Teasing in Texas: At the Altar, #10

By Kirsten Osbourne

Jenni Thompson felt like life was passing her by. She was happy with her job as an RN, but she wanted more. Having lived her life under her mother's exacting thumb, she is afraid to date someone, knowing he'll never live up to her parents' expectations. So she contacts a matchmaking service who agrees to introduce her to a man who is right for her at the altar.

Tony Jarrett sees everything in black and white. When his friend tells him about Matchrimony, he scoffs at first, but decides to give the idea a chance. When he's told he needs to marry on a cruise ship, he has no idea why, but he goes along with it. Marrying the beautiful girl who caught his eye in line is no hardship. Can the two of them make it past their differences to live peacefully? Or will they each be destined to a life of loneliness?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Unlimited Dreams
• Release date: Feb 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393242901

Book preview

Introduction

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Jenni Thompson felt like life was passing her by. She was happy with her job as an RN, but she wanted more. Having lived her life under her mother’s exacting thumb, she is afraid to date someone, knowing he’ll never live up to her parents’ expectations. So she contacts a matchmaking service who agrees to introduce her to a man who is right for her at the altar.

Tony Jarrett sees everything in black and white. When his friend tells him about Matchrimony, he scoffs at first, but decides to give the idea a chance. When he’s told he needs to marry on a cruise ship, he has no idea why, but he goes along with it.  Marrying the beautiful girl who caught his eye in line is no hardship. Can the two of them make it past their differences to live peacefully? Or will they each be destined to a life of loneliness?

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Chapter 1

Jenni Thompson looked up from the chart she was reading, smiling as one of her favorite people walked toward her. Heidi! How are you feeling?

Heidi Henderson sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. I feel like I’m three months pregnant with twins and have a job that requires me to walk all day long. I hurt, and I’m grumpy.

Sorry about that! Jenni said. How’s Slade taking it all?

He’s not the one with all day sickness, so who cares? Heidi groaned. I sound miserable, and I kind of am, but he’s the most wonderful thing to ever happen to me. She patted her stomach which was starting to get big, thanks to the two babies crowded in there.

Jenni smiled. It kills me that you two met at the altar and have such a wonderful relationship. I want something like what you have.

Heidi shrugged. Why don’t you contact Dr. Lachele? You’ve finished your nursing degree now, so I don’t see that there’s anything that’s really holding you back.

Nerves are holding me back, Jenni said softly. You know what my parents are like. Imagine their reaction to me meeting my future husband at the altar. They came unglued when I wanted to work as a nurse’s aide as I was getting my degree. They think that it’s beneath someone of my breeding to have a job where she’s cleaning up people’s vomit.

Heidi laughed softly. Don’t mention vomit, or I might lose it. You know better! She tilted her head to one side. Why not do a weird destination wedding so they don’t go? Or know about it before hand? You could get married on a cruise ship or something equally bizarre.

Jenni grinned. Oh, my mother would come unglued if I married on a cruise ship. Can you imagine her reaction? Why did it make her so happy to think about doing something that would upset her mother so much? It wasn’t why she was thinking of marrying, but it certainly was a side benefit.

Yes! Heidi said. She’d just met Jenni’s parents at the graduation ceremony a few weeks before. I think you should go for it. Why not? Call Dr. Lachele, tell her you want to marry on a cruise ship, and watch her make it happen.

I just might!

Heidi pulled out her phone and dug a pen out of the pocket of her scrubs, writing a number on Jenni’s hand. Do it! Before you lose you nerve.

Jenni frowned down at the phone number before nodding. I think I will! It’s time for me to head home anyway.

As she walked out to get into her car, a graduation gift from her parents, she thought about the past five years of her life. She’d grown up the pampered only child of a wealthy couple who had always expressed their sadness with her life choices. They’d wanted her to go into medicine, but as a doctor, and when she chose to be a nurse, they’d been disappointed. She’d never had any desire to be a doctor.

When she’d decided to become a nurse’s aide while she was on the waiting list for the nursing program at her college, they’d expressed their regret. Now that she’d finally graduated, and no longer had to rely on them to pay for her college tuition, she’d moved into a small apartment in Roanoke, Texas, close to the nursing home where she’d worked as a nurse’s aide, and now worked in her chosen profession.

