A Perfect Pairing

by Sheryl Lister

Genres: Friendship; Small Town & Rural; Women's Fiction; African American Romance

Synopsis

With the help of her friends, one woman gets a second chance at love and a new career.

Natasha Baldwin has made a good life as a top Realtor in her hometown of Firefly Lake. She has no complaints, except one—letting go of her dream to become an interior designer. When an opportunity arises to merge her current profession with her passion, Natasha is excited but a little unsure she has what it takes. Support from her group of girlfriends during their bi-weekly supper club is all she needs to take the leap. That is, until she realizes she has to work with Antonio Hayes—the only man she’s ever loved and lost.
 
Natasha is wary about having to work extensively with Antonio, but she knows she can’t let their past dictate her future. She hopes to declare a truce with her ex, but their awkward first encounter unleashes bittersweet memories of a precious love they once shared—and the realization that the chemistry still burns between them. Over delicious food and warm conversation with her best girls, Natasha realizes she’s been given a second chance at both love and the career she wants—and all she has to do is find the courage to go for it.

Release date: August 8, 2023

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Print pages: 352

Sample

Natasha Baldwin shoved one of the coveted truffles she’d been saving into her mouth and tried to concentrate on the rich mixture of dark and milk chocolate rather than the irritating voice of her co-worker. The woman had interrupted their boss a good ten times during the weekly staff meeting and it had only been half an hour. She glanced up at the wall clock and sighed. At this rate, Natasha would never get to her appointment on time. “Do you know how long the meeting’s going to go, George? I’m meeting with a prospective client in an hour,” she said, hoping to speed things along.

George Lambert sent her a grateful smile. “We should be done in about twenty minutes, barring any other interruptions.” George had headed up Firefly Lake’s real estate office for as long as Natasha could remember. He was fair but also no-nonsense when it came to selling real estate in their town of fewer than two thousand residents. “Moving on to the subject of the upcoming condominium project, I’ve decided in order to keep confusion to a minimum, there will be one exclusive Realtor. As always, the bigger projects are given to the Realtor with the best sales record for the preceding quarter.” He paused and glanced at each of the four people seated around the conference table.

Natasha’s heartrate kicked up. She knew she’d sold well, or as well as one could when living in a small town. However, she also knew that at least one of her co-workers hadn’t done too bad, either.

“I think you should go by the Realtor with the most experience,” Kathleen said, lifting her chin.

Natasha barely stifled an eye roll. Kathleen never missed an opportunity to call attention to the fact that she had been with the company the longest. In Natasha’s mind, if Kathleen spent more time building relationships with prospective buyers and less on trying to show up everyone, she might have a point.

George shook his head. “The policy hasn’t changed since the doors of this place opened and won’t now. Okay, with four sales, the exclusive Realtor will be Natasha Baldwin. Congratulations.”

Inside, Natasha did a little two-step dance move, complete with a shimmy, but kept her outward calm and just smiled. “Thank you so much.”

“Thanks for all your hard work. We can talk this afternoon when you get back. All right, people, let’s get moving.” He came to his feet and walked out of the small conference room.

Natasha stood, and the young woman who’d joined the office a year ago congratulated Natasha before leaving.

Kathleen pushed back from the table with such force, her chair hit the wall. She shot Natasha a nasty look and stormed out.

“I would’ve had you if it weren’t for you closing the sale of the print shop two weeks ago. I was this close,” Brett Henson said with a laugh, holding his thumb and index finger together. “Congrats, Tasha. It’s well deserved.” He leaned closer and whispered, “Thank goodness it wasn’t Kathleen. Some days I think that woman needs to retire.” Brett had started working there a few months before Natasha, and the two got along well.

Laughing, she said, “Thanks. I knew you’d done well, too.” She couldn’t have been happier that the print shop sale had gone through earlier than expected and wholeheartedly agreed with his sentiment about Kathleen. As of late, the woman had a habit of trying to bully prospective buyers into purchasing properties that far exceeded their budgets, and more than one person had complained to George. But Natasha didn’t have time to dwell on that mess. She had a meeting and a celebration to think about. “Well, I’d better get going.”

