Her Unexpected Hero Read online

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  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

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Checkerberry Inn series

  Find your Bliss

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 by Kyra Jacobs. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

  Entangled Publishing, LLC

  2614 South Timberline Road

  Suite 109

  Fort Collins, CO 80525

  Visit our website at www.entangledpublishing.com.

  Bliss is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC. For more information on our titles, visit http://www.entangledpublishing.com/category/bliss

  Edited by Alycia Tornetta

  Cover design by Liz Pelletier

  Cover art from iSTOCK

  ISBN 978-1-64063-150-2

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  First Edition July 2017

  To the dreamers.

  May you never stop believing dreams can come true.

  Chapter One

  Madelyn Frye stepped from her car in the Checkerberry Inn’s meager lot, mentally gearing up for the night ahead. It was work enough to keep the inn’s guests full and happy; it was something else entirely to please her elderly employer’s bridge club. Usually Wednesday nights in mid-October were low-key, her job as chef the proverbial piece of cake. But with Ruby Masterson’s group of ornery blue-hairs poised to descend on the place, there was sure to be a raucous of some sort or another. Of course, if catering for the persnickety group kept her boss happy then Maddie would do her best. Ruby had taken a chance on her right after finishing her culinary arts schooling, and Maddie would forever be indebted.

  And if the kindly innkeeper would stop with her daily onslaught of matchmaking attempts, well, that would pretty much make her day.

  “She’s got a new one lined up for you, Madds.”

  Maddie groaned. So much for that idea. She turned and shot a dark look at Ruby’s grandson Miles, who was making his way toward her.

  “This is your fault, you know,” she said. “If you hadn’t fallen off the playboy wagon, she’d still be bent on finding a match for you, not me.”

  “It happens to the best of us, I guess.” He chuckled, scratching at the fur growing low on his cheeks. Maddie would have never pictured him with a beard, but she’d be lying if she said it didn’t look good on him. Oh, who was she kidding? The Masterson boys had struck gold in the gene pool, both fit, trim, and good-looking—three traits her parents had failed to pass on to her. “Which, of course, means your time is coming.”

  “Goodie for me.”

  “Oh, stop it. Your Romeo is out there somewhere.”

  “All I can say is, it’s a good thing I like Stephanie so much, or I’d be trying to break you two up just to get Ruby off my back.”

  “She just doesn’t want to see you sitting alone at the gala next month, is all,” he said. “You get a date lined up yet? Because that would kill two birds with one stone.”

  Maddie bit back a groan. If she was asked that question once more before Stephanie’s November “Second Chance Prom” charity event, she might deck someone. Why was it such a big deal for her to have a date? Stupid dance, it’d probably be a total bore anyway.

  “Did you pay the invoice for the hors d’oeuvres?” she countered. “Because if you didn’t, Stephanie will kill you and there won’t be need for—”

  “Maddie, dear?” Ruby called from the inn’s back door. “A word when you have a moment.”

  “Be right there, Ruby.” Maddie offered her boss a placating smile and muttered to Miles, “What’s that all about?”

  “I told you. She’s got another match in mind for you.”

  “Who?” Please don’t say Arnold Shoemaker. Please don’t say Arnold Sh—

  “Arnold Shoemaker.” Miles winked. “And you know he’s quite the eligible bachelor.”

  “He’s also nearly twice my age, has gaps in his smile wider than the Grand Canyon, and walks his pet goat around town on a leash.”

  Miles laughed. “Nothing a good set of dentures couldn’t fix.”

  Maddie threw him one last scowl and headed inside. Apparently the matchmaking gene ran in their family, too. That one, she could live without. Though, with this stupid event just over a month away, her time to rustle up a date was growing short.

  If only she could get Cute Guy from the Laundromat to notice her. Talk about the perfect guy to silence all the Masterson teasing. Cute Guy was at least six foot two and solid muscle from head to toe. Sort of like Brent, Ruby’s other grandson, now that Maddie thought about it. But with brown eyes instead of gray. And oh, that smile. It made parts of her flutter like they hadn’t in years. She’d adjusted her laundry schedule to match his on the off chance he might be in a smiling mood—living across the street from the Quarter Clean-It did have its benefits.

  Not that she was stalking him.

  Much.

  She pushed thoughts of laundry and dates aside as she made her way down the back hall and through the dining room. Bridge night first, get serious about finding a date later. Maybe she could hit Walgreens on the way home, snag the latest Cosmo, and see if there were any new tips for picking up men. It was that, or ask the other women on staff at the inn for advice. Anyone other than Ruby.

  “Oh, Madelyn. There you are.”

  Speak of the devil. “Uh, hi, Ruby. You…wanted to see me about something?”

  “I know you’re very busy, dear, but I was talking to Mary Robinson in town this morning and she mentioned that her neighbor, that nice Arnold Shoemaker, isn’t seeing anyone at the moment.”

  At the moment? Maddie did a mental eye roll. If that guy had had a date in the last five years she’d be surprised. Was Ruby so desperate that she’d already started digging to the bottom of Mount Pleasant’s singles barrel?

