Coming to a Crossroads Read online

  He needed a ride.

  Not a wife...

  Liz Bellamy is drowning under family medical bills. So when the Matchmaking Mamas recommend Dr. Ethan O’Neil as a potential ride-share customer, it’s a win-win financial situation. Yet the handsome doctor isn’t her usual fare. Kind, witty and oh-so emotionally guarded, Ethan thinks love walked out years ago with his ex-fiancée. Until his unlikely connection with his beautiful, hardworking chauffeur. Have the small-town cupids orchestrated another happily-ever-after?

  USA TODAY Bestselling Author Marie Ferrarella

  Liz paused as she unlocked her door, then turned toward Ethan. “Would you like to come in for a few minutes?”

  “I would,” he told her honestly. “But I won’t. You need your rest.”

  The fact that he wasn’t thinking about himself but about her really touched Liz. So much so that from somewhere deep within the recesses of her soul, she felt a surge of untapped energy rising up and coming to the foreground.

  Before she could stop herself, Liz wove her arms around his neck, rose up on her toes and kissed Ethan. Hard.

  Caught off guard, he kissed her back before he was able to put the skids on his response.

  But somehow, he managed to pull back, putting enough space between them to be able to tell her in all sincerity, “You’re making it very hard for me to walk away.”

  Her eyes held him prisoner as she whispered, “Then don’t.”

  And that was that.

  All of Ethan’s good intentions seemed to go up in smoke, a casualty of the heat generated between them. Ethan held himself in check only long enough to be able to move farther inside her apartment. Once he did, he pushed her door closed behind him.

  * * *

  MATCHMAKING MAMAS: Playing Cupid. Arranging dates. What are mothers for?

  Dear Reader,

  Well, the Matchmaking Mamas are at it again. This time, they are involved in bringing together a dedicated young general surgeon who willingly turned his back on what would have been a lucrative career with a Beverly Hills medical practice to work out of a storefront clinic ministering to those who might otherwise not receive the proper medical care, and a young woman who had put her life on hold in order to help her mother pay off her late stepfather’s medical bills. The young lady is currently holding down two part-time jobs as well as finally going to college to get her degree in medical research. The odds are completely against these two extremely busy, extremely dedicated people being brought together.

  But the odds have met their match in Maizie Sommers, Theresa Manetti and Cilia Parnell, who are totally determined to bring these two people together. You just know that it is only a matter of time before a happy ending materializes for these two deserving people.

  As always, I thank you for picking up one of my stories to read. I hope it entertains you. And from the bottom of my heart, I wish you someone to love who loves you back.

  All the best,

  Marie Ferrarella

  Coming to a Crossroads

  Marie Ferrarella

  USA TODAY bestselling and RITA® Award–winning author Marie Ferrarella has written more than two hundred and fifty books for Harlequin, some under the name Marie Nicole. Her romances are beloved by fans worldwide. Visit her website, marieferrarella.com.

  Books by Marie Ferrarella

  Harlequin Special Edition

  Forever, Texas

  The Cowboy’s Lesson in Love

  The Lawman’s Romance Lesson

  Matchmaking Mamas

  Coming Home for Christmas

  Dr. Forget-Me-Not

  Twice a Hero, Always Her Man

  Meant to Be Mine

  A Second Chance for the Single Dad

  Christmastime Courtship

  Engagement for Two

  Adding Up to Family

  Bridesmaid for Hire

  The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose

  Fortune’s Greatest Risk

  The Fortunes of Texas: The Lost Fortunes

  Texan Seeks Fortune

  The Fortunes of Texas: The Secret Fortunes

  Fortune’s Second-Chance Cowboy

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  To

  Charlie

  Whose Kisses Still

  Make the World

  Fade Away

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from Their Nine-Month Surprise by Laurel Greer

  Prologue

  The waitress carefully placed the two steaming cups of coffee on the table, setting one in front of each woman, then took a step back.

  “Sure I can’t interest either one of you ladies in a sweet roll or a doughnut?” she asked, looking from one woman to the other. “They were just baked this morning, and I can personally testify that they’re absolutely heavenly.”

  Cecilia Parnell knew her friend Ruth was eager to be alone with her so that she could tell her what was on her mind. Instinct told Cilia that this had nothing to do with the house-cleaning business she’d built from the ground up and now ran with the help of a small squadron of exceptionally competent workers.

  “Perhaps later,” she told the waitress with a warm smile.

  The waitress nodded. “I’ll check with you then,” she said and withdrew.

  The moment she did, Ruth Bellamy sighed and leaned in over the small table. She had picked up a napkin even before the coffee had been brought to their table and she had begun working at it. She had quickly reduced the napkin into something resembling confetti.

  When she spoke, Ruth’s voice quivered with emotion. “I’ve never thought of myself as one of those mothers.”

