Love Me Tender, Love Me True
Love Me Tender, Love Me True
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167 Pages
3-4 Hours
51K Words
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Can an Elvis-obsessed puppy sitter and an uptight museum owner tackle a summer bucket list without falling in love?
When Juliana Romano agrees to dogsit a puppy in Hudson Springs, New York, she hopes it will help her forget the painful memories she left behind in Portugal. Then she finds a stranger skinny-dipping in the pool and she calls the cops on him, only to discover he owns the house and she’s the intruder. He agrees to let her stay and continue her puppy-sitting job—as long as she keeps to herself. At the suggestion of family friends, Juliana makes a summer bucket-list, knowing it’s the distraction she needs before she goes home.
Matt Garrison is home for the summer after failing to secure funding for the museum he owns. Forced to close for the foreseeable future, he only wants to be left alone to research plans for reopening. But sharing his house with a Portuguese woman and a puppy is the farthest from peace and quiet he can get—between her early morning obsession with Elvis Presley music, the puppy’s chewing of his belongings, and the meddling of old ladies, Matt finds himself smothered in company.
As Matt reluctantly joins Juliana in carrying out the items on her list, he realizes his first impression of her is all wrong. The more time Juliana spends with Matt, the less interested she is to return home. Is the attraction they feel only temporary or are they willing to work for a happy-ever-after?
If you like sweet romance stories set in a small town, with a reluctant hero, a spunky heroine, and an adorable rescue puppy, you'll love this fresh take on a romantic classic! Welcome to Hudson Springs, New York, where the neighbors always meddle and love is just around the corner! Unforgettable stories of new beginnings, second chances, and found family. Perfect for fans of Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, and Chesapeake Shores!
Main Tropes
- grumpy/sunshine
- small town
- rescue pets
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Refund and Return Policy
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Synopsis
Synopsis
Can an Elvis-obsessed puppy sitter and an uptight museum owner tackle a summer bucket list without falling in love?
When Juliana Romano agrees to dogsit a puppy in Hudson Springs, New York, she hopes it will help her forget the painful memories she left behind in Portugal. Then she finds a stranger skinny-dipping in the pool and she calls the cops on him, only to discover he owns the house and she’s the intruder. He agrees to let her stay and continue her puppy-sitting job—as long as she keeps to herself. At the suggestion of family friends, Juliana makes a summer bucket-list, knowing it’s the distraction she needs before she goes home.
Matt Garrison is home for the summer after failing to secure funding for the museum he owns. Forced to close for the foreseeable future, he only wants to be left alone to research plans for reopening. But sharing his house with a Portuguese woman and a puppy is the farthest from peace and quiet he can get—between her early morning obsession with Elvis Presley music, the puppy’s chewing of his belongings, and the meddling of old ladies, Matt finds himself smothered in company.
As Matt reluctantly joins Juliana in carrying out the items on her list, he realizes his first impression of her is all wrong. The more time Juliana spends with Matt, the less interested she is to return home. Is the attraction they feel only temporary or are they willing to work for a happy-ever-after?
If you like sweet romance stories set in a small town, with a reluctant hero, a spunky heroine, and an adorable rescue puppy, you'll love this fresh take on a romantic classic!Welcome to Hudson Springs, New York, where the neighbors always meddle and love is just around the corner! Unforgettable stories of new beginnings, second chances, and found family. Perfect for fans of Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, and Chesapeake Shores!
Intro into Chapter One
Intro into Chapter One
Hudson Springs, New York
Mid May
Matt
Why was there a puppy running away with his underwear through the backyard?
Matt Garrison swam to the ledge of the swimming pool and stopped short of hoisting himself out. He couldn’t. Not as naked as the day he’d made an entrance into this world.
If there was a puppy, there might be a puppy owner not too far, he hoped. And getting out of the water without a stitch of clothing would not go well. He was stuck. Going for a quick swim in the buff had seemed like a good idea at the time—what better way to relax after a long day and a trip gone wrong? He seldom did it like this, but it had felt just right today. Now he questioned his impulsive decision.
He whistled the kind of sounds he’d seen dog people do. “Hey, puppy,” he called out.
The puppy stopped before reaching the patio, still clutching Matt’s boxers in his mouth.
Matt winced. There went one of his favorite pairs.
Whose puppy was it anyway? Surely not Darrell’s; his cousin knew better.
“Come on, come closer. I won’t hurt you.”
The puppy barked, tiny barks that were surprisingly loud and sharp, and then dropped the underwear onto the grass. Matt eyed the distance between the pair of boxers and his pile of discarded clothes sitting on the lounger just off the patio. Did he dare make a run for it?
A woman walked out from the kitchen and knelt by the dog. “How did you get outside again? I thought I closed the doors.” The puppy grabbed the underwear and laid down to chew on it.
“What is this? What are you chewing on?” She quickly snatched it from his mouth and held the clothing article by her fingertips. “Eww, is this underwear?” She dropped it back on the ground and turned to the puppy. “Ollie, where did you find it?”
“Those are mine,” Matt said, projecting his voice so she could hear him.
She gasped aloud and stepped backward, then scooped up the puppy into her arms. “What are you doing here? How did you get in? You need to leave right now.”
She spoke fast and loudly and with an accent—European, if he had to guess—while backing away to the safety of the open door behind her.
