Nick's Fortune

By Susan Garod

Mercedes Roberts was the recently appointed interim Chair of the Hospital’s Children’s Fundraising Committee, and she’d inherited one hell of a mess.Unfortunately it involved Nick Gerson. He enjoyed his sparring sessions with Mercedes; her measured response, both in pace and tone impressed him, because it was obvious from the look in her eyes that she found him overconfident and overbearing Nick first come into contact with the Carvalho family through Grace, when she’d married Luke’s best friend, Josh. At the time Nick was a brash teenager. A cynical youth. When Luke married Briar Carvalho, Nick's biological family remained the same dysfunctional mess that it had always been, but his adopted family, the Carvalho had changed him, showing him what love meant, and showing him how to be part of a family. But when Nick met Mercedes Roberts, daughter of the CEO of the Trust that ran Briar Carvalho's hospital, his mischievous streak appeared; he let Mercedes believe he was the hired help. Lightheartedly teasing her before he was found out. Odd in other ways, as he usually only teased the women in his immediate ‘family’ circle, mainly because he knew they could handle him, and because they teased him in return. It was not long before they discovered they were both engaged by Briar to prepare for the Children's fundraising committee.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susan Garod
• Release date: Nov 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215024546

Susan Garod

reviewsI don't know about other readers but for me it's not just the happy ending. The journey has to be fraught with obstacles and difficulties to make the happy ending worth it. The thing I love best about any of your work is that no matter the obstacle you always find a way for the couple to overcome it and it's not some unrealistic magic fix. Love takes work and you show that. Your characters are also not perfect, they have their strengths and weaknesses clearly on display for readers to really get into the characters heads. At least thats how it is for me. (sweet_candy89, 21/1/2018)If you love reading about strong women and the real men that love them, then Susan Garod never disappoints! The characters are complex with intriguing, interconnected story arcs, which continue in each series with their multiple characters and side stories and makes them such a pleasure to read. Joshua's Grace is the perfect starting point if you haven't read any of Susan's books, and follow the Carvalho sisters into the Moonlight series, Spice Sisters and the Heartbeat series. You See Me elicited the same response as all the preceding books by Susan Garod - I loved it!(Karen, June, 10, 2017)I absolutely LOVE Susan Garod's books, think I have every one of them, so when I seen this was available for my kindle I was ecstatic. Now it is a little different than her other writings, but it is just as good if not better. Laura has found out she has a grandmother, goes to see her but runs into her neighbor who thinks that Laura is there just to get something from the grandmother. There are many trials and tribulations going back and forth between the 2. I really did enjoy this book and if you have read any of Susan's other books you will love this one as well (Lori Costa, July, 28, 2016)

Book preview

Nick’s Fortune

Susan Garod

Copyright 2023 Susan Garod

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords License Statement

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 favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Chapter 1

It was simply déjà vu, Nick thought, and a generous smile took form on his lips and registered in his blue-grey eyes. Twelve, nearly thirteen years ago, he reminded himself: Was it really that long ago he muttered quietly, as he continued to stare with significant intent as the woman approached. The memories flooded back as if it was just yesterday.

He’d been sitting on this very doorstep waiting, impatiently, for Luke to get home. Luke was running late. Leaving Nick to kick his heels and wait. And that was when he’d had his first sight of Briar, a woman he’d underestimated at the time. A woman Luke married. She then proceeded to turn their lives around. Nick snorted quietly, not that either of them had made it easy for her. But Briar and her family had persevered and shown Luke and Nick what a family could look and feel like.

Nick couldn’t help the smile that grew. Just thinking about the Carvalho extended family usually made him smile or grimace, depending on what they’d managed to coerce him into doing. Even now, as he headed for thirty, they were able to wind him round their little fingers. All of them, from grandparents to grandchildren. With very little effort. If they asked, he did. It really was that simple! Their boisterous, meddling, open approach to life had changed his sullen, cynical view of the world, even if he sometimes pretended otherwise. And despite the fact they sometimes drove him mad with their interference, he wouldn’t be without them.

How much had changed in just over a decade. He, and Luke for that matter, had altered in many subtle, and not so subtle, ways. They’d gone from being cynical, arrogant, belligerent men who despised family, mainly because theirs was dysfunctional, to men who’d grown into and cherished their roles of father and uncle respectively. Nick knew that he and Luke relied on the Carvalho family to keep them grounded. For that family had embraced them all those years ago, baggage and all.

That family loved them despite the baggage. And despite the fact that both Nick and Luke had made it far from easy to be loved, the Carvalho family had just dug their heels in and worked at getting past those their barriers. Strange how, being loved, really being loved, for just being yourself, made such a difference to how you came to see yourself. And how you felt about others. And it made such a difference to how you saw the world. His smile grew wider.

At nearly thirty, Nick knew he was loved. Something he had not known in his childhood. Something that made such a difference to the adult he had become.

It had been a bewildering experience in many ways. But one that he’d grabbed with both hands, eventually. And what a difference it had made. Yeah, he admitted, a slow process at times, and despite the fact he had pushed the boundaries, and tested their mettle, the Carvalho family had stood firm. For him. With him.

Hardly surprising then, that when they called, he was there, for them.

