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A Little Night Matchmaking
Debrah Morris
H.A.R.P. Field Report'From: Celestian, Earthbound OperativeRe: Operation True LoveMission: Unite hopelessly star-crossed soul mates.Complications: Subject Trick Templeton is one ornery West Texan who lets no woman get too close. For subject Brandy Mitchum, protecting her baby girl and paying the bills trumps romance.Plan of Action: By night, Brandy will dream of Trick until her heart realizes he is her beloved Midnight Man. By day, boss Trick and employee Brandy will be helpless to avoid each other–divine handiwork, I dare say.'Results: Daily contact has created a crisis situation. Intent had been a little night matchmaking, but the powerful result is beyond anything even heaven can control….
“Thank you, Trick. For taking a chance on me.”
He was definitely taking a chance. A big one. He’d been called fearless, but he wasn’t reckless. Or careless. He always calculated the odds carefully before acting. He didn’t step into harm’s way without being absolutely certain of the outcome. Failure was never an option.
Until now. Letting Brandy Mitchum, with her precocious child and her prickly problems and her spunky independence, into his life was the biggest gamble he’d ever taken. He wasn’t ready. He was used to risking his neck, not his emotions. Someone could get hurt here. And that someone could be him.
“You have no idea what you’re getting into.” He spoke to Brandy, but was he really addressing himself?
Dear Reader,
Saying goodbye is never easy, and when “goodbye” means leaving a line I’ve come to love, farewell is even harder. I hope you have enjoyed Silhouette Romance under my leadership and continue to cherish this terrific line under the direction of Ann Leslie Tuttle, Silhouette Romance’s new associate senior editor.
And if you’re looking for a handsome hero, look no further than Silhouette Romance! From bosses to princes to cowboys to oilmen, you’ll find a man for every woman’s taste this month.
He’s a prince disguised as a sexy American executive; she’s a princess disguised as his hotel manager. Don’t miss Princess Meredith’s last matchmaking attempt—for herself!—in Twice a Princess (SR #1758) by Susan Meier, the conclusion to the miniseries IN A FAIRY TALE WORLD….
Trading Places with the Boss (SR #1759) was supposed to be a learning experience. But what this secretary finds is an alarming attraction to her employer—and he seems to feel it, too! Raye Morgan brings us an office romance to remember in the latest book in her BOARDROOM BRIDES miniseries.
When this city girl escaped to the country to mend her broken heart, she finds herself face-to-face with temptation: an ex-rodeo rider working on the neighboring ranch. Will she give in? Find out in Madeline Baker’s Every Inch a Cowboy (SR #1760).
Two star-crossed soul mates get some heavenly help with their love lives in Debrah Morris’s A Little Night Matchmaking (SR #1761). This West Texas oilman is always all-business, until he meets his match in a feisty single mom.
May this month’s heroes lead you into a world of true love and happily-ever-after.
Sincerely,
Mavis C. Allen
Associate Senior Editor
A Little Night Matchmaking
Soulmates
Debrah Morris
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Books by Debrah Morris
Silhouette Romance
A Girl, a Guy and a Lullaby #1549
That Maddening Man #1597
Tutoring Tucker #1670
When Lightning Strikes Twice #1687
A Little Night Matchmaking #1761
DEBRAH MORRIS
When she isn’t writing her own novels and reading novels written by others, Debrah teaches novel writing in workshops and a university program. She is also active in a romance writers group.
She used to have hobbies and other interests, but these days her mind is pretty much one-tracked, and fiction is it.
She loves hearing from readers and can be contacted via her Web site: www.debrahmorris.com (http://www.debrahmorris.com) or at P.O. Box 522, Norman, OK 73070.
Chloe’s Favorite Snickerdoodles
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1. Tell a grown-up to turn on the oven and set it at 400°F.
2. Smoosh together butter, shortening, 1 ½ cups sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and mix it all up good. Stir flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt together in another bowl and then add the powdery stuff to the creamy stuff. Roll the dough into balls about an inch big. (Mommy says if the dough is too sticky to handle, you can put it in the fridge for a few minutes first.)
3. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. roll balls of dough around in mixture until you can’t see any dough. Place the balls 2 inches apart on big ungreased baking sheets. Whatever you do, don’t put the balls too close together. Very important!
