A Match for Meghan (Heartsong Presents) Read online

  MEGHAN BLACK HAS FINALLY MET HER MATCH

  The veterinary assistant never backs down from a dare...and what greater challenge than finding die-hard bachelor Ben Young his ideal mate? But what’s an incurable cupid to do when the handsome vet turns the tables and asks her out?

  Ben is perfectly content with his single life. And he figures there’s only one way to get the petite dynamo to quit her matchmaking—date her himself! But his plan backfires when he realizes that Meghan could be The One. Can he convince a woman who believes in happy endings for everyone but herself that he’s her Mr. Right?

  Ben stopped then pivoted to face her.

  What would it feel like to run her fingers through those dark, wavy strands? Meghan pushed the crazy thought aside. “I don’t want it to be like this between us. Please don’t feel like you need to avoid me. I promise I won’t try to set you up with anyone ever again. Can we be friends?”

  A smile touched his lips. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded.

  “In that case, would you like company?”

  “Aren’t you heading in the opposite direction?”

  He shrugged. “This is my third time around the loop. I could cool down with a walk.” He matched her steps and motioned toward her bag. “I didn’t know you enjoyed reading.”

  She raised the bag. “It’s a Bible. A friend recommended a few of the passages. I started with the book of John.”

  His blue eyes twinkled. Her heart tripped. Why did he have to be so good-looking when he was off-limits?

  Books by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  Love Inspired Heartsong Presents

  The Christmas Promise

  A Romance Rekindled

  A Holiday Proposal

  A Match for Meghan

  KIMBERLY ROSE JOHNSON

  holds a degree in behavioral science from Northwest University. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two teenage sons and their yellow Lab. She writes sweet Christian romance for Heartsong Presents and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys taking long walks with her husband and dog, reading, dark chocolate and time with friends.

  KIMBERLY ROSE

  JOHNSON

  A Match for Meghan

  But I trust in your unfailing love.

  My heart rejoices in your salvation.

  —Psalms 13:5

  To my fantabulous friend Heather for reading every last thing I’ve ever written and giving me your honest opinion. I’m so glad you loved this story!

  You put my mind at ease when I was really stressed out. I appreciate you and the fact I know you will tell me the truth even if it means more work for me.

  Note to Readers

  Dear reader, as this series comes to a close I wanted to express my thanks to all of you for reading. I will miss the characters I’ve come to know and love. I hope you have enjoyed Keira, Susan, Holly and Meghan as much as I have. Maybe you have a favorite character. As their creator I love them all, but I am especially fond of Meghan as her quirkiness never fails to make me smile.

  To all of the residents in Leavenworth, Washington, thank you for sharing your town with my imagination and allowing me leeway to create my own version of reality. I’ve visited often and realize I’ve moved things around somewhat, but hope you’ll be able to look past that and enjoy the story anyway.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 1

  “Ahh!” Arms flailing, Meghan Black fought to maintain her footing on the vet clinic’s slippery floor. She squeezed her eyes shut, anticipating the impact with the hard linoleum. But it never came. Strong arms snatched her up.

  “Easy there, Meghan. We don’t want you breaking your neck.” Dr. Ben Young escorted her out of harm’s way, then released his firm, but gentle hold on her arm. “I spilled my coffee as I walked in, and was getting ready to wipe it up when you burst through the door.”

  “I didn’t burst, but thanks for the save.” She looked around. “Where’s Emma?” Dr. Young’s jewel of an assistant was always prompt and generally cleaned up any spills her boss made. He reminded her of an absentminded professor, except when he worked with the animals—then he was totally focused.

  “Emma is sick today.” He pivoted and headed down the hall, presumably to fetch paper towels.

  “Oh.” She walked behind the counter and deposited her purse on a hidden shelf, then meandered down the hall to the kennel room. “Good morning, fellas.”

  Several dogs barked their greetings.

  “You’re first, girl,” Meghan said to a chocolate lab. She grabbed a leash, opened the kennel and clicked the leash onto the dog’s collar. “Let’s take a little walk, Trixi.” She led the dog out the back door. Cool air snaked down her back. She should’ve grabbed her coat. Too bad Emma was out today. She wanted to discuss the dare Emma had tossed at her last night: find Dr. Young the perfect match. Not one to back down on a dare, she was determined to prove she could do it. Too bad he didn’t possess the same finesse with women that he had with animals.

  “What do you think, Trixi? Is setting Dr. Young up a good idea?”

  Trixi barked and wagged her tail.

  Meghan laughed. “Okay then. It’s game on.” She led the dog back inside and put her into the kennel, then strode to the front counter. She grabbed a pen and wrote Dr. Young across the top of a scratch pad. Tapping the pen against her chin, she looked at the ceiling. There had to be a woman out there who was a perfect fit for him. Dr. Young was a catch. Though nearing his late thirties, he looked much younger than his age. From what she had heard, he ran several miles a day, and it showed—he had a lean, lightly muscled body. He reminded her of Patrick Dempsey with his dark wavy hair and soft baby blues. Plus, he seemed to have a big heart, at least with the animals in the clinic.