“No doubt to solidify your spot as Top Realtor.”

“Don’t hate. You had to give it up sometime.” Until three months ago, he’d been the Top Realtor in Firefly Lake for over two years and always said he loved the friendly competition.

“Yeah, yeah.” He straightened from the table and followed her to the door. “I’ll see you later.”

Natasha threw up a wave and almost floated to her desk. She grabbed her iPad, stuffed it into her tote, and headed to her car.

It took less than fifteen minutes to arrive at the house that had been one of the original homes built behind Crystal Lake. The place where, as a child, she imagined living in the stately two-story home with its wrap-around porch, large backyard, and open layout. Natasha got out of the car, and her gaze roamed over the property, which had seen better days. A smile curved her lips as she recalled the countless hours she’d spent with Mrs. Ward. The older woman had two sons but had always wanted a daughter and welcomed having tea parties and allowing Natasha to help “decorate” the different rooms. Natasha could trace her love of interior design to Mrs. Ward and this house. Retrieving her cell from her tote, she sent a text to her best friends, Dana Stephens and Terri Rhodes, to share her good news and invite them to a dinner celebration.

A moment later, Dana replied: As long as you don’t expect me to cook, I’m free any night this week.

Natasha chuckled and sent back: Lol! No, I’ll throw a little something together. It won’t be as good as Serenity’s, but it’ll be edible.

A friend of hers since childhood, Dana had never liked cooking, but she could make the best margaritas or any other mixed drink. Natasha did okay in the kitchen, but nothing fancy. She left that to their other friend, Serenity Cunningham, who’d started what the friends lovingly called Serenity’s Supper Club. They got together at least twice a month and caught up over great food, wine, music, and lots of laughter. However, since Serenity had just gotten married and was on her honeymoon, they were on their own.

Terri’s response popped up: I’m free tonight. Hubby is working late, and I’m in need of some supper club fun!

Natasha: Great! Tonight around 7 at my place.

Dropping the phone back into her tote, she turned at the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. A broad grin spread across Natasha’s face as she watched the tall, lean frame of the man exit the car and start toward her. She met him halfway, and he grabbed her up in a bear hug.

“It’s so good to see you, Tasha.”

Laughing, she said, “Put me down, you nut. It’s good to see you too, Chase.” Two years her senior, Chase Ward had been greeting her this way since she was a kid.

He set her on her feet and glanced over at the house, his smile fading.

“I’m so sorry about your mom.”

“Thanks. Never thought we’d be selling this place. It’s been in our family for over fifty years, but with Mike working overseas and me in the military, we just don’t have time for the upkeep or worrying about trying to rent it out. And neither of us has plans to move back.” Chase shook his head. “I didn’t know it had gotten this run-down since I was here. I fixed a few things the last time, but now it looks like the house is going to need a complete overhaul to sell.” He hadn’t been home in over two years.

Natasha could feel his pain. His mother had suffered a major stroke a couple of months ago and was also in the beginning stages of dementia. Chase planned to move Mrs. Ward to a care facility near his home in North Carolina, where his wife would easily be able to keep an eye on her. She ran a comforting hand down his arm. “Well, come on and tell me what you want done.”

They climbed the four steps that led to the wide porch. “Definitely need to get this porch fixed. There are several places where the wood is loose or buckling,” he added, pointing to a few spots.

She fished her iPad out of her tote, opened the document she’d started, and added a notation. After he unlocked the door, Chase gestured for her to go first. As soon as she crossed the threshold, a blast of stale heat greeted her. Swiping at a few spiderwebs, she stepped into the short entryway and followed Chase as he slowly took in the large formal living room.

He walked over to the fireplace, picked up a family photo on the mantel, blew some of the dust off, and stared at it for several seconds before putting it back in its place. “Okay, let’s get this done.”

It took over an hour for Natasha and Chase to walk through the two-story, four-bedroom, three-bathroom home and document all the things he wanted repaired, restored, and updated. “How long are you going to be here?” she asked as she headed for her car.

