Welcome To Redemption: Series Collection (Books 1-6)

by Donna Marie Rogers

  Matt collapsed onto the chair. “My God, what happened?”

  “He had a heart attack. Last night.”

  “And you’re just calling me now?”

  “He...It was pretty late. And it was a mild attack, so Mom didn’t see any reason to bother you.”

  Matt squeezed his eyes shut. His mother didn’t think he’d give a damn. Big difference.

  “Matt? I have to go. I’ll keep you informed, okay?”

  “Thanks. Give Dad—tell him to take care of himself.”

  “I will. Talk to you soon.”

  He ended the call with a heavy heart. Guilt gnawed at him until he wanted to put his fist through the goddamn wall. If he’d just stayed and taken over the company reins so the old man could retire, his parents would be sipping piña coladas in the Caribbean right now. Instead, his father was lying in a hospital bed while his mother no doubt worried herself sick.

  Thanks to their only son.

  By the time four o’clock rolled around, Matt wasn’t much in the mood for socializing. Maybe he’d swing past Lauren’s to say hi before heading home. Then maybe he’d pack his bags and head to LA, see for himself that his father was all right. And, hell, maybe he’d stay. After today, he was fairly certain he didn’t have a future in Redemption anyway. The one woman who heated his blood could barely remember his name. Yep, he’d made some impression on Ms. Carrie Lowell, hadn’t he?

  Matt pulled into Lauren’s driveway and killed the engine. He sat for a minute, hands clutching the steering wheel, as he debated whether or not to stay for supper. He was torn, especially if this turned out to be the last meal he shared with these two. In just a few short months, Caleb Hunter had become one of the best friends he’d ever had. And Lauren Frazier was a dream: sweet, generous, funny, a great mom. A real home and hearth type.

  Thank God neither of them knew what a damn fraud he was.

  “Hey, you daydreaming or what?” Caleb said as he smacked the hood and scared the hell out of him. “Come on, I got an ice-cold Bud waiting for you.”

  Matt shook his head as he climbed out of the old Jeep Wrangler he’d purchased on his first day in town. The cheapest vehicle he’d ever owned, and by far his favorite. “Sounds good.” Couldn’t hurt to stay for a beer, he supposed.

  He followed Caleb inside and froze when an all-too-familiar voice reached his ears. Sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee was none other than Miss Stubborn, laughing with Lauren, her head tipped back, looking more beautiful than usual, if that were possible. A ridiculous surge of jealousy seized him by the throat. How come the ornery woman never cracked a smile when he was around?

  Carrie looked up and caught sight of him, her smile fading. She shot Caleb a look, then Lauren, who in turn sent Matt a sheepish grin.

  A setup? A blind date? He almost laughed, but caught himself. A grin tugged at his lips. The woman looked ready to blow.

  “Please tell me he’s not the”—Carrie made air quotes—“great guy you’ve been raving about.”

  Caleb grabbed a beer from the fridge and handed it to Matt as Carrie glared daggers at her friend. Lauren cleared her throat and looked to Caleb, who shrugged. “We just thought...you know, that you’d hit it off. And we’d planned this before...” Lauren glanced over at Matt.

  He took a fortifying sip of his beer and supplied, “Before I opened my big mouth and became her least favorite person in Redemption?”

  Carrie scowled at him. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here. And you did more than open your mouth, you pompous ass.”

  Infuriating woman. Matt took a step forward. “I offered you sound business advice. But, hey, you want to lose your shop? End up in bankruptcy court? Be my guest.”

  “It’s summer!”

  “O-kay.” Caleb moved to Lauren’s side. “Time to calm down. Matt, why don’t you have a seat. Carrie, please,” Caleb added when she started to rise. “Lauren spent a lot of time and effort making this meal. The least you two can do is sit and eat it.”

  “You’re right,” Matt said, embarrassed by his childish behavior. He shot Carrie a look. The woman brought out the worst in him like no one ever had. “Lauren, dinner smells incredible, thank you.”

