Truly, there was only one woman he’d ever thought he’d marry—and he’d messed that up before he’d had a chance to put a ring on her finger. His gut had told him to come to the preacher for help. If this was Seth’s answer, then maybe it was the right thing to do.
“Will you help me write the ad?” he asked.
Seth laced his fingers together and then stretched them out in front of him. He grinned in such a way that he looked very un-preacher-like. “I know just what to say.”
“I’m glad one of us does.” Cash scooted forward until his butt was on the edge of the seat.
A part of him thought this was the dumbest idea in the history of ideas. Another part hoped it worked.
Either way, he had a strange feeling that God’s hand was in this, and he’d better hang on.
Chapter 4
Maggie flashed a smile at the camera, the kind that every morning talk show producer loved to feature as the announcer wrapped things up and they went to commercial. As soon as the director called “cut,” her cheeks dropped.
Moose Creek wasn’t what she’d thought it would be as she’d driven an hour from the airport to this small town the night before. She could throw a rock from one end of Main Street to the other, and the hotel she stayed at was little more than a B&B with a plumbing problem.
Someone should really do a makeover on that place. If only she had more time in the day, she’d gladly take on that project. This was part of her problem—there were so many interesting things to do in this life that she couldn’t seem to land on one for very long.
Still, there was a wealthy aspect to the town. The ski resort on the hill had homes in the million-dollar range, and if she hit the touristy spots, she’d find the taxes that provided for city maintenance.
“You did great.” The host of the morning show, Jennifer Buckner, patted her arm. “I love what you said about kitchens being a place to feed your soul. My grandma used to bake with me—lots of pumpkin recipes—and those are my favorite memories.”
Maggie smiled, for real this time. “You’re speaking from the heart. It’s further proof that the kitchen is the heart of the home.”
Jennifer removed her mic pack and handed it to the technician. “How long are you in town?”
Maggie followed her example and took off her mic. “Well, I was hoping to rent a place here and finish my cookbook.” Start it was more like it. “But I’m not sure where to start.”
Jennifer laughed, motioning for Maggie to follow her. “You just need to know where to look.” She retrieved her phone from a table and typed quickly. “This is The Matchmaker. You can find anything from a basement apartment for rent to a nanny goat here. If it’s available in Moose Creek, then it’s listed.” She handed her phone to Maggie to scroll.
The show’s secretary approached, a clipboard in her hand. “Jenn, we have a couple voice-overs that need to be done before you go today.”
Jennifer took the clipboard.
Maggie wasn’t surprised that they’d printed out the script for her. This small studio was in the technological dark ages. They were doing the best they could on a limited budget. The set design was top notch, though. They must have dumped most of their budget into backdrops.
A headline of “Short Term Arrangement” caught her eye, and she clicked on the link.
Man looking for wife for a short time.
Must be between the ages of 25 and 30, career minded, and willing to cohabitate. Platonic replies only.
“What is this?” Maggie almost yelled. She thrust the phone at Jennifer, eyeing her like she was a member of a cult.
Jennifer took the phone and scanned the ad. Her face lit up. “Gerry. Gerry! We’ve got another one.” She trotted off, her heels clopping as she went.
The secretary gave her a look.
Maggie shrugged. “It was an ad for a short-term wife. Does that happen a lot around here?” She glanced around, silently counting up the number of men versus women. It didn’t seem like there was a huge number of one or the other.
The secretary shook her head. “We’ve had two other ads before. No one knows who’s placing them—or how it turns out. Our source at city hall won’t reveal a thing other than what’s public record, and The Matchmaker’s owner is buttoned up. Jenn would love to break this story wide open and find out if people are actually getting married or if they’re a big prank.” She pulled out her own phone and brought up the site.
Maggie nodded. That sounded like a story that would get picked up by some of the bigger networks. Which would open doors for Jennifer if she wanted to climb the network ladder. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s a scheme by the owner to drum up business. Every time one of these ads pops up, circulation goes through the roof.” She leaned over and scanned the phone. “Although they usually have more to them.”
“Like what?”
