The Billionaire Plan, page 1
When they got to the end of the hall, she turned with a big smile.
But Nolan looked intense as he pushed the button to call the elevator.
“Is everything okay?”
“No.”
That surprised her. She’d thought her presentation had gone really well. “Why not?”
He took her hand and drew her away from the elevator and away from the offices. “I wasn’t planning on hiring you.”
“What? Why not?”
He cursed under his breath and then shook his head. “I want you, Delaney. And I never mix business and pleasure.”
“I do,” she said, going up on her tiptoes and doing what she’d wanted to do since she’d seen him in his office.
* * *
The Billionaire Plan by Katherine Garbera is part of The Image Project series.
Dear Reader,
I hope you are enjoying The Image Project series. I’m so excited for Delaney’s story. If I’m being totally honest, she’s my favorite of the three heroines. She was just so much fun to write. She’s mischievous and flawed, but has a really good heart, so I knew her hero had to be someone really special too.
Nolan is a single dad who works hard and plays hard. He’s working in a cutting-edge field designing projects for space missions to Mars. When these two meet, sparks fly...but Delaney’s got some information that she probably shouldn’t have and Nolan has to consider his daughter. He’s never been a man to parade women through Daisey’s life but neither Nolan nor Delaney can keep their hands off each other.
I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Happy reading,
Katherine
Katherine Garbera
The Billionaire Plan
Katherine Garbera is the USA TODAY bestselling author of more than a hundred and twenty-five books. She’s a sucker for a happy ending, believes in the power of falling in love and the deep bonds of friendship. Her books are known for their emotional complexity and sizzling sensuality. She lives in the midlands of the UK with her own Mr. Right. You can find her on the web at www.katherinegarbera.com and on Instagram and Facebook.
Books by Katherine Garbera
Harlequin Desire
One Night
One Night with His Ex
One Night, Two Secrets
One Night to Risk It All
Her One Night Proposal
Destination Wedding
The Wedding Dare
The One from the Wedding
Secrets of a Wedding Crasher
The Image Project
Billionaire Makeover
The Billionaire Plan
Visit her Author Profile page at Harlequin.com, or katherinegarbera.com, for more titles.
You can also find Katherine Garbera on Facebook, along with other Harlequin Desire authors, at Facebook.com/harlequindesireauthors!
This one is for my sweet little Godiva, who we sadly lost at the end of January. She was my faithful writing companion and just my heart. I still miss her.
Special thanks to Stacy Boyd for shepherding this series through all of the stages. It’s always fun to work with you and I love your insights.
Contents
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
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Excerpt from Her Best Friend’s Brother by Yahrah St. John
One
Delaney Alexander ignored the stares and whispered comments as she entered the church and looked around for a friendly face. A lot of the people she knew, even her extended family, wouldn’t have given her a second glance; she knew she was a social pariah right now. She’d read the latest in Wend-Z City about herself.
Ugh.
That was all she had to say about that. She had almost heeded her father’s advice and skipped the wedding, but hiding at home went against the grain. She was tired of lying low. Her entire life she’d been moving, going, doing things. She knew that at times her lifestyle came across as crazy, but she didn’t mind. She’d always lived by her own rules.
Until Malcolm Quell had come into her life. He’d told he loved her—lie. The slimy executive had said that they would make each other stronger—another lie. And he’d told her he wanted to find investors for his business—truth. But worst of all? He’d declared to the world that she wasn’t enough for him—maybe true?
She’d started out angry at Malcolm. Angry that he’d broken up with her publicly by dumping all her stuff on his front doorstep. Angry that he’d moved on so quickly with a socialite that was five years younger and arguably hotter. Angry that her beloved dog Stanley still liked the rat.
But that had changed when she’d learned that he had some shady business deals thanks to an offhand comment and a raid of his personal safe. Sure, she’d been arrested for trespassing and everyone from Wend-Z City’s gossip website to strangers on the street thought she was a woman with a grudge who couldn’t get over her ex. But it was all worth it because Delaney had the goods on Malcolm.
And she was one step away from finding the leverage to stop his illegal business dealings and getting the closure she needed. She’d always heard that the perfect revenge was a life lived well, which sounded like bullshit too. The perfect revenge was getting back at the person who hurt her and rubbing their nose in it.
Which was entirely what she intended to do with Malcolm. But she had to get through today. Put on a smile and show the world that she’d indeed moved on.
She felt a little hand on hers and glanced down into a pair of big brown eyes ringed with the thickest, blackest eyelashes she’d ever seen. Delaney crouched to be at the girl’s eye level.
“Hi there,” she murmured. “Are you okay?”
The little girl crinkled her forehead. “Pamela? My daddy said he’d be right in and I’m supposed to stay with you,” she said.
