Catherine Mann: Secrets of the Tycoon's Bride / The Executive's Surprise Baby: Secrets of the Tycoon's Bride

Secrets of the Tycoon’s Brideby Emilie Rose

ANOTHER GARRISONOFF THE MARKET?

Ladies, brace yourselves! Our sources report that consummate bachelor Adam Garrison, the youngest male Garrison, is all but engaged. He was spotted at an upscale bistro with what our witness called “a rather plain blonde who appears to have stolen his heart.” She wasn’t sporting a ring, but our insider says it’s only a matter of time. The source overheard an exchange between Adam and an elder socialite where he almost confirmed as much.

The Executive’s Surprise Babyby Catherine Mann

AND THE FATHER IS…

There’s been speculation for months surrounding the unnamed father of Brooke Garrison’s love child. Well, a source close to the Garrison family revealed exclusively to us that the father is none other than (drum roll, please…) Jordan Jefferies. That’s right! The multi-millionaire investor and, more importantly, Garrison family rival, got cosy with the high-society brunette last summer. Our insider reveals that the pair have not seen each other intimately since that one-time romp and that Brooke has repeatedly declined Jordan’s marriage offers.

No word yet on Parker’s reaction – Brooke’s big brother – when he heard the news. Looks like another scandal is about to erupt for the Garrisons.

EMILIE ROSE

lives in North Carolina with her college sweetheart husband and four sons. Writing is Emilie’s third (and hopefully her last) career. She’s managed a medical office and run a home day-care, neither of which offers half as much satisfaction as plotting happy endings. Her hobbies include quilting, gardening and cooking (especially cheesecake). Her favourite TV shows include ER, CSI and Discovery Channel’s medical programmes. Emilie’s a country music fan, because she can find an entire book in almost any song.

Letters can be mailed to:

Emilie Rose

PO Box 20145

Raleigh, NC 27619, USA

E-mail: EmilieRoseC@aol.com

Dear Reader,

This book was extra special for me because it gave hubby and me the perfect excuse to take our first real adults-only vacation in years. Research! We left our four sons and the dog behind – the boys didn’t miss us but the dog did :) – and travelled to South Beach. We even took a short cruise – our first – to the Bahamas.

South Beach was nothing like the laid-back North Carolina beaches I usually visit, but I did my best to give you a slice of the atmosphere. So when you get to the part about South Beach coffee shops selling condoms, they do!

I hope you can kick back, imagine the sand beneath your toes and palm fronds stirring above your head in a brisk ocean breeze and enjoy Lauryn and Adam’s story.

Best,

Emilie

EMILIE ROSE

CATHERINE MANN

www.millsandboon.co.uk

by

Emilie Rose

To my husband for never saying no.

Heaven knows I’ve given you plenty of reasons

and opportunities to do so.

You spoil me rotten.

Don’t think I haven’t noticed.

One

Lauryn Lowes would make him a perfect wife because he didn’t love her and wasn’t attracted to her.

Hell, Adam Garrison realized, he barely knew her.

Their bi-weekly meetings since she’d started working for him seven months ago had never allowed time for get-to-know-you chatter. She worked days when the club was closed, and he worked nights when Estate was open. He knew little about her except what he’d read on her job application.

A tap on his open door revealed the woman in question. “You wanted to see me?”

“Come in, Lauryn. Close the door. Have a seat.”

She did as he instructed and perched on the edge of the visitor chair in front of his desk.

According to his lawyer, who happened to be Adam’s best friend and someone whose judgment Adam trusted, Lauryn was the perfect wife candidate.

Adam’s leather chair creaked as he leaned back to make his own assessment. Lauryn wasn’t bad-looking. Bland. No makeup. Pale-blond hair which she always kept pinned up. An intelligent and independent worker. Otherwise he never would have hired her to handle his nightclub’s multimillion-dollar books.

“Is something wrong? This isn’t our usual meeting day.” Lauryn pushed the narrow rectangles of her tortoiseshell glasses up her straight nose, and then with slender, ringless fingers adjusted the longish skirt of her boring navy suit.

He’d never noticed her hands before. But then he’d never considered those hands touching him. Intimately. Her short, unpainted nails were a far cry from the lacquered claws the majority of women in his life preferred.

Besides a manicure, she’d need new clothing to carry off this charade. Maybe contacts. Better shoot for a complete makeover. Otherwise no one would believe he’d chosen her out of all the fashion models and celebrities who frequented Estate and/or his bed.

He had his pick of women. Just not the type he needed for this assignment. The council already considered him a playboy. His female equivalent would not help his cause. Lauryn was far from a party girl. If she’d dated at all in the past months no one on the staff knew it. He’d asked. Discreetly, of course.

She shifted in her chair, reminding him he hadn’t answered her question. That was something else he’d always admired about her. She knew how to be quiet instead of chattering endlessly.

“Nothing’s wrong, Lauryn. In fact, I’d like to offer you a raise and a…promotion of sorts.” He punctuated that with what he hoped would be a reassuring smile. Whether for her or for himself, he couldn’t say.

God knows he had reservations about this plan. He was only thirty and he liked being single. Between witnessing his parents’ far-from-perfect union and his front-row seat to the nightly dating safaris at the club, he’d never planned to marry for any reason, but he couldn’t see any other way to achieve his goals.

He wanted a bigger stake in the family business and there was only one way short of murdering his two older brothers to get it. He had to gain their respect. His father had died unexpectedly in June, and here it was the first of November, and Parker and Stephen still hadn’t given Adam more responsibility in Garrison, Inc., because they didn’t take him seriously. Frustration burned Adam’s stomach.

Lauryn’s smooth brow furrowed. “I’m confused. I’m Estate’s only accountant. How can I get a promotion? Are you planning to hire an assistant for me? Because I assure you, Mr. Garrison, I can handle the workload. I don’t need help.”

“Adam,” he corrected not for the first time. She never relaxed around him. In fact, she always seemed on edge, and he didn’t know why. People—women in particular—liked him. More than one reviewer had attributed Estate’s popularity to Adam’s charm. He knew how to work a crowd, how to make guests feel welcome and want to return.

Of course, he’d never tried to charm Lauryn Lowes. She was an employee and that was a line he’d never crossed. But he would today.

“The president of the Miami Business Council is retiring next year. As you may have heard, it’s a pretty conservative group.”

She nodded.

“I’ve been an active member for years, but the council’s not willing to entertain the idea of a single guy—especially one who runs a scandalous South Beach nightclub—being in charge no matter how qualified he might be.”