  “Ah-hem.”

  She slapped her hand over the paper and looked up. “You startled me.” She flipped over the notepad and glanced up into her boss’s face.

  Dr. Pete Harding, her boss and Dr. Young’s partner, smirked. “Up to no good I see.” He shook his head. “Milo and Duke need to be taken outside for a little fresh air, if you can pull yourself away from your scheming.”

  Ignoring his teasing grin, she ripped off the top page and breezed around the counter and down the hall. She should’ve finished taking the animals out before becoming obsessed with fulfilling Emma’s dare.

  Hot on her trail, Pete closed the door to the kennel room. “I hope you’re not planning anything that will cause a problem for Dr. Young. It won’t look good if my assistant causes trouble.”

  “Don’t you trust me?”

  He pursed his lips and left the room. The man needed to relax. In truth, he’d loosened up quite a bit since he had gotten married last fall. She grinned—another successful love story. Granted, she hadn’t set up Dr. Harding and Keira, but she’d had a hand in helping him woo her. A smile touched her lips as she open
ed the springer spaniel’s cage. “Good morning, Milo.” She clipped a leash to his collar then repeated the process with Duke, a Chihuahua.

  Dr. Young poked his head into the kennel room. “Think I could borrow you when you’re done here? I’m lost without Emma.”

  “Sure thing.” Meghan slipped into her coat, then headed outside with the dogs. Bavarian music streamed from the speakers in the village and floated through the cool, spring mountain air. Even though the clinic was technically outside Leavenworth, Washington’s popular village, the building still featured German-themed architecture.

  The dogs sniffed around the planters. “Hurry, you two. I have work to do.” In her mind, she ran through her normal responsibilities and then Emma’s. If she were lucky, she’d get it all done before the first appointments arrived. No time for matchmaking today.

  * * *

  Ben Young leaned back in his desk chair, overcome with weariness. The temp agency had never sent Emma’s replacement, and the day, which had started out bad, had worsened little by little. He couldn’t wait to leave work behind for a quiet weekend. He still needed to prepare his Sunday school lesson, but that shouldn’t take too long.

  “Knock, knock.” Meghan stood in his doorway. Her petite frame didn’t fill the space.

  “Come in.”

  “I wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything before I head out. It’ll have to be fast, though, or I’ll be late.”

  “Big date?” The simple black dress she wore hugged her curves. He averted his eyes to the papers on his desk.

  She shook her head. “No. I play the piano at one of the hotels a couple of Friday evenings a month.”

  He glanced up. “You never mentioned that before. Have fun. I don’t need anything further.” Ben turned his attention to the chart on his desk. He’d leave soon himself. Rustling at the door made him look up again. “Is there something else, Meghan?”

  “I was wondering what you do for fun.”

  Ben raised a brow. “Is this an invitation to come hear you play?” Although she’d been working at the clinic for close to two years now, he didn’t know Pete’s assistant all that well outside of their work environment, since they didn’t socialize in the same circles. They had a casual professional relationship. He couldn’t imagine the reason for her interest. He narrowed his eyes. “Wait a minute. Seriously, why are you asking?” Meghan was known for matchmaking, and she wasn’t very good at it supposedly. He had no desire to be set up. He’d gone thirty-five years without a special woman in his life, and if God wanted him to marry, he’d have to drop her in his lap because he was done searching. Besides, his last date had been a disaster, and he was tired of the dating game—not that he dated often.

  He really studied Meghan for the first time, noticing her large green eyes and the way her long black hair cascaded in soft curls around her shoulders. Had he ever seen her hair down around her face like this? He shook off the thought, realizing she still hadn’t answered his question. “Well?”

  She shrugged. “No reason. Just making small talk.” She wiggled her fingers. “But feel free to stop by the Enzian Inn, if you’d like. I’m playing in the lobby tonight.”

  As she left, her shoes clipped across the linoleum, and then silence filled the clinic. For once, there were no barking animals in the kennels. He breathed a little easier, thankful he’d dodged her question. The last thing he needed was Pete’s assistant meddling in his personal life, although it would be fun to listen to her play the piano sometime. He enjoyed the arts and made a point of attending at least one function a month. But not tonight. He closed the file folder and stood. Time to get out of here.

  Ben drove to his country home. A light glowed in the barn. Most likely, the 4-H student he allowed to board his Jersey cow was here. He pulled under the carport then walked out to the barn. The door was propped open, and Jeremy stood by the corral talking to his heifer. “Evening, Jeremy. How’s it going?”

  “Hi, Dr. Young. It’s supposed to get near freezing tonight, so I thought I’d better bring Buttercup into the barn.”

  “Good idea. I’m impressed with how well you take care of her. She looks to be in excellent health.”

  Jeremy grinned and his chest puffed out. “Thanks. Your field has lots of good stuff for her to munch on.”

  Ben chuckled. Well played, Jeremy. “It helps that the snow melted early this year. Of course, you never know, we could get a spring snow.”