  Carrie crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. Matt, hard-pressed not to laugh, took the seat across from her and openly stared. Let her squirm, he thought, admiring the view. He took a swig of his beer. The woman was sexy as hell with those big blue eyes and waist-length auburn hair. She wasn’t tall and stick thin like Lauren. Carrie had curves...lots and lots of luscious curves. His gaze unwittingly dropped to her chest. He couldn’t help it. Matt was a breast man, and Carrie Lowell filled a T-shirt so well it should be a crime.

  “Hey, perv, you wanna quit staring at my boobs?”

  Matt choked back a laugh. “Kind of hard to do when you put them on display like that.”

  Her eyes grew round with indignation. “I do not!”

  Matt gestured toward her chest. “Well, could that T-shirt be any tighter?”

  “Now you’re calling me fat?”

  Matt thunked his beer down on the table. “Don’t put words in my mouth, woman. I was merely—”

  “Enough,” Caleb broke in. “Jesus, we’re going to have to put you both in a time-out if you don’t start acting like adults.”

  “He started it,” Carrie pouted, eyes narrowed.

  “No, you called me a pompous ass.”

  “You are a pompous ass...perv.”

  “All right, one more word and you’re both getting your mouths duct-taped,” Caleb threatened.

  “Fine.” Matt swiped up his beer and took a long pull.

  “Fine.”

  Supper was eaten mostly in silence. Max and Emma were hanging out with Hutch, owner of the local diner, “so the adults can talk,” Caleb informed them. Once Lauren had a slice of cheesecake and a cup of coffee in front of each of them, Caleb got right to the point. “Matt, last week you mentioned you’d like to invest in a business here in Redemption. And Carrie, you were advised to take on a partner if you want to save Coffee To Chai For.”

  Carrie bristled. “Great, announce it to the world, why don’t you. Carrie Lowell doesn’t have a lick of business sense.”

  “Come on, Care, that’s not what Caleb said.” Lauren covered her friend’s hand. “But you do need some help, and there’s no shame in admitting that.”

  Carrie shot Matt a quick look. He met her gaze without expression. The woman was a powder keg, and even a twitch of his eye could send her bolting for the door. “Couldn’t hurt to talk about it,” he said in a low tone.

  She pursed her lips and scowled at each of them in turn. “Fine. Start talking.”

  Chapter Two

  Carrie hated feeling beholden to anyone, and she especially hated the thought of letting this arrogant man anywhere near her precious coffee shop. But the alternative was unthinkable. Better to throw in with the devil than lose her business. And truth be told, he’d made some good points, even if she’d let her tongue wither and fall out before admitting it.

  Matt leaned back in his chair and met her gaze. Carrie ignored the tingle of awareness those gorgeous eyes caused. “Maybe Caleb and Lauren are on to something. Coffee To Chai For’s coffee rivals Starbucks, and your breads and pasties are delicious.”

  “Go on.”

  He grinned. “I can offer some fresh business insight, not to mention cash so you can hire someone to help out. You’ve been running yourself ragged for months. Probably why you’re always so crabby.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You may have all the business sense of Donald Trump, but you’re a moron when it comes to dealing with women.”

  Lauren snorted. Caleb coughed before shoveling a huge bite of cheesecake into his mouth.

  Matt took a sip of his coffee, then forked up a bite of his own cheesecake and took his sweet time chewing and swallowing. Carrie suspected he was holding back a smile, but truthfully, so was she.

  “Sorry, bad joke. Jus
t trying to lighten the mood. Seriously, Carrie, I think we’d make a great team. You need a partner, and I need a purpose. I’m afraid being a librarian isn’t as exciting and glamorous as you might think. What do you say?”

  Carrie cracked a small smile before she could stop herself. Matt’s gaze dropped to her lips and she licked them in reflex. Grrr. Damn him for making her heart race like a schoolgirl in the throws of puppy love.

  “Care, this is exactly what you need,” Lauren pointed out, drawing Carrie’s attention away from Mr. I’m-Too-Sexy-For-My-Own-Good. “Someone to help shoulder the responsibility. Trying to run the shop all by yourself has been killing you. You’re always exhausted and, yes, I’m sorry, but crabbier than usual. You do all your own baking and wait on customers to boot. You need help. And Matt has some pretty good ideas for the place, you have to admit.”

