Sweet Matchmaking

by Nicole Ellis

  Sweet Matchmaking

  A Candle Beach Novel

  Nicole Ellis

  Copyright © 2018 by Nicole Ellis

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19 and Author’s Note

  Acknowledgments

  1

  “Have a nice day,” Sarah Rigg called out to a woman near the exit of To Be Read. Sarah had helped her discover a new author and the woman had bought all the books in both of the author’s cozy mystery series.

  The woman turned and smiled, her gray hair swinging in a perfect bob around her pert chin. “You too.” Then she disappeared into the sunny afternoon, the bells over the door jingling merrily as it closed.

  Sarah looked around the bookstore. All of the customers were busy browsing the books and didn’t appear ready to buy yet, so she left the cash register area to tidy up the store. She was busy rearranging the display of thriller novels in the bay window when Dahlia Callahan, the bookstore’s owner, came out of the back room carrying a stack of books.

  “How’s business today?” Dahlia asked, handing a few of the books to Sarah to place in the window.

  “Pretty good. A lot of tourist business. With Labor Day weekend approaching, I think most of the overnight lodging in town is fully rented.”

  Dahlia nodded. “Good. We need all the sales we can get. We’re lucky if we get half the sales per month the rest of the year as we do in summer.” She eyed Sarah. “Actually, I wanted to talk with you about that.”

  Sarah finished arranging the display and moved away from the bay window. “Sure. What’s up?”

  “So,” Dahlia began, “I know we talked about you only being here for the summer, but I was hoping you’d consider working some weekends during the school year.”

  Sarah looked down at her feet. Did she want to work that much? Being a fourth grade teacher could be time-consuming and she wasn’t sure if she could handle the extra hours. Then again, she didn’t have much of a life outside of the classroom. And, it would help her earn enough money for a down payment on a house in Candle Beach if she wanted to move forward with that.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “I love working here, but I’d need my hours to be flexible in case I have things going on at school. Can I think about it?” She hated the idea of letting Dahlia down, but she didn’t want to wear herself out. She’d found that when she took on too much, she wasn’t able to be as creative in the classroom or be there for her students as much.

  Dahlia smiled. “Of course. I’ve loved having you work here too, and I don’t want to lose you. You have no idea how many high schoolers I’ve had take the job and then bail on me two weeks later.”

  Sarah laughed. “I can imagine.” Although she herself had always been what some may call excessively responsible, she’d had friends in high school that fit Dahlia’s description.

  A large family entered the bookstore, bringing with them a draft of warm ocean air. Sarah and Dahlia moved toward the espresso bar in the back, so as not to block the front door.

  “I’m going to grab a cup of coffee. I’m exhausted,” Dahlia said. “Do you want one?”

  “A latte would be great. I’ve got a late night ahead of me.”

  “Really? What do you have planned?” Dahlia asked as she expertly tamped down coffee grounds in a metal cup and inserted it into the espresso maker. The machine hissed as boiling water hit the grounds. “Something fun I hope.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, but no.” Sarah surveyed the customers in the bookstore to see if anyone needed assistance. A few were browsing the shelves and a mother was reading to her small daughter in the children’s section. No one looked like they needed help anytime soon, so she hopped on a stool in front of the espresso bar. “I’ve got that Drama in the Classroom course tomorrow at the University of Washington and I need to pack and get ready for it.”

  “Ooh,” Dahlia’s eyes lit up. “That sounds fun. I know you mentioned that you were going to attend a class there, but I didn’t know what it was.” She handed Sarah her drink, then dumped the used grounds in the compost bin before preparing her own coffee.

  “I went last year to the entry-level class, but this is the next one in the series.” Sarah sipped her latte, licking foam off of her lips before setting the cup down on the bar.

  “Is anyone else from your school going?” Dahlia moved her own freshly made coffee to the side and cleaned the espresso machine with a damp cloth.

  “No one from my school. There’s a guy from an elementary in Haven Shores that went last year and is going this year.”

  Dahlia perked up. “Is he single?”

  Sarah laughed. “Really? That’s the first thing you ask?”

  “Well, you’re always complaining about the lack of eligible bachelors in the area.” She grinned. “So, is this guy single?”

  She couldn’t resist teasing Dahlia. “He is for now, but I have a plan to convince him to marry me and move to Candle Beach.”

  Dahlia’s mouth gaped open and her eyes narrowed. “You aren’t serious, are you?”

  “No.” Sarah smiled. “Patrick’s a great guy and we’ve loosely kept in touch since last year, but he’s in a long-term relationship. He emailed me to let me know he’d be attending the class again this year though.”

  “Okay, so he’s not a dating prospect, but can you at least carpool with him to Seattle?”

  Sarah shook her head. “He’s going up a day early to meet up with some friends.” She’d hoped to travel with Patrick because she enjoyed being around him and she hated to drive. That plan hadn’t worked out, so she planned to distract herself with audiobooks on the long trip.

