His Marriage Bonus Read online

  * * *

  SECRET MEETING MINUTES

  TO: Mitch Deveraux

  FROM: Payton Heyward

  RE: A “business” arrangement

  Mitch,

  Per our discussion, the Heywards and the Deverauxes have had a long history of duking it out in the marketplace in ever-inventive ways. Now, as our two shipping companies continue to battle for market share, it is unnecessarily sapping the energy and resources of us both. I’d like to propose a merger between the Heyward and Deveraux shipping companies—in more ways than one. If you and my daughter Lauren marry and join our families and businesses through marriage, then I am prepared to offer you half of Heyward Shipping as dowry. Plus, if you can keep this quiet from Lauren, there is a secret bonus in it for you….

  * * *

  Dear Reader,

  What a special lineup of love stories Harlequin American Romance has for you this month. Bestselling author Cathy Gillen Thacker continues her family saga, THE DEVERAUX LEGACY, with His Marriage Bonus. A confirmed bachelor ponders a marital merger with his business rival’s daughter, and soon his much-guarded heart is in danger of a romantic takeover!

  Next, a young woman attempts to catch the eye of her lifelong crush by undergoing a head-to-toe makeover in Plain Jane’s Plan, the latest book in Kara Lennox’s HOW TO MARRY A HARDISON miniseries. In Courtship, Montana Style by Charlotte Maclay, a sophisticated city slicker arrives on a handsome rancher’s doorstep, seeking refuge with a baby in her arms. The Rancher Wore Suits by Rita Herron is the first book in TRADING PLACES, an exciting duo about identical twin brothers separated at birth who are reunited and decide to switch places to see what their lives might have been like.

  Enjoy this month’s offerings, and be sure to return each and every month to Harlequin American Romance!

  Happy reading,

  Melissa Jeglinski

  Associate Senior Editor

  Harlequin American Romance

  Cathy Gillen Thacker

  HIS MARRIAGE BONUS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Cathy Gillen Thacker married her high school sweetheart and hasn’t had a dull moment since. Why, you ask? Well, there were three kids, various pets, any number of automobiles, several moves across the country, his and her careers, and sundry other experiences. But mostly, there was love and friendship and laughter, and lots of experiences she wouldn’t trade for the world.

  You can find out more about Cathy and her books at www.cathygillenthacker.com, and you can write her c/o Harlequin Books, 300 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017.