4. Put them in the oven and help clean up the mess while you’re waiting. They only have to bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. These are ’sposed to be soft cookies, so watch ’em so they don’t get too brown or too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets to wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies, unless you eat too much dough while you’re rolling.
Contents
Prologue (#u280c1691-44f8-5c8d-9962-0319e08bcd39)
Chapter One (#uebade128-ff73-56c0-a44d-28e21a7ad568)
Chapter Two (#ue6c487ef-20c5-5b7b-9174-771bbfbdda19)
Chapter Three (#u57b94759-1c01-5ba7-8026-d2f7eaf0b319)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Prologue
The After Place
“Please, don’t send me back to earth!” Celestian was really in trouble this time. He had finally gone too far. Tampered with The Plan once too often. He’d already been busted down from time-out monitor to prayer courier, and yet here he was again, facing a Level Three Penalty Hearing. Would he ever learn to straighten up and fly right?
“A decision has been made.” He couldn’t see the hallowed faces of the Panel’s senior saints, but their voices resonated from three different directions.
He couldn’t go back. Earth was a dangerous place. “It’s been over three hundred years, Your Excellencies. I am unfit to live again.”
A calm, sonorous voice filled the interview chamber’s white space. “You shan’t be given an earthly life, Celestian. You must retain spirit form.”
“If I may speak freely—”
“You may not speak at all.” Another voice. Deeper. Not so calm. “Listen and obey. We do not wish to see you in Judicial Chambers.”
“Yes, sirs.” Nor did he wish to be seen in Judicial Chambers.
“More than once you have failed to follow After Place policy.” Another voice seemed determined to point out the obvious.
“Perhaps I’ve behaved imprudently, but—”
“Your imprudence borders on insubordination,” St. Cranky snapped. “You have placed us in an untenable position.”
“You have lost sight of your purpose,” St. Obvious intoned.
“We trust a lesson in humility will teach you to respect The Plan.” Even St. Calm didn’t sound so calm now.
“An example must be set.” St. Cranky, of course.
“Yes, sirs. But banning me to earth seems harsh in light of—”
“Do not consider yourself banned.” St. Calm recovered his equanimity. “Consider your return to earth a mission.”
“A mission? Me?” Celestian squeaked. What in heaven’s name were they thinking? He did not possess the skills required for Earthwork.
“Celestial beings are never given assignments they cannot fulfill,” St. Calm reminded.
“Very well.” Celestian sighed. There was no arguing with a Review Panel. “I can’t wait to hear what I must do.”
“That’s the spirit!” St. Obvious didn’t understand sarcasm. “Since you are guilty of manipulating circumstances for your own purpose, you shall be given ample opportunity to do so by returning to earth as a guide.”
“A spirit guide?” Celestian dared to hope. That wasn’t so bad. “Whose earthly life must I guide?”
“Your human’s name is Chloe Mitchum.”
Celestian’s optimism faded as memories of Slapdown, Texas flooded back. “But Chloe Mitchum is a child.”
“Yes, an old soul who recently entered the fifth year of her current life. Helping an innocent little girl won’t strain your limited resources, will it?”
“No, sir.” Celestian listened as the Panel explained he was to befriend a child experiencing earthly problems. What problems did a five-year-old have?
“All you have to do is provide comfort, succor and guidance. The usual.”
He could do that. “As in, look both ways before you cross the street. Brush your teeth up and down and back and forth. Drink your milk. That kind of guidance?”
“Your primary objective will be helping Chloe’s mother meet her soul mate,” said St. Cranky.
“What?” Matchmaking was definitely not in his toolbox.
“Nothing complicated. Assist them in falling in love. Facilitate their courtship. Insure their lifelong happiness, a fate already slated for them. That is all.” St. Calm’s impossibly reasonable tone frustrated Celestian.
“You lost me at courtship.” He knew nothing about making people fall in love. He’d died without ever experiencing the emotion.
“Despite the combined efforts of several departments,” St. Obvious continued, “we have been unable to bring these two soul mates together. Their paths have paralleled, but have not crossed.”
“Time is running out,” added St. Calm. “She married the wrong man once and is overcautious. He has stubbornly vowed to remain a bachelor.”
Celestian began to sense how truly difficult his task would be.
“Extreme measures are needed. That’s where you come in,” said St. Obvious. “We require regular progress reports, so stop by Central Supply before you leave and pick up a H.A.R.P.”
