Debbie Macomber: The Perfect Match

Make time for friends. Make time for

DEBBIE MACOMBER

CEDAR COVE

16 Lighthouse Road

204 Rosewood Lane

311 Pelican Court

44 Cranberry Point

50 Harbor Street

6 Rainier Drive

74 Seaside Avenue

8 Sandpiper Way

92 Pacific Boulevard

1022 Evergreen Place

1105 Yakima Street

A Merry Little Christmas (featuring 1225 Christmas Tree Lane and 5-B Poppy Lane)

BLOSSOM STREET

The Shop on Blossom Street

A Good Yarn

Susannah’s Garden

(previously published as Old Boyfriends)

Back on Blossom Street

(previously published as Wednesdays at Four )

Twenty Wishes

Summer on Blossom Street

Hannah’s List

A Turn in the Road

Thursdays at Eight

Christmas in Seattle

Falling for Christmas

A Mother’s Gift

Angels at Christmas

A Mother’s Wish

Be My Valentine

Happy Mother’s Day

On a Snowy Night

Home for Christmas

Summer in Orchard Valley

Summer Wedding Bells

Summer Brides

This Matter of Marriage

The Perfect Match

THE MANNINGS

The Manning Sisters

The Manning Brides

The Manning Grooms

THE DAKOTAS

Dakota Born

Dakota Home

Always Dakota

The Farmer Takes a Wife

(Exclusive short story)

www.mirabooks.co.uk

Cover

Title Page www.mirabooks.co.uk

First Comes Marriage

Dedication To Anna and Anton Adler, Russian immigrants and my loving grandparents. Thank you for the wonderful heritage you gave me.

One

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Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Yours and Mine

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Endpages

Copyright

To Anna and Anton Adler, Russian immigrants and my loving grandparents.

Thank you for the wonderful heritage you gave me.

“You must be Zachary Thomas,” Janine said breathlessly as she whirled into the office. “Sorry I’m late, but I got hung up in traffic on Fourth Avenue. I didn’t realize they’d torn up the whole street.” Still a little winded, she unfastened her coat, tossed it over the back of the visitor’s chair and threw herself down, facing the large executive desk.

The man on the other side blinked twice as though he didn’t know quite what to think.

“I’m Janine Hartman.” She drew in a deep breath. “Gramps said if he wasn’t back from his appointment, I should introduce myself.”

“Yes,” Zachary said after a moment of strained silence. “But he didn’t tell me you’d be wearing—”

“Oh, the bandanna dress,” Janine said, smoothing one hand over her lap. The dress had been constructed of red and blue bandannas; it featured a knee-length zigzag hemline and closely hugged her hips. “It was a gift. And since I’m meeting the girl who made it later, I thought I should wear it.”

“And the necklace?”

Janine toyed with the colored Christmas-tree lights strung between large beads on a bootlace that dangled from her neck. “It’s a bit outrageous, isn’t it? That was a gift, too. I think it’s kind of cute, don’t you? Pamela is so clever.”

“Pamela?”

“A teenager from the Friendship Club.”

“I…see,” Zach said.

“I do volunteer work there and the two of us hit it off as soon as we met. Pam’s mother doesn’t live in the area and she’s at that awkward age and needs a friend. For some reason she took a liking to me, which was fine because I think she’s wonderful.”

“I see,” he said again.

Janine doubted he did.

“The necklace is different I’ll grant you,” Zach was saying—which wasn’t admitting to much. His dark eyes narrowed as he studied it.

Now that she’d met Zachary Thomas, Janine could understand why her grandfather was so impressed with him—if appearances were anything to judge by. In his well-tailored suit, he was the very picture of a high-powered executive, crisp, formal and in control. He was younger than she’d assumed, possibly in his early thirties, but it was difficult to tell. His facial features were attractive enough, but he wasn’t strikingly handsome. Still, she found herself fascinated by the strength of character she saw in the uneven planes of his face. His dark hair was cut military short. His jaw was strong, his cheekbones high and his mouth full. That was the way she’d describe him physically, but there was apparently much more to this man than met the eye. At least, her grandfather was convinced of it.

Several months earlier Anton Hartman had merged his well-established business-supply firm with the fast-expanding company owned by Zachary Thomas. Together the two men had quickly dominated the market.

For weeks now, Gramps had wanted Janine to meet Zachary. His name had popped up in every conversation, no matter what they were discussing. To say her grandfather thought highly of his partner was an understatement.

“Gramps has spoken…well of you,” she said next.

A hint of a smile—just the merest suggestion—touched his mouth, giving her the impression that he didn’t smile often. “Your grandfather has one of the keenest business minds in the country.”

“He’s incredible, isn’t he?”

Zachary’s nod betrayed no hesitation.

There was a polite knock on the door and a tall middle-aged woman wearing a navy-blue pin-striped suit stepped into the room. “Mr. Hartman phoned,” she announced primly. “He’s been delayed and asked that you meet him at the restaurant.”

Zach’s lean dark face tightened briefly before he cast Janine an uneasy glance. “Did he say when he was going to get there?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Thomas, but he didn’t.”

Janine looked at her watch. She was supposed to meet Pam at three. If they were delayed much longer, she’d be late.

She scowled at Zach’s apparent reluctance to entertain her in Gramp’s absence. “Maybe it would be best if we rescheduled for another day,” she offered brightly. She wasn’t any happier about the prospect of waiting in a restaurant, just the two of them, than he was. “Gramps is held up, I’m meeting Pam, and you’re obviously a busy man.”

An uncomfortable silence followed her remark. “Is it your habit not to show up when your grandfather’s expecting you?” he asked sharply.