Juliette (The Switchboard Sisterhood #5)
V.A. McKevitt, Donna Schlachter

Patrick Bruder lives and works in the social elite of Anchorage, Alaska, and should have the pick of any woman in town. Instead, his physical and emotional scars keep him in the background, spending spare time with married couples. As assistant manager of the Anchorage Citizens and Miners Bank, which his father founded after striking it rich in the gold fields, Patrick’s future has already been decided for him. Smallpox scars remind him of how precious life is, and following his fiancee’s betrayal many years before, he carries a broken heart and a strong resolve to avoid women. At all costs. He supports the local art scene, traveling to San Francisco and beyond often, but still finds evenings lonely. He needs a pet. Not a dog, as his father is allergic. Maybe a cat.