  “One of those mothers?” Cilia questioned, waiting for her friend to elaborate, although she had a sneaking suspicion she knew what Ruth was trying to say and where this was all headed.

  Ruth nodded, her fashionably styled silver-gray hair moving ever so slightly first against one cheek and then the other.

  “The ones who interfere with their children’s lives. Not that Liz has been a child for a long time.” A bittersweet smile curved her lips as she recalled earlier times. “She wasn’t even one when she was a child.” Pride entered her voice. “She was the responsible one, always so serious, always so willing to shoulder responsibility—more than her share of responsibility,” Ruth qualified, looking both proud and embarrassed at the same time.

  Ruth blinked back tears, the shredded napkin in her hands now utterly useless.

  Without a word, Cilia took a silk handkerchief—a recent gift from her daughter—out of her purse and handed it to Ruth. The latter took it and dried her eyes, then pressed the handkerchief back into Cilia’s hand.

  “I don’t know what I would have done without her these last few years. She put her plans for college on hold without even telling me so that she could get a job and help me handle all those hospital and medical bills from Howard’
s treatment.”

  A sad smile curved the corners of the attractive widow’s lips. “You’d think there’d be some sort of an unspoken understanding that said that if the patient didn’t make it, the grieving family left behind was absolved from having to pay off the rest of the outstanding bills.” Ruth was doing her best not to cry again. “It’s only fair. I mean, they didn’t live up to their part of the bargain. They didn’t save him, so why should we...?”

  She stopped abruptly, as if suddenly realizing what she was saying. Ruth flushed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to carry on like this. I guess I’m still dealing with my own emotional fallout.” She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. “I’m afraid I’m not ready to deal with Howard’s passing yet.”

  Leaning over the table, Cilia put her hand over her friend’s, infinite comfort in the small gesture. “I understand, Ruth. Believe me, I understand. When I lost my husband, it felt as if I was the only one in the world who had gone through this kind of tragedy. I promise it’ll get easier. Not immediately, but slowly, bit by bit, it will. You won’t stop missing him, but it will get easier,” she told the other woman.

  Ruth took in another long breath. “I didn’t ask you to meet me for coffee to come apart in front of you like this.”

  Cilia smiled understandingly and did her best to sound encouraging. “I know. Take all the time you need, dear.”

  Ruth framed her coffee cup with her hands, drawing in the warmth. She carefully took a long sip, hoping that would somehow help steady her nerves. To an extent, it did.

  “Anyway, what I was trying to say is that Lizzie put her whole life on hold to help me deal with the bills and, eventually, with Howard’s loss. He was her stepfather,” she said even though most of her friends had known that. “But he adored her, and the feeling was mutual. He was better than her own father had been.” For a moment, she allowed herself to reflect on the past.

  “I know,” Cilia told her quietly.

  “Howard was always able to talk to Lizzie even when I couldn’t—not that she was ever a problem,” Ruth said quickly, “but she was kind of headstrong and, well—” she shrugged haplessly “—you know what it’s like between mothers and daughters.”

  Cilia smiled and nodded, her own set of memories slipping in. “Oh, I know, Ruth. Believe me, I know.”

  “Anyway, she worked really hard to make sure all of the bills were paid off before they got out of control. Because of that, she didn’t have any kind of a life. She certainly didn’t have anything that could have remotely passed for a social life. By now, she should have had her degree and gotten not just her MRS but her MOM as well,” Ruth said, a fond expression on her face.

  “Does she want those?” Cilia asked, thinking that perhaps her friend was putting her own hopes and dreams on her daughter. It had been known to happen. These days, not every woman wanted to sacrifice a career for raising a family.

  “More than you could possibly guess,” Ruth told her with feeling as she thought of her daughter. “But when Howard got sicker, she just pushed all that to the side. She took any job she could, holding down two and at times three part-time jobs so I could be at Howard’s side. Well, those bills are finally all paid off now, but my debt certainly isn’t.”

  “You’re referring to your debt to your daughter,” Cilia guessed knowingly.

  Ruth nodded. “I most certainly am. I feel that because of her huge heart, which had her doing—as she put it—the right thing, I owe Lizzie as much as I can provide toward helping her get that college degree. But most of all, I owe her that home and family she couldn’t even let herself think about because of what she felt was her obligation.”

  Ruth looked at her friend. “But in order to do that, I need help. Professional help. Your help.”

  Cilia knew the woman was referring to what she and her two best friends did as a sideline. Matchmaking. She nodded.

  “Let me see what I can do,” she promised Ruth. “And I’ll get back to you.”

  “I have suggestions,” Ruth added, an eagerness entering her voice.

  This time it was Cilia who took a deep breath, bracing herself. “I’m sure you do.” Cilia turned and looked around for the waitress. Spotting the woman, she waved for her to come to their table.

  As soon as she was close enough, Cilia said, “I think I’ll have that sweet roll now.”

  The waitress beamed.