“Sorry, I’m not Pamela. I’m Delaney, who are you?” she asked with a gentle smile. As a child, Delaney had attended a lot of adult functions with her father, and she’d been lost more than once.
“Daisey. Daddy said look for the prettiest blonde lady, and I spotted you.”
Delaney was beginning to really like this kid and not just because she called her pretty. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you find Pamela. There are a lot of pretty ladies here today. Including you.”
The child gave a little twirl, letting the full skirt of her dress fan out around her legs. “My dress is very swirly. They are my favorite kind.”
Delaney stood up as she said, “Mine too. So, Pamela has blond hair?”
Daisey nodded several times.
More people were entering the vestibule of the church and now that she wasn’t alone, Delaney didn’t mind entering the church. She pushed aside the censure she knew she’d get from those in attendance.
“Do you know the bride or the groom?” she asked the little girl as they moved forward in search of Pamela.
“The groom. He works for my daddy,” Daisey explained.
Delaney hadn’t met the groom. The bride was her cousin, but she wasn’t particularly close to her. In fact, she was really just here to try to meet one of the guests. Nolan Cooper. He was a competing businessman who had been slowly moving in on Quell Aerospace’s government contracts. And the key to her getting closure and making things right. Delaney was hoping to bump into him, share some of the information she’d taken from Malcolm’s safe to give Cooper Aeronautical a leg up. Because there was no way that Cooper was going to beat Malcolm legitimately from what Delaney had seen.
When they got to the beginning of the church aisle, the groomsmen asked if they were guests of the bride or groom. The church was festooned with more pink flowers than Delaney had ever seen. Her cousin had gone a bit overboard.
“One of each. I’m helping this little lady find her family. And she’s with the groom,” Delaney said.
“The groom’s family is being seated on the right if you want to go and have a look,” he offered.
“Thanks,” Delaney said, looking up at the large church, which was already half full.
“Can I escort you two?” he asked.
She looked down at Daisey who just shook her head. Seeming afraid of the other man and the crowded church, the little girl’s hand tightened in Delaney’s.
“We’ve got this,” she told the usher and then started up the aisle. Daisey stopped her with a tug on her hand. She looked down at her.
“You know the bride?” Daisey asked.
Delaney nodded, skimming the rows for a blonde lady and finding several, but she wasn’t exactly sure if any of them were Pamela. She noticed her father had spotted her, and she saw his brow furrow as he met her gaze. She turned away, stooping to Daisey’s level again. “I’ve spotted three blonde ladies, but I’m not sure which one is Pamela. Maybe we should go to the front and just wait for your daddy.”
She nodde
Delaney glanced around and realized that it wasn’t just her father who had noticed them. “That’s because you’re so beautiful and everyone is trying to figure out who you are.”
Daisey giggled. “Daddy says the same thing.”
“He must be really smart,” Delaney said. “Best to pretend we don’t notice those other people and just go wait for you father,” she said, standing again and turning with Daisey’s hand clasped in hers. As she did so, she bumped into a very tall man who was wearing some delicious-smelling cologne, a scowl on his handsome face and eyes with the same thick lashes as Daisey’s.
“Daisey’s daddy?” she asked, tipping her head to the side.
“Indeed, and you are?”
“A pretty blonde lady according to Daisey,” Delaney said wryly.
“Daddy!” Daisey exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her father’s legs. “Delaney was trying to help me find Pamela, but there are a lot of blonde ladies.”
“That’s my fault, Pip,” he said, scooping her up into his big, strong arms. “Thank you for your help, Delaney.”
“It was my pleasure,” she said.
He stood so close that even though she knew the eyes of everyone in the church were on them, she couldn’t bring herself to look away. His eyes were intense, a dark brown color that mesmerized her. She wasn’t sure what to say to him. She wanted to just keep staring at his face, which wasn’t classically handsome but so compelling.
“I owe you one,” he said, his voice a deep rumble that sent shivers down her spine.
“It was nothing. I enjoyed having Daisey by my side.” She tipped her head to smile at his daughter.
“Nolan! Over here,” a woman called.
Nolan? Nolan Cooper? It had to be. How many Nolans would be at the wedding? She realized she was still staring at him, and he raised one eyebrow at her as if to say he’d noticed.
Delaney glanced over and realized the woman was Pamela Donahue, owner of the Donahue gallery and a graphic artist. Delaney had a print of her Troubled Waters lithograph hanging on the wall of her living room. “Seems you’ve found your lady. Goodbye, Daisey. And Nolan? Nice to have met you.”
“Nolan Cooper,” he said, holding his hand out to her.
She took it and felt a little tingle go up her arm. “Delaney Alexander.”
“I know,” he said with a wink. “Thanks again.”