Nick knew he was, for all intents and purposes a member of that extended Carvalho family. His surname and genes might be Gerson, but he was a Carvalho in heart and soul. Being a member of that family had initially been rather daunting. First off, Mr. Carvalho was in the minority in his household. He had three daughters and a wife, none of whom believed in keeping their views to themselves. They had a tendency to speak their mind, had opinions about everything and talked at the same time. That coupled with Nick’s tendency to think the worst of everyone, had made the experience rough going at times. But he wouldn’t have missed it.

He’d first come into contact with the Carvalho family through Grace, when she’d married Luke’s best friend, Josh. Nick had met Grace when she and Josh came round to Luke’s place for dinner, and if truth be known, he’d developed a bit of a crush on her, at the time. It was her empathy, he realized now, with hindsight. She’d seen past his surliness, and somehow managed to touch his heart. But though he’d thought Grace was cool, and though he fancied her, it was Briar who’d torn down the barriers he’d been erecting all his life. Briar, the most reticent of the three sisters had steadily just worked her way into his heart. She was everything to him. Mother, sister, friend.

At the time he’d been a brash teenager. A cynical youth. And was rapidly becoming a man with a perpetual scowl on his face, something he’d learnt from Luke. Most wouldn’t have blamed him for his demeanor, given his dysfunctional biological family. The Carvalho’s didn’t blame him, but neither did they allow him to use it as an excuse to be obnoxious. And he’d been plenty obnoxious at the time. And they’d been pretty firm in response.

That was then. That moment, when Briar had walked into his life, his life changed. His biological family remained the same dysfunctional mess that it had always been, but his adopted family had changed him, showing him what love meant, and showing him how to be part of a family.

Nick blinked back into the present. He’d stopped thinking about how fortunate he’d been, a few years back, as life with the Carvalho family was the norm now. He almost took being part of that family for granted. He knew he could expect to get a scolding if he didn’t phone Angie, Mrs. Carvalho, to keep her posted, and he knew her husband, Ben would be calling him, if they didn’t hear from him at least once a week. They’d taken responsibility for him. Between them and the three girls, who he’d come to see as nagging sisters, he’d learnt that with family came responsibilities and duties.

It had been a tough call, dropping out of medicine after completing his training and doing a year in hospital and he’d wondered whether the Carvalho family would be disappointed in him for dropping out. He’d had a long chat with Luke and Briar about what he really wanted to do, and then, having shared the word with the rest of the Carvalho family, they’d all just got behind him as he carved himself a new niche. It was the right decision for him. For while he’d been a doctor he’d done the job and done it to the best of his abilities, but he’d always felt there was something missing.

But what he did now, now that really made him happy. It used his skills, and his strengths, and he thoroughly enjoyed taking things that were failing and turning them around. The fact that he made significant sums of money from it was just a bonus. He knew he’d found his calling now, and with Reuben as his silent partner in the business, he was more than happy with his lot in life.

He knew he was doing what he wanted to do. And doing it well. Doing it well enough for Briar to ask him for help. He owed Briar, big time. All those years ago, she made a huge difference to his life, and had continued to make a difference. Which is what brought him to be sitting on her doorstep, watching a woman who reminded him of Briar all those years ago, as she walked toward him.

His heart was racing. Anticipation? Expectation? Who knew? The woman heading toward the steps at the front of the house brought back memories of the moment in his life when one woman changed everything. A woman who was probably the same age as the one currently approaching. He watched the new woman, completely unaware about just how intently he was drawing comparisons between the woman heading in his direction and the one who’d headed towards him all those years ago.

They were of a similar height, and because she had the sun at her back, he was seeing the silhouette, just as he’d seen the silhouette all those years ago. Eerily the woman heading toward him reminded him, in so many ways, of his first impression of Briar. Ok, so this one was coolly chic rather than traditionally conservative with her dress code. That had his lips quirking as he remembered the way he’d described Briar, to her face, when he’d first seen her. He should have known then, given his remarks hadn’t thrown her, that Briar was going to be the start of his metamorphosis.

A woman not old enough to be his mother had mothered him without smothering him. Despite his arrogance and belligerence, she had persevered, slowly making her way into his heart. Loving him. Strange how he’d never stopped to really consider just what an impact Briar had had on him. He smiled, remembering the way she’d at first, hesitantly made her way toward him, all those years ago.

At the time he’d thought she was one of Luke’s numerous girlfriends, and he’d braced as he expected her to treat him with contempt and scorn, given what he’d been wearing and his general appearance at the time, for he’d been sleeping rough. But the reality was that she had looked past his bolshie appearance and seen to the heart of the distressed unhappy man he’d been, even if she hadn’t let on at the time.

His eyes returned to the present, and tracked the rapidly approaching woman who’d caused so many memories to resurface. This woman seemed more confident, and not at all anxious, given the way she was heading for the house with decorum and confidence. She possessed a quiet assurance and not a semblance of nerves.

Understatedly chic and coolly composed is how Nick summed her up.

As she got closer he noted the differences. This one knew exactly who she was. She had no problem living within her skin. Quietly confident, immeasurably graceful, utterly serene. Briar was quietly confident too, but she didn’t have the type of equanimity that was clearly evident in the woman currently heading toward him. Nick found himself intrigued. He wasn’t usually interested in the cool, calm, collected types, because in his mind he equated them with boring in bed.

Nick waited for the woman he assumed was Mercedes Roberts, to get closer and then he spoke up, Hi. In the intangibles, she was so like Briar.

He expected her to at least shriek when he’d materialized from the side. He’d assumed he’d been all but hidden as he’d attempted to fix the trellis that Briar had been reminding Luke to fix for the last few weeks. The boys, Connor, he was pretty sure, had accidentally dislodged it when the boys were playing Commandos, and despite Briar’s reminders, Luke had yet to get it fixed.