  Books by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

  37—TOUCH OF FIRE

  75—PROMISE ME TODAY

  102—HEART’S JOURNEY

  134—REACH FOR THE STARS

  143—A FAMILY TO CHERISH

  156—HEAVEN SHARED

  166—THE DEVLIN DARE

  187—ROGUE’S BARGAIN

  233—GUARDIAN ANGEL

  247—FAMILY AFFAIR

  262—NATURAL TOUCH

  277—PERFECT MATCH

  307—ONE MAN’S FOLLY

  318—LIFETIME GUARANTEE

  334—MEANT TO BE

  367—IT’S ONLY TEMPORARY

  388—FATHER OF THE BRIDE

  407—AN UNEXPECTED FAMILY

  423—TANGLED WEB

  445—HOME FREE

  452—ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE

  456—THE COWBOY’S MISTRESS

  472—HONEYMOON FOR HIRE

  483—BEGUILED AGAIN

  494—FIANCÉ FOR SALE

  506—KIDNAPPING NICK

  521—BABY ON THE DOORSTEP◊

  526—DADDY TO THE RESCUE◊

  529—TOO MANY MOMS◊

  540—JENNY AND THE FORTUNE TELLER

  556—LOVE POTION #5

  568—MISS CHARLOTTE SURRENDERS

  587—A SHOTGUN WEDDING

  607—DADDY CHRISTMAS

  613—MATCHMAKING BABY

  625—THE COWBOY’S BRIDEΔ

  629—THE RANCH STUDΔ

  633—THE MAVERICK MARRIAGEΔ

  673—ONE HOT COWBOY

  697—SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT MARRIAGEΔ

  713—SNOWBOUND BRIDE††

  717—HOT CHOCOLATE HONEYMOON††

  721—SNOW BABY††

  747—MAKE ROOM FOR BABY

  754—BABY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS

  789—DR. COWBOY*

  793—WILDCAT COWBOY*

  797—A COWBOY’S WOMAN*

  801—A COWBOY KIND OF DADDY*

  837—THE BRIDE SAID, “I DID?”†

  841—THE BRIDE SAID, “FINALLY!”†

  862—THE BRIDE SAID, “SURPRISE!”†

  870—THE VIRGIN BRIDE SAID, “WOW!”†

  937—HER BACHELOR CHALLENGE**

  941—HIS MARRIAGE BONUS**

  HARLEQUIN BOOKS

  TEXAS VOWS: A MCCABE FAMILY SAGA*

  Who’s Who in the Deveraux Family

  Tom Deveraux—The head of the family and CEO of the Deveraux shipping empire that has been handed down through the generations.

  Grace Deveraux—Estranged from Tom for years, but back in town—after a personal tragedy—for some much-needed family support.

  Chase Deveraux—The eldest son, and the biggest playboy in the greater Charleston area.

  Mitch Deveraux—A chip off the old block; about to double the size of the family business via a business/marriage arrangement.

  Dr. Gabe Deveraux—The “Goodest” Samaritan around. Any damsels in distress in need of the good doctor’s assistance…?

  Amy Deveraux—The baby sister. She’s determined to reunite her parents.

  Winnifred Deveraux Smith—Tom’s widowed sister. The social doyenne of Charleston, she’s determined never to marry. That’s not what she has in mind for her niece and nephews, though.

  Herry Bowles—The butler. Distinguished, indispensable and devoted to his boss, Winnifred.

  Eleanor Deveraux—The Deveraux ancestor with whom the legacy of ill-fated love began.

  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

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter One

  “Don’t you dare play innocent with me, Mitch Deveraux!” Lauren Heyward stormed the moment she entered Payton Heyward’s office at Heyward Shipping Company. She leveled a slender, accusing finger Mitch’s way. “I know what you and my father are trying to do! And it’s not going to work!”

  “And what, exactly, might that be?” Mitch Deveraux retorted dryly. He didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, but he couldn’t say he minded spending a little time alone with the young and beautiful shipping heiress. She was a sight to behold, in a fitted coral blazer, clinging white silk blouse and slim coral-plaid skirt that ended just an inch above her knees. The low-heeled pumps she wore were sensible but sexy enough to make the most of her trim, spectacular legs. And her beauty didn’t end with a knockout figure. Her golden-brown hair looked soft and touchable as it fell to her shoulders. She had parted it on the side, and tucked it behind her ear. Mitch had never been much of a touchy-feely guy, but as he took in the delicate, aristocratic contours of her oval-shaped face, he found himself wanting to run his fingers through the golden-brown mane and experience the shimmering softness of her
hair for himself.

  Oblivious to the overwhelmingly sensual nature of his thoughts, Lauren marched closer yet. “The two of you are trying to marry me off by proxy!” she charged as she inundated Mitch with an intoxicating patchouli perfume, and the clean, sexy smell of her skin and hair.

  “Why would I want to do that?” Mitch deadpanned as their glances meshed and sexual electricity sizzled between them. He barely had a love life himself these days—he sure wasn’t taking on the task of trying to manage anyone else’s. Even if, up close, Lauren Heyward had the most beautiful dark brown eyes and softest lips he had ever seen, and was a very successful businesswoman in her own right with a professional savvy that reportedly rivaled his. In her personal life, Lauren Heyward’s father had told him, Lauren was a flake who’d already weathered—and ended—two engagements.

  Abruptly looking as taken with Mitch as he inexplicably was with her, Lauren looked deep into his eyes and seemed to consider him for a long moment before she said softly, “That’s a very good question.”

