Small-Town Billionaire
AN UNEXPECTED ROMANCEAs the CEO of Brooks International, Ryan Brooks has money, power and a sought-after family name. But here on his sister's ranch in Claremont, Alabama, the billionaire only wants to be loved for who he really is. So when small-town shop owner Maribeth Walton ignores him and his valuable business advice, he's determined to figure out why. Problem is, Maribeth knows he's not sticking around and she won't let him get close. Or could it be she's keeping a secret-one that may hold the key to why she's so reluctant to admit she's falling for the billionaire?
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An Unexpected Romance
As the CEO of Brooks International, Ryan Brooks has money, power and a sought-after family name. But here on his sister’s ranch in Claremont, Alabama, the billionaire only wants to be loved for who he really is. So when small-town shop owner Maribeth Walton ignores him and his valuable business advice, he’s determined to figure out why. Problem is, Maribeth knows he’s not sticking around and she won’t let him get close. Or could it be she’s keeping a secret—one that may hold the key to why she’s so reluctant to admit she’s falling for the billionaire?
“There are a lot of people who fall in love with the money,” Ryan said.
Maribeth turned to face him. “It’s terrible when you think someone loves you, and when you love them, and then—” she blinked, and her tears fell free “—you find out that they don’t.”
Ryan looked directly at her now, and she knew he undoubtedly saw the pain in her eyes. He’d opened up to her, and she could feel herself wanting to do the same.
But what would happen if she did? What if the two of them did become close, and then the truth of her past came out?
“You’ve felt that before, too, haven’t you?” he asked. “You thought someone loved you, really believed that they cared about you, and then you found out that they didn’t.”
She couldn’t deny it, so she nodded. “And the worst part is, once you’ve been treated so badly, it’s difficult to open your heart again, isn’t it?”
She hadn’t intended to, but she’d moved a little closer as she spoke.
RENEE ANDREWS
spends a lot of time in the gym. No, she isn’t working out. Her husband, a former All-American gymnast, co-owns ACE Cheer Company, an all-star cheerleading company. She is thankful the talented kids at the gym don’t have a problem when she brings her laptop and writes while they sweat. When she isn’t writing, she’s typically traveling with her husband, bragging about their two sons and daughter-in-law or spoiling their grandsons.
Renee is a kidney donor and actively supports organ donation. In 2013, Renee, her husband, J.R., and their oldest son, Rene, competed as team Hello Kidney on the American Bible Challenge to raise money for living donors and to raise awareness for the need for living donors. If you are considering becoming a living donor, ask her about how you can also save a life by sharing your spare! Or check out the “living donor” section of her website. She welcomes prayer requests and loves to hear from readers. Write to her at [email protected] or visit her website at www.reneeandrews.com. You can find her on Facebook as AuthorReneeAndrews, or follow @ReneeAndrews on Twitter.
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
—Luke 12:2
For Matt McCallum, the young man I met four years ago and gave a kidney to that same year—what an awesome opportunity to see God work
that miracle! And for Brittany McCallum, Matt’s beautiful wife and baby Ryan’s mommy. And finally for Ryan Zeringue McCallum, the precious little angel who has stolen all our hearts. I hope your first birthday is as special as you!
KK loves you all…big as the sky!
Contents
“Uncle Ryan, are you gonna watch me help the kids at the church camp today? I get to do all the activities and stuff with them, but I’m an instructor, too. See?” Abi, Landon and Georgiana Cutter’s eight-year-old daughter, pointed to the sheriff’s badge on her pink T-shirt. Sure enough, Instructor was printed across the middle.
Ryan Brooks still couldn’t get used to the whole uncle thing. Technically, he wasn’t her uncle. Landon was John Cutter’s brother, and Ryan’s sister Dana was married to John. That definitely made Dana Abi’s aunt, but how Ryan got roped into this uncle business was beyond him. However, things worked differently in the South than in his Chicago world, and since the church camp occurred on his sister’s ranch, where he was stuck for the time being, he might as well get used to “Uncle Ryan.”
“I do see,” he said. “What exactly are you instructing them to do?”
Her pigtails bobbed as she shook her head and gave him a little eye roll, strawberry lashes hitting her brows with the maneuver. “Riding, silly. How to put the saddle on, and why to wear a helmet and how to be safe.” She glanced at Ryan’s cast-bound leg. “And how not to fall off.”
“Thaaanks,” he said. The cast, or rather, the blown knee in it, was the entire reason he remained in Alabama instead of returning to Chicago and Brooks International. He’d let Dana talk him into running his business remotely while he went through rehab here for what the doctors called the unhappy triad: a torn ACL, PCL and medial meniscus. Or, in layman’s terms, a blown left knee.
