Nicola Marsh - The Tycoon's Dating Deal

“And what kind of woman is that?”

Matt placed his fingertips together, leaned his elbows on the table and stared directly into her eyes. “Smart, independent, with no romantic illusions. You’re the perfect choice for me.”

Confusion whirled through her mind. “I don’t get it.”

“I’m looking for a business arrangement. Nothing more. You will appear as my steady girlfriend for the next six months, till I secure a partnership in Dad’s firm. That’s it.”

Nicola Marsh says, “As a girl, I dreamed of being a journalist and traveling the world in search of the next big story. Luckily, I have had the opportunity to travel the world, but my dream to write has never been far from my mind. When I met my own tall, dark and handsome hero, and learned that romance is everything it’s cracked up to be, I finally took the plunge and put pen to paper. I live in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne with my husband and a baby. When I’m not writing, I work as a physiotherapist for a vocational rehabilitation company, helping people with disabilities return to the workforce. I also love sharing fine food and wine with friends and family, going to the movies and, my favorite, curling up in front of the fire with a good book.”

This is Nicola’s first book!

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Mum and Dad, for a lifetime of love, and to Martin, for believing in me and our dream

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

EPILOGUE

‘YOU want me to do what?’

Kara Roberts stared at her best friend in disbelief. As much as she loved Sally, this time she had gone too far.

‘Please, Kara. Pretty please. You know my butt’s on the line, not to mention my business,’ Sally cajoled, a hint of fear in her eyes.

Kara knew she was beaten. She had never seen Sally so desperate. The agency must be in more trouble than the older woman had let on.

Flopping into a nearby chair, Kara folded her arms and leaned back. ‘OK, I’ll do it. Though just this once. You owe me big time, Sal. Real big.’

Sally flew across the room, her greying curls bouncing around her chubby face, and enveloped her in a bear hug.

‘Thanks, sweetie. You’re one in a million.’

Tears glittered in Sally’s brown eyes as she pulled away. Kara’s heart swelled with love for the amazing woman who had taken her in, without question, following her parents’ death. She’d been twelve years old when the two most important people in her life had died in a car accident. Sally, her mum’s best friend, had stepped in and offered her a home. Not just a home. She had supported, encouraged and loved her throughout the difficult teenage years and beyond.

This one favour for Sally, tricky as it may be, would be small repayment for years of love and friendship.

‘OK, now that my neck is on the line, what do I do?’

Sally shuffled through the mountain of paperwork on her desk. ‘Here. Fill these out for a start. This has to be legit, so complete every form and sign on the dotted line.’

Kara took the stack of forms and leafed through them, seeing but not quite believing what she was reading. ‘You’ve got to be kidding, Sal. Eye colour of desired partner? Most romantic dinner? Most erotic place to be kissed? Where do you get this stuff?’

Sally crossed her arms, puffed out her cheeks and slowly exhaled. ‘I need that info to process your data into the computer. You know that. You’ve laughed about it for years, not to mention seen how it works. Why the cold feet now?’

Kara chuckled. ‘I’ve laughed about it when these ridiculous questions are applied to other people. Now that I’m under the microscope, it’s not so funny. Besides, can’t I just skip this part and get the dating over and done with?’

Sally shook her head. ‘If I’m to win the award for Sydney’s Dating Agency of the Year, I need you to complete everything. Your application will be processed with the rest of the applicants. Kara, I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I weren’t desperate. When Maggie pulled out this morning, I was floundering. All you need to do is attend the speed-dating dinner tonight.’

‘Hah! Easy for you to say. What if someone I know sees me? They’ll think I’m some kind of desperado.’

Hurt flickered in Sally’s eyes. Matchmaker meant the world to her. Her own business was precious, so why should Sally’s be any different?

‘Like the rest of my clients, you mean?’ Sally asked.

‘Sorry, Sal. I’m just not used to all this. I prefer to get my dates the usual way.’

Sally’s eyebrows shot heavenward. ‘Which way is that? You haven’t had a date in over a year!’

How the truth hurt. She’d steered clear of men over the last twelve months, tired of their game-playing. Most of her dates were only after one thing and she was sick of the whole scene.

‘That’s a bit harsh. I’ve had plenty of dates in the last few years.’ She ignored the empty feeling that arose whenever the subject of men entered a conversation. Only one man had ever made her feel special and he was gone. Long gone.

‘Sure you have, sweetie, which is why you spend most of your free time with an old chook like me.’

‘You, old? Sure, there may be a few greys sprinkled in your hair and a couple of laughter-lines around your eyes, but old? Is that why you prefer to screen the male candidates personally? You forget, I’ve seen the way you glow after a session with some of your hunky applicants.’

Her teasing fell on deaf ears as Sally rustled the papers in front of her, suddenly businesslike.

‘Thanks for the confidence boost. You forgot to mention the extra forty pounds I’m carrying at the moment. Anyway, enough small talk. Complete these forms, missy, as I need to process them immediately. Then I think you’d better head home and get ready. I’ve got one last male to meet today and then tonight is all set. Once I’ve matched my thousandth couple, the DATY award has to be mine.’

Kara barely glanced at the forms, her stomach churning at the worried look on Sally’s face.

‘Is the agency in that much trouble, Sal?’

Though her own funds were limited since Inner Sanctum, her interior-design business, had drained most of her money, she would take a loan if needed to help Sally.

‘If I don’t win the DATY, Matchmaker will have to shut up shop. The prize money would go a long way to updating the computer system and the prestige will put this agency on the map.’ Sally sighed. ‘So yeah, you could say I’m in trouble.’

‘But how?’ Kara probed, knowing she wouldn’t like the answer. Guilt consumed her, increasing the tumultuous turning of her gut. In fact, she had a fair idea of what Sally was about to say.

‘I’ve never been a rich woman, darling, you know that. I put everything into making a home for us, with my investments providing the money to start up this.’ She threw her arms wide, indicating the office that served as Matchmaker’s headquarters. ‘I guess I didn’t do my sums right.’

Kara knew there was more to it than that. What Sally hadn’t mentioned was the amount of money she had loaned her to start Inner Sanctum.

Unable to ignore the overwhelming guilt any longer, she picked up the pen lying on Sally’s desk and started filling out forms.

‘If I can do anything else apart from this, Sal, you let me know.’