There is only one person I know who deserves to be named "Mother of the Year" and that's my sister, Roxanne Perry. When we were little girls, Roxanne used to dream about getting married and having a large, happy family. We'd dress ourselves in toilet paper veils and make bouquets out of plastic flowers and whisper about the handsome men we'd marry. Roxanne found her Prince Charming and they had four beautiful children together. But fairy tales don't always have happy endings, and a few years ago, Roxanne was forced to wake up and recognize that the man she married had turned from a prince to a big, fat, warty toad.

Though her husband walked away from their marriage and their family, Roxanne ignored her own pain and did everything in her power to help her children adjust. It was hard at first, but she's always maintained a positive attitude. Every day, she wakes up with a smile on her face, her only thought for her children's happiness. She's brave and resilient, patient and loving, and the best sister a girl could ever have. But beyond that, she's the best mother I know. And if I could be half the mother she is, then I know my children would grow up happy and healthy.

If Roxanne knew I was nominating her for this contest, she would be embarrassed. She believes that simply loving her children is its own reward. But I want her to know that the difficult path she's walking in life is important and it does count for something. I want everyone to know that Roxanne Perry is the very best mother I know.

* * *

Carl Lawrence reread the copy of the letter once more, then glanced at the photo of Roxanne Perry and her family. The publicity department at Family Voyager magazine had contacted WBAM, hoping that Carl's radio station would provide some additional media coverage for their contest, possibly an interview with Roxanne on Carl's afternoon show, Baltimore At Home . At first, Carl hadn't been interested. But then his promotions manager had called Roxanne's sister, Renee, and she'd provided more background, including the photo.

Roxanne Perry was a beautiful young woman, Carl mused. Dark-haired and slender, with a pretty smile and lively eyes. He tossed the picture on his desk and leaned back in his chair. She was exactly the kind of girl he'd always hoped his son, Kit, might one day marry, a woman who could make Kit happy for a lifetime. A woman who would provide Carl with a gaggle of grandchildren to occupy his retirement years. Instead, he spent his days as general manager of Baltimore's WBAM, Talk Radio 1010, a job he'd returned to after his wife had died.

Grandchildren wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility if Kit would just start to take his relationships with women a bit more seriously, Carl thought. But, the women he chose to date were icy beauties who had no interest in a future raising children and keeping a house. In truth, Kit paid more attention to Carl's sporadic social life than he did to his own, determined to keep Carl's widower status and family stock portfolio intact.

Carl reached across his desk and picked up a framed photo of his wife. She'd died ten years ago, but there were times when it seemed as if it were just yesterday. "I want him to be happy," he murmured. "I want him to have a real life. And damn it, I want grandchildren."

Kit had been such a sweet and caring kid, a boy who used to bring home hurt birds and stray cats, who used to cry inconsolably when his goldfish died. A boy with a soft heart and a big smile. Now, all he cared about was his next deal. Kit measured his success in terms of dollars and cents.

"You would have made a much better matchmaker, Louise," Carl said, setting the picture back in its spot. He grabbed the photo of Roxanne Perry and shoved it back into the file folder. And in that instant, an idea hit him. More than an idea, a plan! If Kit wasn't going to find a wife for himself, then Carl would have to take on the responsibility. But he'd have to go about it in a very careful way. If Kit suspected he was being set up, the plan would be doomed to failure.

Carl smiled. "Grandchildren," he murmured. "If I'm going to get grandchildren, I've got to find the right daughter-in-law." And he knew exactly where to start.

He grabbed a pad of paper and scribbled Kit's name on the left side and Roxanne Perry's on the right. First, he'd have to find a way to put them together, a way for them to meet on neutral ground. He glanced at the photo. She was an attractive woman and Kit would see that immediately. But Kit knew a lot of beautiful women. What would spark an interest in Roxanne Perry?

"She has to be a challenge," Carl muttered, writing the word down between their two names. Most women fell all over themselves to date Kit. He was handsome and charming and rich, all the qualities that a good catch needed. But if a woman didn't show any interest at all, then Kit was usually intrigued and began a single-minded pursuit.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Paris Or Bust! by Kate Hoffman Jacqueline Diamond Jill Shalvis Copyright © 2003 by Harlequin Enterprises Ltd.
Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.