Theirs to wed, p.1
Theirs to Wed, page 1
CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
His to Claim
About the Author
Also by Sierra Cartwright
THEIRS TO WED
Copyright @ 2022 Sierra Cartwright
First E-book Publication: October 2022
Line Editing by GG Royale
Proofing by Bev Albin
Layout Design by Once Upon an Alpha
Cover Design by Once Upon an Alpha
Photo provided by Depositphotos.com
Promotion by Once Upon An Alpha, Shannon Hunt
All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Adult Reading Material
Disclaimer: This work of fiction is for mature (18+) audiences only and contains strong sexual content and situations.
It is a standalone with my guarantee of satisfying happily ever after.
All rights reserved.
DEDICATION
To the ever-enduring power of love. For the women who’ve inspired me and that I love. Mom. Granny Ruth. Angie. Whitney. My life is better because of you.
PROLOGUE
“Marrying a rich man would solve all your problems.”
A shudder traced down Amelia Ryan’s spine as she glanced at her business partner and friend. Out of anyone in her life, Lexi knew just how abhorrent the idea of being trapped in a relationship was to Amelia.
She’d given everything she had to escape from her former Dominant’s clutches. Even now, months later, she still had nightmares about how close she’d come to totally losing her freedom to Douglas. The last thing she wanted in her life was a man. “We’re here to work, not plan a trip down the aisle.”
“Speak for yourself.” Lexi grinned. “I’m an excellent multitasker. I can do both.”
The elevator whooshed to a stop. A little dizzy, Amelia bent her knees and placed her hand on the wall to steady herself. “Wow.” Surely they couldn’t be on the sixty-first floor already?
The doors slid open, and she followed Lexi into a massive lobby area that gleamed with marble and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The observation deck of 1 International Plaza was one of the most spectacular places in Houston, or so Amelia had been told. Since she had nothing to compare it to, she glanced around, half in shock, half in awe, taking in the splendor.
It wasn’t just the majestic view of the city and the ship channel that stole her breath; it was the way it was showcased. Nothing obstructed the windows. And the space itself had been decorated in a gorgeous, minimalistic way with amazing flower displays and several large pieces of modern art.
The bar-height tables in the gigantic reception area were spread far apart so that people wouldn’t be crowded. A DJ near the far wall spun a popular tune. Champagne flowed from a fountain that was surrounded by a dizzying array of appetizers and bite-size desserts.
Since she and Lexi owned a catering business, Amelia appreciated the quality of the ingredients and the creativity behind the display. Colors were artfully utilized, as was height. The company had used large, beautiful flowers as garnish. But her focus was single-minded. “Wonder how we can get Prestige’s future orders?” This spread was impressive, but Tastefully Yours was up for the challenge.
“You’re always thinking about business.”
Amelia wished she could be more like her friend and separate work from pleasure. But the truth was, her dire financial situation drove every decision and occupied her mind every waking moment. More often than not, worry also kept her awake at night.
Skyler Morrison, a matchmaker with the Prestige Group who also happened to be the host of this evening’s soiree, hurried over to greet them each with a warm hug.
“I’m so glad you came.”
Amelia still couldn’t believe she was here. If Lexi hadn’t insisted on needing moral support, Amelia would be at the assisted living center visiting Francine, her grandmother. As it was, she’d go there later, which meant her day would be even longer.
“Wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to find Mr. Right.” Lexi flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Or even Mr. Right Now.”
Skyler laughed. “You know there are no promises.” She’d explained everything in detail at the women’s networking breakfast where they’d met.
Though Skyler had listened to Amelia’s practiced thirty-second pitch for their catering company, Lexi had quickly started asking questions of Skyler, a matchmaker.
While the company used a proprietary—and outrageously expensive—method to find their clients the perfect spouse, love sometimes blossomed on its own. After all, as Skyler had explained, chemistry was one of the three essential ingredients for a perfect union. To that end, Prestige arranged numerous informal gatherings with other singles.
In Amelia’s mind, there was nothing casual about this environment. Everything, from the venue down to the décor, screamed money…and plenty of it.
As others arrived, she wished she’d dashed home to change. She’d worn business casual, slacks and a nice blouse, but she was woefully underdressed. Many gentlemen wore well-tailored suits, and most of the ladies had been poured into teeny-tiny cocktail dresses that hugged their curves. As if that wasn’t intimidating enough, their hair was perfect. And most of them could have come straight from having their makeup professionally applied.
She didn’t belong here, and coming had been a mistake. This wasn’t a place to hand out her business cards, as she’d hoped. It was a meat market.
