Free Hope's Discovery (THE MATCHMAKER TRILOGY) by Bernadette Marie Page A

paying for and a roommate who’d called three days ago looking for him.
    It would be easy enough to liquidate it all and relocate to Kansas City. He laughed and ran his hands over his hair. Now he knew he’d lost his mind. He’d met Hope Kendal six days earlier and now he was willing to give up all he’d worked for? Then he thought about what she wanted. Essentially, she’d hired him to help her find her birth parents. There was reason to stick around awhile longer.
    He blew out a breath. It would all come together. It was just another puzzle and as an investigator, he was the right man to put that puzzle together.
     
    Trevor watched Hope work from the front window of her store. She was helping a customer at the counter, and three others walked through looking at gifts. She caught sight of him and smiled. When he dangled the bag of pastries and held up the tray of coffee, her eyes lit. She pointed to the back of the store and Trevor let himself into the store and walked directly back to the small room with the table while she finished her sale.
    It was fifteen minutes and two pastries later that she finally ducked her head into the back room. She didn’t say a word to him. Instead she cupped his face in her hands and laid a gentle, warm kiss on his lips.
    “Now that’s a thank-you.” He smiled.
    “I missed you.”
    “I’ve only been away from you for twelve hours.”
    “Too long.” She sat down across from him and opened the bag he’d brought in with him. “Cherry turnovers. My favorite!”
    “Good guess on my part.” He popped the last bit of his into his mouth as he watched her take a bite of hers. Her eyes closed as she took her first bite. A purr came from her throat and his closed up. He cleared his throat and tried to clear his mind. “What are you doing after work?”
    “I’m going to the recreation center for a swim. Come with me.” She shifted her eyes to him as she licked a piece of cherry from the turnover. He adjusted in his chair, finding it very uncomfortable as he watched her enjoy her pastry.
    “I didn’t pack a suit for my trip.” But he was so turned on watching her eat, he wasn’t sure being near her in a public place half naked was a good idea.
    “Well, you have time to go get one, or I can see if my dad or Thomas has one you could borrow.”
    Trevor laughed. “I seriously do not think I’m ready to be borrowing clothes from your family members.” He reached his hand to her hair and slipped her blond curls through his fingers. Tracing the loop of a curl, he followed it to her jaw and let his finger slide toward her chin, enjoying the softness of her skin. “How about I meet you back at your place this evening and take you out to dinner.”
    “Really, you won’t come swim with me?” She batted her eyelashes at him, lowering her head, and letting her bottom lip jut out in a pout.
    Trevor cleared his throat again. “Doesn’t intrigue me.”
    “Okay, well then, will you do me a favor?” Hope wrapped her fingers around his hand.
    “Anything else.”
    “Tomorrow at five o’clock go to dinner at my parents’ house with me.”
    The two pastries he’d eaten fell into the pit of his stomach. This was not in his find-Mandy-Marlow-and-get-to-know-Hope-Kendal plan. “Your parents?”
    “Yes. I want you to meet them. Besides, it’s tradition. We all have dinner at my parents’ house on Sunday evening. Thomas will be there. At least you’ll know one person.” She smiled as she stood and moved to sit on his lap. “It would mean a lot to me.”
    He wasn’t sure he was ready for such a leap, but then again nothing about his week or this assignment seemed to be going the way he’d originally anticipated it.
    “Okay. I’ll be there.”
    “Thank you,” she squealed as the bell on the front door rang. “My mother is a fantastic cook,” she assured him as she started out into the store. “You won’t be sorry.”
    He was already sorry. He took a sip of his coffee and