Lakeside Romance
A Recipe for RomanceSarah Sullivan will do whatever it takes to make her summer youth program permanent. But when she’s tasked to teach the teens basic kitchen skills, her hope goes up in flames. Not knowing the first thing about cooking, Sarah needs help. Smelling the delicious aromas coming from her neighbour’s apartment one night, she thinks she’s found her answer. Alec Seaver might know his way around pots and pans, but the lone-wolf widower doesn’t want anything to do with the free-spirited beauty next door. But after he becomes Sarah's reluctant partner, Alec realises that she might just be the key ingredient missing from his life.
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A Recipe for Romance
Sarah Sullivan will do whatever it takes to make her summer youth program permanent. But when she’s tasked to teach the teens basic kitchen skills, her hope goes up in flames. Not knowing the first thing about cooking, Sarah needs help. Smelling the delicious aromas coming from her neighbor’s apartment one night, she thinks she’s found her answer. Alec Seaver might know his way around pots and pans, but the lone-wolf widower doesn’t want anything to do with the free-spirited beauty next door. But after he becomes Sarah’s reluctant partner, Alec realizes that she might just be the key ingredient missing from his life.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re home.”
Sarah’s eyelids fluttered open. She palmed his cheek. “You’re cute.”
He grinned. Yep, definitely the painkillers. He guided her out of the car and up the stairs. Once she was settled on the couch, he covered her with the knitted afghan. “Will you be alone today?”
“Just in the evening, but I can hang out at my brother’s. The girls think I’m kind of fun.”
Not just the girls.
Instead of dwelling on that sudden thought and before common sense kicked in, he spoke. “How about if we hung out at my place? I’ll cook dinner, and then we can watch My Fair Lady.”
“Will there be popcorn?”
“As long as you’re not making it.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “One little smoke alarm…”
She closed her eyes, a smile curving her mouth. Seconds later, her breathing evened out.
Alec closed the door behind him and headed down the steps. The dinner and movie were not a date. Just helping out a friend.
How many times would he have to repeat it for his heart to believe it?
LISA JORDAN has been writing for over a decade, taking a hiatus to earn her degree in early childhood education. By day, she operates an in-home family child-care business. By night, she writes contemporary Christian romances. Being a wife to her real-life hero and mother to two young-adult men overflows her cup of blessings. In her spare time, she loves reading, knitting, and hanging out with family and friends. Learn more about her at lisajordanbooks.com.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
—Romans 8:28
To Scott and Mitchell. Walk with God.
I love you forever.
Thanks to Mindy Obenhaus,
Susan May Warren, Beth K. Vogt, Melissa Tagg, Michelle Lim, Joanne Bischof, Lynn Shultz, Carolyn Vibbert, Amanda, Sara Patry and the Coffee Girls for your brainstorming, feedback and encouragement.
Thanks to Jeanette Walter, Kathy Hurst,
Bill Nobles, Lon and Kayla Hurst, and Mark “James the Butler” Hurst for the research help. Any mistakes are mine.
Thanks to Pastors C.D. and Jo Moore
for sharing Truth at the perfect times.
Thanks to Rachelle Gardner, Melissa Endlich
and the Love Inspired team for bringing my books to print.
To Patrick for being my #1 fan.
Always and forever.
Thank You, Lord, for Your continued blessings.
Contents
Sarah needed to get rid of the dress.
Her pity party had gone on way too long. She wasn’t the first woman to be dumped, and she wasn’t about to let Adam’s commitment issues color her against marriage. After all, her brother, Caleb, had managed to find love a second time around with Zoe.
There was hope for Sarah, too.
Someday.
Even if the memories hadn’t faded, it was the only way to put the past where it belonged, so she could focus on her future—find a new purpose for her life. Whatever that may be. Holding on to the dress served only as a reminder that she wasn’t worth committing to.
For now, though, she’d sell the strapless gown studded with Swarovski crystals and seed pearls on eBay or perhaps find a consignment shop. Wasn’t there one in town—Christy’s Closet or something like that?
Until she could get rid of it, though, it would still be hanging in her closet...taunting her about her single status.
She couldn’t allow that. The dress had to go now.
She wadded the satin creation into a ball, stuffed it into a garbage bag and tossed it on top of a pile of empty boxes that needed to be recycled first thing in the morning.
Across the room, a breeze carrying the scent of pending rain rippled through the curtains, ushering in the whispers of the night through the window.
With renewed energy, Sarah tore open the flaps of one of the boxes stacked under her window. She pulled out an armful of romance novels, carried them into the living room and stacked them on the shelves of the empty bookcase standing next to her favorite chair. She returned to the bedroom for another load.
Finishing her unpacking now would give her time this weekend to get settled before beginning her new job on Monday—teaching life skills to teenagers in a summer outreach program through her church. She hadn’t expected to be adding that to her résumé, but then she’d never anticipated having her life turned upside down, either.
