A Match Made by Cupid (Harlequin Special Edition)

by Madison, Tracy

  Somewhere along the line, though, Jace changed from the bachelor who loved to be one to the guy who yearned for more. He wanted stability. He wanted to settle down. With one woman on his arm, in his bed, in his life. The nonstop dates with a variety of women began feeling like a chore instead of an adventure. Actually writing the column became a burden.

  He went to Kurt then and asked to drop the column, but the boss had refused. Oh, he’d given Jace a song and dance about building the popularity of his “Man About Town” column first and told him to start branching out into other areas. That they’d revisit the idea in a few months.

  So Jace had played along and continued to date a different woman, sometimes two or three women, every week. That nonsense had stopped over a year ago. And the last time he’d talked to Kurt about ending “Bachelor on the Loose,” Kurt hadn’t bothered with the song and dance. He’d flat-out refused.

  Since then, every last word in the column was fiction. Which was fine. Or had been, until Melanie stumbled into his life. Now he hated the reputation the column had given him. Obviously, much of her false opinion of him was based on that reputation, on his supposed dating escapades, on the fact that he used ice-cream flavors to describe women’s personalities. She saw him as a cad. A player.

  And he had no one to blame but himself.

  Jace sighed and grabbed his now-lukewarm beer, gulping down a large swallow. Melanie’s opinion likely wasn’t going to change as long as she thought he was jumping from one woman to the next with barely a breath in between. He could come clean with her, but he doubted she’d believe him. Hell, if he stood in her shoes, he wouldn’t believe it, either. And if she thought he was lying, wouldn’t that just deepen her distrust of him?

  Besides which, telling her the truth about the column felt like cheating. Maybe it was the trademark Foster stubbornness at play, or maybe he was too prideful, but he wanted her to learn who he was naturally, as they spent time together, and hopefully form an opinion that had zilch to do with that damn column.

  Basically, he wanted her to forget every last thing she thought she knew about him and trust in what he showed her. But for that to be successful, she’d have to be willing to open her eyes and really look at him. And what were the chances of that happening?

  Jace grabbed the remote and turned on the game. Maybe he’d tell her the truth. Maybe he’d wait and see. Or maybe he’d give up on the idea of Melanie Prentiss and find a woman who didn’t need so much convincing.

  It wouldn’t be hard. He could think of several women who’d drop whatever they were doing to spend the evening with him. All he’d have to do was pick up the phone. That wasn’t the issue, though. The real problem was that the only woman he wanted to call was Melanie.

  Melanie and Tara stared at the computer screen, scanning through the entries the people-finding website had emailed after receiving their fifty-dollar fee. Outright robbery in Melanie’s mind, as the information delivered didn’t even take up a full page.

  “Are you sure this David Prentiss is your father?” Tara asked. “I mean, the age looks right, but your dad doesn’t exactly have an uncommon name.”

  “You’d think the name was common, wouldn’t you? But there aren’t any David Prentisses in the telephone book. Besides, this is him. Unless there is another guy with the same name and the same birthday.” Melanie pointed at the date. “April fifteenth, tax day.”

  “I didn’t even see that. You’re right, this must be him.”

  “Uh-huh, but I was hoping for more.” A neon sign with a glowing arrow leading directly to her father would’ve been convenient. Melanie sighed and tried to make sense of the little data in front of her. He’d declared bankruptcy a few years back, but she didn’t see how that knowledge was going to be of any help. There were three residences listed, homes he’d supposedly owned over the years, but none of them were tagged as being his current residence. The two most recent had three other names listed as being a part of the household, all three of which carried the Prentiss name. “I’m guessing he remarried and had more kids.”

  “Looks that way,” Tara said softly. “I’m sorry, Melanie. That’s rough.”

  Melanie scowled and pushed away from her desk. “Well, if he’s all happy with a new family, why is he bringing me presents?” Bitter disappointment edged her words. Somehow, she’d assumed that her dad had remained unattached. After all, if one family wasn’t good enough for him, why would she think he’d take on another? “He obviously isn’t lonely.”