  “That’s too bad.” Dahlia swigged the rest of her coffee. “It would have been nice for you to have someone to go with. That drive can be long when you’re by yourself.”

  “I’m okay with that.” Sarah smiled, thinking about the list of audiobooks she’d been meaning to listen to but never had the time for. “I’ve got my eye on that Christmas romance in the audiobook section.” She pointed at the small wall display of audiobooks.

  Dahlia looked at where she was pointing. “Good choice. Susannah Garrity is wonderful.”

  “Yeah, you have to say that.” When he’d first come to Candle Beach, Dahlia’s now-husband Garrett had managed to keep his romance novelist alter ego private, but by now most of the town was in on the secret.

  Dahlia’s cheeks flushed, and she sputtered a little. “No, the reviews are good on it and I’ve heard the narrator is excellent.”

  “I was kidding.” Sarah went around to the back of the bar and set her cup in the small dishwasher that had been cleverly concealed in a cabinet. “I really have been looking forward to listening to it because several customers recommended it to me just this week.”

  “Oh.” Dahlia grinned, then said behind the back of her hand, “I sometimes worry I’ll over-recommend his books to customers, just because I know the author.” She peered at Sarah. “You know, if you worked here during the school year, you’d get disco
unts on audiobooks all year long.”

  Sarah mock glared at her.

  Dahlia laughed and held up her hands. “I’m just saying. I know how much you love your audiobooks.”

  Sarah paused at the end of the bar and leaned against it, her fingers splayed across the top of the smooth, dark wood. The money would come in handy, but was buying a house by herself a silly dream? It had always been near the top of her list of life goals, but she hadn’t expected to be doing it on her own.

  “You look like you’re lost in thought,” Dahlia commented.

  “I was.” Sarah looked up at her. “I’ve been thinking lately that I’d really like to buy a house here in Candle Beach and put down my own roots. I love being back here with my family and working at the elementary. Plus, it would be nice to not have to worry about my landlord increasing my rent or wanting to sell the house I live in.”

  “But?” Dahlia’s eyes bored into her face.

  Sarah sighed. “But it’s so expensive to buy a house on my own. I’d always thought I’d be married with two-point-five kids by now and living in a house with a white picket fence. It’s daunting to think of doing it alone.”

  “Why?” Dahlia asked. “I can see the expense part of it, but you have a good job and you know this is where you want to be. I say go for it. Houses are only going to go up in price.”

  “Maybe.” Sarah still wasn’t sure, but saving money toward her future couldn’t hurt. If she budgeted her time well and cut down on her guilty pleasure – watching The Bachelor and other reality shows – she would still be able to teach at the level she expected of herself and work at the bookstore too. “Anyway, I can work a few shifts a week during the school year. Maybe an evening shift twice a week and one weekend day. Would that work?”

  Relief crossed Dahlia’s face. “That would be amazing.” She hugged Sarah. “Thank you so much. With everything going on in my life, this is one less thing to worry about.”

  Sarah cocked her head to the side. “Is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s fine,” Dahlia said breezily. “Nothing to worry about.” She jutted her thumb toward the back room. “I’d better get back to ordering books though. I’ll be back out here in an hour to take over for you when your shift ends.”

  “See you.” Sarah watched her friend and employer exit the public area of the bookstore. Something was bothering her, but she wasn’t sure what.

  “Miss,” an elderly man said from behind her. “I’m ready to check out now.” He had an armful of woodworking books and smelled of peppermints, reminding her of her own grandfather.

  She pasted a smile on her face and took the hardcover books from his outstretched arms. “Of course. I can help you over here.” She led him over to the cash register.

  As soon as he left, Marsha Raines, the mayor’s wife, walked in. She surveyed the store. “I just can’t get over how nice it looks in here. Dahlia’s done a wonderful job. Her Aunt Ruth would be so proud of her.”

  Sarah smiled. “I’ll be sure to tell her. Can I help you find something?”

  Marsha gave her the name of a mystery novel that her daughter had recommended, and Sarah helped her locate it. Marsha excitedly took the book over to one of the comfortable armchairs in the corner to flip through it. On the way back from the mystery section, Sarah snagged an empty ceramic coffee cup that someone had left on a shelf and carried it back to the espresso bar. Sometimes she wondered about the advisability of having coffee drinks available in a store full of paper books, but she did enjoy the convenience of having the coffee there herself.

  When she was satisfied that the store was in good condition, she sat down on the stool behind the front desk and pulled out her phone to do some quick calculations. Grabbing a piece of paper out of the drawer beneath the counter, she jotted down a few notes. With the extra shifts at the bookstore, she would have enough for a minimal down payment on a house by December. Her heart beat faster at the thought of spending the next Christmas in her own home – one that would have room for her collection of ceramic Christmas houses and a living room with space for a freshly-cut tree. The idea was enticing.