“Until next Tuesday. My wife gets in tomorrow, and we’ll clear everything out. Are you going to talk to Mr. Davenport about making the repairs?”

“Yes. I’ll stop by on my way back to the office.” Charles Davenport owned the only construction company in town. “I’ll call and let you know when he can start.”

Chase hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for everything, Tasha. And thanks for visiting Mom and keeping me updated on her condition.”

“You know how much I love Ms. Velda.”

A smile curved his lips. “Yeah, you were the daughter she always wanted. She spoiled you rotten.”

Natasha shrugged and started down the steps. “It’s not my fault you and Mike never wanted to have tea parties or help redecorate.”

He laughed. “Right. That was never gonna happen, so I’m glad she had you.”

“See you later.” She was still smiling when she got into her car and drove back to town.

She parked in the small lot at the end of the block and walked two doors down to Davenport Family Construction. Inside, she spoke to the receptionist, then took a seat to wait while the woman went down the hall to the back offices. A moment later, she returned and gestured for Natasha to follow her.

“Hey, Natasha.” Mr. Davenport came around his desk and embraced her. “Have a seat. What’s going on?”

“Hey, Mr. D.” She took the offered chair and said, “I wanted to talk to you about getting on the schedule to fix up Ms. Velda’s house. Chase and Mike have decided to sell.”

He shook his head. “I wondered what they were planning to do. It breaks my heart to see her going down like this.” Leaning forward, he tapped a few keys on his computer. “I can put you on the schedule for next Tuesday. Will eleven o’clock work?”

She pulled up her calendar on her phone. “Yep, that’ll be fine.” Since Chase and Mike didn’t live in town, Chase had entrusted Natasha with the task of overseeing the repairs, and she’d promised to keep him updated.

“Okay. How’re your folks doing?”

“They’re doing well. Both keep talking about wanting to retire, saying they’ve had enough of working for the government.”

Mr. Davenport chuckled. “I can’t blame them. I might like to do the same. Sleeping in, fishing—”

“And taking all those trips Mrs. Davenport’s been talking about.” Everyone in town knew about the multitude of travel brochures his wife had. She showed them around every chance she got.

“Yeah, that, too.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “On second thought, maybe I’d better stick around here a while longer and earn a little more money. No telling where that woman will have me going.”

Natasha hopped up from her seat. “On that note,” she said laughingly, “I’m out of here. And your secret is safe with me.” She gave him an exaggerated wink. He loved his wife to distraction, and Natasha knew he’d been teasing. They were still laughing about it as they sauntered toward the front.

“I don’t believe it,” he whispered and stopped abruptly.

She glanced over her shoulder to see what had captured his attention and froze.

What is he doing here?

Mr. Davenport rushed past her and engulfed Antonio Hayes in a crushing hug, but she couldn’t get her feet to move or her mouth to form a sentence. The tall, lanky, handsome basketball player who’d captured her heart at age fifteen had grown into a man with heart-stopping good looks and well-defined muscles that bulged with every movement. When Antonio finally looked her way, his gaze held the same iciness it had the last time their paths had crossed. Well, not exactly crossed. She’d seen him from a distance when he came home a few years ago and thought it was time they cleared the air. He’d seen her coming, turned, and went the other way, but not before glaring at her. Obviously, nothing had changed. Not wanting him to know how much he rattled her, she pasted a smile on her face. “Hey, Antonio. It’s good to see you.”

“Natasha.” Antonio turned back to Mr. Davenport.

Okay, she didn’t expect him to greet her the same way he’d done his godfather, but she figured it had been a long time since their breakup, they were both adults now, and he would at least be somewhere in the vicinity of cordial. Instead, the startling gray eyes that had captivated her the first day she’d seen him in their ninth-grade algebra class now bored into her like a turbulent thunderstorm. “Um, I know you two probably want to catch up, and I need to make a quick stop at the post office. I’ll see you later.” Natasha made a beeline to the exit.

“I guess you’re still sending letters.”

