Rags to Riches Reunion

Cin felt Drum’s gaze on her as she settled behind the computer. Even after all these years, he still had the power to draw her in. She clearly remembered her six-year-old self telling her momma, after Drum’s first playdate with Tanner, that she was going to marry that man one day. Her momma had just laughed and done her best to distract her wildly determined little girl away from her brother and his new best friend. But even though her mom had succeeded that day, it had never quenched the longing Cin felt every time Drum was in her vicinity. A longing that even marriage to another man could never quite erase. A sharp pang of guilt sliced at her. Suck it up, buttercup, she told herself. Remember, this was the guy you asked—no, begged—to accompany you to your prom and who categorically turned you down for the dance and everything else you were offering him. Even now, Cin felt humiliation stain her cheeks at the memory. He hadn’t wanted her and had made it abundantly clear. So, with persistence, she applied herself to learn whatever it took to be the best darn employee for him she could be. Dear Reader, I always love a rags-to-riches story and combined with a reunion, well, for me that ticks a lot of boxes. As a writer, I love getting to play with ideas and figuring out how certain character types tick. Everyone reacts differently to situations, right? So, it was satisfying to play with my poor heroine having to return home to work for the guy she’s had a crush on for most of her life. Drummond Keyes is one of the most honorable heroes I think I’ve ever written. Now the richest man in the country, he pours his heart into his community, and when Hyacinth Sanderton comes home, he is quick to find her a position in his company—although he finds himself battling the pact he made with his best friend, Cin’s brother, never to touch each other’s sister. Cin has returned with a failed business and a failed marriage behind her and she’s determined to rebuild herself from the ground up. The last thing she needs is a new relationship. I hope you enjoy Cin and Drum’s journey to happy-ever-after. Happy reading! Yvonne Lindsay Rags to Riches Reunion Yvonne Lindsay www.millsandboon.com.au Award-winning author Yvonne Lindsay is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty-five titles with over five million copies sold worldwide. Always having preferred the stories in her head to the real world, Yvonne balances her days crafting the stories of her heart or planting her nose firmly in someone else’s book. You can reach Yvonne through her website, yvonnelindsay.com. Soraya, this one is for you. Thank you for your constant nudging, cheerleading, support, advice and, most of all, friendship. 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 The Lost Heir by Rachel Bailey One A favor. That’s all it was. Drummond Keyes mentally rolled his eyes and forced himself to unclench his jaw. He thought Tanner had been kidding when he called Drum up and asked him to find a job for his sister, Hyacinth Sanderton. But if the designer-suited, Louboutin-shod blonde standing in front of him was any indication, Tanner had been serious. Drum looked at her and fought to quell the insidious spark of lust that pinged a line straight to his groin. This was Tanner’s baby sister, for heaven’s sake! He wasn’t supposed to react like this to her—ever! He and Tanner had made a pact; sure, they’d only been fifteen when they’d made it, but honor demanded that you never, never hit on your best friend’s sister. He valued his friendship with Tanner deeply. They’d supported one another from the day they’d met at elementary school. Drum had been the new kid when Tanner had sidled up to him and asked if he wanted to be friends. He hadn’t realized it then, but Tanner’s family’s wealth had set him apart from most of the other kids, and he’d been as hungry for friendship as Drum was to fit in at this new school. They’d promised to have one another’s back, always. They’d even planned to join the army together, with Drum applying to the JAG Corps, until Drum’s father’s heart attack had forced him to stay home. It was also their special bond that had seen him turn down Cin’s plea to be her first lover, as challenging as that was. Drum hadn’t wanted to do anything to jeopardize their friendship then, and he certainly didn’t now. Not that she was throwing herself at him. Tanner’s little sister had grown from a precociously pretty teenager into a mesmerizingly beautiful woman. However tempting she looked, it made no difference. He wasn’t going there. “You actually want a job here, with Keyes Tires?” he asked, fighting to keep the disbelief from his voice. “Yes, I do, and thank you for seeing me personally, Drum. I know you’re incredibly busy.” Even her voice was captivating, and the sound of it sent little prickles of awareness firing along his nerve endings. He clenched his jaw again. Tight. “I’m not sure we’re the right fit for someone with your—” he hesitated before continuing “—talents.” A spark of something, anger maybe, flared to life in her perfectly made-up blue eyes, but it was gone as quickly as he saw it. In fact, if he’d been anyone other than someone who’d watched her grow up from an irritating six-year-old to an eighteen-year-old who had the world at her feet, he might not even have noticed. He continued before she could speak. “Look, I know that you’re a marketing whiz and you’re used to a much faster pace than we offer here in Blossom Springs. Are you sure this is what you want?”