He gestured to his clothes. “I need those first.” He also needed to find out who she was and what she was doing in his house with a puppy.
Her eyes darted between him and his clothes and then widened with understanding. Before Matt could say another word, she turned inside and locked the door.
He suppressed a sigh. As soon as she was out of sight, he jumped out of the pool with his hands strategically placed and ran to the chair, then hurried to put on his pants. The task turned out to be harder than he’d anticipated, what with wet skin and without underwear. Lesson learned—no more skinny dipping in his own pool. His backyard turned out to be less private than he’d thought.
Matt grabbed his shoes and clutched the rest of his clothes to his chest, then detoured to pick up the now-infamous black boxers and darted to the office side door he had used earlier. It was locked. The woman must have beat him to it. How had she known? By the time he made it back to the kitchen door, she wasn’t alone.
One of the local police officers, a middle-aged man he’d seen around town on occasion, opened the door and stepped aside. “Mr. Garrison.”
How had he arrived so quickly? He must have been in the neighborhood already. It was the only explanation.
“Officer MacDonald.” Matt entered the kitchen and kept to the rug trying to minimize the dripping on the tile. The cooler temperature inside the house pebbled his skin and he kept a firm hold on the bundle of clothes in front of his wet pants. Despite not being naked anymore, he still felt as if he were.
“I’m not sure I understand what’s going on at the present,” the officer said. He looked behind him to where the woman stood at the far back of the kitchen. “Is this the man you saw in the pool?”
“Yes, he’s the intruder.” Her voice was firm.
The puppy barked, as if agreeing with her, and she shushed him.
“Do you know this woman?” The officer asked Matt.
“I’ve never seen her before.” Despite not knowing her, she looked familiar, but he wasn’t about to admit to that when she was the trespasser, not him. What was she doing in his home? How had she gotten in? He had so many questions.
She looked to be in her mid-twenties and had dark brown hair and large brown eyes. If they had met somewhere else and under different circumstances, he would have found her attractive, but that was beyond the point at the present. Definitely something he shouldn’t be noticing right this moment.
The officer looked between Matt and the woman. “Looks like we have a situation here.”
“Excuse me, officer. Are you just going to let the man stand there?”
Was that annoyance in her tone? That was all he needed, an entitled female. Matt cocked an eyebrow. She sounded awfully sure of herself in a situation that wasn’t looking in her favor.
“Actually, no, miss.” He turned to Matt. “Mr. Garrison, why don’t you go change into something a little less wet? I’ll keep an eye on the lady until you return.”
Matt nodded and crossed the kitchen to reach the hallway. “Thank you, officer. I’ll be right back.”
The woman frowned and shrank back as he passed. “What do you mean, he’s going to change?” She directed the question at officer MacDonald.
Matt didn’t wait for the officer’s reply as he left toward the service stairs to his bedroom on the second floor. Once there, found dry underwear and then pulled on a pair of joggers, an athletic T-shirt, and slip-on shoes. He’d take a shower after this mess was resolved.
Back in the kitchen, the woman still clutched the puppy who seemed too content to be in her arms.
Officer MacDonald pulled out a chair. “Miss, please sit down. What is your name?” He retrieved a small notepad and a pen from his pocket.
The woman sat and pulled the puppy onto her lap. “My name is Juliana Romano.”
Matt’s eyebrows shot up. “Romano? Are you from Portugal?” That was why she looked so familiar; she must be related to Luciana DiLorenzo, who had been a Romano when he met her, before she got married to Jack DiLorenzo.
“So, you do know her,” Officer MacDonald said, looking at him.
“No, but I’ve met her cousin Luciana.”
“You must know my cousin Luciana,” she said at the same time.
“Miss Romano, how did you come to be inside Mr. Garrison’s home?”
She shifted in her chair. “Mr. Garrison’s home? Isn’t this Mr. Darrell Anderson’s home? I’m—I’m Oliver’s sitter.”
Was she finally realizing she was the intruder? Matt slipped his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. Even though he was in the right, he was still curious to know how Luciana’s cousin had come to be in his house.
“Who’s Oliver?” Officer MacDonald asked.
“The puppy.” She lifted one of his paws and waved, and the dog actually grinned, as if he knew the attention was on him during the introduction. “He belongs to Kate Wilde.”
“Kate is Darrell’s girlfriend,” Matt said to the officer.
“Why did Miss Wilde need a sitter for her puppy?” The officer continued taking notes.
Juliana Romano readjusted the puppy on her lap. “Kate and Mr. Darrell left on a trip, and they couldn’t take Oliver with them.”
Now that Matt recognized her accent, it sounded obviously familiar—she talked just like her cousin, with the same inflection.
“Why didn’t you stay at Miss Wilde’s home?” The officer asked.
“Mr. Darrell offered his home because it has a larger yard.”
How many spots on the lawn had the puppy ruined already? Matt didn’t want to think about it.
“I own the home,” Matt said, trying to keep his tone even and non-threatening. “Mister Darrell is my cousin who’s been living with me for some time.” It was supposed to be a temporary situation but had turned longer instead, much longer.
Officer MacDonald turned to him. “And your cousin didn’t tell you about this arrangement with Miss Romano?”
“No, he didn’t.” He hadn’t even sent him a text. Typical Darrell.
Juliana Romano winced. “Which means I’m the intruder,” she admitted, shoulders slumping.
***