“There’s no formal agenda.” Skyler smiled. Though she was being polite, she’d turned her head toward the elevator when it dinged, and she obviously wanted to say hello to the new arrivals. “Feel free to chat with anyone and to enjoy some of the exquisite bubbly.”
“We will!” Lexi clearly had her sights on the rosé.
But Amelia couldn’t resist the opportunity to try to accomplish her goals. “Before you dash off… Who provides your catering?”
Though Lexi elbowed Amelia, she stood her ground.
“We only meet here at the International Club a few times a year. Most of our gatherings are held at hotels, restaurants, or private clubs where we have to use their in-house people.”
“We’d love the opportunity to compete for your business.”
“Absolutely.” Skyler brushed her pink-streaked hair over her shoulder. “Send me a proposal. Approximately one hundred people. We charge our clients a bomb for our services, and they expect top-notch events.”
“And that’s exactly what you’ll get from us.” Amelia’s response was more bravado than confidence, and she held her breath as Skyler moved away.
“Damn, girl.” Lexi’s eyes were wide. “That was ballsy.”
It was. They’d never handled an event of this caliber.
Though Lexi was a professional chef, Amelia was more of a hobbyist. But she was the one with the business degree.
They’d launched late last year, after Amelia had been fired from her job. Because her grandma demanded so much attention, she’d missed too much work. Working for herself gave her more flexibility. Or so she’d believed.
Because they’d hustled hard for business around the holidays, they’d ended up working sixteen-to-eighteen-hour days.
It’d been exhausting but rewarding…until business had dropped off dramatically in January. Bookings had picked up again for early summer, but now that autumn approached, a long dry spell loomed in front of them.
Even though they’d done fairly well financially, it wasn’t enough. She needed money fast to get her grandmother into a different facility, one that provided better care.
Landing a contract with Prestige would introduce Tastefully Yours to a more elite group of clients, a boost they needed.
“Shall we mingle?”
Amelia would rather have a root canal.
Still, she followed Lexi to the champagne fountain and placed a glass beneath the flow of rosé.
When they both had a beverage, they moved to the table farthest away from the windows. From here, they had a view of the comings and goings. And Amelia keenly watched the food, seeing which items the guests preferred.
Not surprisingly most passed on the messy appetizers, such as the meatballs dipped in marinara sauce.
A lot of men loaded up on cheese and meat, while many of the ladies skipped food entirely or focused on the vegetables. The bubbly, however, had to be refilled. Social lubricant, she supposed.
A gentleman crossed the room, carrying champagne, his sights set on Lexi.
Amelia knew one of the two glasses was not for he
And Lexi had had the foresight to wear a little black dress that left one shoulder bare.
Because manners dictated he be considerate, he introduced himself as Graham, gave Amelia a quick smile but angled his body so that he faced Lexi, and he focused his star-power on her.
He was good looking, Amelia admitted. Dressed well. But he was too polished. If he wasn’t careful, the veneer might chip off.
Since her friend accepted the drink he’d brought to her, Amelia figured she should make herself scarce. “I’ll be right back.” Then she paused. “Do you want something to eat?”
“Thanks, no.” She shook her head. Then she added, “I’m good.”
Which was their code for being comfortable with the male attention she was receiving.
Because she was there to work, Amelia took advantage of the opportunity to take a closer look at the catering competition.
The cheese board was beautiful, even if the choices were a little pedestrian. She might add a soft French triple cream cheese with some fine herbs. Parsley for sure. Dill for its earthiness. Perhaps round out the flavor with some chives.
Then she was drawn to the dessert display. Honestly, even though she wanted to be critical, it was magnificent.
There were several different arrangements of mini-scones and tartlets, arranged on tiered plates like she’d seen served at a high tea her Grandma Fancy had taken Amelia to when she was ten.
The memory brought tears to her eyes but a smile to her face.
Amelia’s mother resented her birth, but her grandmother stepped in. Because she’d been unable to pronounce her real name—Francine—Amelia had called her Grandma Fancy. And the nickname stayed with them both. Because the woman had always been there for her, Amelia was willing to work twenty hours a day if necessary to provide the care her relative needed.
After placing an almond petit fours on her plate, Amelia moved on to the section that was filled with berries and assorted chocolates. Though overly sweet things were not usually her downfall, she couldn’t resist selecting a pecan-filled chocolate bar that was drizzled with caramel. To make it healthier, or that was how she rationalized skipping dinner, she dropped a couple of berries on her plate.
She glanced over her shoulder to find Lexi still engaged in conversation with Graham. Rather than disturbing them, Amelia found an empty table, then took a bite of the most tempting treat.
