15 Valentine Place

15 Valentine Place
Pamela Bauer

Things change. Coming home isn't easy for Dylan Donovan. He left thirteen years ago, carrying a terrible secret about his father, and he can't believe what's happened since.His widowed mother is now a savvy entrepreneur, his family home has been turned into student housing and his brothers seem to think his well-meant advice is just bossy interference. And then there's Maddie Lamont–Dylan doesn't know what to think about her.People change. Maddie's grown up a lot since the summer she spent with the Donovans. The braces, thick glasses and boyish figure have all been replaced, and Dylan's man enough to appreciate the transformation. What he doesn't appreciate is the influence Maddie seems to have on his family–particularly his mother. But like it or not, he has to get along with Maddie and remember that change is good. At least, that's what he keeps telling himself….

“Maddie, I’d like to start over.”

She was uncomfortable with the message she saw in Dylan’s eyes. It said, “I’m a man and you’re an attractive woman.” She didn’t want to get that kind of look from her landlady’s son. “You don’t want the coleslaw?” she asked, deliberately misunderstanding him.

“I’m talking about last night. There’s no point in pretending it didn’t happen. But we did manage to live under the same roof without problems when we were teenagers. We should be able to do the same as adults, don’t you think?”

She almost said no. Every instinct told her Dylan could be big trouble for any woman.

“I don’t see why not,” she lied.

As if he knew she wasn’t being sincere, he said, “It’s a big house.”

Not big enough.

Dear Reader,

Welcome to 14 Valentine Place, a wonderful old Victorian house that is home to three special women. Walk through the front door and you’ll meet Leonie Donovan, a mother who is very wise when it comes to affairs of the heart. Living upstairs are her two tenants, Maddie Lamont and Krystal Graham, two single women who try to be smart when it comes to romance, but occasionally need a little advice from their landlady.

One person who doesn’t need Leonie’s advice is her son Dylan. When he comes home for a visit, the last thing on his mind is romance. But as his mother is quick to point out, sometimes love happens when one least expects it—with or without any coaching.

I hope you enjoy reading about the residents of 14 Valentine Place as much as I enjoyed telling their story. I love hearing from readers and welcome your letters. You can write to me c/o MFW, P.O. Box 24107, Minneapolis, MN 55424 or visit me via the Internet at www.pamelabauer.com.

Wishing you a Valentine’s Day filled with love and laughter,

Pamela Bauer

14 Valentine Place

Pamela Bauer

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

14 Valentine Place

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 ONE

Dear Leonie: I’m in love with a guy who doesn’t even know I exist. Not that it would do me any good if he did notice me. He’s popular and he’s a senior. I just wish it didn’t hurt so much to be in love. What am I going to do? Will I ever get over him?

Signed: Sad Sophomore

Leonie says: Time has healed many a broken heart. What you should do is enjoy being young and have fun. Boys will come and go in your life. When you meet the perfect guy, you’ll be happy you forgot about this one.

“I SMELL CHOCOLATE.”

The accusatory tone had Madeline Lamont glancing over her shoulder. “I plead guilty.”

“I should have known it was you,” Leonie Donovan said, pointing a finger at Maddie. “Krystal hates to cook. What are you doing up so late?” she asked in the maternal tone Maddie had come to expect from the woman who was more like a sorority house mother than a landlady.

“I’m making fudge. I found the recipe on the Internet. It’s supposed to be the same one they use at the candy shop over on Seventh Street.”

“I thought you gave up chocolate for New Year’s.”

“I did. I went four days without it before I realized the error of my ways.” She stirred the dark brown mixture patiently. “You do know that some people consider chocolate a health food.”

Leonie chuckled. “Some being us, right?”

“Of course.”

“So when will this fudge be ready to help save our hearts?”

Maddie eyed the candy thermometer. “It’s almost done. I’m surprised you’re still up. You’re not working, are you?”

“I am.” Leonie stretched, rubbing the muscles at the back of her neck. “There were so many letters this week that I’m having a difficult time choosing which ones to use in my column.”

“I would imagine lots of people want advice as to what they should do about Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s what I was hoping, but most of my mail is from the brokenhearted. Unfortunately, there were an awful lot of people who made ending a relationship one of their New Year’s resolutions.”

“January is a bad time of the year for relationships,” Maddie noted pragmatically. “No one wants to break up right before Christmas, so they wait until the holiday season is over and then they say goodbye.”