[Meet Your Match 01.0] Prejudice Meets Pride

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  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

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Meet Your Match Series

  Author's Note

  Other Books by Rachael

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  © 2013 Rachael Anderson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, whether by graphic, visual, electronic, film, microfilm, tape recording, or any other means, without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, names, incidents, places, and dialogue are products of the author’s imagination, and are not to be construed as real. The opinions and views expressed herein belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or views of HEA Publishing, LLC. Permission for the use of sources, graphics, and photos is also solely the responsibility of the author.

  ISBN: 978-1-941363-06-5

  Published by HEA Publishing

  For two precious angel babies,

  Kajsa and Adelynn.

  For their wonderful moms, Sarah and Lucy,

  who have taught me what it means to be

  strong, charitable, and fun.

  For Kevin,

  who never fails to make me smile.

  And for Letha,

  who I couldn’t have written this story without.

  If Emma had a dollar for every time her life took an unexpected, not-so-great turn, she’d have enough money for a beachfront mansion in Maui. But life didn’t work like that, and in the world of beachfront mansions, she’d more likely be a scullery maid in someone else’s. Actually, she’d be the maid’s maid, since most people in the service industry probably had more money in their bank account than she did at the moment.

  But, as her mother always said, “If life gives you lemons, heap on the sugar and make sweet lemonade.” If only those heaps of sugar weren’t so hard to come by, especially now, when Emma’s life had taken the most difficult turn yet.

  She yanked hard on her gearshift, and the thirty-year-old Datsun lurched from third gear to second, jerking her to a slower speed. As she drove slowly down the quiet, suburban road, she peered through the early evening light, searching for house number 311.

  When she spotted the numbers on a mailbox, Emma pulled next to the curb and killed her engine, then waited for the puttering to stop. She would have parked in the driveway if Sunshine didn’t leak oil. But at least it still ran, at least it had gotten her and the girls from Ohio to Colorado, and at least the mustard yellow paint sort of masked the rust.

  Through the dimming light, Emma looked at the house. Her house. Situated in a nice little neighborhood on the outskirts of Colorado Springs, it stood out like a weed in a flowerbed compared to the other well-kept homes on the street. Dandelions thrived in what appeared to be dead grass, paint peeled on both the garage and the front door, and cobwebs covered the corners of the windows. It looked pitifully tired and rundown, as though ready to be put out of its misery by the real estate version of euthanasia.

  But Emma didn’t believe in euthanasia. She believed in fixing things up and wearing them out. Making them do or doing without. She believed in second chances, which was exactly what she’d give this home—just as soon as she found a job and replenished her bank account.

  Easy peasy, she tried to tell herself as she glanced over her shoulder at the two sleeping girls in the back seat. Her beautiful nieces were now her responsibility—at least for the next year. How she planned to do it remained a mystery, but Emma would find a way. She always did.

  She reached her arm over the seat and nudged one of the girls. “Kajsa, time to wake up. We’re here.” Two large blue eyes peeked up from under the brim of a brown cowgirl hat that had gone askew, only to disappear behind thick, light-brown lashes. Emma gave her another nudge. “Kajsa, don’t you want to see our new house and your new room?”

  The little girl’s small mouth opened into a yawn, revealing a large gap where her two baby teeth had once been. At nearly six-and-a-half years old, the permanent teeth had begun to take over. “We’re finally here?” Her eyes lost their sleepiness, and a large smile replaced the yawn.

  After a long two-day drive from her brother’s former residence in Ohio, Emma could understand the feeling. They were finally to the place they could start calling home. At least for now.

  “C’mon, get your stuff,” said Emma. “I’ll carry Adi inside.” Although Adelynn was only fourteen months younger than Kajsa, she was more prone to temper tantrums, especially when tired, so Emma didn’t dare wake her. Not yet anyway.

  Emma stepped from the car and stretched her arms behind her back, loosening the muscles in her aching shoulders and back. The late afternoon August heat closed around her like a too-hot electric blanket. She hoped the house had air conditioning, or at least a swamp cooler. The back door squeaked as she pulled it open to help Kajsa gather her stuff. Then she carefully lifted Adelynn, who seemed to have gained ten pounds since yesterday.

  Kicking the car door closed behind them, Emma made her way to the front porch, realizing too late that she probably should have unlocked the door before getting Adelynn. Awkwardly, she fished through her purse with one hand, her fingers finally closing around her keys. She shoved the key in the lock and gave it a hard turn, praying that it would work and that a couch would be waiting on the other side of the door to relieve her of her load. The lock stuck for a moment, then turned.

  “Kajsa, could you open the door for me, please?” Emma said.

  Kajsa nodded and turned the knob, pushing the door open. It squeaked a complaint, as if throwing a temper tantrum of its own about being awoken. Inside, a couch seemed to open its arms, and Emma stumbled past Kajsa, gratefully setting Adelynn down. A poof of dust filled the air around the little girl as her eyes popped open—eyes that didn’t look the least bit sleepy.

