The Proposal Plot — Kathleen Fuller

A headstrong young businesswoman. An unlucky-in-love bachelor. And the chaperoning assignment that keeps pushing them together.

For someone so strong-willed and certain, Ella Yoder has never been more unsure of her life. It's been a year since she convinced her father to move with her and her younger sister Junia to Marigold, Ohio, to open E and J Grocery. Ella's got a keen eye for running a business and has big dreams to expand. But her plans are stalled because Junia refuses to lift a finger at the store--or listen to her about anything.

Nelson Bontranger knows one thing for sure: creating his own artisan deli meats is his passion. Well, maybe one other thing: he's sworn off women forever. After two bouts of heartbreak, he's not willing to open up himself to a third. When he eyes his own butcher shop next to E and J Grocery in Marigold, he's surprised to learn that Ella has had her eye on the property for some time. He doesn't trust this stubborn, pushy young woman--and for her, the feeling is mutual.

Against their wishes, Ella and Nelson's paths continue to cross when Nelson's nephew Malachi falls head over heels for Junia. Nelson and Ella are brought together to keep the lovebirds in check, but somewhere along the line, their frustration turns to something altogether more pleasant. But they will both need to come to terms with past pain before they can find their future happiness.