Nick knew he’d deliberately tried to startle Ms Roberts, wanting to see just how deep that veneer of composure and serenity ran. Way too composed. Way too cool. Given she’d simply looked at him as if he was a two year old playing a basic prank.

Mercedes looked closely at the man as he emerged from behind the trellis. Her heart was racing. And not just from his attempt to startle her. The man was what any woman with a pulse would have considered gorgeous! And she knew that her heart was racing in anticipation of striking up a conversation, partly because he was so good looking, and partly because as a child she’d had a speech impediment. And while she’d mastered her speech impediment over the years, she wasn’t usually this close, and on her own, with good-looking men she didn’t know.

What Nick hadn’t realized, was that she’d seen him labouring when she’d driven up the drive and parked her car. She’d seen him working on the trellis. But by the time she’d emerged from the car, he’d disappeared from view. So as she’d approached, she’d been keenly aware that from somewhere close she was probably being watched, because while he had disappeared from sight, she doubted very much that he’d disappeared altogether. Knowing she was being observed had her pulling herself together, making sure her standard approach to dealing with people she didn’t know slotted into place.

She had come to the conclusion that if you appeared confident, people thought you were confident. So, ensuring she looked serene and purposeful she headed toward the house, expecting the man to re-emerge at some point. She mentally rehearsed various lines, a strategy she had developed as a child when she had started to conquer her stutter. If she was prepared, her stutter never emerged. If she stayed calm, her stutter never emerged. If she anticipated the types of questions or statements she might face, her stutter never emerged. All she had to do was stay calm and use the techniques she’d developed over the years. Pretend to be confident and people believed you were, she reminded herself and walked forward with purpose and serenity.

At some point she was sure the man had to re-emerge. Even if it was to simply acknowledge her presence. He looked like a gardener or grounds man given his casual work clothes. She’d only got a fleeting glimpse of a t-shirted, jean clad man, as she’d driven up the expansive driveway. But apart from that she had little to go on.

So now that she was up close and personal, she made sure she took more detailed notes. And she liked what she saw. Really liked. Which was odd, because she didn’t usually go for the kind of rough and ready looking guy that currently stood before her. Mainly because she didn’t really think they’d have much in common or would be interested in her.

He hadn’t shaved. That was her first thought, and his rugged looks seemed to set her pulse racing. Then she took inventory. Nick’s navy blue t-shirt hung loosely, the hem just about at his hipbone, and his jeans were scuffed, as were his boots. Rough. Basic. Elemental, were what she thought as she took inventory. And her palms went damp as she considered his appearance while trying not to show the impact he was having on her equilibrium. It was the blue-grey gaze, the twinkle within them, that combined with lips that all but promised paradise, and the jaw line that suggested all male, all combined to give the man an edgy handsome look.

He looked very much at his ease. She doubted he’d have problems talking to strangers. There was that air of confidence and arrogance about him that only added to his rugged good looks. He didn’t seem to care about the fact that his jeans and t- shirt were grubby now. But then by the looks of him he was some sort of workman. Briar and Luke were obviously busy people, what with their careers and their family, something obviously had to give, and it looked like the garden was it.

Hello. Mercedes replied serenely, her composure well and truly intact, her smile genuine but reserved. Obviously she’d disturbed him from a task.

Nick did his best not to grin at her prim response. She’d made no attempt to hide the fact that she was assessing him. She’d been pretty thorough in her top to toe scan of him. He was used to being checked out by the opposite sex. But for some reason, this one brought out the gremlin in his nature. He was pretty sure he could read her conclusion. And the gremlin in him had him deciding to take her for a ride, just a small ride. After all, she hadn’t shrieked when he’d deliberately attempted to startle her. And that was just no fun! So, time to up the ante.

They aren’t in. He told her with boyish charm that he’d learnt over the years, mainly from watching Luke operate. His smile widened and those beautiful blue-grey eyes danced with what Mercedes could only describe as mischief. Oh, this man would be trouble. Too late to figure that out now. Her heart was already rattled. Her pulse already at full throttle and her thoughts were descending toward mush. It was everything about him. From his rugged looks, to that boyish charm. Everything was undermining her equilibrium, which was odd, because she was not easily rattled.

Then she came to a conclusion, he knew he had charm, knew how to work it, and knew its effect on poor defenseless women like her!

Who? She kept to single words, as that was a strategy she’d learnt as a child to help manage her stammer, and given the fact that just standing this close to him was causing her equilibrium to become unstable, she knew it would be best to keep to minimum language.

She glanced appreciatively at the house. If she continued to stare at the man before her, she was pretty sure she’d start drooling, which really wouldn’t help. So, distraction, that’s what was called for. And what better distraction than the mansion before her. Though, she surmised that mansion was probably over doing it. It wasn’t huge, but it was impressive, and yet at the same time it had an air of a lived in family home rather than a palatial house that claimed to be a home. The outer walls were painted a white with just a hint of blue, disconcertingly she found herself thinking that it was just slightly paler in shade to the disconcerting man’s eyes. The cool blue should give the house a cool distant feel, but like the man, there was a subtle warmth to it. For the house, she put that down to the amount of shrubbery and the greenery that surrounded it, made it look inviting. It felt like a home. For the man, she wasn’t sure what made his blue-grey gaze inviting, and warm.