  But did she want to continue working long hours indefinitely to afford the monthly mortgage payment on her own? She shook her head. It didn’t all need to be decided right now. For now, she’d earn extra money and make the decision later about becoming a homeowner.

  2

  Patrick Willett raised his hand over his eyes to shield them from the late summer sun. The three-story Victorian home he’d been remodeling in one of the original residential areas of Haven Shores was taking shape. She was beautiful, with white paint, a new metal roof that could weather the torrential winter storms, and a navy-blue door. The inside wasn’t quite finished, but he was hoping it might be ready to sell by next spring.

  It was the third home he’d remodeled in town, and at one point he’d hoped it would be his forever home – his and Nina’s. That was, until she’d left him to go “find herself” in Latin America, whatever that meant. All he knew was he wasn’t a part of her life anymore.

  He circled the house, admiring the neatly painted back deck and the small garden he’d put in over the summer. He’d coaxed a rosebush up the side of a white trellis and it had scented a corner of the yard with its pink flowers. A white wrought iron table and chairs sat on a patio made of large flat stones.

  It was easy to imagine little kids running across the yard, playing in the sprinkler. He’d envisioned them being his own kids, but that wasn’t going to happen. The house was a perfect home for a family and he hoped that whoever purchased it would love it as much as he had.

  A car’s tires crackled across loose gravel as it pulled up alongside the sidewalk in front of the house. He wasn’t expecting anyone. Patrick came around the side of the house and opened the white garden gate to see who had arrived.

  Parker Gray stepped out of the late-model sedan and shut the door. He shaded his eyes as Patrick had done and surveyed the exterior of the house. “It looks great, Patrick.”

  Patrick smiled. “It’s got a little bit more to go, but yeah, I think it’s my best project yet.”

  “That’s what my buyers thought.” Parker loosened his striped tie and the collar of his crisply-starched white shirt. He must have come from a client meeting, because otherwise it was way too hot to wear such formal attire.

  Patrick raised his eyebrows. “Your buyers? The house isn’t for sale yet.”

  Patrick had gotten to know Parker when a client of his bought one of Patrick’s houses a few years prior. They’d been friends ever since, although he saw less of Parker now that he’d moved up to Candle Beach to be closer to his fiancée, Gretchen.

  “I have a couple looking for an updated historic home in the area and they’ve found something wrong with every house I’ve shown them so far. I showed them a picture of your house and they went crazy.”

  Huh. Patrick walked over to the porch steps and grabbed the mason jar of iced tea he’d set on the second stair, the condensation on the glass making it slick in his hands. He gulped the strong unsweetened brew and then wiped his brow with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket.

  A sharp pang ran through him at the thought of actually selling the house. It wasn’t really the potential loss of the house that bothered him, but the loss of the memories that he’d hoped would be made in it. Still though, he had to give up on those kinds of thoughts. Having a buyer already interested in the house wasn’t exactly a bad thing. Most people renovating a house for sale would kill for that opportunity.

  He set the drink down on the step and turned back to Parker. “I’ll think about it, okay?”

  Parker flashed him a smile. “Sure. But if you’re interested, don’t wait too long. My buyers want to settle on something soon.”

  “Oh, but this one will be worth the wait,” Patrick joked. “In all seriousness though, I’m not quite through with the renovations. It probably won’t be done until early next year.” Although he had hi
s summers free, his work as a fifth grade teacher at an elementary school in Haven Shores kept him busy during the school year and he didn’t anticipate progressing very quickly on the remodel once school started.

  “That’s okay. They’re willing to wait, but if they’re going to put off purchasing something until then, they want to make sure they have a contract in place.”

  Patrick nodded. “I understand. I’ll try to let you know in the next few days.” It didn’t surprise him in the slightest that Parker was pursuing the house before it was on the market. He was a go-getter in the real estate world and excelled at his job.

  Parker eyed Patrick. “Is it hard to part with the house with Nina gone?”

  He shrugged. “Yes and no. I’m over her, but I had plans for this house. It’s tough to let them go.”

  “Maybe starting over in a new house will be good for you – a fresh start.”

  “Maybe.” Patrick wasn’t sure about that. A new house would be much the same as the old one. There wasn’t a wife or kids waiting for him in either.

  “Have you heard from Nina at all?”

  “No,” Patrick said shortly.

  “Well, maybe it was for the best. You deserve better than that.”

  “Ha!” Patrick laughed. “I may deserve it, but that doesn’t mean the perfect woman is going to appear in my life.”

  “You never know. Gretchen appeared in my life when I was least expecting it.”

  “Uh-huh.” Parker had been incredibly lucky, but that didn’t mean he’d have the same good fortune. “I’ll let you know about the house, okay?”

  “Sounds good.” Parker motioned to his car. “I was down here for the morning, but I’ve got to get back up to Candle Beach to show some other clients a house there. Maybe we can grab lunch next time I’m here? I’m interested to find out about any new projects you have in the works.”