  Emma’s gaze narrowed. “You’ve been awake this entire time, haven’t you?”

  A smile pursed Adelynn’s adorable little lips as she nodded and giggled.

  “Turkey,” Emma said, poking her in the ribs. Another giggle sounded, and Emma couldn’t help but smile in return. When either of the girls laughed, she melted. The sound was too cute.

  “Is this our new house?” Adelynn said, turning those big puppy dog eyes on the room around them. Both girls had their daddy’s thick, dirty blond hair, and both wore it long. Other than their differing eye colors and height, they could easily pass for twins. But that’s where the similarity between them ended. Kajsa was one hundred percent adventurous tomboy, while Adelynn was a hundred and ten percent princess. Yet somehow, they were best friends.

  Emma held out her hand for the little girl to take. “C’mon, let’s go look around and see our new house.” It didn’t take any more coaxing for Adelynn to jump off the couch and shout, “Yay!”

  Hand-in-
hand, the three set off on a self-guided tour through the empty home of Emma’s great aunt Maude—now deceased. Through an arched opening off the front room, they found a small kitchen and a quaint little dining nook. A thick layer of dust covered everything, making Emma anxious to wipe it all clean and uncover the surfaces hidden beneath. As soon as she could, she’d knock down the wall closing off the kitchen from the front room and open it all up. A large island would fit perfectly in its place, and Emma could already see herself rolling out dough or chopping vegetables while the girls colored or worked on their homework.

  Down the hall, they discovered three bedrooms, one bathroom, a small laundry room, and a lot more dust. Since the girls would need a clean place to sleep, Emma quickly stripped the beds and shoved the sheets into an ancient looking washer. She chipped away some of the old crusted soap she found in the cupboard, threw it in, and prayed that the utility company had followed through on their promise to have the water turned on today. Thankfully, it streamed into the machine and began to agitate.

  Emma smiled, feeling like she’d just added a spoonful of sugar to her now not-quite-so-sour lemonade.

  “I want this room!” Kajsa called, running into a room across the hall and jumping onto a queen-sized bed. A charming bay window looked out over the front yard.

  “No, I want this room!” Adelynn argued, trying to pull her sister off the bed.

  “I called it first.”

  Adelynn turned large, sad eyes to Emma, and her lips quivered. “But I want this room.”

  Biting back a smile, Emma crouched down beside the girls, putting an arm around each of them and pulling them close. “This is a really big room. What would you guys think of sharing it? We could paint the walls yellow and—”

  “But I want green walls,” Kajsa interjected.

  “And I want pink!” added Adelynn.

  Oy. What now? Emma thought quickly. “What if we paint them green and pink? You both like Tinkerbell, right? We could turn this into a fairy room.” Kajsa frowned, looking ready to argue, so Emma rushed on, “I can paint a large tree over in that corner, and we can hang a swing from the ceiling with vines wrapped around the ropes. There will be pink and blue and green and yellow fairies everywhere, and we can put glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling, so that when you turn off your lights, it will look like you’re outside, lying on the grass. What do you think of that?” Emma held her breath for their response.

  Both girls’ frowns turned into smiles, and their adorable giggles sounded. Emma breathed a sigh of relief. Now all she needed to do was follow through on that promise—after she found a job. Hopefully the girls could be patient.

  “All right,” said Emma. “Now that that’s settled, what do you guys say we unpack the car, find my phone, and call your daddy?”

  “Yay!” They both cheered as they raced for the door. Emma watched them go, wishing for some of their energy. After two days in the car, she wanted to collapse on one of the dusty mattresses and shut her eyes.

  Instead, she followed the girls outside. It didn’t take long to unpack the small trunk containing their meager belongings, and soon they huddled together on the couch, waiting for the Facetime call to go through.

  Noah answered after the second ring, and his thin face filled the screen. His eyes looked tired, his hair disheveled, and his face was covered with a day’s worth of growth. He looked about the way Emma felt.

  “Daddy!” both girls cried in unison. “We miss you!”

  “I miss you too, kiddos.” The longing expression on his face said as much, not that Emma would have thought otherwise. When it came to being a dad, her brother was the best. It was the providing part that presented the challenge.

  “So what’s the house like? Does it smell like moth balls?” Noah asked.

  “What’s a moth ball?” Adelynn made a face, apparently not liking the sound of it.

  “We’re going to share a room,” Kajsa interrupted, sounding ready to burst. “Aunt Emma’s going to paint a big tree on the wall and hang swings and—”

  “And there will be lots of fairies!” Adelynn inserted, moth balls forgotten.

  “And stars!” Kajsa added.

  “Sounds like the perfect room for my girls,” he said. “I’ll be excited to see it at Christmas.”

  “If it’s done by then,” Emma teased, tickling the girls and making them giggle.

  “What’s the neighborhood like?” Noah asked.