Nick’s eyes gave her a leisurely once over, when she pointedly continued to make a study of the house. No point missing an opportunity to do a bit of assessing himself. And as she took stock of the house, he gave her a thorough head to toe.

He blinked. Surprised. She was wearing silk. Who in this day and age wore silk stockings in the daytime, in Summer, in Auckland? Her blouse was silk, and he was pretty certain that her legs were encased in silk stockings. Ok, perhaps the top to toe had not been a good plan, cause just the thought of those silk stockings already had his blood pressure soaring. But he couldn’t help it.

His eyes tracked her again. Dark brown hair that was currently pulled off her face and into a chignon didn’t really give one much of a clue about its length or texture. But it did give her an air of refined chic, adding to that impression of elegance. The pale cream silk blouse, tailored suit, silk stockings and black patent shoes with a two-inch kitten heel put her in his category for traditional, conservative women. Not that he had anything against traditional, conservative women, they just tended to be rather dull in bed, or so his experience had suggested thus far. He’d be interested to see if this one proved the exception to the rule. That brought him up short.

He knew who she was, or at least he thought he did. If she was here for the meeting with Briar, and him, then he knew exactly who she was. Though, for some reason, she wasn’t quite what he was expecting.

This was Mercedes Roberts. Daughter of the CEO of the Trust that ran Briar’s hospital.

Why he’d thought the woman Briar had told him about would be middle-aged was beyond him. He’d never thought to ask Briar for information about Mercedes Roberts. He’d just assumed that anyone involved in fundraising on a voluntary basis would be middle-aged! That would teach him. Details. He should have asked for details. Not made assumptions. And Briar, the sneak, hadn’t told him, that Mercedes Roberts was one sexy young woman. Cool. Chic. And sexy. Way sexy! It was the combination of silk, and conservatism, the way she wore her clothes rather than the clothes she wore. Intrigued. He was definitely more than intrigued.

But just because he found her sexy, didn’t stop him from having a bit of fun, at her expense. That was something he’d learnt from Briar’s father. He was a practical joker. It was one of the things that had helped Nick bond with that family, as Ben had often involved Nick in staging his practical jokes with his daughters. And when they got caught out, they got the full Carvalho sister blast, but like naughty schoolboys; it didn’t stop them from going ahead with their next prank.

I’m guessing as you are at the Montoya residence you are looking for Mr. or Mrs. Montoya. Nick braced one forearm along the step railing, while still holding onto the debris he’d just cleared, just to make sure he was steering her the way he wanted her to go. He fully intended to give her the wrong impression. Hamming it up, he used a deferential tone as he spoke to her. But her beautiful dark brown eyes narrowed, and he wondered if she’d seen through his ruse.

I am. I’m here to see Dr Briar Montoya. She told him, her attention once again back on him. The man was self-assured. The way he stood and the way he spoke suggested that he was pretty sure of himself, despite that pretence of deference just now. His voice might be attempting to convey obsequiousness, but his eyes definitely belonged to a man who was supremely confident and knew exactly where he stood in life. He had a nice voice: seductively warm, and incredibly charming, but then what had she expected, given his looks. She wondered whether he practiced using his voice to seduce women. Then she almost laughed. He wouldn’t need to practice. If his appearance did not have them falling at his feet, his charm would probably disarm them, leaving his voice with very little work to do.

They aren’t in. Nick told her as he put some of the debris that he’d cleared from the trellis down, just beside the steps. He wiped his hands down the sides of his jeans, leaving mud streaks, adding further evidence of his attempt to tidy up the trellis and deliberately trying to mislead her. He knew he was conveying the fact that he was in working clothes given the way he’d just smeared mud on his jeans with little thought to expense and cleaning.

You won’t mind if I try the bell. Mercedes announced almost breathily and hurriedly stepped past him and took the four steps up to the front door at a brisk trot. Oh, dear, this was getting way out of control. When he’d run his palms down the front of his thighs, her eyes had tracked them, and she’d had to work hard not to salivate, which was a rather novel experience.

She wasn’t the drooling type. Of course she appreciated good looking men, and ruggedly good looking men were rare in her life, but, she had sufficient control to usually keep herself from feeling faint at the mere sight of a good looking man running his hands down his thighs! And yet here she was, practically drooling. If she was going to wait, she was going to make sure there was a reason for the wait, and anyway, she needed to do something, before she really slobbered all over him.

Drooling would make such a mess of her silk blouse, not to mention ruin her perfectly concocted cool and composed image.

Deftly Mercedes reached forward and used a conventionally manicured index finger to press the doorbell. And then she waited, knowing in reality that what he’d said was probably the truth. But there’d been a twinkle in his eyes and she wasn’t sure whether he was teasing her or tricking her, so she’d opted to be sure. That and she’d needed an escape option. She wasn’t the type to lose her head at just the sight of a good-looking man, nor one with a cheeky charming voice. But this gardener, or whoever he was, was making her feel as if she had just been on a rollercoaster. Palms sweaty, heart racing, breathing shallow, nerves shot.

As I said, they aren’t in. Nick told her again, his forearm once again braced along the step railing. The deferential tone had disappeared from his voice only to be replaced with a broad smile. The view from the back was almost as good as the view from the front, he told himself as he continued to log details. Firm, trim taut derriere, and those fabulous legs encased in silk. Trim ankles, shapely calves. Long, long legs. They would easily wrap around his waist, he thought. Nick pulled himself together. He wasn’t usually this idiotic about attractive women. There had been far too many of them in his life for him to see them as anything but the norm. But this elegantly dressed woman seemed to be opening his eyes, and removing the jaded blinkers he’d worn for years. He found himself wondering about the length of her hair again.

