03/05/2026
Dalton Matthews' life existed in two worlds.
There was the Dalton the church folk knew — Pastor Matthews, calm and composed, always ready with a prayer or a word of wisdom, dodging matchmaking aunties and Clarissa's relentless pursuit like it was sport.
And then there was the Dalton that only a handful of people in the country knew — the man who signed eight-figure development deals over breakfast and whose name quietly appeared on the deed of half the luxury properties in Atlanta, Charlotte, and New York.
Most folks in Stone Haven assumed he was "well-off." They had no idea he was a billionaire.
And he intended to keep it that way.
Dalton sat at the long glass conference table in his Atlanta office, his tailored navy suit crisp, his beard freshly lined, a thick file in front of him. The view behind him stretched out over the city skyline, but his attention was fixed on the man sitting across the table.
Thomas DeWitt, CEO of one of the Southeast's largest Black-owned development firms. And one of the few people who knew exactly who Dalton Matthews really was.
Thomas leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he studied Dalton.
"You know why I called this meeting," he said, voice smooth but measured.
Dalton nodded once ."The Midtown Redevelopment Project."
Thomas gave a slow smile. "Biggest project Atlanta's seen in years. Thirty acres of prime real estate. Mixed-use development. Retail, residential, and office space. We've got the funding lined up, but the board wants to partner with someone who's not just about money."
Dalton arched a brow. "I've never been just about money."
Thomas nodded in agreement. "That's why I brought your name to the table. But, Pastor Matthews —" He paused, letting the title settle heavily in the air. "The board is concerned about appearances."
Dalton's jaw ticked.
Thomas continued carefully. "They want a 'family man' leading this. Someone who looks… stable, settled. Marketable."
Dalton exhaled slowly, already knowing where this was headed. "You want me to play husband."
Thomas shrugged. "Play engaged, at least. Long enough to get the deal across the line."
Dalton leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the sleek glass table. He didn't respond right away, letting the request sit between them like a live wire.
Thomas broke the silence first. "I know you're not the type to play games, Dalton. Neither am I. But this board, these investors — they want to feel good about who's leading this. They want to sell family-friendly. Community-driven."
Dalton's jaw flexed again. He understood the game. He'd played it for years in New York — showing up clean, polished, smiling, saying all the right things to make the money men comfortable.
But this? This situation was different. Before he could respond, Thomas slid another folder across the table. Dalton flipped it open, his eyes scanning quickly. The budget. The city contracts. The projected profits.
And there, under "Proposed Project Management Firm," was a name that stopped him cold:
Bennett & Co. Project Management & Design.
Val's firm.
Dalton's brows lifted slightly, though he kept his face neutral. "You're looking at Bennett & Co. for the project?"
Thomas nodded, leaning forward. "Her reputation precedes her. I've heard about her Atlanta firm for years — sharp, efficient, knows how to get things done without the ego most of these corporate firms carry." He paused, a slow smile creeping across his face. "I didn't even realize she was back in Stone Haven until I looked at the updated proposal this morning."
Dalton kept his expression cool, but something shifted in his chest.
Thomas continued, tapping the folder. "We want to award her firm the project management contract, but it would look even better if the two leads were seen as a team."
Dalton glanced up sharply. Thomas raised a brow. "A personal team." Dalton exhaled slowly, already seeing how this puzzle fit together.
Thomas smiled knowingly, sliding the folder back toward Dalton. "Look, I'm not saying y'all gotta run off and get married tomorrow. But if the optics look like you're… close, engaged, even — it'll make this deal unstoppable."
Dalton shook his head slightly, almost amused at how God's timing worked. He'd spent the last year ducking Clarissa, dodging every church mother trying to set him up, politely declining every blind date Renee and his mama tried to arrange.
And now, sitting across from a multi-million-dollar project, the answer being handed to him was the very woman he hadn't been able to get off his mind since she stepped back into his church. Valerie Bennett.
Thomas's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Think about it, Pastor. Sometimes the appearance of having everything together… makes the whole room lean in."
Dalton closed the folder, a slow smile creeping across his lips. "Appearances," he murmured.
********
By the time Dalton returned to Stone Haven that evening, the weight of the proposal still sat heavily on his chest. But beneath the weight, there was something else.
Opportunity.
A chance to finally bridge the worlds he'd been keeping separate: business, faith, and something else he hadn't dared admit he wanted.
He parked his Cadillac Escalade outside the small brick church office, the night air cool against his skin as he stepped out. Before heading inside, he pulled out his phone and scrolled to Val's contact. He'd gotten her number through her mother under the guise of realtor business.
He stared at the screen for a moment, thumb hovering. Then, without overthinking, he typed:
DALTON: Would you be open to meeting tomorrow evening? I have a business opportunity I think you'll want to hear.
He hit send before he could talk himself out of it. The reply came faster than he expected.
VAL: Business? Or another church dinner ambush?
Dalton smiled at the screen, shaking his head.
DALTON: Strictly business. I'll even let you pick the place.
*****
The next evening, Val sat at a small, upscale bistro just outside Stone Haven — far enough away from church eyes, close enough that neither of them could pretend they weren't deliberately meeting.
Dalton arrived on time, dressed in dark jeans and a white button-up — but still carrying that effortless authority that made people stop and pay attention.
Val greeted him with a polite nod, her expression unreadable. "I'm intrigued," she said as he sat across from her. "You don't strike me as the type to do business over dinner."
Dalton gave her a faint smile. "Only when it's important."
He wasted no time, sliding the file across the table. As Val flipped it open, her brow lifted. "You're working on the Midtown Redevelopment Project?"
Dalton nodded. "And your firm is on the board's shortlist for project management."
Val's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what does that have to do with me sitting here?"
Dalton leaned back in his chair, watching her carefully. "They want us to look like a team," he said quietly. "Not just in business. Personally."
Val blinked, leaning back slowly. "You're joking."
Dalton shook his head once. "They want the deal to look family-friendly. Stable. Engaged, even." He paused. "And I think we can make that work — if you're willing."
Val arched a brow, a slow smirk curling her lips. "You're asking me to fake being your fiancée."
Dalton's smile was soft, deliberate.
"I'm asking you to win with me… the contract, the project, and maybe… something else."
Val stared at him, her heartbeat ticking louder in her ears.
"Pastor Matthews," she said, voice dry, "I think you're playing a game of chance."
Free Download 👇
First Lady Games (The Church Chronicles Series)