  “Look, Ruby, I really appreciate all you’re doing for me, but—”

  And then, through the haze of irritation, emerged a brilliant plan…

  Lie.

  All she had to do was tell a little white lie. Then maybe without being called to the carpet on a daily basis, Maddie could work the nerve up to actually find a date to this ridiculous dance.

  She forced a grin. “—well, you see, I’ve already got a date. For the gala.”

  The words came out stilted as her conscience caught up with her mouth, but darn it, enough was enough. Besides, one little white lie couldn’t hurt, right? And when she showed up at the gala with a guy on her arm, well, Ruby would be none the wiser.

  “Why, Madelyn, that’s wonderful.” Her boss stepped closer, waggling her brows. “Anyone I know?”

  “Ruby, is there anyone within a hundre
d-mile radius you don’t know?”

  “Ah, I see. You want it to be a surprise.” Ruby nodded and stepped back to wave her on. “All right, dear. I won’t hold you up any longer.”

  “Thank you.”

  Maddie continued on, her shoulders sagging with relief. If she’d known the fib would be so well received, she would have done this weeks ago.

  “Oh, and Madelyn?”

  She paused to look back. “Yes?”

  “I can’t wait to meet him.”

  Her boss’s smile took on Cheshire cat proportions. Maddie nodded and continued on to the kitchen. Neither can I.

  She made her way around the high-top bar that separated the dining tables from the kitchen’s swinging double doors and was surprised to see her kitchen help already on dish-washing duty. Usually it was ten after four before Sarah moseyed in, which meant something was up. The ginger college sophomore had been gung-ho when she’d started working for them this summer, but the more business picked up, the less energized Sarah had become—which drove Maddie nuts. She had no tolerance for slackers, especially not in her kitchen.

  “Hey, Sarah,” she said, setting her things down and grabbing a clean apron. “How’s it going?”

  “Awful.”

  No head turn, no eye contact, and she was dressed all in black. Oh yeah, something was definitely up. Super—like Maddie didn’t have enough drama to worry about with the bridge club event tonight.

  “Sorry to hear that. Anything I can do to help?”

  “Nope.”

  Okay then…

  “Well, if you think of anything, just let me know, okay?”

  Stone cold silence, broken only by the stirring of water as Sarah washed a mixing bowl about as slowly as humanly possible. Maddie bit back a curse, hoping the co-ed’s pace would pick up as the night went on. Tonight was not the night for sloths and pity parties. Maybe a quick reminder would help get her butt in gear…

  “So, you know we’ve got Ruby’s bridge club to feed tonight on top of the usual group of guests.” Maddie reached into the refrigerator near her and began retrieving trays of pre-made calzones. “Thankfully, prep time was half what I thought it would be. More dishes to start the evening, but less throughout your shift. That’s a good thing, right?”

  A cry, much like what could only be described as a turkey being strangled, rang out from across the room. Maddie turned to see Sarah raise a hand to cover her mouth as she stared down at her cell phone.

  Twenty bucks says it’s boy trouble again…

  Stifling a sigh, Maddie stepped around the center island to check on the girl.

  “Sarah, honey? Is everything all right?”

  “All right? How can it be all right? He left me for that hater in Chem 201.” A sob bubbled from the girl’s quivering lips. “How could he do this to me? My life is over!”

  Maddie offered her best—and most patient—motherly pat on the shoulder. “No, sweetie. Trust me, I promise that it’s not. You just need to think of men as more of…accessories than staples. Remember, we’ve got fifty hungry ladies due to arrive—”

  “Accessories?” Sarah’s waterworks kicked up a notch. “But he was my everything!”

  “I know, honey. But you’ll be fine, really. It might take a day or two—” The sobbing grew louder, and Maddie cringed. “But you know what? If you just dig into those dishes and focus on your work, you’ll forget all about Mark.”

  “Matt.”

  “Right, Matt.”

  Matt, Schmatt. This girl had been through three boyfriends since she’d started, which was less than four months ago. With each breakup, the drama levels had increased, but so far Maddie had always been able to talk Sarah back from the ledge. This is just another hiccup. Nothing a little tough love can’t cure.

  She reached around a sobbing Sarah to grab a freshly washed bowl and began drying it. “Why, another hour and you won’t—”

  “In another hour, he’ll be with her.” Her eyes widened, then narrowed. “Unless I get to him first.”

  Sarah ripped off her apron and sidestepped Maddie, angling for the corner where they stowed their purses.

  Oh no. “W-what are you doing?”

  Sarah didn’t answer. Instead, she came back into view with said purse in hand and then paused to compose a text message, her fingers flying. Maddie bit back a growl.

  “Sarah, honey, I need you. Clearly way more than Mark does.”

  The college co-ed threw her an exasperated look. “Matt!”

  “Right, right. Please, just finish your shift. I’ll let you leave early, okay? By then things between you two will have calmed down and everything will be fine.”