Difficult to gauge, given the chignon. She looked efficient. Cool, chic and efficient. Really not his usual type, he tried to tell his body and brain. To no avail.

Mercedes turned and from her advantage of being four steps up was able to look down at him. Doubt that happened all that often, she told herself and banked her smile. He seemed somewhat uneasy. She wondered what had brought about that change. But then, she really didn’t want to spend any more time thinking about him, she was doing too much of that as it was.

So I see. She announced rather more curtly then she had intended. She glanced around, her actions mirroring her thoughts.

Mercedes wondered whether she should just bid him good day, and head back for her car. Coward, her inner voice remonstrated with her. Sensible, her head told her. Why waste this opportunity her heart questioned. Probably because she had not anticipated meeting a good-looking man and had not rehearsed possible topics of conversation. And without some measure of rehearsal, she was pretty sure she would lapse into her childhood stammer. More so given how easily her poise had been destabilized in the last few minutes.

Nick tipped his head and feigned some measure of contemplation, So, you want to wait? His eyes positively danced, as if he was having a party inside his head. He could see that she was torn between leaving and therefore being seen to be a chicken, and staying, and therefore taking a risk with a man who seemed hell bent on tormenting her. He wondered whether she’d opt to run. Perhaps she should, for both their sakes.

Mercedes came to a decision. His laughing eyes had practically railroaded her into the decision. She was not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her turn tail and run. That was one of her biggest failings. Pride. She was too proud to hide, even when she was usually scared witless.

She had decided as a child when her stammer had threatened to rule her life, that she was going to find strategies to help her manage, rather than hide. So with the help of her best friend, Hope, she had managed to conquer her stammer. Usually the strategies worked, sometimes they didn’t. But her panic attacks about speaking in public had diminished over the years, because she had learnt to draw on pretty robust strategies to allow her to cope. So she should be able to cope on a one to one with this annoyingly attractive, utterly appealing, totally wrong-for-her, man.

And that coupled with her heart practically dancing a merry jig, just at the thought of an opportunity to spend more time with him, had her saying, Yes. I plan on waiting. I have an appointment with Briar. Dr Montoya.

She flicked at her jacket cuff. She was about five minutes early. Perhaps she could use that as an excuse, and drive away, just to take herself out of this man’s sight. Her heart thudded hard, reminding her that she wanted to make the best use of this opportunity and not take the coward’s way out. Easier said than done. Her heart and head waged a silent battle.

Want to sit down? Nick challenged slickly, as he noted her glance speculatively at her car. She was so transparent. He could practically hear her mind work. Right now she was considering her options, and the reasons she could use to escape while saving face. This was turning out to be more fun than he’d expected. It had been many years since he’d considered the sheer joy of flirting. And while she may not recognize it as such, he was definitely flirting. Not using his standard techniques, but enjoying teasing her.

Mercedes glanced with unmasked aversion at the dirty step. I’ll come back later. Mercedes told him quietly as her head overruled her heart and common sense resurrected itself. Ok, so he had the ability to unsettle her heart, which in itself was completely unexpected. She was attracted to a man she’d only just met. Which as far as she was concerned was ridiculous. That just didn’t happen. She didn’t go on appearances. She was interested in personality, and character. Yet, here she was, nervous to the pit of her stomach, all because a rather good-looking man was within a few feet.

She was pretty sure he already knew that her mind was working overtime trying to figure out how to leave without causing too much of a scene. And if she left, well that way, she told herself, she would have given herself a chance to pull herself together, think about what she wanted to say and say it without embarrassing herself. When was the last time she’d felt this unnerved? In a one to one conversation?

Why go to all that trouble. Nick suggested with smooth charm and indicated the step again, as if that in itself conveyed a message. I’ve given that a clean. He told her, gesturing toward the step once again as he smiled with what she could see was an out and out challenge. Grab a pew. They won’t be far. His eyes were back at twinkling stage, making her heart practically loop the loop.

Nick wondered whether she would be like Briar, and just sit down on the step. His grin widened as he waited for her to decide. Mercedes flicked a look at the step. And then back at him. She was not going to be railroaded into sitting down on Briar’s front door step, just to prove to this man that she was not intimidated by his charm fest.

Pride yes, bucket loads. But she was also pragmatic and cleaning her clothes because she’d been railroaded into sitting on a dirty step as a consequence of his taunting smile, was not going to happen.

Thanks. I’ll pass. She stated with a slightly regal tilt of the head. Mercedes knew she sounded prim and ridiculously prudish. It wasn’t that she’d conveyed the fact she was finicky. It was the diming of that light in his eyes that had her suddenly feeling as if she’d let him down. Up until then, she’d figured she rated fairly highly on his hierarchy of interest, but now, passing up that offer to sit on a dirty step had in some way taken her down a couple of steps in his interest ladder. She felt bereft as that laughter light in his eyes diminished. Odd how she was reading his eyes at such an intricate level. But he’d definitely moved her down a rung or two after she’d declined his offer to sit on the step.

