An Imperfect Match / Next Comes Love. Kimberly Van Meter

      

      Available in June 2010

      from Mills & Boon^® Special Moments™

      The Tycoon’s Perfect Match by Christine Wenger & Their Second-Chance Child by Karen Sandler

      A Marriage-Minded Man by Karen Templeton & From Friend to Father by Tracy Wolff

      An Imperfect Match by Kimberly Van Meter & Next Comes Love by Helen Brenna

      A Bravo’s Honour by Christine Rimmer

      Lone Star Daddy by Stella Bagwell

      Claiming the Rancher’s Heart by Cindy Kirk

      To Save a Family by Anna DeStefano

      AN IMPERFECT MATCH

       “I’m sorry about yesterday.

      “I was rude,” Dean said gruffly. “Be at the office tomorrow at 8:00am and we’ll talk about the job.”

      “Sure. Thanks.” Annabelle shifted and bit the inside of her cheek.

      “You got family who could help you out?” he asked, wishing he hadn’t. It wasn’t a good idea to get too acquainted.

      She chuckled wryly. “Nope. My mum died a few years ago and my daddy was a bit of a rambling man. I haven’t seen him since I was about seven. I have a younger brother, but the less I see of him the better off my pocketbook is.” She shrugged as if admitting that her family was less than desirable wasn’t a big deal. “I learned to rely on myself a long time ago.”

      He believed her. Dressed in a denim skirt that was too short and a blouse that fitted too tightly across her breasts, she looked like a white trash prom queen, but there was a sense of dignity clinging to her that dared anyone to pass judgement.

      Closing his eyes briefly to block out the image of her as she stood before him, he bit out a terse, “Don’t be late”, as his goodbye and walked – no, practically ran – from the restaurant.

      NEXT COMES LOVE

       “Never been married. Never plan to be.”

      Erica took a step towards Garrett. “But if you think anything is going to happen between us, guess again. You are so not my type it isn’t even funny.”

      They might as well have been alone in the apartment for the charge in the air. Flirting with her was dangerous. Still, Garrett couldn’t rein himself in. “So what is your type?”

      “Not a cop, that’s for sure,” she said.

      “What do you have against cops?”

      “You wouldn’t get it.”

      “Try me.”

      “Don’t think so.” Erica’s dark brown eyes were laced with something he couldn’t put a finger on. Something that looked an awful lot like fear.

      Someone had badly hurt her and the little boy. All Garrett wanted was to get his hands on the guy who had.

      An Imperfect

      Match

      By

      Kimberly Van Meter

      Next Comes Love

      By

      Helen Brenna

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

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      An Imperfect

      Match

      By

Kimberly Van Meter

      An avid reader since before she can remember, Kimberly Van Meter started her writing career at the age of sixteen when she finished her first novel, typing late nights and early mornings on her mother’s old portable typewriter. Although that first novel was nothing short of literary mud, with each successive piece of work her writing improved to the point of reaching that coveted published status. Kimberly, now a journalist, and her husband and three kids make their home in Oakdale. She enjoys writing, reading, photography and drinking hot chocolate by the windowsill when it rains.

      Special thanks must go to RJ Murdoch

      for taking time out of his tremendously

      busy schedule to educate me on the big world of a

      successful builder/contractor. Any deviations from

      the way things are truly done are my own and no

      reflection on what anyone has taken the time to

      teach me. Thanks for all your help!

      To Dawn Henley for being the best “office roomie”

      a person could ask for and helping me brainstorm

      when my own brain went on hiatus.

      To Marg Jackson for the laughter, friendship and

      overall good company from day one.

      To the Leadin’ Ladies for their unwavering support

      that never fails to humble me and buoy my spirits

      in one fell swoop. You ladies are the best!

      CHAPTER ONE

      DEAN HALVORSEN’S day soured just about the same time his breakfast burrito heartburn kicked in, and he realized as he fished around in his pocket that he’d left his antacids at home.

      “Eagle came in with a lower bid. You know how it goes. Times are tough. The bottom line is tight and we had to go with the lowest bidder. You understand, right?”

      Dean bit back what he wanted to say and gave a short nod to Petey Simonsini. No, he didn’t understand. What he did understand was that Eagle Construction had snaked another job out from under his company by somehow coming under the Halvorsen Construction bid. Which was damn near impossible since Dean had cut the bid to the bone in an attempt to get the job.

      “Aaron beat us fair and square, I suppose,” Dean said, though it made his teeth grind just to say it. Aaron Eagle never did things the right way. He cut corners, hired unlicensed subcontractors and bought shoddy materials to punch holes in the budget. No. Dean didn’t figure Aaron had beat him square at all, but there was no sense in whining about it. Except, as he rubbed at the spot on his chest where the acid pooled, he knew his temper was about to get the best of him.

      Damn him. The man was on a personal quest to put Halvorsen Construction