He moved toward his seat, and she realized she was still watching him go. Get a grip, Delaney. Turning, she walked toward the back of the church. She wasn’t about to go and sit with her father, so she stepped into the first empty pew, took a seat and settled herself in for the wedding. Despite everything, she was very glad that she’d decided to come today—and not just because it irritated her father. She’d needed a casual way to meet Nolan Cooper and now she had. For the first time since she’d been arrested for trespassing, she realized that she might be on the right track.
Nolan wasn’t what she’d been expecting. He was huge for one thing, tall and muscly, and even though he’d been wearing a tailored suit, she’d noticed. The man had a square jaw and thick, dark hair and eyebrows...and there was something about him that left her unsettled. He exuded animal magnetism in spades, but it was more than that.
He’d looked at her, and she almost felt like he’d really seen her. Not many people did. Which could prove to be a problem. Because if he could read her so well, just from one meeting, she wasn’t sure how she was going to be able to manipulate him into doing what she needed done. She wasn’t going to alter her plan, but the truth was, she might need to do a bit more research on him.
Of course, Delaney had never met a man she couldn’t bring around to her way of thinking. Not her autocratic father, not most of her boyfriends, and she certainly wasn’t going to let Nolan Cooper be the first man to steer her off course.
* * *
Pamela Donahue hadn’t stayed for the wedding reception, and if Nolan was being brutally honest, he was glad. They’d been set up by a mutual friend, and there was no denying that she was beautiful, smart and funny. But the fact that she hadn’t waited at the entrance for Daisey, as she’d said she would, had made her less attractive to him. His daughter was six and the center of his world. He worked hard, played hard, but his most important role was being Daisey’s dad. His wife, Merri, had died during a complicated childbirth. So it had always just been the two of them.
He usually didn’t introduce women into their lives but since it was a wedding, he’d broken his own rule. Something he wouldn’t do again. He wasn’t a second chances kind of guy.
The reception was in a large banquet hall. The decor was all pink and white, and Daisey had told him twice that when she got married, she wanted to wear a flower wreath like the bride had. He agreed she could have her dream wedding.
Daisey kept circling all of the tables at the reception instead of picking one for them to sit at. The bride and groom had decided on an open seating plan for anyone not in the family or bridal party. It took him a moment to realize that his daughter was looking for someone. He was pretty sure that someone was Delaney Alexander, mainly because Daisey hadn’t stopped talking about her since they’d gotten into the car to drive to the reception.
“Pip, we are going to have to pick a table,” he said.
“I know, Daddy. I was just hoping...”
“Hoping for what?” asked Delaney.
They both turned as Delaney came up next to them. Daisey squealed and hugged the woman’s legs. Delaney hugged her right back. She was wearing a robin’s-egg blue dress with a full tulle skirt and fitted bodice. Her blond hair was worn down to frame her heart-shaped face, and she had on a tiny-diamond-encrusted headband and matching pendant. “If you two don’t mind, could I sit with you?”
“Yes!”
“Sure,” he agreed with his daughter. “Will this table do?”
He gestured to the one behind them. Delaney nodded enthusiastically. “It’s perfect.”
His six-year-old went and stood by a chair, and Nolan pulled it out for her and helped seat her. She started to play with the small party favors on the table as he turned back to Delaney. He knew about her. Who hadn’t heard of her, right?
The poor little rich girl. Dish Soap Heiress and scandalous socialite. So basically, he knew nothing about the actual woman, just lots of gossip and hearsay.
Except that she’d been nice to his daughter twice. And a lot of other women wouldn’t have been. He wasn’t sure if it was genuine, but he’d keep his eye on her. One thing, given her fortune, he ruled out was that she wanted something from him.
“Where’s Pamela?”
“She had another engagement,” he said.
“Oh, that’s too bad. I was hoping to talk to her. I love her art,” Delaney murmured. “But I’m glad I ran into the two of you. I wasn’t looking forward to making small talk today.”
He wasn’t sure what she meant by that. “Do you not intend to talk to me?”
“What? Oh, yes. Sorry! I just meant with strangers. You and I are old friends now,” she said with a wink.
She was cute. He had already known that from her photos but her personality...he was surprised that someone who was allegedly obsessed with her ex would be so bubbly and fun.
“Are we now?”
“For my part, yes. But then there aren’t many friendly faces in this room.”
He lifted a bemused brow. “The bride is your cousin. Half your family is here. I spoke to your father a few minutes ago.”
“My point exactly.”
He laughed but then realized that beneath her bubbly smile there was a bit of nervous energy. “Why are you here, then?”
“I’ll never let the bast—” She broke off as she looked down at Daisey. “Well, you know, I won’t let them get me down.”
He had the same attitude toward life. “Me either. But usually for me the situation is more business related than weddings.”
“Two different worlds,” she said. “What’s your business?”
“Daddy is going to send us to Mars,” Daisey declared. “Aren’t you?”