See, Nick told himself, a difference. When he’d met Briar, she’d plopped herself on this very step, just beside him, telling him to budge up to make room for her. She hadn’t even bothered, at the time to check to see if the step was clean. In contrast, this woman had looked disdainfully at the step. This woman clearly did not want to get her clothes dirty. Briar hadn’t thought twice about dirtying her albeit conservative dress code. She’d taken the seat next to Nick and that had been the start of well over a decade of being part of her family.

So how do you know them? Nick asked her, trying to sound nonchalant, pretending ignorance and trying, despite the recent set back to keep her here. He knew he was being mischievous, not telling her who he was, but he was enjoying himself at various levels. It was her cool elegance, her utter composure, as if nothing or no-one would have the faintest chance to get past that cool silk screen. Everyone and everything was held at a safe distance away. There was, he was pretty sure an imaginary boundary line. She probably let everyone get close to a degree, but only up to that boundary line. How he knew that, he wasn’t sure. There was just this air about her, allowing you close enough to see but not close enough to touch.

Excuse me? She gave him a leisurely once over, trying to work out whether she had mis-classified him. He sounded too arrogant to be subservient. Too sure of himself to be a worker. So he was family? No, he wasn’t related to Briar. Hair and skin colour were different. He may be related to Luke, though if Mercedes recalled correctly, Luke did not have any siblings. So based on those facts, she doubted this man was immediate family. Which meant he had to be a worker, a gardener or grounds man, or some form of hired help. But being the ultra careful type she decided to check her assumptions. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but isn’t that cheeky?

What is? He grinned utterly captivated by her attempt to put him in his place without offending him. There, he thought again, a similarity to Briar. She too had strategies she used to put people in their place while attempting not to offend them.

Asking me to explain to you, how I know them? She replied slowly, making sure her words were carefully enunciated and well paced. Ok, so she could manage a conversation with him without stuttering. Thank goodness for that. But it was a close

call. His eyes, his smile, his cheekiness, all were having a rather unexpected impact, on her.

Why is it cheeky? He tipped his head to study her. His eyes were back at dancing stage.

It was interesting to find that he was enjoying teasing her. Lightheartedly, admittedly, but still teasing her. Odd in other ways, as he usually only teased the women in his immediate ‘family’ circle, mainly because he knew they could handle him, and because they teased him in return. But with women who were his ‘dates’, well, that was a whole other ball game. They got the surface Nick. The man who was suave, the man who could flirt, the man who paid compliments at all the right moments, and the man who knew how to walk away when things started getting serious. He knew his track record with women drove Briar mad, but then she was a mother hen where he was concerned. And as she, and her mother, kept telling him, they wanted to see him find a nice woman to settle down with!

The problem was that nice women bored him senseless. And the thought of settling down brought him out in a cold sweat. But that hadn’t stopped the Carvalho family from constantly nagging him about his single status and the fact that he adored Briar’s kids didn’t help his cause. Because as far as the family were concerned, that just provided additional proof that he would make a great dad. Dad? What did he know about being a dad, his own was such a disaster of a role model. He had no intention of perpetuating that particular gene.

Mercedes tried to keep the disdain out her voice, no point antagonizing the man. That light in his eyes had disappeared again. Because, well, to be perfectly frank I don’t actually know what your connection is to the Montoya family. And just to make sure that she wasn’t jumping to any wrong conclusions, Are you related to them? She tipped her head the barest inch, which made her chin come up, and he could see she meant it as a challenge.

No. He replied and fought to keep the smile from showing. Ok, so she was smarter than he gave her credit for. She’d obviously figured out that something hadn’t added up. And had decided to double-check her conclusions before making problematic statements. Again, another Briar trait. Briar, unlike her younger sister Sasha, was the one who worked through information logically before deciding on what course of action she should take. Sasha tended to jump straight in.

You don’t look like security. Mercedes told him, speaking aloud, despite the fact she hadn’t intended to say anything further. Her eyes gave him what he could only describe as a cursory once over that told him that she found him wanting in the clothing stakes. His eyes danced with laughter. Mercedes was intrigued by the fact that despite wearing casual, and currently grubby, clothes, he still had the air of a self- confident, self-made man. A man who commanded and led, rather than followed.

I’m not. Again Nick fought off the smile, enjoying the fact that his casual dress code was adding to his false identity.

He was a successful businessman. He’d just never taken to wearing a business dress code, either as a medic, or now. The closest he came was to wear a jacket over his standard uniform of t-shirt and jeans. Albeit more expensive jeans and t-shirts nowadays. Occasionally he made an effort and swapped his t-shirts for polo shirts that had been a recent move. Suits he wore to weddings and funerals.

In that case, I see no need to answer your questions. Mercedes told him calmly.

And Nick nearly burst out laughing at the primness in her voice. She was so utterly straight, wholly unruffled, amazingly confident and incredibly sexy. And he knew, he just knew, that despite his aversion to taking ‘nice’ women to bed, this one was going to be the exception to his rule. She just didn’t know it as yet. He looked forward to the day.

Just then a car pulled into the driveway. They heard it make its approach and it was only a few seconds later when it came past the curve in the driveway that it came into view. Nick could almost see the relief seep into Mercedes’ eyes. Nick smiled to himself. Ok, not as confident as she makes out, he thought to himself, and watched her face more keenly.

Briar was out of the seven-seater people carrier first. Sorry. She called from the car, as she opened the rear car door and three boys tumbled out at breakneck speed.

Mercedes watched as the three boys hurtled forward, in a blur of movement, heading straight toward Mercedes and the gardener. Mercedes wasn’t sure whether they intended to tackle her or not, but they raced toward her and the man at breakneck speed totally oblivious to the uneven surface.

