Lissa Manley - Mistletoe Matchmaker

“Not surprising. Dylan and Cleo come in here all the time to play with Peter and Parker and to pick out toys. He’s pretty attached to her.” She made a face. “But I’m not sure I’d want to take her on vacation.”

“Why not?”

“She’s even wilder than Jade,” Molly said, quirking a brow.

He looked horrified. “Is that possible?” he asked, glancing sideways at Jade. She was still madly chasing the jingling Peter and Parker in circles around the predominantly green and red displays, their toenails clickety-clacking on the dog-practical linoleum floor. “She seems pretty wild to me.”

“You think this is wild?” she asked, gesturing with her head toward Jade. “Wait till you meet Cleo.”

He took a swig of water, then returned her smile, his eyes sparkling. “I’m not sure I want to,” he said, clearly joking.

She stared at him for a moment, really liking his sense of humor. Then she caught herself and dragged her gaze away. “Listen,” she said, moving around him and out into the middle of the store, next to the leash display, where there was more space. “If you want me to pick up some tennis balls for Jade after work, I’d be happy to drop them off later.”

He raised his blond brows. “No, that’s fine. I don’t want to put you out.”

“Oh, you wouldn’t be putting me out. I need to pick up some fishing lures for my elderly neighbor from the Sports Shack, anyway. Floyd broke his leg and still wants to go on a fishing trip, wheelchair and all, with one of his buddies. I promised when I checked on him last night to deliver some lures later today.”

“Well…that’d be great.” Grant glanced quickly at his sporty-looking watch, then frowned slightly. “Oh, wow. Look at the time. Tick-tock. I really should get back to work.”

“Tight deadline?”

“Extremely tight,” he replied, rubbing his jaw. “I have to have this job done by January 1 for initial system testing, and then the rest completed by the middle of January, which is an insane deadline for this kind of a product. So that means I have days and days of nothing but work ahead of me.”

She had visions of him working day and night, alone and isolated, his job his only focus.

Sounded sadly familiar. Would Grant someday be like her dad, all alone, because he chose work over everything else? She hoped not. Her dad had ended up pretty unhappy, with no one. Molly couldn’t think of anything worse.

Thankfully, she had her large group of friends to keep her company. And God, of course.

Molly hadn’t grown up going to church, but ever since she’d come to Moonlight Cove, she’d found great comfort and sense of family at the Moonlight Cove Community Church.

“I’m happy to help out,” she told Grant. “Your aunt asked me to look in on you and Jade. She said you get all tied up in work and forget to take breaks to eat.” She smiled. Although, she had to admit, he didn’t look particularly underfed. A guy didn’t get enough muscles to stretch a T-shirt just right by not eating well.

Molly blushed at her train of thought.

He lifted his strong chin and peered at her from under incredibly long lashes. “My aunt asked you to check up on me?”

“Kind of, but not in a bad way. Rose just thought you might need some help.” She pointedly looked at Jade, who was now flopped on her back, her paws in the air, wrestling with Peter and Parker. “You said yourself you don’t have any experience with dogs.”

He chuckled, then held his hands up in the air like the dog, the light in his eyes dancing. My, he was handsome. “Touché. I’m clueless,” he reminded her.

“Not exactly clueless,” she replied, heading toward the front counter. “Just inexperienced.”

She leaned over the counter and picked up a gift-wrapped sample package of the chicken liver dog treats she had on display next to the register. “Here’s my tip. Keep some of these with you at all times. Jade will never leave your side.” She handed the treats to him. “I know for a fact she loves them.”

He took the package, looking dubious. “You sure?”

The sound of twelve paws skittering on the floor echoed through the store.

“I’m sure,” she replied with a wry twist of her lips as she nodded to the three dogs who now sat obediently at his heels. “They’re giving you their best ‘we’re starving to death’ looks right now.”

He glanced down at the supposedly starving dogs.

“Now you know my big secret,” she said with mock-seriousness. “With those treats, you’ll be the Dog Whisperer in no time. Take those, on the house.”

“Thanks,” Grant said, tucking the small pouch of treats in his back pants pocket. “I’ll be sure and keep these handy.”

“Glad to help,” Molly replied truthfully.

Grant cast his gaze around. “Um…do you by chance have a leash I could borrow? Now that I’ve got Jade under control, I don’t think I want to let her loose again.”

“Sure thing.” Molly headed to the front of the store and grabbed one of her own leashes from a hook by the door. She held it out for Grant. “Here you go. I’ll just get it back when I deliver the tennis balls.”

Grant walked over and took the leash, his blunt fingers brushing Molly’s again. “Thanks.”

Her breathing hiccupped.

“I really appreciate your help. Obviously, I need it,” he said, his gaze as warm as a sun-splashed Caribbean ocean.

She stared at him for a moment, then pried her gaze away, trying not to lose herself in his stunning eyes. “It’s the least I can do for Rose and Benny.” Never mind a nice guy who was handsome and charming to boot.

All three dogs came belatedly running when they caught sight of the leash, clearly making the connection between it and the possibility of a walk.

“Sure you don’t want to take all three?” Molly asked brightly, her tone teasing. “You’ve got treats and a leash. Doesn’t get any better when you’re a dog.”

Grant considered Peter, Parker and Jade, who were now excitedly dancing the cha-cha around his feet. “No sirree,” he replied, wagging his head. “I can barely handle one. Three…? No way am I ready for that.”

“Don’t tell me you’re scared of a few mutts,” she said mischievously, enjoying her and Grant’s flirting…um, banter.

He gave her a serious look. “Hey, I almost lost my aunt’s beloved pet, and the crazy dog managed to make me fall on my face in front of a pretty lady. You bet I’m scared.”

She felt a flush of pleasure. He thought she was pretty? “Don’t be,” she managed. “As long as you establish yourself as the pack leader, you’ll be good.”

“Pack. Leader.” He flexed like a he-man body builder. “Got it.”

Molly giggled unabashedly at his antics. Add sense of humor to the list of his attractive traits. Not that she was paying attention. At least not for herself. But as the town’s matchmaker, she was always keeping an eye out for eligible singles.

“I’ve got to head home,” Grant said, holding up the leash. “Any tips for getting this thing on?”

She nodded toward the chicken liver treats in his back pocket. “Hold up one of those, ask her to sit and hook ’er up. Should be easy.”

“Whatever you say.” Grant took the treats out of his pocket, ripped the Christmas wrap off and fished a few from the bag. He faced the dancing bevy of dogs and asked Jade to sit in a firm, deep voice that resonated in Molly.

All three dogs sat.

“What do you know?” Grant said, giving each one of them a treat.

Molly squatted and held on to Jade just as Grant leaned down to hook the leash to Jade’s collar. His face came close, and she got a whiff of his aftershave, all spicy and clean, and another look, up close and personal, at his impossibly long eyelashes framing his eyes.