As soon as she walked in the door, she dialed the number Heidi had scrawled on her palm, hoping there would be no answer. Of course, she knew the Matchrimony office was in Manhattan, and it was after six in Texas, so there was little chance anyone would be in.

When the phone was answered on the first ring, Jenni was dumbstruck for a moment. Uh...hi. What kind of hours did the woman keep?

Hi, this is Dr. Lachele. Can I help you? The matchmaker’s voice was soft and girlish, immediately making Jenni feel a bit better about the call.

Jenni took a deep breath. My name is Jenni Thompson. I’m a co-worker of Heidi Henderson.

I see. How’s Heidi doing? When’s she due with her munchkin?

Jenni smiled at the word munchkin. April. And it’s munchkins. She’s having twins.

More twin munchkins! My life is full of joy! I’ll start on the quilts tomorrow.

I called because I’m hoping you can help me. Jenni’s voice was soft, because she was so nervous. She wasn’t exactly a person who liked to be on display anyway, preferring to be quiet most of the time.

You lonely, Jenni?

Jenni sighed. Maybe a little. I’d like to find the kind of love Heidi has with Slade, but I have one request.

Requests help make my world go ‘round. What do you want?

I want to get married on a cruise ship. I know that’s kind of weird, but my parents would never approve, so I could keep them from the wedding that way... As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Jenni realized how terrible they sounded.

Dr. Lachele chortled...it was the only way to describe her laugh. I love it! Let me check my calendar. She paused for a moment, and Jenni heard clicking sounds. I can be there this weekend.

Jenni frowned. I work weekends. I’m a new nurse, so I get the yuck shifts. Would that matter to her future husband? She hoped not!

Oh, I see. What days do you have off?

I have Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Could you fly to me?

I don’t see why not! Jenni loved to fly. Would you have time to help me this week?

If you were here and didn’t mind splitting into two days, I don’t see why I couldn't. Have you ever been to New York?

Jenni smiled at the question. My mother took me to Fifth Avenue for school clothes every year. She had some good memories of Manhattan, but she also had some that were awful. It all just depended on the year.

I see. Well, you let me know when your flight is, and I’ll have a car at the airport to pick you up. And Jenni?

Yes, ma’am?

I’m going to find you a man that’s going to knock your socks off!

* * *

Tony Jarrett stared down at the paperwork in front of him, trying to reconcile the accounting of an old friend. What is this entry for Matchrimony? he asked, tucking his pencil behind his ear.

Seth shrugged. It’s a matchmaking service I hired. The woman who runs it introduced me to my wife at the altar.

Tony raised an eyebrow. You agreed to that nonsense? Who in their right mind would do such a thing?

Yup. You remember Daniel from college? He met his wife that way too. So did my twin brother. We’ve all been really happy with her services.

Tony frowned, but filed the name away in his head. He’d gone to college with Seth and Daniel, and considered them both to be intelligent men. Why would they see a matchmaker who wouldn’t even allow them to meet their future wives before they were standing in front of a preacher? It was crazy.

Five hours later, Tony walked into his lonely apartment, thinking about his last two relationships. Both had ended as quickly as they’d started. Tony didn’t exactly approve of wild living. He was an accountant, and he liked being serious-minded. Why would he want to date someone who wasn’t the same as he was? Dedicated to her career and her future?

He sat down at the computer and googled Matchrimony, only finding rave results from people who were happily matched by the company. Maybe it wasn’t such a horrible idea.

An hour later, he had an appointment for Dr. Lachele to meet him at his Arlington, Texas home to interview him, helping him find the perfect bride. He’d probably lost his mind, but he was going to give it a try.

* * *

In line for his wedding cruise, Tony noticed a pretty woman around his age, and thought it would be nice if she was the woman who had been chosen for him. Just as he thought it, the two women she was with got into a loud argument over who was cuter. One of the girls was exceptionally tall with short blond hair and glasses, and the other was very short, with long brown hair.

You know I’m cuter than you! I always have been! Even ask Mom, the shorter one said.

The two women looked remarkably alike in facial features, and Tony frowned, trying to figure out what their problems were. Why disturb a whole line of people with that idiocy?

The taller woman