She paused and stared at Antonio for a brief moment, her guilt rising all over again. Yes, she’d sent him a letter ending their relationship during their first year of college, and yes, she regretted not taking his calls to explain how insecure she’d been feeling after he started missing their weekly calls. Her gaze went to Mr. Davenport, who divided a wary glance between them and shook his head. She could only imagine what he thought. Emotions rising, Natasha said nothing as she rushed out the door. In their small town, one would think it difficult not to run into each other, but Antonio had made sure it never happened. He’d also never stayed around more than a couple of days those few times he returned, except when he’d helped build his grandmother’s cottage. She only hoped this time would be the same. Natasha couldn’t take seeing him and knowing he still hated her after all these years.

Antonio Hayes had expected to run into Natasha at some point now that he’d decided to return home, but not less than twenty-four hours after his arrival. The skinny, beautiful girl he’d fallen in love with as a teenager had morphed into an even more gorgeous woman, with enough curves to keep a man busy for days. But the only thing he’d be busy doing was staying as far away from her as possible. Not an easy feat, seeing as how they lived in a small town.

“You all right, son?”

He turned back to his godfather, whose intense and knowing gaze almost made Antonio squirm. “Yeah, I’m good, Uncle Charles.”

“Well, come on back, and you can fill me in on why you really came home.”

Shaking his head, Antonio chuckled and did just that. On the way, he noted that not much had changed in the place since the last time he’d been there a few years ago. “I see everything’s the same.”

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Charles said, dropping down heavily in his chair.

“How’ve you been doing? Dad told me about your blood pressure being up.” Antonio studied the man who’d been a second father to him and taught him everything he knew about construction. Aside from gaining a few pounds, adding some gray strands in his hair, and having a line or two bracketing his light-brown face, he looked okay.

He waved him off. “I’m fine. Doctor put me on some meds and told me I need to keep the stress down.”

“And are you?”

“As much as I can. I’m not pulling those twelve- and fourteen-hour days anymore.”

“Good. You need to learn to delegate more.”

Uncle Charles grunted. “I delegate just fine. What I really need to do is retire so I can sit on my deck or go fishing more often with your father.”

Antonio smiled. “He did mention enjoying retirement.” His father and Uncle Charles had a friendship that spanned more than fifty years. Too bad Antonio couldn’t claim the same. Most of the guys he’d hung out with in school had moved away, and he could count the number of them he’d kept in close contact with on one hand and still have fingers left over. His older brother, Nathaniel, was Antonio’s confidant.

“I knew I should’ve listened and retired when he did last year.”

Laughing, he said, “Dad was more than happy to turn the optometry practice over to Nate. So, when are you planning to retire?”

“Soon, hopefully. What are your plans now that you’re back? And are you staying this time?”

“Not sure yet, and yes, I’m staying.” He’d contemplated moving back several years ago, but knowing Natasha had returned home instead of staying in Los Angeles, as she’d dreamed, he had changed his mind. “To answer the rest of your question, I’d planned to relax for a few weeks before deciding my next steps.” As an investment manager in a top New York firm for the past decade, he’d amassed a nice financial portfolio, which afforded him the opportunity to take some much-needed time off. While there, he’d rarely taken vacations and often worked fifty or sixty hours a week. Now, at age thirty-four, with a failed marriage, he wanted—no needed—a change. Antonio had been close to burnout and missed his family—he especially wanted to be near his ailing grandfather and watch his niece grow up. He just had no idea what that looked like at the moment. “I thought about starting my own investment firm, but I’m not sure that’s something I really want to do. I could always help you out with a few projects,” he added with a grin.

Uncle Charles nodded. “Good. Then I might be able to retire sooner than later.”

Antonio’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “What does my returning home and helping you with a few things have to do with you retiring?”

He leaned forward and clasped his hands on the desk. “I’m sixty-one years old, and I’m tired. My boys have no interest in taking over the business, and after pouring my life into this company, I don’t want to see it go under. Besides, it’s the only construction company in town, and there’s no way I want to see some big corporation come in and take over and change what we’ve got here in Firefly Lake.”

