Home Office Heartbreakers: Quarantine Matchmakers, #2

By Samantha Thomas

Nicolette Ferris is trying to survive. 

Survive quarantine with a 7 year old boy. Survive loneliness and anxiety. And survive a pandemic that is sweeping the world and causing so much pain and death she can't stand to watch the news. 

While her tiny family is riding out the emotional storm, she has been running a free matchmaking service, totally anonymous, to bring love and cheer to her co-workers. Especially her best friend, Charlotte.

The sudden news that her mother may be among those infected, has her reeling and looking for someone to lean on. Mostly certain that the man she has been connecting with online is her longtime crush from work, Nick, she skips the computer and goes straight to calling him for comfort.

As their relationship blossoms, a dream come true, in the back of her mind, she worries that he has yet to mention what happened between him and the fiancé that ahs kept her from making a move all this time. 

Juggling work, homeschooling, Nick, and her son's growing boredom, a new monster creeps in, the worry monster. Her son worries about the illness and what will happen to him and those he loves while also struggling to be okay with being locked inside. As they adjust to this new normal, Nicolette wonders of bringing a new man into their lives is even a good idea. Until Nick begins to be a rock for her. 

When she is ready to be serious and trust Nick around her son, he ends up showing his true colors, a misunderstanding that leaves her stunned.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Samantha Thomas
• Release date: May 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393577485

Book preview

Nick & Nicolette

Nicolette was battling with the butterflies in her stomach as her thumb froze on Nick’s name. She wasn’t sure that this was something she should be doing right at that moment, but she couldn’t help it. She needed to hear him, to comfort her.

She hoped it wasn’t out of the line, calling him. She wasn’t sure how he would react or if he would even pick up.

She took a shaky breath and pressed DIAL. After several painful seconds, she finally heard his smooth voice.

Hello? Nick said as soon as he picked up the call.

Hi. Sorry about calling you so out of the blue. Nicolette let out all of the air she didn’t even realize she was holding. She was so glad to hear him after such a long time of no contact at all.

Who is this? Nicolette? he guessed correctly, sounding surprised.

Yeah, hi. It’s so good to hear your voice. She smiled to herself for saying something that was so cliché. A thought occurred to her that Nick sounded a little differently over the phone than over  Skype, but she thought that it was only because it was through different devices with different speakers.

Right back at ya, and she could hear his smile as well, we hadn’t talked in so long, and that’s a goddamn shame. He practically read her mind at that moment.

I know. I’m sorry about that. she scowled. Nicolette used to have such a strong friendship with Nick, but she had to end it as soon as she found out about his engagement to some architect she didn’t know. She developed feelings for Nick, and her conscience couldn’t handle hurting an innocent girl by acting on those feelings, but her heart couldn’t handle seeing the two of them together, so she cut all of her ties to him.

It’s okay. Don’t sweat it. Nick dismissed her apology.

Okay. She smiled again, and each time her smile grew a little bit broader. She picked on her blue nail polish out of nervousness. She had never been the one to make any move or big gesture. This was so out of her comfort zone, her anxiety was kicking up a few notches. But hopefully it would be worth it when he admitted that he was the one all along. That they could ride into the sunset together because he was no longer engaged.

Or some other corny fantasy she could think up.

So, what’s up? he asked with a visible curiosity.

Oh, don’t even ask, her voice grew quieter as her momentary cheer disappeared.

Why? Did something happen? His evident concern made Nicolette’s breath catch at the same moment as Phoebe came to her, resting her head on her knees, asking to be pet.

I worry so much lately. About this new situation regarding that virus, about Kevin, and mostly about my mom. I don’t know yet whether she has the virus or not for sure, but I don’t think she’s doing well. It’s all going to hell, she sighed as she scratched Phoebe in between her ears, her tail swaying from one side to the other with incredible force.

I am so sorry to hear that, Nicolette. Anything I can do to help? he kindly offered.

I am just so worried that I will lose my mother. I wouldn’t be able to get through that right now. I have no idea how I would even explain it to Kevin. He’s already lost his mother. Nicolette hissed in a low tone the last part as not to frighten Kevin. It was the last thing he needed. „She has to get through this, there is no other option." She was starting to feel the panic settle in, but his voice soothed her a little more than she was willing to admit just yet.

Who’s Kevin? Nick surprised her with this question that was completely off topic. It wasn’t what she would’ve expected to hear him say after her ramble about her current biggest fear.

Oh, that’s my son. I thought you knew that. Everyone in their office knew who Kevin was to her. It seemed a little odd Nick asked who he is, but Nicolette just shrugged it off as an unimportant detail. I can’t expect him to remember everything about me when we haven’t talked in forever, she thought.

Yes, right. Sorry, I forgot about him, he said, and her mood worsened a bit. That change in her mood was just a reflex to protect Kevin from people who’d forget about him, like his father did. It was a reflex she couldn’t quite control nor navigate.

Yeah, well. That’s my situation right now, her defensive mode was kicked up a notch, and she wasn’t sure she liked this change in the air. She even stopped petting her