  “Not according to the Farmers’ Almanac.”

  “Good. I’m not a huge lover of snow.”

  Jeremy scrunched his eyebrows. “You live in the mountains, dude. What’s up with that?”

  “I suppose I like snow well enough, but it’s easier for me to run when it’s not snowing.”

  “True, but then you can cross-country ski.”

  “I suppose so. How’d you get here? I didn’t see your car.”

  “My mom dropped me off. She’ll be back any time.”

  “Okay. Don’t forget to close up when you leave.” He trotted to the old farmhouse and pushed open the front door, which often stuck. One of these days, he’d have to fix that, but tonight, all he wanted was a hot meal and to watch the Mariners’ game. He clicked on the television then went into the kitchen and put a frozen entrée into the microwave.

  The microwave beeped, and he pulled his meal out with a towel. He breathed in the sweet teriyaki smell and plopped onto his brown leather couch avoiding the spots that had cracked and opened. The rips didn’t bother him. The couch was comfortable—that’s all that mattered to him.

  The game went to a commercial for an online dating service. Did people really find love on those sites? He had his doubts, but he knew a couple at church who had met that way. He shook his head as the commercial switched. He would have to be desperate to put himself out there like that. He most assuredly wasn’t desperate. He bit into his chicken and chewed slowly, savoring the spicy sauce.

  Between veterinary school, paying off student loans, starting his own clinic and taking care of his aging parents, there’d been no time to consider a relationship. Now that Pete had bought into the clinic, he wasn’t as stressed about money issues. Life had settled into a nice easy routine. So if the Lord did have a woman out there for him, now would be a good time for Him to make her presence known.

  Ben finished his meal and set the bowl aside. When a second commercial for a dating site interrupted the game, he almost changed the channel. What was the deal tonight? Were all baseball fans in need of help with their love lives? He’d never subscribe to one of those services. The humiliation alone would stop him. Being single wasn’t as bad as some people made it out to be. He never had to put the toilet seat down or worry about morning breath. He never had to share the remote and there was no honey-do list.

  He turned sideways and sprawled across the couch. Yes, this was the life. He laced his fingers and rested his arms behind his head.

  * * *

  Meghan played the piano for an hour straight in the hotel lobby as a fire crackled in the large stone fireplace. She finally lifted her hands from the keys as if in slow motion. A handful of spectators who had gathered around the fire clapped. She rose and bowed. Smiling, she walked over to the front desk where her roommate Cassie Holiday stood tapping on computer keys, her body practically dwarfed by the high counter. But there was no hiding the beautiful blonde’s face. Cassie could be Hayden Panettiere’s twin. “Hi,” Meghan said. “How did my playing sound tonight?”

  Cassie stopped tapping and smiled. “It’s especially lovely this evening.” She quirked a brow. “What’s going on? You seem to be putting more of yourself into the music.”

  “I found a new project. Well, actually he was dropped on me thanks to my coworker’s dare, but I think I’m up for the challenge.”

  Cassie groaned. “Oh no. Who?”


  “The other vet at the clinic. I can’t believe I didn’t think of him sooner, but now that Dr. Harding is married, I intend to find Dr. Young his soul mate.”

  “Soul mate?” Cassie rolled her eyes. “Did he ask for your help?”

  “Of course not. Emma and I were talking last night, and I let it slip that I’m an amateur matchmaker.”

  “You let it slip. Really, Meghan, everyone knows that. It’s not like you try to keep it a secret.”

  “Maybe you’re right, but Emma said no one could find a match for her boss. I didn’t agree, and she dared me to find the perfect woman for him.”

  Cassie rolled her eyes again. “A perfect match is impossible.”

  Sometimes her friend could be so unromantic. Of course she had a boyfriend, so she’d forgotten what it was like to be alone.

  Being alone was Meghan’s area of expertise. No one seemed to be interested in an outspoken woman such as herself. Her past dates had made that painfully clear. In her defense, her dad had raised her to speak her mind. He wouldn’t put up with the niceties of tiptoeing around the truth. And neither would she.

  No matter. The animals loved her. Period. That’s what Meghan liked best about her job. No judging from them—ever, and she could talk to them as much as she wanted. You’d think people would appreciate honesty, but in reality, they only wanted to hear what made them happy, and not that their jeans were a bit too snug.

  Cassie cleared her throat. “Please be careful. I don’t want you to lose your job if you mess up Dr. Young’s love life.”

  Meghan sighed. She wouldn’t get fired. Besides Dr. Harding was her boss, not Dr. Young. Time to get back to the piano.

  Her fingers hovered over the keys, then she struck the first chord of Moonlight Sonata in honor of her next project. She flashed a satisfied smile. Yes, sir, Dr. Young had a soul mate out there somewhere, and she aimed to find her.

  A twinge of sadness flitted through Meghan, probably brought on by the haunting song she played. She wished she could find her own soul mate. Someone who enjoyed music as much as she did, someone who loved animals and someone who would treasure her in spite of her flaws. She struck a chord and blinked rapidly—no one like that existed. Especially in such a small town.