  “It’s nice,” said Emma. “This house is the only eyesore on the street. It’s much smaller than the rest, in disrepair, and the yard is hideous. The poor neighbors are probably wishing someone would level it.”

  Noah chuckled. “With your creativity, I’m sure you’ll have it spiffed up in no time.”

  If Emma had any money to her name, she’d agree, but right now she was more worried about how she’d afford groceries or buy more Pull-Ups for Adelynn, who still wet the bed half the time.

  “I sent you a check, Emma. Cash it, okay? Please?”

  “Okay,” Emma answered, knowing she never would, or, at least, hoping she’d never have to. That had been the deal. He’d make the big bucks, send some of it to her, and then try to save as much as he could from the rest. But Emma wanted him to save more than just the rest. With two little girls to raise, he would need it eventually. She, on the other hand, just had to get through the year.

  Noah glanced at his watch and stifled a yawn. “Sorry to make this so quick, girls, but it’s late here, and I’ve got to be up at the crack of dawn. I’ll talk to you longer tomorrow.” He placed two fingers to his lips then planted them on the camera. “Kisses to my girls. I love and miss you both.”

  “Love you too, Daddy,” they chimed.

  “Hey, Emma?”

  “Yeah?” Emma paused, her thumb hovering over the End Call button.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “No problem.” Emma closed the laptop with a snap. She glanced around, feeling the weight of responsibility land on her shoulders like a heavy blanket. If she had more energy, she’d load the girls back into her car and hit the grocery store tonight, but she couldn’t do it. She needed a break from the car, and they did too. Besides, they’d already eaten a hamburger and fries for dinner and could survive on the few remaining snacks until morning. Maybe they could even make French toast or something—anything besides cold cereal.

  Forcing her shoulders back, Emma straightened. She could do this. They’d somehow made it through the past two grueling weeks, had almost made it through today, and they’d get through tomorrow. In no time at all, things would look up.

  But that was before Emma promised the girls a bath and soon realized she’d forgotten to turn up the water heater.

  The sun sank behind the horizon, coating the world in an eerie gray twilight that happened to be Kevin’s least favorite time of day. Everything felt like gloomy indecisiveness until the sky turned inky blue and streetlights and homes flickered to life again. Kevin hated indecisiveness.

  He punched down on the gas, enjoying the way the wind whipped at his face as his new red Lexus IS convertible immediately responded. Zero to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds was nothing short of impressive. Not that he regularly drove that way, but he’d tested it out once or twice.

  After making it through ten years’ worth of school and internships in only eight years, Kevin’s two-year-old pediatric dental practice now thrived, and this car was his reward. At the age of twenty-eight, his life was right on track, as it should be. He’d worked hard to get to this point.

  Kevin turned down his street and slowed when he spotted an old and unfamiliar, sickly-yellow car on the side of the road. As he neared, he realized it was parked in front of the shabby, abandoned house next to his. He slowed his car to a stop and looked past the hideous Datsun to the house beyond, where a light flickered behind the curtain hanging in the front window, as though someone was watching TV. With the unkempt house as a backdrop, the car looked like it fit right in.

 
Great, just great. Kevin let his head fall back against the headrest and frowned. Eighteen months ago, he’d purchased his first home on a beautiful suburban street. The house next to his wasn’t spectacular, but Maude had done the best she could to keep it up, and the yard had looked really nice. But ever since she’d passed on, it was like the house had died with her, and no one had come to claim it.

  Until now.

  A tap on his shoulder made him jump.

  “Hey, Kev,” said his neighbor, Becky, who lived across the street from the eyesore. Half of her short, blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail, with the rest escaping because it didn’t quite reach the elastic. A smudge of dirt marred her cheek.

  “Hey, Beck.” Kevin didn’t have to strain his neck to look at her. Her height matched the length of her hair. Short. “Looks like you’ve been working in your yard again.”

  “How can you tell?” she teased.

  He gestured to her cheek. “You’ve got a little something right there. It’s too early for chocolate, so it has to be dirt.”

  She didn’t bother trying to wipe it away. “It’s never too early for chocolate.”

  He chuckled. “I still think it’s dirt. No yard could look that good without some residual damage. Your knees are all muddy too.”

  “Okay, Sherlock, I take it you’ve also noticed we have some new neighbors?” She nodded in the direction of the ugly car, smiling as though she’d just given him some great news.

  But it wasn’t great news. Kevin wouldn’t be surprised if he woke up to a flamboyant display of pink flamingos scattered around the land of the dandelions. Although there was no moving truck yet, so maybe not. He brightened. Maybe they were just here to clean up the house and post a for sale sign. Then maybe some people who actually cared a little about appearances would move in instead.

  “Yeah, I noticed,” Kevin said. “Kind of hard not to. That car, uh… definitely makes a statement.”

  Becky laughed and leaned her hip against his car door, probably leaving smudge marks. She folded her arms across her chest. “I can’t wait to meet them. That house has been empty way too long.”