by Caroline Lee
Copyright © 2019, Caroline Lee
[email protected]
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.
First edition: 2019
This work is made available in e-book format by Amazon Kindle at www.amazon.com
Printing/manufacturing information for this book may be found on the last page
Cover: EDHGraphics
Blurbity Blurb-blurb blurb
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
Other works by Caroline Lee
River’s End Ranch and Quinn Valley Ranch:
Or if you prefer historical romance, check out these bestsellers:
Sign up for Caroline’s Newsletter to receive exclusive content and freebies, as well as first dibs on her books! Or if newsletters aren’t your thing, follow her on
Bookbub for a quick, concise new release alert every time she publishes a book!
Billionaire’s Bargain
Quinn Valley Ranch
Book Fifteen
Dedication:
For Muz, obviously.
And for Katie, whose bubbly zeal for life helped me through a rough time.
CHAPTER ONE
Kenneth Weston stood at the big picture window in his office, his suit neat, his hands clasped behind his back. But he wasn't looking out over the Boise buildings; no, his attention was on the sky above. Pure blue, with thick white, fluffy clouds. The image stimulated something in that side of his brain, the side he hadn't prepared to indulge.
His eyes darted to the engraved clock on his desk, the one his family had made for him when he’d opened the firm. Three minutes until Penny was due to arrive to discuss the latest designs. Three minutes was enough.
He could indulge after all.
Kenneth tipped his head back and closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply through his nose and allowed the sky to flow through his imagination. No, not the sky, but the idea of the sky. Softness. Vastness. Lightness.
In that side of his brain, a gown came together. White velvet, draped elegantly around slender shoulders. Sheer blue chiffon, with Swarovski crystals and seed pearls hand-sewn into patterns mimicking clouds. The same dress, done in dark blue and black, with the crystals picking out constellations against the model’s skin…
When the sound of the door opening behind him jolted Kenneth from his meditation, he had the bones of three different gowns whirling around that side of his brain. This afternoon, he would take the time to jot down the ideas, but he wouldn't allow himself to design further—much less sketch anything out—until he was prepared.
So, certain the ideas were safe where they were, he turned and smiled at his business partner. “You're a minute late.”
“I know,” Penny said as she sauntered across the floor towards the chair opposite his desk. “I like to give you something to complain about. Besides, you can't rush a double macchiato. There are just some things in life that require concentration.”
Don't I know it.
Without acknowledging the older woman's excuse, Kenneth crossed to his desk and settled himself in the leather chair. He folded his hands precisely and checked the fall of his cuffs. Acceptable.
“So what do you have for me?” Penny asked with a small smile.
Besides the desk clock and a fountain pen set, the only other thing on his desk was a portfolio. With two fingers, Kenneth slid it across to his partner. Penny leaned forward and picked it up.
Settling herself back in her chair, she took a deep cleansing breath. She always did it before she saw any of his designs. Kenneth knew it was her way of enjoying the experience.
Sure enough, when she finally flipped open the front of the portfolio, her gasp of delight was heartening. Kenneth always liked the way her dark eyes sparkled with joy when she saw a design she truly liked.
“Oh, Kenneth!” She flipped the page. “Oh my goodness! This one is just as stunning.” She flipped back and forth between the first two. “I know you like to lead with the best one, but the second one…These are feathers, aren't they?” Her fingers brushed over the paper. “So elegant,” she murmured. “Like a swan.”
Kenneth dipped his head in acknowledgment, not bothering to hide his pleased smile. “The swan was the inspiration. Look at the next one.”
She wasted no time in investigating the rest of the portfolio. There was the black gown also inspired by the swan, and the pale pink one with the flounce and the mermaid skirt, which called to mind a flamingo. But it was the last one which made Penny gasp again and lift her fingertips to her lips.
“Oh, Kenneth. This one...”
She pulled out the last piece of paper— an old fashioned technology, when most of the design was done these days in computer programs— and held it up. Peacocks had always been a popular theme for wedding gowns, but Kenneth had taken it a step further.
“Is this an albino peacock?” Penny’s eyes were bright with possibility. “Please tell me that's what it is! I can just imagine this in silks, the different shades of white catching light in different patterns.”
His smile turned just a little smug, and Kenneth dipped his chin once more.
Penny squealed in excitement, then dropped the paper back into the portfolio, slammed the cover closed, and hugged it to her chest. “This is incredible, Kenneth,” she said breathlessly. “You're not the first designer to use birds as inspiration, of course, but I don't think I've ever seen anything like this.” She leaned forward, her excitement clear. “What if we themed our show around these designs? We can do a whole bird cage theme. We could even—” She gasped. “I could rent out the aviary! Yes!”