  “Just because he has a family doesn’t mean he can’t be lonely. Or want to fix things with you. The two are not necessarily connected, and people change.” Tara scrunched her nose in thought. “But honestly, Melanie, you have no idea if it is your father bringing you gifts. It could be anyone. It could be a secret admirer, like we originally thought. Or, um, I don’t know, maybe it’s your mother trying to make you think it’s a secret admirer. I can see Loretta doing something like that. She thinks you’re lonely.”

  “Mom doesn’t do anything halfway. If she was behind this, the gifts would be more romantic in nature.” Reaching over, Melanie made sure there was paper in her printer before sending the document to print. “I’ll look at this more later, maybe see if I can track down some of his old neighbors, but right now I’m hungry. Feel like ordering a pizza?”

  “Sure,” Tara said agreeably, following Melanie out of the bedroom and down the stairs. “Why are you so certain you don’t have some sweet, shy guy enamored with you?”

  Melanie snorted. “Because if I did, he’d have to have an inside track to my childhood. It isn’t like I go around spouting off what my favorite books are from when I was a kid, or that I own a couple of antique dolls.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Tara plopped her tall, thin frame on the couch the second they entered the living room. “All he’d need was ten minutes with Loretta to get that type of info. She chats about you nonstop at the salon. Last time I was there, I overheard her reminiscing about how you won the local spelling bee three years running.”

  Kneeling, Melanie dug out the pile of coupons she kept stashed under the end table. “Good grief, I was in grade school then.”

  “That’s what I’m saying.”

  “Okay, but she probably got on that topic because her customer brought up spelling bees first. Mom likely asked how the family was, and the client mentioned her son or daughter was going to be in a spelling bee, or had just been in one.” Gathering the coupons, Melanie moved to the chair across from Tara. “You know how that goes.”

  “And what if a customer mentioned he bought a copy of Charlotte’s Web for his niece for her birthday or for Christmas? Or that his sister collects antique dolls? See where I’m going with this?” Excitement sparkled in Tara’s hazel eyes. “I believe I’ve proven my point. You could have a secret admirer. And that idea is so much more fun than dealing with your lame-o, doesn’t-deserve-to-know-you father.”

  “I don’t know about more fun, but it would certainly be less emotional. And I suppose you’re right. I’ll…I guess I’ll call Mom later and see if she remembers talking about any of this with any of her clients.” And try to find a way to bring her father into the conversation. Regardless of how much sense Tara made, Melanie couldn’t rule out her dad.

  “Did you ever tell Loretta about the gifts?” Tara asked.

  “I haven’t mentioned them, but only because I don’t want to worry her.”

  “I doubt she’ll be worried. Ecstatic is more likely.” Tara’s wide mouth split into a megawatt smile. “She wants grandbabies, you know.”

  “She should’ve had a couple more kids, then.” Melanie flipped through the pile of coupons until she found the one she was looking for. Glancing over at her friend, she asked, “Are you a vegetarian this week?”

  Tara’s ash-blond hair tumbled forward as
she nodded. “Going strong for a month now! But we can do halfsies if you insist on contaminating your body with meat.”

  Melanie laughed. “And that comes from the girl who ate nothing but cheeseburgers all through college.”

  “I’ve found I get almost the same satisfaction from a well-made veggie burger. And those days were a long time ago.” And then, as if to drive in the point she made earlier, Tara said, “People change.”

  “Well, you haven’t become a vegan when I wasn’t looking, have you? Because I was thinking mushroom and cheese pizza, and I can put together a salad to go with.” When Tara agreed, Melanie placed the order.

  Later, after dinner was consumed and Tara had headed home, Melanie stared at the phone. She should call her mother now and get it over with, but they hadn’t spoken since their argument on Wednesday morning. There would definitely be a rehash of that conversation, and Melanie didn’t want to get into another fight.

