Sandcastle Beach (Matchmaker Bay #3) - Jenny Holiday Page 0,123
and was renovating it for destination weddings and events—Michelle was advising on catering. So basically, Maya’s entrepreneurial brother was building an events empire.
“Yeah, sorry I’m late,” she said in answer to Eve’s question, but she wasn’t sorry. She’d stayed back on purpose, looking out at her empty, spiffed-up theater, which had been full earlier in the evening, and reveled in her good fortune. Their good fortune. She looked over at Ben, who was still watching her from behind the bar. What a difference a year made. It was amazing what love and hard work and perseverance could do.
And, let’s be real, it was also amazing what a hundred thousand dollars could do.
Ben came out from behind the bar and wrapped her in his arms. “The show was so great,” he whispered. “You were so great.”
Before she could say anything—she’d been going to say that the dinner part of their dinner-theater partnership hadn’t been so bad either and that she sincerely hoped her personal revenge pie with a side of pizza was waiting for her as promised behind the bar—he let go of her abruptly, stepped back, and handed her a fortune cookie.
“What’s this?”
“What does it look like?”
“It looks like a fortune cookie.” It wasn’t wrapped, though. It looked like a fancy, homemade fortune cookie.
“Your powers of observation astound me.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Should I open it?”
“Great idea.”
It was only then that she registered that the entire bar had fallen silent, just like that night last summer when she and Ben had argued about Holden. Hmm. She broke open the cookie. The fortune in it was handwritten—by Ben, judging by the handwriting. “‘Get thee a good husband, and use him as he uses thee,’” she read out loud. “That’s…” Hang on. Hang on.
“All’s Well That Ends Well,” he said.
“I know. I just…” Did this mean what she thought it did? Did it mean what she hoped it did?
“Maya,” he said. “Queen of the Goths. Queen of the mermaids. Queen of my heart. You’re better at words than I am, so I’m just going to get straight to the point.”
He dropped to one knee.
“Hooboy!” Adrenaline surged through her, stronger than any she’d experienced onstage, as her whole being cried out, Yes! But she should wait for the actual question. His line was next.
“Will you marry me?”
She grinned. “I think so.”
“You think so?” He raised his eyebrows at her.
“I mean yes. Of course.” Of course. “I’m just trying to think if I can extract any sort of concession here. How about, yes, I will marry you if you come around to my way of thinking on the tables in the cabaret, because—”
And he was up, stopping her mouth. He did that.
She didn’t hate it.
For a bonus story from Jenny Holiday that you’ll love, please turn the page to read Once Upon a Bride.
Jay Smith likes to be in control. His every choice is made with his carefully planned future in mind. So when the lobby in his accounting firm needs a makeover, Jay takes charge—and decides he needs a designer. What he does not need is Elise Maxwell, the first woman to tempt him to break all his long-held rules. But independent for the first time in her life, Elise isn’t looking for a boyfriend. She’s finally cut off her overbearing, old-money family, and she’s determined to establish a successful design business—all on her own. She certainly doesn’t want someone telling her how to do her job. Not even someone as irresistible and fun to tease as Jay…
Chapter 1
The guy did not look like his picture. That was the first thing Elise Maxwell noticed about Jay Smith when he emerged into the waiting area of Cohen & Smith Accounting, walked right over to her, and said, “Ms. Maxwell, I’ve been waiting for you,” in a way that suggested that he had, in fact, been waiting for her. Like, for her, specifically. She didn’t even know how he had recognized her. Yes, she probably looked like an interior designer—she tried hard to make sure her personal style reflected the good taste and eye for detail her profession demanded—but there was at least one other woman in the waiting area who could have fit the bill. Who could have been Elise Maxwell, aspiring interior designer.
Except she needed to quit it with the aspiring part. What was her best friend Gia always telling her? Just because you haven’t had any big, lucrative jobs yet doesn’t mean you’re “aspiring.”