An Unexpected Match

An Unexpected Match
Dana Corbit

What does hardworking single father Matthew Warren want in a wife?Responsibility, practicality and a good rapport with his child. So why isn't he interested in the responsible, practical daughter of his matchmaking mother's best friend? Could it be that another Scott sister has gotten through to his guarded heart?He can't possibly be falling for Haley Scott, his daughter's new nanny, the very woman he almost fired for her free-spirited ways! Granted, his little girl is a lot happier lately. And so is he. Sometimes the best matches are the most unexpected.

“I don’t think this will work out, Haley.”

Haley stared at Matthew. “I’m really sorry for letting Lizzie—I mean Elizabeth—miss her nap.”

“It’s not just that,” Matthew countered. “It’s everything.”

She waited for him to list her infractions, but he didn’t, so she could only guess that there were many. “I know I’m a bit…unconventional…”

“To say the least.”

Haley swallowed. “I can do better. I’ll do things your way. I need this job.” She needed Elizabeth, too. It was probably pitiful to admit it, but she never felt more valued than she did by a child who needed her care.

“I’m sorry, Haley. I don’t think—”

“But I love her, Matthew.”

He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. Haley studied him, waiting. Had she said the one thing that would make a difference?

DANA CORBIT

started telling “people stories” at about the same time she started forming words. So it came as no surprise when the Indiana native chose a career in journalism. As an award-winning newspaper reporter and features editor, she had the opportunity to share wonderful true-life stories with her readers. She left the workforce to be a homemaker, but the stories came home with her as she discovered the joy of writing fiction. Winner of the 2007 Holt Medallion competition for novel writing, Dana feels blessed to share the stories of her heart with readers.

Dana lives in southeast Michigan, where she balances the make-believe realm of her characters with her equally exciting real-life world as a wife, carpool coordinator for three athletic daughters and food supplier for two disinterested felines.

An Unexpected Match

Dana Corbit

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

—Romans 15:13

To my nieces Alyssa, Christine, Jennifer, Stephanie, Elizabeth, Margaret and Catherine, and nephews Joel, Matthew, Ethan and Eyan, some of whom already have been bitten by the writing bug. Never be afraid to tell the story of your heart. And to Mike Waltersdorf and the whole gang at Biggby Coffee in Novi, Michigan, for cheering me on while I was writing on deadline and making sure the vanilla lattes were nice and hot.

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

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Chapter One

“Is there a Haley Scott here?”

Haley glanced through the storm door at the package carrier before opening the latch, letting in some of the frigid March wind.

“That’s me, but not for long.”

The blank stare the man gave her as he stood on the porch of her mother’s new house only made Haley smile. In fifty-one hours and twenty-nine minutes, her name would be changing. Her life, as well, but she couldn’t allow herself to think about that now.

She wouldn’t attribute her sudden shiver to anything but the cold, either. Not with a bridal fitting to endure, embossed napkins to pick up and a caterer to call. Too many details, too little time—and certainly no time for her to entertain her silly cold feet.

“Then this is for you.”

Practiced at this procedure after two days back in her Markston, Indiana hometown, Haley reached out both arms to accept a bridal gift, but the carrier turned and deposited an overnight letter package in just one of her hands. Haley stared down at the Michigan return address of her fiancé, Tom Jeffries.

“Strange way to send a wedding present,” she murmured.

The man grunted and shoved an electronic signature device at her, waiting until she scrawled her name.

As soon as she closed the door, Haley returned to the living room and yanked the tab on the envelope. From it, she withdrew a single sheet of folded notebook paper.