  She recognized that her inability to find any happiness for her mother’s news was unfair, and that Loretta deserved—if nothing else—a sincere congratulation from her daughter. But she wouldn’t lie. Yes, she’d be thrilled to see her mom happy, and if that meant marriage, then so be it—as long as it was with a guy who would stick. And really, who was she to say that Wade Burlington wasn’t going to stick? He might. Melanie had doubts, but she’d never met the guy, so yeah, she was being unfair.

  She punched in the number and stifled a groan when Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” sounded off in her ear. “Nice song, Mom,” Melanie said when Loretta answered. “Is that what you’re going to walk down the aisle to?”

  “I haven’t decided yet.” Loretta took in a quick breath. “I love you, my darling girl, but if you’ve called to try to talk me out of this, then…don’t. I’m happy, and I intend to stay that way.”

  “Actually, Mom, I called to apologize.”

  “You don’t have to apologize, Melanie. You just have to believe that I know what’s best for me, and support my decisions. That’s all I’m asking from you.”

  “That’s fair.” Emotion curled in the back of Melanie’s throat. “I really am happy that you’re happy. I love you, and I worry, and I’m sorry about that. But of course I support you. Always, Mom.”

  “Oh, sweetie, I’m so relieved to hear that. I…I don’t know what I’d do if you couldn’t…wouldn’t…be at my wedding. I need you there. I was hoping that maybe…” Loretta’s voice trailed off, as if she wasn’t sure if she should continue.

  “You were hoping what?”

  “You need to meet Wade, that’s all. And I know you’ll adore him once you do. He’s a good man, Melanie. A really good man.”

  Right. A good man who ran in the other direction out of fear and then came crawling back with a diamond ring and a marriage proposal. That didn’t sound so good to Melanie. It sounded like the desperate actions of a wishy-washy man. But what she said was “Name the date, place and time, and I’ll be there.”

  “I didn’t think it would be that easy,” Loretta admitted, her tone hushed. “I was sure you’d give me a dozen excuses why you couldn’t. Thank you for not turning this into a battle.”

  “He’s going to be your husband, which means he’s going to be a part of my family. Why did you think I wouldn’t agree to a meeting?”

  “Don’t play that game, Melanie Ann. Why, you’ve refused to meet any of the men I’ve had relationships with ever since you moved out of the house.”

  “You weren’t marrying any of them. This is different.” Melanie paced while they talked, listening to her mother but also thinking ahead to the rest of the conversation she wanted to have. “Look, Mom, I’m sorry for the other day, and I’m sorry for…for making you think I’m not interested in this. I am. I only want the best for you, and if the best is Wade, then I’m glad you found each other.”

  “Do you mean that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, honey, this is marvelous news! Think of all the fun we’ll have planning the ceremony! You can help me find my wedding dress…I’m thinking semiformal. Maybe a shorter hemline to show off my legs. And we’ll have to find a dress for you.” Loretta sighed in pure contentment. “Now I can really be excited.”

  Melanie closed her eyes and swallowed the words that were crowding her mouth. Words that would propel them into another argument and would solve less than nothing at this point. “Let’s just focus on the get-together first. This, um, isn’t real for me yet, because I don’t have a, um, mental image of Wade. So yeah, meeting him is a great idea.”

  “That makes sense. How can you advise me on the perfect wedding dress when you haven’t even seen what the groom looks like?” Whew. Mom was so relieved to hear what she wanted to hear, she hadn’t clued in on Melanie’s hesitation. Thank goodness. “Wade and I are spending the day together tomorrow, since the salon is closed on Sundays. I’ll find out what his schedule looks like, and we’ll set something up as soon as possible.”

  “Good. That’s good. I’m…looking forward to it.” Sending a silent prayer upward that she handled this next bit well, Melanie said, “One other thing, Mom. Tara and I hung out today, and we got on the subject of Dad. It made me realize how little I remember about him.”

  Loretta was quiet for a few seconds. “You were only seven when David left. I’m surprised you remember anything at all.”