The eldest boy, she knew was about twelve, and the youngest looked to be about eight or nine. None appeared fazed by the rough surface as they headed straight for the man standing beside her. The three boys had careened past her and launched themselves at Nick who was standing and chuckling as they slammed into him one after another, all vying for some body contact.

Uncle Nick! They all yelled in unison.

It was then that Mercedes realized she’d been taken for a ride. Mercedes threw him a frosty accusatory look. And wasn’t at all surprised to see his eyes dance even more with genuine delight. The rogue. Her lips nearly twitched.

He grinned shamelessly, Sorry, He muttered unrepentantly, through a smile, one she was sure he considered was his most charming grin, Couldn’t resist. He added impenitence danced like sunshine in his blue eyes.

The boys piled into him, all arms and legs, for a group hug. He was enveloped in a melee of arms and legs with the noise level ratcheting up as the three young boisterous males all vied to claim his attention with questions and statements. They clearly adored the man. And just as clearly he adored them. Rogue.

Mercedes watched his engagement with the three boys, and couldn’t help the smile that formed. The man was a veritable rascal. A charming rascal. But a rascal none- the-less. But he must have some redeeming qualities given the way the boys were all over him. Mercedes was a firm believer in children being pretty good barometers when it came to judging adult character. This man had good stock. In some ways he reminded her of her own brother. Adam had a way with people. He could charm with minimum effort. Just like this rascal.

A few seconds later, Briar and Luke reached the huddled noisy group. Their four- year-old daughter, who was talking to him animatedly, clasped Luke’s hand and he was listening attentively as he modified his stride and walked slowly alongside Briar. Lacey was too much of a lady to launch herself at Nick the way the boys had, and anyway, she knew that when she got close enough her Uncle Nick would make room for her, without any fuss.

Mercedes had not met Luke before and she was delighted to see him listening to his daughter as if what she had to say was immeasurably important. Mercedes remembered the number of times, as a little girl, when she had found herself relating tale after tale to her father, and he had paid her the same type of attention that she saw Luke afford his daughter. Mercedes considered Briar a lucky woman. It wasn’t often one managed to find a man who could convey sexy and family man in one fell swoop. Luke appeared to manage it with little effort.

I’m so sorry. We are running late. Briar told Mercedes and then leaned over the top of her youngest boy, and toward Nick in order to kiss his cheek, even while her three sons continued to talk to him at breakneck speed and with no concern for the other competing voices. Then Briar stepped past the male huddle that was still in progress, as if it was a common event.

Briar glanced with affection at the chattering group, and then turned back to the elegant woman waiting patiently at the doorstep. I must apologise. I hoped to be back at least half and hour ago. But we got stuck at Grace’s place. My fault. By the time we rounded up the kids, I knew we were going to be running a few minutes late. I forgot to ask for your phone number the last time we met, otherwise I would have called to let you know we were running late.

It’s fine. I’ve only just got here. And Nick, has been most entertaining.

Briar looked back at the man huddle that had temporarily stopped to allow Luke to transfer his daughter over to Nick. Lacey, now happily ensconced in Uncle Nick’s arms, looked down at her brothers with a regal tilt to her head. See, her eyes seemed to tell them, she didn’t have to lower herself to behaving like hoodlums to get Uncle Nick’s attention.

Briar smiled at the smug expression in her daughter’s eyes and then gestured for Mercedes to follow her, Mercedes, if you come with me, that lot will make their way in, in due course.

Briar opened the door, then she stopped as she realized she’d failed to make the introductions, Sorry, I’m not usually this ditzy. She shook her head, I should introduce you to my husband. And my daughter. And those three hoodlums are my boys. She shook her head, as she saw that her three sons had Nick well and truly besieged. Sorry. Anyway, this is my husband Luke. Luke, this is Mercedes Roberts. Her father is the…

Luke made his way toward Briar and Mercedes as he completed his wife’s sentence saying, New CEO. Luke held out a hand for a handshake and smiled in welcome even as he made a quick study of the woman. Nice to meet you. Elegant. Cool.

Composed. Were his conclusions as he shook her hand.

Mercedes smiled in reply, though her smile was a touch more muted as she considered the man. Nice to meet you too. She catalogued the fact she hadn’t imagined Briar to be married to a man like him. He just seemed so raw, so unashamedly male. Mercedes had imagined Briar with someone suave, rather than rugged and scarred.

She knew Briar was married to a lawyer, and Mercedes’ view of a lawyer and the man Briar had just introduced had nothing in common. Mercedes expected to see this man on the other side of the law. It wasn’t his looks that spoke of danger, though clearly he carried the badges from various fights. It was his very essence. Mercedes found herself wondering how Briar came to be involved with a man like this. She’d mistakenly assigned Briar to the conventional basket. Married, children, balanced domestic and professional life, all those things suggested safe and staid. But the man Briar had introduced as her husband looked anything but safe and staid. Mercedes tuned back in.

And our daughter, that’s Lacey. Briar gestured toward her daughter. Who despite being a big girl now, apparently cannot make it into the house without being carried. Briar looked pointedly at her daughter, who just nestled more snugly in Nick’s arms much to her brothers’ disgust. And our boys, you’ve met Nick. And that’s Landon, Connor and Jared. The boys didn’t take any notice, until Briar said more firmly, in a louder voice, Landon, Connor and Jared, which caused them to look up at their mother, she quirked a brow in silent demand as she tacked on, who are about to say hello to our guest.

