datedâlegitimately. Yes, the paparazzi have shot me with beautiful women, but theyâre just photo ops. (shaking his head vehemently) Iâm not looking for love. Not me! Not again!
Yohannaâs mum
I tell her all the time, âGet married!
Itâll solve all your problems!â (breathing exasperatedly) But does she listen? When is she going to learn that Mother knows best?
The Matchmaking Mamas
We havenât met a bachelor or bachelorette we canât match. (smiling sweetly into the camera) Today: single ⦠Tomorrow: in love!
This is what the critics are saying: âFinding your soul mate has never been so much fun!â
USA TODAY bestselling and RITA® Award-winning author MARIE FERRARELLA has written more than two hundred books for Harlequin, some under the name Marie Nicole. Her romances are beloved by fans worldwide. Visit her website, marieferrarella.com.
To
Mary-Theresa Hussey in loving gratitude for all the good years
Contents
Cecilia Parnell reached into her pocket to take out the key her client had given her, then stopped midway and pulled her hand out again.
The initial movement had been automatic. She had the keys to all of her clientsâ homes. Ninety percent of her clients were at work when she and her cleaning crew arrived; the other 10 percent usually preferred to be out when their homes were rendered spotless from top to bottom.
A firm believer in boundaries and privacy, Cecilia made it a policy never to use the key when she knew her client would be home. And today Yohanna Andrzejewski was home. She knew that because the young woman had specifically requested to see her.
Cecilia assumed the request had something to do with some sort of dissatisfaction with the quality of the work her crew did. If so, this would be a first, since no one had ever registered any complaints, not in all the years that she had been in this business.
Pressing the doorbell, Cecilia took a step back from the condo door so that Yohanna could see her when she looked through the peephole.
But it was obvious that her client didnât bother checking to see who was there. The door opened immediately, giving Cecilia the impression that the young woman was standing right behind the front door, waiting for her to arrive.
âThank you for coming, Mrs. Parnell,â Yohanna said, closing the door behind her. She sounded breathless, as if sheâd been running.
Or perhaps crying.
âOf course, dearââ Cecilia replied kindly.
She was about to say something else when she turned and really looked at the young woman for the first time. Yohanna, usually so bright and upbeat that she practically sparkled, not only looked solemn but almost drained of all color, as well. Cecilia stopped walking. The mother in her instantly kicked in.
âWhatâs wrong, dear?â she asked, concerned.
Yohanna took a deep breath and then let it out. It sounded almost like a mournful sigh. âIâIâm afraid that I have to let you go,â she murmured, appearing stricken and exceedingly uncomfortable.
For the life of her Cecilia couldnât think of a single reason why she and her crew were being dismissed. She screened every one of her people very carefully before she hired them. Her daughter was a private investigator, so background checks were very easy to run. All of her employees had been with her for at least two years if not longer, and each one of them did excellent work.
Something else was going on.
âMay I ask why?â
Yohannaâs eyes widened as she realized the natural implication of what she had just said. She was quick to correct the misunderstanding.
âOh, no, itâs not anything that you or your crew have done. If anything, theyâre even better than when you first started cleaning here. Iâm really thrilled with the job youâve been doing.â
Confusion creased Ceciliaâs brow. âThen, I donât understand. If youâre happy with our work, why are you letting us go?â The moment Cecilia asked the question, she saw the tears shining in the younger womanâs intense blue eyes. âOh, darling, whatâs wrong?â she repeated.
This time, not standing on any formality, Cecilia took the young woman into her arms and hugged her, offering her mute comfort as well as a shoulder to cry on.
Ordinarily, Yohanna kept her problems to herself. She didnât like burdening other people, especially when there was nothing they could do to help or change the situation. But this time, she felt so overwhelmed, so helpless, not to mention betrayed, the words just came spilling out.
