Prologue

Monica Montgomery sipped her champagne as she watched over the roomful of celebrating people. Her nephew Zach had finally married his assistant, Gabriella, and she couldn’t take her gaze from them. The way they looked at one another told everyone how in love they were. It made her heart happy. They were yet another couple her beloved husband, William, had helped along on their road to true love.

How had she gotten so lucky? William had approached her so many years ago because—he swore—after one look, he knew she was the one for him. Their life together had truly been perfect—even after almost forty years of marriage. He had followed up with matchmaking for their own sons and then branched off to some of their nieces and nephews.

Zach and Gabriella were his latest success story.

“I have to say, Monica, you’re looking almost as pleased as your husband right now.”

Monica turned as her sister-in-law Eliza sat beside her with her own glass of champagne. With a smile, they touched glasses.

“I am pleased,” Monica said. “I can’t remember ever seeing Zach look so happy. He was always such a serious young man.”

Eliza agreed. “Being in love suits him. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Eliza said as she turned in her seat to look at Monica head-on.

“Really?”

“I want grandkids!” she blurted out.

The thought of her own grandchildren made Monica smile. “They are wonderful. We’ve got six of them now, and I’m telling you, it feels so good to hear those little voices and laughter throughout the house again.”

“I want that,” Eliza stated. “But…I think we must have done something wrong.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Look at them, Monica.” She motioned toward the crowded room.

“I can’t find them.”

“Exactly. It was like pulling teeth to convince Megan to wear a dress today, then it was a month’s worth of arguing to convince Christian to take time off for the wedding, and Carter’s been on the phone almost since he got off the plane yesterday,” she said with exasperation. “I appreciate a good work ethic, but this is ridiculous. Even his father takes a break every now and then.” She paused and looked at the dance floor again.

“Oh! Monica, look!” Eliza hissed. “Megan’s dancing! Who’s she dancing with?”

Monica looked a little closer and smiled. “That’s Alex,” she said. “He’s a friend of Zach’s. Actually, he was Zach’s physical therapist after his accident, and they became good friends. William and I have met him on several occasions, and he is the nicest young man.”

“You don’t say…”

For a few minutes, they sat in silence and watched as Megan and Alex danced to a more upbeat number and then two slower ones. By the fourth dance, Monica’s mind was starting to go to places normally only her husband’s went.

Leaning in close to Eliza, she said, “You know, that’s four dances.”

Eliza nodded.

“Normally, if you’re only being polite, you accept one dance. Two dances, tops. But four?”

“I have to admit, I don’t think I’ve ever seen my daughter look quite so…smitten.”

Monica smiled and then looked across the room to where her husband was standing and talking with his brothers. It gave her a little bit of a thrill to know he seemed oblivious to what was happening on the dance floor.

“They’re holding hands!” Eliza cried. “That’s definitely not something you do to be polite, right?”

“I wouldn’t think so, but then again, it’s been a long time since I’ve been on a dance floor with someone other than my husband.”

They both laughed and watched as Megan and Alex blended into the crowd on the other side of the room.

Too bad, Monica thought. She wanted to watch them for a little longer because she was already thinking of doing a little matchmaking of her own.

Alex Rebat was exactly the type of man she would want for her own daughter—if she had one. So it only seemed right that he would also be the kind of man she’d want for her niece.

“Where is Megan working these days?”

Eliza sighed. “She’s been at this company in Albany for about a year now. She has a contract with them, and she’ll be there for another eighteen months. Maybe more. I hate it. It’s so far away!”

“You’re only a couple of hours away, Eliza. Last I checked, Manhattan wasn’t that long of a drive from Albany.”

“Fine, it’s not. But…the way she works it might as well be on the other side of the country. All she does is work! She doesn’t date, she doesn’t socialize… I’m telling you, if I want any grandchildren from her, I’m going to have to pry her from the office with a crowbar.”

“It won’t matter,” Monica said. “She can have all kinds of tech devices hidden in her purse to work on anytime and anyplace.”

“That’s not encouraging, Monica.”

“No. But it’s a fact. And believe me, as the mother of three former workaholics, I know what I’m talking about.”

“So…what do I do? How do I get her out of this…this pattern?”

Before Monica could reply, her husband walked over with a big smile on his face. “Are you two lovely ladies enjoying yourselves?” William asked.

“We’re having a wonderful time,” Eliza said with a hint of whimsy.

William handed his wife a fresh glass of champagne. “Do you see how happy Zach looks?” He raised his own glass in a mock salute. “I do believe this match was one of my more satisfying ones.”

“You’re certainly a genius, dear,” Monica said as she sipped her drink in an effort to hide her grin.

He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her temple. When he straightened, he said, “Your kids are too spread out, Eliza. They may be more challenging for me. But given a little time, I think I can figure something out.”

Eliza was about to respond when Monica gently kicked her under the table.

“I’m sure you’ll come up with something clever,” Monica said with a sincere smile at her husband. “Now why don’t you go see when they’re going to be serving dessert. I believe my sweet tooth is calling.”

With a loving smile, he bowed and said, “As you wish.”

Monica watched him walk away, and out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Megan and Alex walking out of the ballroom smiling.

She sighed happily. “What are you doing tomorrow after breakfast, Eliza?”

Shrugging, Eliza looked at her curiously. “We’re here for the weekend so Joseph can play golf with William and Robert once his father-of-the-groom responsibilities are done. Why? What do you have in mind?”

Monica gave her a sly grin. “I’ve learned a thing or two, and I think it’s time for this matchmaking thing to have a female touch. Are you in?”

Eliza’s eyes went wide, and then her smile matched them. “I do believe I am.”