  “And one I’ll be happy to answer for you both,” Payton Heyward interjected as he walked in and shut the door to the executive suite behind him. A folder of papers in his hand, Payton moved behind his desk. The silver-haired executive was dressed in a black suit, sage-green shirt and tie. Behind his wire-rimmed glasses, his brown eyes were direct, his manner both disciplined and imposing. “Why don’t the two of you have a seat?” Payton directed, gesturing at the two chairs in front of his desk.

  Lauren sat down—but only out of respect for her father. She had no patience whatsoever for what he was trying to do.

  “I know dowries and arranged marriages have gone out of favor,” Payton continued pragmatically as he also sat. “But I got to thinking the other day that maybe it’s time they made a comeback.”

  In your dreams, Lauren thought fiercely, ignoring the oh-so-handsome man seated beside her.

  “Especially in cases like yours, where you are both from wealthy families and are both unmarried as you reach your thirties,” Payton continued.

  “I’m only twenty-eight,” Lauren said, trying to ignore the delicious scent of sandalwood and spice teasing her senses. Now was not the time for her to be thinking how incredibly virile and sexy Mitch Deveraux looked. Or consider how his solid six-foot-six-inch frame would match up with her slender five-foot-ten-inch body. Sometimes men as tall as Mitch seemed awkward and ill at ease in their own skin. Not Mitch Deveraux. He moved with a calm deliberateness that radiated both strength and control. And probably, Lauren thought recklessly, made love the very same way.

  “Mitch is thirty,” Payton retorted, giving Lauren a steady look that insisted she and Mitch would hear Payton out, whether they wanted to or not. “And twenty-eight is close enough,” her father added firmly.

  “I’ve also been married and divorced,” Mitch pointed out.

  Everyone in Charleston knew that, Lauren thought as she took in Mitch’s short, dark brown hair and arresting deep blue eyes. Mitch’s divorce from Jeannette Wycliffe had been both sudden and mysterious—to the point people were still speculating about the possible reasons for it, two years after it had become final.

  “You’re free now, and so is Lauren, and that’s what matters,” Payton countered. “Especially given the fact neither of you is getting any younger.”

  Lauren set her jaw and glared at her father. She had been under increasing pressure from him to do something about her single state before he did, and she resented it. “I’m not a spinster,” she said. And felt Mitch’s hot gaze slide over her from head to toe before returning with heart-stopping accuracy to her face.

  “No, but you very well could be if you don’t settle down and marry and have a family soon,” Payton told her.

  “I think we’re jumping the gun here a bit,” Mitch broke in peaceably.

  Lauren would have been grateful to Mitch for that, had he not been hand-selected as her beau. Ignoring the unsettling way her senses stirred at his nearness, she said, “I agree.”

  Payton frowned. “I had a feeling you wouldn’t have an open mind about this,” he said.

  Her father’s feeling had been right. “Look, I’ve no doubt Mitch is a very nice person,” Lauren said.

  Reportedly, all the Deveraux were. Although she didn’t know them that well, since she had gone to Charleston’s all-girls schools from kindergarten on up, and they had entered the city’s most renowned coed establishments.

  “Not to mention he is very knowledgeable in the shipping business, too, since he is set to one day take over the Deveraux Shipping Company,” Payton interjected.

  “Then I’m sure Mitch has a lot in common with you, Dad, since you run our family shipping company,” Lauren said patiently. “But Mitch doesn’t have a lot in common with me. I work in the real estate business.”

  “Which makes it even more important that you marry someone capable of running Heyward Shipping when I’m no longer around,” Payton countered.

  “That won’t be for years. And if and when it comes to that, I’m sure one of your vice presidents will be able to step into your shoes admirably,” Lauren replied passionately.

  “I want family running this company, Lauren. Family protecting your interests. And since there is no one else…” Payton leaned back in his chair and let his voice drift off.

  Lauren could see that Mitch Deveraux was beginning to look interested in whatever her father was about to propose, but as far as she was concerned, this travesty had gone far enough. She vaulted out of her chair and began to pace her father’s luxuriously appointed office restlessly. “I don’t care how much sense it makes on paper. Or how the family business might stand to benefit from a relationship between Mitch and me. I’m still not going to date him.” Lauren pointed at Mitch. Not even if you think he’s perfect for me.