As Penny’s eyes glazed over and she stared at the wall above Kenneth's head, he relaxed slightly. He’d always been very careful about allowing that side of his brain to take over, But Penny didn't care. When her muse struck her, it was hard to drag her away. Right now, he knew her mind was whirling between themed appetizers, the best models to contract, dates for the autumn launch, and weather possibilities. It was the side of the business Kenneth hated, and the reason they got along so well.
Weston Creations was known throughout certain circles around the world as being the place for gowns. Mainly wedding gowns, but more than a few Hollywood starlets have worn Kenneth's creations down the red carpet as well. His brightly colored wedding dresses were also very popular in Asia, and with young brides these days who weren't quite beholden to tradition. He liked to push the envelope when it came to expectations, and the gowns’ price tags proved it. Each one of his gowns was created by hand, right here in this building, and maybe only ten or fifteen in each design. These gowns’ starting price was $30,000, and went up depending on the materials used.
His custom designs, inspired by the bride herself, went for close to $100,000.
Kenneth had gone to school for business, then went on to get his MBA. He was a man with very clear expectations for himself and those around him; he was used to being in control. But throughout his career, he had not been able to suppress the other
side of him, the side which defied his control. The side which could glance at a peacock, and imagine designs picked out in cream and pale silk. The side of his brain which sometimes kept him awake at night, material and cuts swirling before his eyes.
Seven years ago, he'd given up fighting that side of himself and decided to put it to work. He knew the basics of design, and he studied to know even more. He'd sold some of his original sketches to the big fashion companies, but soon realized that wasn't what he truly wanted.
He was Kenneth Weston, and he wanted to be in control.
He'd met Penny Albee at a wedding show where he’d been miserable, and she’d taken pity on him. The older woman was a veteran of the high-end wedding planning business, and the two of them had meshed perfectly. Weston Creations had been born, and now brides came from all over the world—or, for a ridiculous amount of money, Kenneth was willing to fly to them—to vie for the opportunity to wear one of his designs.
He and Penny shared the firm equally; while it was his designs which had made them famous, it was her expertise and willingness to put on epic fashion shows which kept the money rolling in.
A respectful knock on the door jolted both of them out of their musings. When Stephen slipped through, his tablet held loosely in his right hand, Kenneth gestured for their assistant to join them at the desk. The young man was eager to learn what he could about the business, and was always going above and beyond.
Like today, for instance.
“I have the results from the latest round, Mr. Weston.” He handed Kenneth the tablet. “I found the information you asked for, as much as I was able. I'm not an expert on internet sleuthing after all.”
“That's okay,” murmured Kenneth, already engrossed in the information on the screen. “I didn't expect you to be. I also don't want to invade these ladies’ privacy too much.” He swiped to the left, pulling up another profile and reading the information Stephen had been able to find on her. “I think this round of information will be more than enough to make a decision. Thank you very much for your efforts.”
“Of course.” When the young man spoke, it was easy to hear the smile in his voice. “Always happy to help, even if it is a little unorthodox. Good luck!” he called as he waved to Penny, then backed out of the room once more.
After the door shut, the silence from the other side of the desk was deafening.
Kenneth glanced up. His partner and friend was staring at him with one brow raised in amusement. “You're still doing this?”
Kenneth felt himself bristle. “Why wouldn't I be? It's the smartest and simplest way to go about such an arrangement. Other people use dating sites, I use Stephen.”
Penny scoffed. “In dating sites, the women know they’re being viewed. They want to find partners. What you're doing...”
Kenneth's raised brow matched hers. “Stephen and I culled the local dating sites for the initial round of candidates. There's a very popular local one called Soulmates, and I found many of these ladies’ profiles there. I simply asked Stephen to do further research on the ones that intrigued me.”
“Yes, I know,” Penny said with amusement. “Stephen said the initial count was close to two hundred.”
“Yes, and the next round contained fewer than fifty.”
“And round three was twenty, round four was eight, and what do you have there?”
Kenneth’s gaze dropped down to the tablet. “Here...” he murmured, as he flicked open another profile. “Here we have the final four candidates.”
“So you're going to marry one of those four women?”
“If she'll have me.”
Penny snorted. “Why wouldn't she? You're handsome, young, and worth a billion dollars. On top of that, you can be quite charming when you set your mind to it. Any one of those women would cut off her big toe in order to date you. But marry you…?”
At her tone, Kenneth's gaze jerked back up and he frowned. “What do you mean?”
Penny shrugged. “You're in the wedding business, Kenneth,” she said softly. “Every day, we're surrounded by people who are willing to spend boatloads of money to ensure their marriages get off to the right start. They want everything to be as perfect as their love. But you? You are entering into a marriage without considering love. Without considering her feelings.” She paused, then finished with, “Or your feelings.”
