Queen of Hearts

By Rachell Nichole

Maya Cobb is a classic Gemini. She’s adaptable, affectionate, versatile, intelligent, cunning, and she holds a deep-seated fear of commitment. Which means she’s the perfect match for Aquarius Erica.

Erica Jones, also true to her astrological sign, is friendly, honest, loyal, inventive, fiercely independent, contrary, unemotional, and detached. She hasn’t found a satisfying relationship in ages, and is ready to give up on love, even though she runs a dating service.

After a one night stand, fate keeps throwing them together in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day. Maya offers to help Erica plan the Queen of Hearts Matchmaking event, though she doesn’t know much about dating women. Erica quickly realizes that while Maya bolted after their first night, she might be the only hope Erica has to save her business.

Astrology says they’re compatible, but neither woman can be sure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachell Nichole
• Release date: Jan 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301311279

Rachell Nichole

Rachell Nichole is the contemporary erotic romance author of An Affair Across Times Square, Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce, and Queen of Hearts. She currently writes what she likes to call Sizzling Romantic Entanglements. She loves creating memorable characters and putting them through the paces on their discovery for and journey to love. Rachell lives in New York with a mountain of books, a loving family, and an evil cat named Godiva that she adores.

Book preview

Queen Of Hearts

By Rachell Nichole

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 by Rachell Nichole

http://www.rachellnichole.com

E-book Formatted by Jessica Lewis

http://authorslifesaver.com

Cover by Marissa Dobson at Sizzling PR

http://sizzlingpr.com

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Acknowledgement

A big thank you to my Alma Mater, Seton Hill University and my CNYRWers who helped me get to where I am today. And thank you Jessica Lewis and Marissa Dobson for helping me venture into self-publishing. And finally a huge thanks to my beta reader and the best mom in the world, Cheryl!


Prologue

Eight months ago…

WE CAN’T LET this happen. Not to us. Erica Jones clamped her mouth shut against the sobs that threatened to come out. Becky sat beside her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure out a way through this mess. We aren’t officially part of their organization. As far as I know, the lawsuit doesn’t list Queen of Hearts as liable for any wrongdoing.

How could Thomas have used the service to exploit the clients like that? Erica didn’t understand it. She’d started Queen of Hearts Matchmaking, with Becky’s help, from the ground up. She didn’t get why Thomas, who had done much the same with his own love.com site, had also used client information to purposely sabotage an ex-boyfriend’s current relationship. And the fact that she’d just signed a business contract with him didn’t sit well with her either.

Becky shook her head. I don’t know. We need to make it clear to the judge that we’re a separate entity. I hate to say this, boss, but I think we need a lawyer.

Erica’s gut churned at the idea. Lawyers weren’t cheap, and she’d already spent all the savings they’d had on buying into love.com. Little had she known Thomas was already in the process of going bankrupt. How could she have been so stupid? She wasn’t an accountant, but she’d reviewed the budget with him dozens of times. Apparently he’d gotten very good at covering his tracks. Not only exploiting his client base, but ripping them off as well. And running his company right into the ground. Now, hers was likely to burn with his.

You can’t call me boss any more, woman. You know that. It’s official. Your name’s even on the bank statements now, Erica reminded her new partner. At least she could lean on Becky more now. She’d need the support.

Right. Sometimes I forget. Besides, don’t we have bigger fish to fry? Becky said, straightening her glasses. I’ll get us a lawyer. Don’t worry so much. It’s not a done deal yet. I’m not ready to give up. And you shouldn’t be either.

We’ll never see a penny of that money, Erica said, still trying not to cry.

Becky gave her shoulder a light squeeze and pushed the rolling chair back from the conference table. Erica straightened her shoulders. Falling apart about the money and the fear of losing the one thing she cared the most about in this world wouldn’t do her a damned bit of good. Becky was right. It wasn’t over. And she sure as hell wasn’t going down without a fight.

* * * *

SO WE’RE IN the clear? You’re sure? It must have been the tenth time today Erica had asked Mr. Seymour that question. But she needed to be positive. That idiot Thomas’s ex-beau wasn’t actively coming after Queen of Hearts. They were free of the lawsuit.

Yes. I’m sure. Though I do suggest you put in some policies to make it clear to Thomas Cranston’s clients that your agency is a different ballgame entirely. They need to know they can trust you, or you’ll be in danger of losing the business, even without a lawsuit.

Erica nodded, glancing at Becky, who smiled. We’ll be okay.

And the judge has agreed that your contract to absorb the clientele of Mr. Maas’s business can be held separately from the personal suit against him.

Thank God, Erica said. And we’ve drafted a policy, actually. If you could take a look at it before we leave, that would be great.

Becky handed over their new employee contract. A binding agreement that no staff member was allowed to become romantically or otherwise personally involved with any current or immediate past client of Queen of Hearts Matchmaking.

So you’ll have all current and future employees sign this?

Yes, Erica said.

And yourselves?

Erica and Becky both nodded. We have to, Becky said. It’s the only way.

You should define what you consider immediate past. Within the past six months, or year? Longer? It should be very specific on that point, just in case. Mr. Seymour handed the contract to Erica, and she made a quick note on the side to make that change, after talking over the exact timeline with Becky.

Now all they had to do was convince their new clients not to jump ship. If they could make some money back through member fees in the next few months, they might make it out of this intact. If not, Erica would have to say goodbye to her dreams. She didn’t know what she’d do with her life at that point, but it wasn’t something she relished thinking about.

So as she and Becky packed up and left Seymour’s law office, she promised herself she would do everything in her power to save Queen of Hearts and not let Becky or her other staff members down. She would save this business not only for herself, but for them. Becky might be her partner now, and equally as in control of the business, but it would ultimately fall to Erica if it all fell apart. She refused to let that happen.

Chapter One

January 25th – three weeks to Valentine’s Day

HAS THE PROSPECT of being alone this Valentine’s Day got you down?

Maya Cobb cringed and resisted the urge to punch the perky red-headed actress on the television. But she couldn’t seem to pry her gaze from the beautiful pale skin and smattering of freckles, or the dark peach lips.

This year, I’ve got something special in store for you. Come to a V-Day mixer at Luc’s on Second Street, featuring the proven matchmaking skills from the Queen of Hearts herself. Cocktails, prizes, excitement, and more. For all the details, please visit our site at QoHMatchmaking.com. The website flashed across the bottom of the screen in bright red letters as the actress spoke.

Maya’s gaze stayed glued to the screen until the last of the hearts floated away and a new commercial began. And damn if she didn’t have the urge to open her laptop and go surfing for the site. Was that the same dating site Jake had been nagging her to join? She thought it sounded familiar, but she couldn’t be sure until she asked him.

Didn’t matter, she realized as she opened the site. LGBTQ Dating, the Right Way, the header read. She closed the website, disgusted she’d actually gone and looked. Was she so desperate she’d consider joining a dating site? So what if it had worked out for Jake. It wouldn’t work for her and she knew it.

Besides, she hadn’t dated girls since college, so, Jake’s pestering aside, she wasn’t going back down that road again. If her last few boyfriends had been jealous jerks, the women she’d been with in school made these guys look like Prince Charmings. Women could be crazy. She didn’t need that kind of drama in her life. Not anymore. Besides, she wasn’t looking for Happily Ever After. And that seemed to be what Queen of Hearts was offering.

Looked like she’d be spending Valentine’s Day alone again. Not even Jake would be around to keep her company this year. He would spend it with his new beau, Adam. The two had been, in Jake’s words, perfectly matched by the Queen herself. As if that was supposed to mean anything.

Maya shook out her hair, trying