Deb Kastner - Meeting Mr. Right

When Mr. Wrong Is Mr. Right

A woman in a man’s world, firefighter Vee Bishop has to be tough as nails. She’s developed a hard shell that no one can penetrate. But Vee’s online friend BJ sees her softer side. BJ seems so kind and caring—just the opposite of Ben Atwood. Her annoying coworker has trampled expectations all over town, or so rumor has it. Turns out, once she agrees to give Ben a fair shot, he’s surprisingly vulnerable. As Vee prepares to make a difficult choice, an unexpected twist shows that love is always one step ahead.

Ben might look like a tough guy on the outside, but he had a sensitive side.

He was sweet. And perceptive. Almost like BJ.

Vee almost choked on her sip of coffee. Ben couldn’t possibly be half the man BJ was, nor would he ever be. She jammed that frequency of thinking before it could be broadcast any farther.

Of course she was thankful for Ben’s help. He’d been there to rescue her earlier, with his big old tow truck and amiable half grin. And now he was being nice to her father, which was a big plus in her book.

But the feelings she was experiencing—those couldn’t be more than mismatched forms of gratitude, could they? She didn’t even like Ben.

He might be acting nice today, but not all that long ago he’d broken her best friend’s heart.

BJ wasn’t like that. That was good enough for her.

Or was it?

DEB KASTNER

lives and writes in colorful Colorado with the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains for inspiration. She loves writing for Love Inspired Books, where she can write about her two favorite things—faith and love. Her characters range from upbeat and humorous to (her favorite) dark and broody heroes. Her plots fall anywhere in between, from a playful romp to the deeply emotional. Deb’s books have been twice nominated for the RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Book of the Year for Love Inspired. Deb and her husband share their home with their two youngest daughters. Deb is thrilled about the newest member of the family—her first granddaughter, Isabella. What fun to be a granny! Deb loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her by email at Debwrtr@aol.com, or on her MySpace or Facebook pages.

Meeting Mr. Right

Deb Kastner

www.millsandboon.co.uk

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

—Matthew 5:14–16

To my grandchildren, Izzie and Anthony.

My heart “beeps” for you both.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

Dear Veronica Jayne,

I can’t believe we have less than two months until our online Spanish class is finished. Have you given any more thought to picking a mission organization? We need to get our applications in soon. I’ve been seeking the Lord’s will on it, but I’ll admit I’m dragging my heels a little bit until I know for sure where you are planning to go.

Speaking of our Spanish class, we need to start thinking about how to wrap up our team project. Your idea for our PowerPoint presentation rocks. The Benefits of Knowing Spanish on the Mission Field. It’s perfect because we’re both going into stateside missions and there are so many Spanish-speaking folks here in America. We’ll get an A for our work on the project, and it certainly won’t hurt us to know all about the missions that need our skills when we’re working on our applications.

By the way, what I’ve seen of the script you’ve written is awesome. Keep it up! I’m still gathering and integrating charts and graphics to go along with the explanations you’ve presented.

I’ve got to say, this collaboration is surprising in more ways than one. I’m so happy that the professor placed us together as a team. We work well together. I trust you—especially because the team project is nearly half of our grade. Not only that, but I’ve made a new friend, which trumps any school grade, even an A+.

I’m glad that friend is you, Veronica.

Sorry—I’m starting to sound lame. It’s late, and I’d better wrap this up. I have an early day tomorrow.

All the best,

BJ

At least I can look forward to working on that project with BJ, Veronica Jayne Bishop, known as “Vee” to everyone in Serendipity, Texas, thought to herself. Because the other man I have to work with today is driving me nuts.

“I cooked dinner last night.” Vee crossed her arms, leaned her hip against the counter and glared at the paramedic Ben Atwood, who lounged casually on a folding chair. His legs were stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles, and his fingers were laced through the thick ruffle of dark brown hair he wore long enough to curl around his collar.

Their gazes locked. Ben’s eyes were arguably his best feature. Displaying both amusement and intelligence, they were a compelling mixture of green and bronze and contained what looked like a purely and disarmingly friendly luminescence that most women would easily get lost in.

But Vee wasn’t most women. And she wasn’t buying that oh-so-charming demeanor for a moment.

She scoffed inwardly. She knew just exactly what was behind that sparkling gaze, and it didn’t bode well for any woman with a lick of sense in her—just ask her dearest friend Olivia Tate, who knew firsthand how unreliable Ben’s handsome smile could be. It still rankled Vee every time she thought about it.

“I’m just sayin’—” Ben started to explain, but Vee didn’t allow him to finish.

“What? That because I’m a woman, by definition I should do all the cooking at the firehouse? Benjamin Atwood, you know perfectly well that each of us is responsible for one evening a week in front of the hot stove, men and women alike. The fact that I’m the only woman who works for this fire department makes your attitude all that much more reprehensible. You’re welcome to step into the twenty-first century anytime now.”

There was a flash of irritation in his eyes, but it vanished as she watched.

“Okay, first of all, only my mama calls me Benjamin,” he drawled, his gaze sparkling as a smile crept up one side of his lips. “And second, that wasn’t what I was about to say at all.”

He lifted his hands level with his shoulders to show he was harmless. “If you would have let me finish, I would have been able to make my point.”

She narrowed her gaze on him suspiciously. “And that would be?”

He chuckled. “Only that I’m the world’s worst cook, while the lasagna you made last night was mouth-wateringly delicious.” He tilted his head and a shrug rippled across his broad shoulders. “It was supposed to be a compliment.”

She arched a brow. His expression was absolutely earnest and without the least bit of guile, so why didn’t she believe him?

Let me count the ways, she thought to herself.

Because the man was a chronic liar. And a cheat. He used his charm to get what he wanted. She couldn’t trust him or his winsome smile any further than she could throw him, and because he was a good two-hundred pounds and she a mere one-twenty, that wouldn’t be very far.