Antonio nodded. He understood his godfather’s viewpoint. There had been several instances when some big company tried to push for a major expansion of homes to “bring more people in,” as they put it. However, their tight-knit community shut them down every time. While they were good with some growth and had technology to rival big cities, the town’s residents enjoyed having no traffic, being able to easily access what they needed, and Antonio’s least favorite part, knowing everyone’s business. He leaned back and folded his arms. “So, what are you going to do?”

“I’m hoping you’ll agree to take over.”

He jerked upright. “Wait. What?” His heart pounded, and he shook his head. Surely he hadn’t heard correctly.

“You heard me. I want to transfer the business to you.”

Antonio lifted a hand. “Why me? Unc, I haven’t worked in construction since I left. I’ve been in finance since I graduated.”

A grin kicked up in the corner of Charles’s mouth. “Maybe not, but I know about you volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. Didn’t you just say you’d help me out? And why not you? It’s your dual engineering and business degrees from Syracuse that make you the perfect choice.”

Antonio fell back against the chair, stunned. Sure, he’d once dreamed of owning his own construction business, but things were different back then. Then, it was supposed to be him and Natasha—he’d build the houses and she’d use her interior design degree to decorate them. Since their relationship imploded, he had shoved the fantasy into the deep recesses of his mind and locked the door.

“I love you as if you were my own son, and I know you’d do me proud.”

Inhaling deeply, Antonio struggled to maintain his composure. That his godfather trusted him with his life’s work was humbling.

“How about you think on it for a few days before giving me your answer?”

“Thanks.” He stood. “I’ll let you know within a week.”

Rising to his feet, Charles extended his hand. “Sounds like a plan. Here’s the key to the place. Stay as long as you need. Oh, and you’re more than welcome to come by for dinner tonight. Marcie would love to see you.”

“I appreciate that. Mom’s cooking tonight, but tell Aunt Marcie I’ll stop by soon.” Uncle Charles had built four two- and three-bedroom homes to accommodate his out-of-town family that visited during the holidays, citing the need to maintain the peace and quiet of his own house. Antonio would be renting one of the two-bedroom houses. And not a moment too soon. Ever since he stated his intention to move home, his mother had been steadily trying to let him know about all the available single women in town. He’d spent last night with his parents, and she’d continued her campaign. However, he wasn’t interested. He’d been part of the heartbreak club twice, and he was done.

Natasha decided on something simple for dinner—chicken and shrimp fajitas with cilantro rice and peach cobbler and ice cream for dessert. After setting the cobbler on a trivet to cool, she heard the doorbell and went to answer the door. She smiled at Terri. “Hey, girl. Come on in.”

“Hey. Ooh, it smells so good in here, and I’m starving.” Terri followed Natasha to the kitchen. “It was so busy in the emergency room today, I was only able to eat six bites of my salad and guzzle half a bottle of water. And I had to do an extra three hours to cover for another nurse.”

“Well, have a seat and relax.” She gestured to the bar and pushed a small cutting board filled with cheese, crackers, and sliced apples in front of her friend. “I figured you’d be coming straight from the hospital, so this should hold you until dinner. Dana is on her way, and she’ll be making margaritas.”

“Hallelujah!” Terri said as she bit into a cracker topped with smoked cheddar.

Laughing, Natasha turned on the stovetop grill, then retrieved the plate holding the seasoned chicken breasts and shrimp skewers and a bowl filled with sliced bell peppers and onions. She placed the meat on the preheated grill and added olive oil to a sauté pan for the vegetables. Serenity had turned her on to the flavored oils, and Natasha had become hooked immediately.

“Oh, this hits the spot.” When the doorbell rang again, Terri hopped off the stool. “I’ll get it. I don’t want you to risk burning dinner.”

Natasha laughed, shook her head, and checked the food cooking. She didn’t know what she’d do without her friends. As excited as she’d been earlier, seeing Antonio had put a damper on her day. Admittedly, time had been good to him. He was even more handsome than in high school—smooth walnut skin, close-cropped black hair, and a slim, muscular build. Even though the temperatures hovered in the low sixties, he’d forgone a jacket and worn a fitted tee that let her know he still kept up with his workout regimen. She turned the meat and checked the rice. Seeing it was done, she turned off the burne. . .