  Okay, yeah, his suggestions made sense. In fact, Carrie would love to expand her menu to include lunch and dinner items. And if she didn’t start each day at three in the morning, she would stay open later than two p.m. It’s not like she’d never thought of those things herself. She needed help, and she needed it fast. There was just no way around it. If she wanted to keep her business afloat, she’d have to take on a partner.

  But did it have to be the one man who’d gotten under her skin like no one ever had? How was she supposed to concentrate on anything when his very presence would drive her to distraction? If she wasn’t itching to throttle him, she’d be daydreaming about kissing him. And wouldn’t that just suck big time?

  “Can you even afford to invest in my shop? I mean, if I’m going to do this, I need someone with the cash in hand, not someone waiting on a loan to go through.”

  “I’ve got a decent nest egg saved. But to be clear, I want to be a full partner, not just an investor.”

  “I know, and that’s...fine. Just don’t think you’re going to come in and take over. Coffee To Chai For is my baby.”

  “I only want to make it the success I know it can be. And make a living for myself so I can eventually quit my job at the library,” he added with another heart-melting smile.

  Carrie stared at him for a moment before exchanging glances with Lauren and Caleb. After a full minute of silent deliberation, she took a deep breath and blew it out, along with her hesitation. “Fine. Welcome to Coffee To Chai For...partner.”

  Lauren clapped as Matt reached across the table and clasped Carrie’s hand. Panic seized her, but she just as quickly tamped it down. Think positive, she silently instructed herself.

  “Do you have your own lawyer, or do you trust me to hire one?” Matt asked.

  Carrie blew out a hard breath. “I have a lawyer.”

  * * *

  Carrie waited until almost ten p.m. before picking up the phone and dialing her lawyer.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, it’s me. You got a minute?”

  “Carrie?”

  She rolled her eyes. “It hasn’t been that long since we spoke.”

  “Considering we live just across town from each other, I think a month is a pretty long time. So, what do you need?”

  Carrie worried her bottom lip, a stab of guilt nailing her right in the gut. “Maybe I just want to talk to my big sister. Is that so hard to believe?”

  “Uh, since the last time we spoke you told me to mind my own business and that the sound of my voice was like nails on a chalkboard, yes, it’s that hard to believe.”

  Carrie couldn’t help but grin. “You weren’t saying what I wanted to hear. You know how I get when I’m irritated.”

  “Yeah, mean as a snake,” her sister muttered.

  Christina Lowell had never been one to mince words. Probably why she was such a great attorney. “So what is it, Care? I don’t mean to be rude, but I had a long day and just want to crawl into bed and pass out.”

  “I decided to take on a partner.”

  A delicate snort. “Yeah, right.”

  “I’m serious. His name is Matt Jacobs and—”

  “That cute librarian?”

  Carrie rolled her eyes, annoyed for some unfathomable reason. “Yes, Tina, the librarian. Figures you’ve already scoped him out.”

  “Half the town has, baby sister. That’s one mega sexy man. Have you ever seen anyone look so good in a pair of glasses?”

  “Can you focus, please?” Carrie plopped down on the couch and leaned her head back. “I need a lawyer to draw up the paperwork. Think you could make time in your busy schedule to do that for me?”

  “As if I could refuse such a heartfelt request. I’ll be in touch.”

  Carrie disconnected the call and tossed the phone on the end table. So all the single women in town were panting after Matt. The thought caused her throat to constrict. Old-fashioned jealousy nailed her square between the eyes. And since Christina was successful, gorgeous, and the polar opposite of Carrie, it wouldn’t be long before he was panting after her.

  A tear seeped out of the corner of her eye and she angrily swiped it away. She didn’t give a crap who Matt panted after. Okay, so maybe she did, a little. Maybe a small part of her wondered if this partnership would develop into something more. But, heck, who was she kidding? Men weren’t attracted to her, they were scared to death of her, and that’s just the way she liked it.

  * * *

  Carrie rolled her eyes when she recognized Matt standing in front of the door to Coffee To Chai For, looking entirely too chipper for so early in the morning. The sun hadn’t even risen yet, for crump’s sake. With a sigh of resignation, she pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine. By the time she grabbed her purse, Matt had her car door open.