  “Not even for one week, if at the end of the week you get the historic property you’ve been wanting ever since you were a kid?” Payton asked, smiling magnanimously. Ignoring her look of stunned amazement, her father continued bartering with her smoothly. “I bought 10 Gathering Street this morning, lock, stock and barrel. You do what I want, Lauren, and it’s yours.”

  LAUREN’S HEART POUNDED as the news of what her father had done sank in. The two-story redbrick Victorian mansion at 10 Gathering Street had white trim and green shutters. With sixteen thousand square feet and twenty-four rooms, it was one of the largest homes in the historic district. Sadly, it had fallen into disrepair in recent years. Lauren had lamented the neglect, and wanted to take it on and restore it to its former glory for as long as she could recall. Two things had stopped her. It was way out of her price range, and it had not been on the market.

  She regarded her father cautiously. “You own that property?” she repeated slowly.

  “Yes. And I’m prepared to give it to you outright if you agree to spend every evening for one week dating Mitch Deveraux. Marry him at the end of that time, and I’ll give you an unlimited budget to renovate and furnish it, too. Think of it, Lauren,” Payton continued as he leaned toward her eagerly. “You’ll be able to take that sad, neglected house and turn it into the showplace of your dreams.”

  Lauren wanted to do that. She wasn’t prepared to sell her soul, her body and her hand in marriage to accomplish it. She regarded her father grimly, almost afraid to ask for fear of what the answer might be. “And what does Mitch get out of all this?”

  To Lauren’s chagrin, Mitch looked every bit as interested in the prize as she had been. “I’d like to know that myself,” Mitch said.

  Payton shot Mitch a man-to-man glance before turning back to Lauren and speaking to both of them. “If he agrees to spend every evening with you for one week, he’ll get what he’s been wanting. A merger between the Heyward and Deveraux shipping companies. The two of you have until 6:00 p.m. this evening to agree to my terms. Or there will be no deal.”

  Although Mitch looked quite calm, Lauren had to struggle to keep control of her emotion
s as she regarded her father. “I can’t believe you are doing this to me!” she fumed, folding her arms in front of her.

  “I predicted you would feel that way,” Payton countered as he stood and walked over to the minibar to pour himself a glass of springwater. But to Lauren’s dismay, her outrage didn’t change what her father was doing, or how he was doing it, one iota.

  The hurts of the past came slamming back at Lauren. “It’s always business with you, above everyone and everything else, isn’t it?” she said to her father. She was so furious she was shaking.

  “That’s not true,” Payton said, abruptly looking just as stricken and upset as Lauren felt.

  “Isn’t it?” Lauren challenged bitterly. Tired of keeping her feelings to herself, she plunged on emotionally, “The bottom line is you’ve always paid more attention to your business than you ever have to Mom and me, even when she was dying. Well, I can’t forgive you for always putting your company’s interests ahead of your family, Dad,” she told him, her throat aching with the effort it took to speak at a normal level. “And I sure as hell can’t forgive you for this!”

  Ignoring the hurt look on her father’s face, and the stunned look on Mitch’s, she grabbed her handbag, turned on her heel and stormed out.

  “SHE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE who is shocked by this proposal of yours,” Mitch said in the silence that fell. He was damn near flabbergasted.

  “I want my daughter to marry well,” Payton Heyward said.

  “But to a Deveraux?” Mitch countered, filled with the uneasy feeling that Heyward was withholding every bit as much information from Mitch and Lauren as he was telling. “As you pointed out to me six months ago when I first approached you with the idea of a merger, the Deveraux and the Heywards have a history of duking it out in the marketplace—in ever-inventive ways.” Was this just another one of them? Mitch wondered. And if so, was Payton’s daughter, Lauren, not only one hell of an actress but now an active participant in the competition between the two firms, albeit in an unexpectedly inventive way?