  Chapter One

  “I think I have a perfect match for the right lady!” Maizie Sommers declared before Cilia and Theresa were halfway across the threshold into Maizie’s cozy, sun-drenched home.

  Cilia had called her friends less than an hour ago, asking if the three of them could get together for a game of poker. Maizie had been thrilled, because she was just about to call them, inviting them over for the very same reason. Not that they actually played. The cards were just something for their hands to do while they talked over possibilities.

  She could barely contain herself until her friends had arrived. The promise of matchmaking, of bringing two kindred souls together, had that kind of an effect on her.

  Hearing Maizie’s greeting, Cilia’s mouth dropped open. “I haven’t even told you why I asked you to call Theresa and make arrangements so we could hold our poker game here this evening,” she complained.

  Maizie led the way to the small gaming table. Along with a deck of cards and chips, there were three tall glasses of lemonade, one at each place setting.

  “You don’t have to, dear,” Maizie told her friend. “We all know where this is heading.” Sitting down, she smiled at Cilia as the latter and Theresa each pulled out a chair and followed suit. “You run a house-cleaning service. If Ruth wanted to talk to you about availing herself of your services for a thorough spring cleaning, you wouldn’t have called me to find out if I was free to host a poker game at my place today.”

  “Maizie’s right,” Theresa said as she automatically picked up the deck from the center of the table and began dealing out the cards. “The only time we play this game is when we’re brainstorming about possible matches because one of us has been approached by a concerned parent—usually a mother,” she added with a knowing smile. Her blue eyes met Cilia’s. “You can’t deny that.”

  “I’m not trying to deny that,” Cilia insisted. “I just wanted to be able to give you the full impact of Ruth Bellamy’s request.” She looked toward the woman who was responsible for initially forming their little extracurricular club. “Usually it’s Maizie who brings us someone to match. Occasionally, it’s you, Theresa. I guess I just wanted to savor my moment so I could balance out the tears.”

  Theresa put down the remaining deck of cards. “Tears?” she questioned, concerned. Of the three of them, Theresa was the most empathetic.

  As usual, Maizie was more precise with her questions. “Whose tears?” she asked. The cards were forgotten for the time being. “Cilia, did someone make you cry?”

  “No,” Cilia replied, agitated that she wasn’t making herself clear. “Ruth Bellamy was the one who was in tears.”

  “So I take it that she’s still adjusting to having lost Howard?” Maizie asked sympathetically. She assumed that the answer to that was yes and went on from there. “She’s had a long time to prepare herself for that inevitability—Howard’s been gone for almost a year—but we all know it’s never easy no matter how prepared you think you are,” she said, putting into words what she knew in her heart the other two women were thinking.

  “Granted,” Cilia agreed, inclining her head. “But her tears were actually because of Lizzie.”

  “Lizzie? Really? I thought that her daughter was finally going to college at this point,” Maizie said, slightly puzzled.

  Cilia looked at her friend, astonished. When they had gotten together today, Ruth had made it sound as if this was the first time she’d talked about this situation to anyone. She should have
known, Cilia thought. “You know everything, don’t you, Maizie?”

  Maizie neither confirmed nor denied her friend’s supposition. She merely said, “I’m in the real estate business, Cilia. I hear things.”

  “Obviously,” Cilia said with a sigh. “Well, anyway, Ruth feels extremely guilty because Lizzie, to put it in Ruth’s own words, ‘put her whole life on hold’ in order to help her pay off all of Howard’s remaining medical bills—which I gathered were substantial.”

  “I wish she had said something to one of us at the time,” Theresa commented. “We could have held some sort of a fund-raiser for her, helped her defray at least some of the cost.”

  Although she agreed with Theresa, Maizie waved her hand at her friend’s wishful thinking. “She’s an extremely proud woman. And besides, that’s all water under the bridge right now,” Maizie told her friends. “What we can do now is find that sweet, selfless young woman someone who’s worthy of her. Which brings me back to what I said when you first walked in. I think I know just the right young man for Lizzie, as it turns out.”

  Cilia laughed as she shook her head. “Of course you do.”

  “Because I’m in such an incredible mood, I’ll overlook that slight sarcastic note in your voice,” Maizie told her friend good-naturedly.

  “Okay, I’ll bite. Why are you in such an incredible mood?” Cilia asked, playing along.

  Maizie was fairly beaming. “As it happens, my daughter paid a visit to my office this afternoon.”

  Theresa brightened at the mention of Maizie’s daughter. “How are Nikki and that handsome husband of hers? Are they looking for a new house again?” she guessed, thinking that perhaps their family was expanding again and they would be needing more bedrooms soon.

  “No,” Maizie said, her eyes sparkling. “As it happens, Nikki asked if I—if we,” she corrected herself pointedly, “could possibly use our ‘collective magic’ to find a match for this doctor friend of hers, who I gather she has recently taken under her wing.”