  “Oh, they’ll be fine, all right. Because I’m not gonna sit around and let Hannah sink her claws into my man.”

  She brushed past and stormed toward the kitchen’s rarely used side exit. Maddie watched her go, frozen in disbelief. Was Sarah actually walking off the job? Now?

  “Wait! What about our dinner party?”

  Sarah spun, arms flailing. “Dinner party? This is my life we’re talking about!”

  She’d been seeing the guy for a few weeks tops and suddenly he was her whole life? Maddie bit back an explicative-laced lecture on priorities and self-worth. “And this is my kitchen you’re trying to throw a wrench into. Hear me, Sarah—you walk out that door and you’re fired.”

  “Whatever.”

  Sarah slammed through the side exit and hurried off without another look back. Maddie followed her outside, contemplating chasing after her. But running had never been her strong suit, nor had tackling anybody. All she could do was stand there and gawk as the drama queen climbed into her car and then raced past, not batting an eye.

  That’s when the panic began to settle in.

  There were fifty women due to arrive in less than an hour. Maddie had a kitchen full of half-prepped food, no dishwasher, and no backup help.

  I’m so screwed.

  She put a hand to her forehead and silently prayed for a miracle. Instead of the clouds parting, though, the wind kicked up. A nip of cold sent shivers down her spine, the first hint of what this winter had in store for them.

  Maddie looked to the sky with a scowl. How’s that supposed to help me?

  Her answer came in the sound of tires on the main gravel road. Had Sarah had a change of heart after all? Maddie squinted in that direction, then gave herself a mental slap for giving the girl anywhere near that much credit. It was just a pickup truck, probably one of the locals.

  But as she turned to head back inside, the truck turned onto the Checkerberry’s long lane. As it drew closer, she realized it was the delivery truck from Granville’s Hardware Store. Usually, she wouldn’t have given it a second glance; today, it was like watching the Holy Grail be hand delivered. Because in that truck was likely old Tom’s grandson, Cole, who’d been helping his grandfather ever since coming to town a few months back. He was healthy, able-bodied, and, if she’d overheard his grandfather’s conversation correctly after church last weekend, looking to pick up some extra work.

  Could she be so lucky?

  Sure enough, Maddie spied a sunglasses-wearing Cole behind the wheel as the truck passed by, heading toward the barn to meet up with their resident groundskeeper. Between his stylishly shaggy dark blond waves and the scruff he sported along his chin and jawline, he definitely had the bad boy look going today. And though the thought of being trapped in a small space with someone that ridiculously gorgeous all evening made her a bit uneasy, beggars couldn’t exactly be choosers. Not if she wanted to keep the blue-hairs happy tonight.

  Besides, guys who looked like him never gave girls like her a second glance. And really, that was more than all right with her. Who had time for silly relationships when she had an inn full of people to feed? At least she did, so long as she didn’t absolutely blow it tonight.

  With a sigh she hurried after the truck, scrambling to think of what to say and praying he’d say yes.

  …
r />   Cole Granville eased past the Checkerberry’s main building, radio low and mind spinning. Finally, a chance to put down anchor, to grow some roots had come up. He’d never thought the little shop two blocks from his grandfather’s place would become available so soon. It was the perfect location for setting up his guitar lessons and repair studio, and today a For Rent sign had appeared in its front window. The problem was he needed to come up with money for the deposit and first month’s rent by Friday.

  He had about half that in the bank after scrimping and saving all summer long, doing any odd jobs he could find. Too bad half saved was still half short. No way would they let a virtual stranger sign a lease like that, even with his family connections.

  Once he had a decent slate of weekly lessons, though, rent money would be no issue. Heck, he already had at least three kids from the nearby college on standby. Unfortunately, without a shop, his student roster was hard to build. Without a roster, his shop would be hard to support.

  Talk about a case of chicken and the egg. If he weren’t stuck working ad hoc odd jobs, things would be so much easier. But anything more and he knew it’d be a struggle to keep his employers in the dark about his past.

  The past he’d walked away from in Texas this spring and hoped like heck to leave there.

  Cole angled for the inn’s old red barn, pulled to a stop beside a waiting Brent Masterson, the inn’s groundskeeper, and climbed out of the truck to help unload the supplies he was delivering. Maybe he could swing by the Griffins on the way back into town, see if they had any more firewood needing chopped. Or the Schmuckers. It was still harvest season, right?

  “Evening.” Brent reached to unlatch the tailgate. “Thanks for running these out here. I knew I should have grabbed a few extra two-by—”

  “Hey! You!”

  Cole froze, his heart racing. The last time he’d heard those words, they were followed by “Stop! Police!” Resisting the urge to run, he turned toward the voice and stared. The Checkerberry’s spitfire of a chef was running toward them, apron flapping in the wind.

  “Uh-oh,” said Brent. “What’d you do to make Maddie leave the kitchen at this hour?”

  “No idea, I haven’t seen her since church on Sunday. Maybe she’s yelling at you?”