God above. The confection was pure decadence. It had every element put together perfectly. Crunchy and chewy, with both bittersweet and milk chocolates, making it rich and well-balanced. And how would she top this when she put her proposal together?
Rather than intimidating her, the challenge made her imagination gallop. Tastefully Yours generally sourced desserts from a local bakery. But maybe it was time to hire their own pastry chef to create specialties unique to their company. Which was another expense they truly couldn’t afford.
A few moments later, Skyler wandered over, another man with her. “This is Tony. He’s an associate of mine at Prestige.”
The handsome Black man was dapper in tailored slacks, a vest, and an obnoxious yellow tie.
“Nice to meet you. I understand you’re a caterer.”
Delighted Skyler had mentioned that fact, Amelia shook his hand.
“What are you eating?” Skyler asked. “It looks amazing.”
“It is. Seriously.” The sugar rush had hit her, making her crave more. “I shouldn’t have a second one, but I’m considering it.”
Skyler wrinkled her nose. “I need to stick with the veggies.”
“That’s what she says.” Tony rolled his eyes. “The way to her heart is through chocolate.”
“As if you should talk.”
“Me?” Tony tugged down on the bottom of his vest. “I don’t eat sweets.”
As muscular and lean as he was, Amelia believed him.
“Please. There’s not an M&M in the world that is safe around you.”
He shook his head. “Lies. All lies, I tell you.”
Muttering that Amelia was a bad influence, Skyler headed toward the food. Amelia grinned when she saw the woman bypass the veggies in favor of a piece of heaven.
Amelia had just picked up her scone when her phone rang. She dug the device from her small purse and checked the display.
The assisted living residence. Crap. Seeing that number was never a good thing.
Abandoning her plate and heading toward the exit, Amelia answered the call.
Her grandmother was agitated, insisting she wanted to go home. “I’ll be there in less than twenty minutes.”
Amelia gave Lexi an update and quick hug, promising to be at the office by eight, then continued toward the elevator.
“Miss?”
A well-dressed man stepped in front of her and held up his hand. Condescending, much?
“Fetch me a bourbon on the rocks, will you? Can’t abide that damn champagne they ordered. Make it a good one. And quick.”
“Ask someone who works here.” Impatience gnawed at her. Because she was in slacks, he assumed she was a worker? Or maybe it was because she was a woman? “Like you, I’m a guest.”
He scowled. Without an apology, seemingly put out by her refusal, he turned away.
Annoyed to be delayed on her way to see her grandmother, Amelia shook her head.
Lexi might be looking for a rich husband, but Amelia was determined to work her ass off and solve her own problems. The last thing she wanted or needed was another wealthy man. Especially one who was as demanding as he was arrogant.
CHAPTER ONE
Three Months Later
“You need to get married.”
Ah. Fuck. This conversation. Again. “Nice to see you too, Gran.” Cormac had pulled into the driveway of her Houston home less than two minutes ago. The moment he’d walked through the front door, her butler had informed him that Kathleen was waiting for him in the study.
She’d responded to his greeting with her usual refrain about his personal life.
Shaking his head, and with a smile of genuine affection, he crossed the room to kiss her cheek. “Happy eightieth birthday.”
“As if I need to be reminded.”
“No one would believe it.”
“Go on with you.”
Kathleen Murphy stood just under six feet tall, and tonight she was regal in a flowing, long, gold-colored gown. When he was growing up, he’d been convinced she was a princess in a previous life. In fact, if family legend were to be believed, she was a descendant of the O’Brien dynasty.
Even though he was now nearing thirty, way past the impressionable age, Cormac’s opinion hadn’t changed. His grandmother was as elegant as she was formidable. He easily pictured her as the daughter of a medieval king.
From inside his suit pocket, he pulled out a small box and offered it to her.
She inclined her head. “There’s only one present I require, Cormac.”
“As you remember, my last attempt at matrimony failed.” He’d made a valiant effort to fall in love and waltz down the aisle, but his ex-fiancée’s web of lies and deceit had shattered his trust and destroyed his belief in all women.
At first, his grandmother had been sympathetic to his heartache. But after giving him a year to deal with his pain, she was back to her familiar refrain.
With a small smile of acknowledgment, she accepted the gift and immediately placed it on the side table.
“You’re not going to open it?”
“I’m sure it’s lovely. Give it to your wife. No doubt she’ll inherit it soon.”
“First of all, you’re going to live many more years.”
“God willing.”
“And the present is not meant to be an heirloom. It’s something I chose that has meaning to you.”