They very quickly mumbled hello to Mercedes, then turned back to focus on Nick.

Sorry. Briar shook her head at her son’s responses. Uncle Nick wins. You’d have to come bearing gifts of various sorts if you were to make any headway in dragging them away from Nick right at the moment. Anyway, come in.

Briar waited for Mercedes to enter. If you give me a second, I’ll just see to…

I’ll get Lace her drink. Luke used their daughter’s abbreviated name, then added, And once the boys have released Nick, I’ll get them organized and out of his hair. Luke told Briar and she gave him a kiss on the cheek for his suggestion.

Mercedes found she was fascinated by the interaction between Briar and Luke. Mercedes was having to reassess, and quickly, for the man simply did not fit the mould. He looked rough, given his scarred features, had the manners of a debutante and was in love with his wife. Mercedes smiled to herself.

Thanks hon. I owe you. Briar smiled and something in that smile had Mercedes wondering whether there had been another message within that smile and those words, for Luke’s gaze seemed to fire up. Briar’s lips twitched before she turned away from Luke and addressed Mercedes. Mercedes, if we head this way, Luke and the noise will head that way. Briar gestured toward the two directions. Luke, hon, tell Nick we are in the study when the boys release him.

He nodded, smiled at Mercedes, saying, Nice meeting you Mercedes.

Nice to meet you too. She replied. What an interesting family, Mercedes thought silently, before following Briar down the hallway.

Chapter 2

They’d only just sat down when the door opened again and Nick strode in with a broad grin on his lips. He closed the door behind him, as if he lived here.

Sorry about that. But I haven’t seen the kids in a couple of weeks. Nick strode further into the room, as he rifled a hand through his hair to restore some measure of order. Lacey loved touching his hair, and usually left it mussed up.

Mercedes realized she was tracking the movement of his fingers through his hair, and that was strangely unsettling, as she started to imagine her fingers rifling through his hair. She shifted. This was not the way to start a professional relationship. She needed to remember, she was here to get his help, not to seduce the man. As if she could?

Where would one start?

And whose fault is that? Briar asked him before he could take a seat. She made a careful study of him, because despite the fact he was his own man now, she still worried about him.

Ok, ok. He put his hands up as he acknowledged it was his fault. Anyway, I’m here, aren’t I?

Yes. And about time. The boys have been driving me mad asking when you were going to come round. Briar told him, and did what she usually did, which was check that he looked ok. The trouble with Nick was that he didn’t look after himself. Too busy running around. But she also knew that he could only stomach just so much of her molly-codling, as Luke described it. So she played her trump card. Nick held Grace in high esteem. Had done for years. And Grace said she hadn’t seen you in a while. Apparently her kids are missing you too! No accounting for taste eh? She teased him then added with a warm smile, We’ve all missed you.

Nick snorted with feigned casualness, but inwardly the words registered with their usual impact. Once again affirming his place with that family. They loved him. That’s what he liked the most about the Carvalho family. They told you that they cared. They showed you, but they also spelt it out. Just in case you missed it!

Oh, and Gabe and Zeke were there. Zeke said to remind you that if you need tickets to the game, to let him know as soon as possible. Reuben’s already confirmed he can go, but he wasn’t sure whether you could make it.

Nick nodded as he processed that. Zeke Carter had married Asia Fonseca, and was now a recognized sports commentator. He and Asia had two children, one of whom, Gabe was between Jared and Lacey’s age, the other was just a toddler.

Mercedes watched the interaction with open curiousity. She’d assumed that Nick and Briar had some sort of professional connection. What she was seeing was a family in action. This man might not be related to this woman through blood, but they were family. In fact the more Mercedes reviewed the last few minutes, the more convinced she was that as far as Briar was concerned, Nick was one of hers.

Briar remembered that they had a guest. Sorry. She apologized with a wry smile, But my memory is like a sieve, so I just needed to tell him before I forgot it all! She tried to gauge how Mercedes had taken that brief digression and to get things back on track Briar asked, Were you waiting long?

Ages. Nick announced smugly as he headed for a seat. He took the seat with indifferent grace and made himself comfortable before grinning at Briar, who’d huffed at his response.

No, not at all. Mercedes said at the same time. She looked over at Nick who just shrugged, conceding his little white lie as if it was of no consequence.

It was really very interesting watching him interact with Briar. Because the charm had been replaced by genuine affection, and love. He clearly loved this family. And they appeared to reciprocate it in spades. There was something very endearing about the way he’d dealt with the avalanche of boys earlier, and now, the way he’d teased Briar without being mean was also rather lovely. So the man who’d made her heart flutter just on sight of him, was now making her heart somersault as his character unfolded.

Briar wondered whether Nick and Mercedes had introduced themselves. She threw Nick a questioning look, And hopefully long enough to introduce yourselves.

No, we hadn’t got around to that. I was fixing your trellis. Nick reminded Briar, and sounded as if he was expecting brownie points.

Briar smiled, trust him to remember, given she’d been nagging Luke about it two weeks ago, when they’d seen Nick off as he headed for the airport.

Which means you probably let Mercedes believe you were the hired help. Briar surmised, when she took stock of Nick’s attire and the mud smear on his thigh. And thanks for dressing for this meeting. She remonstrated without heat. She’d been remonstrating about his appearance for years, ever since she’d met him during his hair