  “Wow, this thing is spotless.” He ran his gaze around the interior of her midnight blue ’99 Chevy Malibu. “Wanna clean my Jeep for me?”

  She stepped out and lifted a brow. “Uh, no. And what are you doing here so early? I don’t open for business until five.”

  Matt followed her to the door. “Thought I’d give you a hand opening up today, familiarize myself with your routine. The library doesn’t open until ten, so I can help you with the baking, the brewing, and the morning rush hour. Then we can discuss ideas for updating this place and—”

  “Oh my God, shut up, will you? You’re like the fricken Energizer Bunny. I like peace and quiet in the morning, not nonstop chatter. Please, please, go home.”

  Carrie twisted the key in the lock and shoved the door open with more force than necessary. She stormed into the back room and tucked her purse in the bottom drawer of her desk. When she realized Mr. Cheerful had followed her inside, she crossed her arms and turned to face him. “Look, I contacted my lawyer last night, but the paperwork won’t be ready for days. So until then, this is still my coffee shop, and I’d like to be alone.”

  Matt propped his hands on his hips, his expression neutral. “If I promise to keep quiet, can I stay? I’m too hyped up to sleep, and I’ll have to learn all this soon enough anyway.”

  Carrie sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Great. Just what she needed, having to look at his handsome mug all morning. As if she didn’t have enough crap to occupy her thoughts. “Fine, whatever. Just keep it zipped, all right?”

  “No problem, Sally Sunshine. Show me what to do and I’ll stay out of your hair.”

  She eyeballed him as she swept past. “Know how to work a broom?”

  He chuckled. “Not exactly what I had in mind.”

  “You said you want to learn how to open, right? Well…” She pulled the broom off the wall rack. “I sweep every morning before I unlock the doors.”

  Later, Carrie had to admit it was nice having Matt there to help out. He worked hard, kept his mouth shut, and even managed to get the air-conditioner running again. For that alone she was incredibly grateful. She just wouldn’t tell him that.

  Matt was in the back working on her dripping faucet when the bell tinkled and a customer walked in. Carrie recognized the pretty blonde from the day before, the one Tara’s bro
ther, Charlie, had asked Carrie to buy a couple of drinks for—on him. “Hi, what can I get you?”

  “A large French vanilla cappuccino to go, please.”

  Carrie made the drink and set it on the counter. When Charlie’s blonde pulled money from her pocket, Carrie informed her, “It’s already taken care of.”

  “What? No—”

  “Compliments of Charlie Russell.” Carrie grinned. “And you still have one more coming.”

  “Oh.” A slight frown marring her brow, she picked up her cup and dropped some money into the tip jar. “Good. Thanks.”

  “My guess is he’s hoping to get your number.”

  The blonde gave an unladylike snort. “Oh, I’ve already got his, and guess what? It’s not going to happen.”

  Carrie chuckled as the woman strolled out the door. Charlie had no doubt met his match with that one.

  Whistling, Matt strode through the swinging door that separated the kitchen from the dining area and headed straight for the counter. He seemed rather pleased with himself. “All fixed. Anything else I can do before I head over to the library?”

  “No, thanks. I owe you for the air-conditioner. I have to admit, Jacobs, I’m impressed. You’re a hard worker, and that’s something I value.”

  His brow rose. “I’m sorry, did you just compliment me?”

  She pursed her lips in an effort to hold back a grin, but lost the battle. “Don’t get used to it.” Her pulse sped up when he reached out and traced her jaw line with his fingertips, his gaze centered on her lips.

  “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

  Carrie suddenly became lost in those gorgeous eyes and that handsome face. Words failed her. She swallowed hard and fought to keep from melting at his feet. He started to lean in and Carrie panicked. Did he mean to kiss her? Right here in the shop where anyone could see them?

  The door opened with a tinkling sound and Matt snatched his hand back, looking like a guilty little boy. Talk about saved by the bell. Carrie cleared her throat and smiled as a couple of teenaged girls walked up to the counter. Her smiled faded when she realized they weren’t there as customers. They both gazed up at Matt, their heavily made-up faces pathetically adoring.