Mistletoe Matchmaker. Lissa Manley

His expression closed. “Right. I gave up dating a long time ago.”

       She almost blurted, “Me, too,” but she held back the words just in time. She was trying to find the perfect woman for him, not reaffirm his reasons to stay isolated with her own sob stories.

       With her promise to Rose in mind, she said, “I was wondering if you’d like to go to church with me on Christmas Eve, the week after next? I’m sure you’d love the service.”

       Grant froze, his fork midway to his mouth. Then he very deliberately set the utensil down. “Church isn’t really my thing,” he said evenly. Too evenly. As if he was trying to suppress something painful and had gone all blank instead.

       She blinked. “Oh. Okay. No big deal.” Not a believer, then? Again, another clue to his personality. She was slowly finding out about the real man beneath the attractive exterior. Good. Yet…not.

       Not surprisingly, Grant changed the subject. “So, how long have you lived in Moonlight Cove?”

       “Three years. I moved here when I graduated from the University of Oregon.”

       “How did you end up in this neck of the woods?”

       “My family and I used to vacation here when I was little.” In fact, Moonlight Cove was the last place her family had spent any happy time before her mother died.

       “Lots of good memories, I bet,” he said.

       Actually, her only good memories of her childhood centered around Moonlight Cove. “Tons,” she said, bending the truth. A lot. She was ashamed to admit how limited her happy childhood memories actually were. As in almost nonexistent.

       “I have good memories here, too,” he said. “I came here every summer to visit Aunt Rose when I was growing up.”

       “That must have been fun.”

       Again, his expression shuttered. “It was.”

       He seemed uncomfortable with the conversation, so she decided not to push him on the subject and instead focused on eating. Grant seemed content to simply chow down.

       A few minutes later, he set his utensils neatly on his plate and said, “Dinner was fantastic. I could get used to this kind of delicious cooking in a hurry.”

       A warm glow of pride settled in Molly’s chest. It was always nice to please someone who could express himself with words, not barks. “Thanks.” And then she thought, Note to self: fix him up with someone who likes to cook.

       They rose and began to clean up, and when Grant went to take the garbage out, she ran through all the information about him she’d collected today. He liked superheroes. He was reluctant to date. He appreciated home cooking. And he was a runner.

       Who should she set him up with?

       Of course, she’d already set her matchmaking sights on Phoebe; she might be the perfect match. If that didn’t fly, there was also Anna Stevens, who owned Moonlight Cove Bakery on Main Street. She was single, and was the best baker in town, hands down.

       Then a rogue thought crashed through Molly’s mind.

       On paper, another person also had a lot in common with him.

       And that person was…her.

       She looked heavenward.

      Hello? God? Looks like I have another problem I’m going to need Your help with.