Matt Pendleton
Matt Pendleton is forty two years old, a widower, with four children.
Matt is a detective with the Seattle Police Department, partnered for eight years by his good friend Paul Meccelli.
Matt shared a successful and happy marriage for fifteen years with Caroline, whom he met at high school. When Caroline Pendleton was diagnosed with ovarian cancer shortly after the birth of their fourth child, Matt did everything in his power to support, nurse and comfort his wife. He was devastated when she died and he’s struggled to come to terms with her loss ever since.
When we meet Matt, he is lonely and desperate for company. At the suggestion of his friend, Paul, Matt makes an appointment to spend an afternoon with an escort. Matt isn’t comfortable with the idea, but he’s growing desperate for the touch of a woman, something he’s missed for eighteen long months.
Meeting ‘Sienna’ at the hotel, Matt is absolutely overwhelmed by her beauty and sweet nature. While their meeting is a disaster, Matt finds that afterwards, he can’t get the young woman out of his mind.
His eyes were lovely, whisky brown in color and framed by long dark lashes. He was carrying a few lines around his eyes, and his chestnut brown hair was wavy, tinged with a little grey which didn’t detract from his charm. He obviously looked after his body, Paul had told her Matt was in his early forties, but he had the body of a thirty year old.
Courtney Pendleton
Matt’s eldest daughter is Courtney, who is ‘fifteen, going on twenty five’
Courtney was thirteen when her mother died, and she’s struggled to cope ever since. She has a difficult relationship with Matt, and does things to garner attention, such as deciding to get her bellybutton pierced, when she knows it will make Matt crazy.
Courtney loves her father, but struggles to show him any affection after her mother’s death. A fifteen year old girl finds adolescence difficult enough, but to losing her mother has made Courtney’s journey to adulthood more difficult than it is for other teenagers.
Courtney worries about her father’s career as a detective, although she hasn’t spoken to him regarding the subject, she deeply fears losing her only remaining parent to the dangers of his job.
She was a beautiful young woman, with long dark blonde hair and Matt’s eyes, her pretty features beginning to lose their childish looks as she developed into womanhood. Wearing torn jeans and a skimpy t-shirt, Emily could see how Matt would be struggling to deal with her.
Harper Pendleton
Harper Pendleton is Matt’s second daughter. Twelve years old, she’s the mother hen of the family, providing support to her siblings after the loss of their mother. Harper can be very bossy, and annoys her father and siblings with her necessity for interfering in their business, but her actions are based on her desire to have everyone do the right thing.
Harper was sweet, she’d informed Emily she was twelve and when Emily had the chance to sit down Harper had been at here side and chatted easily. She’s obviously taken on the role of mother hen in the Pendleton household. A very bossy mother hen, Emily thought with a smile, the young girl had been constantly watching what the others were doing and wasn’t shy about telling them if she thought they were misbehaving.
Brandon Pendleton
Brandon is nine years old, and Matt and Caroline Pendleton’s only son. Brandon loves playing X-box with his friends, and is known to challenge his grandfather to the occasional game.
Brandon enjoys sport, he plays baseball with a local team on the weekends, and when Matt can’t make the games, Brandon is happy to attend with his grandfather.
Brandon was a nice young man, he’d spent a long time talking with Emily about X-Box games, and sports he enjoyed playing. He had the same whisky coloured eyes as his father.
Millie Pendleton
The youngest member of the Pendleton family, Millie is five years old. She adores her father and grandparents, and is a bright and happy child.
Millie’s mother died when she was only three years old, so Millie has very few memories of Caroline. Matt tries to keep Caroline’s memory alive in Millie’s heart, by sharing stories and pictures of her with Millie.
Millie loves drawing and watching Disney stories. Her favorite movie is Frozen. She loves jelly beans of any flavor and adores her siblings.
Millie had already stolen her heart; the little girl was so sweet with her dark hair pulled into plaits and a chubby little face.
Caroline Pendleton
Matt’s beloved wife, she was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer shortly after Millie’s birth. Despite trying every treatment available, she lost her battle with the cancer.
Caroline had been so many things to him – his wife, his lover, his best friend. She’d been the core of their family, quick to laugh, a bright, intelligent woman taken too soon. It was Caroline he had to thank for his financial stability after her death – it was her insistence which had seen them both take out life insurance when they’d married – the same life insurance which had paid off the mortgage on their dream home and left him in a financially stable situation to bring up their four children alone.
D.S. Williams 