  “Some things. I remember how he’d read to me every night. I remember that he loved your lasagna. And, um, I remember he always seemed to have a different job.” Mentally crossing her fingers, Melanie said, “But I can’t recall what types of jobs he actually had. Do you remember any of the places he worked?”

  “Well, goodness, Melanie, what an odd question. Why would you care about something like that?” Loretta gasped. “Is this about Wade? Sweetheart, no one can replace your father. If you’re thinking that Wade is going to try to—”

  “Mom, no. Jeez, that so isn’t what I’m getting at. I…don’t even consider David Prentiss as my father anymore. He’s just a man I barely remember. And I’m certainly not worried about Wade—or anyone—trying to replace Dad. I’m twenty-seven years old. I’ve outgrown the need for a father.”

  “You may not need a father, but I’m sure you wish you had one. If I could change one aspect of your life, it would be this.”

  “I’m fine. Really,” Melanie said quickly. “I’m just curious about what types of jobs Dad held. That’s all.”

  Again, Loretta went silent, obviously lost in the past. When she spoke, it was with a quiet resolve. “I’ve waited a long time for you to ask me questions about this, but I expected you to be curious about why he left, about what happened. You’ve never asked.”

  “He left, never came around again and that’s all I need to know on that.” Okay, perhaps not the complete truth, but this was a conversation they shouldn’t have over the freaking telephone.

  “Well then, honey, I guess I’m a little confused. Why do you care about your father’s employment history?”

  Thinking on her feet—literally—Melanie said, “Well, you know that Tara is a teacher. So is her father. And Tara and her dad have a lot of other things in common. Like…um—” Crap. Truthfully, other than their careers, Tara and her dad were polar opposites. “Fishing. They both love to fish!” Lie. Tara would rather have her teeth pulled out one by one than spend the day with worms dangling off the end of a fishing pole. “So, you know, I started to wonder if I had anything in common with Dad. Like, maybe writing?”

  “David wasn’t a writer. You get that from my mother, God rest her soul. I wish you had a chance to know her, Melanie. Talk about someone you have a lot in common with! Why—”

  “So, what type of work did Dad do, then?” Melanie interjected, knowing how easily her mother could get off target. Besides, she’d heard all the stories abou
t her maternal grandmother before, and yes, she’d like to hear them again. Just not now.

  “Oh, anything and everything. Let’s see… He spent some time as a car salesman, and then he worked at an insurance agency, selling life insurance. He tried his hand at security for a while.” Loretta laughed, but Melanie didn’t think from humor. More like exasperation. “He was a repo man for a few months. That job was hell. Oh, I know. The one profession he’d always fall back on was bartending. Used to say that someday, he was going to own a bar.”

  “Wow,” Melanie said as her mind absorbed that information. “He really did do a little of everything.”

  “Yes. David had—still has, I’m guessing—a short attention span. I used to call it the ‘shiny new job syndrome,’ because he never lasted more than six months, no matter the job. The next one always looked better to him.”

  “But he wanted to own a bar?” To Melanie, that seemed an odd aspiration. “What was the reasoning?”

  “Your dad loved being around people. He was good around them, too. Had a way about him that made folks comfortable. He could get anyone to laugh.” Loretta’s tone dipped as her memories got the better of her. “It never mattered how angry I was at that man, he could always make me laugh. We laughed a lot for a long time, Melanie. Until we stopped.”

  Her mother’s voice was broken, hesitant and very near tears. Melanie decided to drop the subject. She’d learned a little. Maybe she’d be able to learn more later. “Thanks for sharing.”

  “You’re welcome. All you ever have to do is ask. I… Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

  While Melanie knew her mother’s question was specific to David Prentiss, the conversation with Tara popped into her head. But now wasn’t the time to ask about antique dolls or childhood books. “Well, yeah,” Melanie teased. “You never told me what everyone at the salon said when they saw your engagement ring.”

  “Oh! They all love the ring. Of course, there was some jealousy, but that’s to be expected. Why, Sandra has been waiting for years for her beau to pop the question. If I’ve told her once, I’ve told her a thousand times…”