Love on her doorstep?
Pet store owner Molly Kent canât help smiling when Grant Roderick chases his auntâs poodle into her shop. Grant, whoâs pet-sitting, doesnât know much about dogs and welcomes Mollyâs offer of help. Little does Grant know that Mollyâs also a matchmakerânot that heâs looking for love.
Yet the more time they spend together, the more Molly wonders if Grant may be her perfect match. But how can she get involved with a workaholic after being raised by one? Theyâll both have to put their trust in God if they want to find happiness for the holidays.
Matchmaking rule #1: donât get caught up in your prospects. Even if they are gorgeous and charming.
âI watched you stare at Grant when he walked away.â Phoebe drilled Molly with her all-seeing gaze. âYou were interested all right.â
âI was interested because my matchmaker radar went off when I met him,â Molly said.
Phoebe frowned. âBecause...you wanted to fix him up with me?â
âYep. Thatâs what I do, Phoebs.â
âYou know Iâm not looking for romance,â Phoebe said.
âMaybe this time it would be different.â
âI doubt it. You of all people should know that.â
Molly agreed with Phoebe. Sheâd always dreamed of falling in love, but sheâd given up on romance. Safer that way. âThings change. Maybe itâs time.â
âYou can say whatever you want, but youâre the one whoâll be seeing him again, not me,â Phoebe said.
A little frisson of excitement squiggled through Molly at the thought of seeing Grant again, taking her a bit off guard. Sheâd need to watch those reactions. Rule number one couldnât be ignored. Ever.
LISSA MANLEY
decided she wanted to be a published author at the ripe old age of twelve. She read her first romance novel as a teenager when a neighbor gave her a box of old books, and she quickly decided romance was her favorite genre, although she still enjoys digging in to a good medical thriller.
When her youngest was still in diapers, Lissa needed a break from strollers and runny noses, so she sat down and started crafting a romance, and she has been writing ever since. Nine years later she sold her first book, fulfilling her childhood dream. She feels blessed to be able to write what she loves, and intends to be writing until her fingers quit working, or she runs out of heartwarming stories to tell. Sheâs betting the fingers will go first.
Lissa lives in the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon, with her wonderful husband of twenty-seven years, a grown daughter and college-aged son, and two bossy poodles who rule the house and get away with it. When sheâs not writing, she enjoys reading, crafting, bargain hunting, cooking and decorating. She loves hearing from her readers and can be reached through her website, www.lissamanley.com, or through Love Inspired Books.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice: and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God forgave you.
âEphesians 4:31â32
This book is dedicated to my longtime critique partners, Terri Reed and Leah Vale. As always, thanks, guys, for helping me finally get this book right! I really couldnât have done it without you.
Chapter One
âStop that dog!â
The words were barely out of Grant Roderickâs mouth before he realized they were futile. Nothing was going to stop the streak of white fluff running down the Christmas-bedecked boardwalk of Main Street in Moonlight Cove, Washington.
Crazy mutt. Fast, too. Fast, and sneaky enough to have bolted by him when heâd opened the front door of his auntâs house to get the mail.
Grant followed Jade, his auntâs white standard poodleâthe one he was supposed to be taking care ofârunning like a madman trying to keep up with the runaway dog. Thankfully, the dog looked smart enough to keep out of the street and away from cars. If anything happened to Jade, heâd never forgive himself.
Grant dodged a holiday shopper coming out of one of the many quaint stores lining the street. ââScuse me,â he said, straining his neck to keep an eye on Jade. If he lost sight of the dog, heâd never get a hold of her. How could he have let the crazy canine get the better of him one measly day into his house/dog-sitting duty?
All of a sudden, Jade stopped so fast she almost left paw skid marks. Yes! A block behind, Grant kept running, hoping she stayed put so he could grab her. He had work to do, work that didnât involve chasing naughty dogs all over town.
He drew closer, and Jade put her large, furry paws onto the Christmas-light-festooned window of a store and let out a hearty woof. Then she dropped to all fours again. Grant kept moving, closing the distance between them, pretty much expecting her to take off when he got within grabbing distance. She was clever, heâd give her that. Sheâd outsmarted him. For a while.