“It's my feelings I am considering,” Kenneth was quick to correct her. Or rather, Mom’s. “I need this marriage to happen sooner, rather than later. My wife is allowed to have whatever feelings she wants concerning this marriage. She'll be handsomely compensated, and she can go her merry way when it's over.”
Penny's hum wasn't quite one of disapproval, but more as if she didn't believe him. “All I'm saying is that you're going about this backwards.” She nodded towards the tablet. “I hope one of the women in there understands your reasoning.”
Kenneth smile was a little sad. “Me too.”
Standing, Penny hugged the portfolio to her chest once more. “Good luck, Kenneth. I'm going to take this down to Miss Cindy and get her thoughts on prices. We'll touch base tomorrow morning.”
By the time his partner had left the room, Kenneth’s entire attention was where it belonged, on the tablet in front of him. He read through the details Stephen had collected on each woman, trying to decide which one to approach first. The schoolteacher in Post Falls seemed the best candidate; on her blog, she appeared a passionate fighter.
But he kept coming back to the third candidate, Katie M. Of course, he knew her last name was McIver thanks to Stephen’s research, but on Soulmates, she’d called herself Katie M. In Kenneth’s initial culling, he’d weeded out the women who appeared frivolous or flighty. He was serious, and he needed a like-minded wife. But Katie…
Katie had a YouTube channel, and from that first round, Kenneth had been intrigued by her. She wasn’t at all serious; her energetic welcome was proof of that. But there was just something about her which intrigued him. Drew him in.
Propping the tablet up, he clicked the link Stephen had provided for her latest video. When her smiling face popped up for her introduction, Kenneth sucked in a breath.
“Hi everybody!” On the screen, a curvy woman with thick brown hair waved at her audience, her smile stretched so wide it must hurt. “It’s Katie, soap-maker extraordinaire, and today we’re making one of my most popular designs! Strawberry Swirl is always requested, and I can barely keep it on the shelves here in my hometown.”
She was animated and…and…adorable. He’d never thought to apply the adjective to a grown woman, not since his beautiful niece, Kalli Jo, had come into his life, but he couldn’t deny the description fit Katie. She sounded as if she was one breath away from giggling, and she even bounced a little in front of the camera.
On screen, she grabbed a wrapped bar of soap and held it up. “This is from my last batch, and I’m not going to show you a close-up yet, but…” When she lifted the bar to her nose and inhaled deeply, her eyes closed in pleasure. “But oh my gosh you guys, this stuff smells ah-maz-ing! You’re going to loooove the way your bathroom smells with this soap, I promise you!”
Surprisingly, Kenneth felt the corners of his lips tug upwards. What was it about this lady? He felt as if she was talking directly to him. And despite knowing she was a YouTube sensation, he got the impression she was being herself in front of the camera. This wasn’t a persona she put on…this was her.
Sharing herself with the entire internet was one of the bravest things he could imagine.
Just as during the last three rounds of choices, Kenneth found himself watching Katie’s entire video, and the one before it. The strawberry soap was simple, as promised, but when she cut into the loaf, revealing the swirls within, he hummed in surprise.
It was pretty incredible, this art she created using just lye, water, oils, and some colorants. What he liked about her videos—besides her bubbly personality and her ability to laugh at herself—was that she explaine
d the science behind the soap. With her step-by-step instructions, Kenneth figured he was as close to an expert as it was possible to be, without having ever actually touched a lye-water solution or an immersion blender.
As an artist, he could appreciate what she did. Her creations seemed simple on the outside, but once she cut into them, they contained layers of complexity which reminded him of one of his gowns.
Yes, Katie was intriguing alright, and despite her adorable unsuitability, Kenneth was drawn to her.
More than that, his mother would love her. God willing, Mom would be able to meet Katie, would love her, would assume Kenneth had found the love of his life, and she’d be happy.
She’d be at peace.
And after so many long years of battles, Kenneth desperately wanted his mother to be at peace.
Satisfied with his decision, he closed the tabs representing the other candidates, including the schoolteacher from Post Falls, and opened his email.
Dear Ms. McIver,
I am contacting you with a unique proposition. Being a successful businessman in possession of what I might call a tidy fortune, I find myself in need of a bride. I am willing to exchange a fair sum for your agreement to an immediate marriage.
The details of this temporary arrangement are thus…
CHAPTER TWO
“Happy birthday to yooooou!”
As the last line of the song rang out through her parents’ kitchen, Katie took a deep breath and blew out the two candles—one shaped like a three and one shaped like a one. Then she immediately slammed her eyes shut and waited.
After several tense moments, she peeked open one eye to see her siblings standing around grinning at her. Tentatively, she opened her other eye, then frowned. They were all just standing there, their hands behind their backs, and huge smiles on their faces.
