Vested Interest – ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.wownovels.com Sun, 11 Jun 2023 19:42:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.wownovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Vested Interest – ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.wownovels.com 32 32 Unscripted With Mila (Vested Interest – ABC Corp #6) Read Online Melanie Moreland http://www.wownovels.com/unscripted-with-mila-vested-interest-abc-corp-6-read-online-melanie-moreland Sun, 11 Jun 2023 19:42:00 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/unscripted-with-mila-vested-interest-abc-corp-6-read-online-melanie-moreland Categories Genre: Contemporary, Insta-Love Tags Authors: Series: Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
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Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
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From NYT bestselling author Melanie Moreland comes a story of finding love, acceptance and happiness when you least expect it.

Mila Morrison prefers the silent company of her keyboard to that of people. She lives vicariously through the characters she creates.

Nicholas Scott only feels comfortable when he’s playing the role of someone else. He would rather be anyone but himself.

Both of them are hiding, too afraid to let anyone in.

Their attraction is unscripted, as is the bond that forms between them.

When the world around them threatens to tear them apart, are they strong enough to make the final scene?
Or will their affair end up on the cutting room floor?

It is time for the next generation of BAM
Series of interconnected standalones based on the Vested Interest world

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER ONE

MILA

I huffed out a long breath and pushed my hair back off my face. I glanced around, moving things on my desk, finally spying a hair tie. I frowned at the computer screen, trying to come up with another word.

Apparently, snarl was a word I used too often in my books, and my editor, Lisa, made snarky comments about it in her notes. I had three other snarly bits, so I knew I had to start changing it up.

I pursed my lips and took a sip of coffee, then made a face. It was cold.

I had just made it, hadn’t I?

A quick peek at my phone made me shake my head. I had brewed it two hours ago. Then I grinned. And written over two thousand words on the one sip I had taken.

Not bad.

“Ah.” I grinned. “Growled. I like growly men.” My grin stayed on my face as I finished the paragraph.

My mom often accused my dad of growling. He’d protest and tell her she was wrong, but she wasn’t. When he got annoyed when one of us wasn’t listening, or some man stared at me, my sister, or God forbid, my mother, for too long, growls did escape his mouth.

My mom thought it was hot. Sammy and I always laughed. Sammy once said if a man couldn’t withstand my dad’s glare, he’d never survive this family.

She was right.

Of course, far more men looked at Sammy than me. She was gorgeous. Effervescent and funny. She looked like our mom, except her eyes were dark.

I looked like—well, I had no idea. I was adopted. Taken from a cold, scary apartment and a strung-out, drug-addicted mother who kept forgetting I existed. I had no recollection of what she looked like, except her hair was dark. Mine was honey-colored like my adoptive mom’s, and oddly enough, my eyes were similar to hers as well—a golden brown with a dark circle around the iris. I was short and somewhat curvy, far more interested in writing and reading books than spending too much time on the treadmill. I did it every day, but I hated it. I knew if I didn’t, my backside would be a balloon, never mind the fact that I would have to cut back on my snack of choice—cashews. I could eat them all day. I vaguely remembered my birth mother being taller and skinny. So I had no idea who I took after.

The day I met Liv and Van was my first, real, clear memory of my childhood that made me smile. Liv was so pretty and kind. She smelled good, her voice soft, and she let me sit on her lap and she held me. I hadn’t been touched in so long except in anger that the feel of her loving embrace was addictive. I became attached immediately, and when they left, I recalled sobbing that the pretty lady was gone. But she returned again and again, and then she took me home with her.

Van was massive. He towered over me, his size frightening. But the pretty lady liked him and he gave me a cookie, so I decided he had to be okay. I had never known a man in my life. It had only been my mother in the apartment with me. The only time I heard a man’s voice was when I was locked in the closet and someone else was there for a while.

I always hated it when she forgot to unlock the door.

But Van was gentle and kind. He had a wide smile and I wanted to get closer to him, but I was too afraid. When they took me home, I had an instant family. A brother named Reed and a sister named Samantha, but whom everyone called Sammy or Mouse. She shortened my name from Amelia to Mila. I loved her instantly. I liked Reed, even though he was loud at times. He turned into the best big brother a girl could ever ask for. Patient and sweet, protective and kind. He stood up for me everywhere, often getting into trouble for doing so. But he never backed down. I loved him fiercely, and we were very close now.

I adored Liv. I’d remained leery of Van, although he was nothing but kind and he called me “Pumpkin.” It changed one day, though, when we were watching a movie as a family, and Van snuggled with Sammy. It fascinated me, seeing him cuddle her. She looked so happy with him. When she moved, I held out my arms, and Van took me onto his lap, wrapping me in a blanket the same way he did for Sammy. He held me tight, his broad chest the perfect spot to snuggle. I had never felt as safe as I did in that instant. All my fears faded away in his gentle embrace.


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Sunshine & Sammy (Vested Interest – ABC Corp #5) Read Online Melanie Moreland http://www.wownovels.com/sunshine-sammy-vested-interest-abc-corp-5-read-online-melanie-moreland Mon, 15 Aug 2022 21:11:06 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/sunshine-sammy-vested-interest-abc-corp-5-read-online-melanie-moreland Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
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Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
<<<<1231121>85
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Read Online Books/Novels:

Sunshine & Sammy (Vested Interest - ABC Corp #5)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

Melanie Moreland
Language:
English
Book Information:

Luke Adler lives for his ranch. It’s the only reason he agreed to get on board with his sister’s grand plan for guests staying on the property.
Nothing prepares him for the force of nature that is Samantha Morrison. When she arrives on his ranch to help construct this new part of his business, what he expects and what he gets are two entirely different things.
He expects a no-nonsense businessman. Straightforward and simple.
What he gets is a sunshine smile, sweet sass, and a woman who pushes every button and boundary he has.
He tries to ignore the draw, the urges she makes him feel. But when she gets close, he only wants her closer.
She makes him question his decisions, his thoughts, and the idea that being alone is best for him.
Even when they are consumed by the fire between them, he knows they come from two different worlds and he has to let her go.
But when the time comes, can he do that? Can he live without her sunshine to warm his cold heart? Or can this cowboy learn a new trick?
****Author's Note: Heat and heart fills the pages as our heroine learns to ride a horse and tame a grumpy cowboy in rural Alberta.
Books in Series:

Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
Books by Author:

Melanie Moreland


CHAPTER ONE

SAMMY

I slipped my key into the lock, opening the door and walking into the house. Immediately, I was surrounded by the familiar scent. The one that reminded me of my mom. Of home. Sage and citrus. Fresh, clean, and warm.

“Dad?” I called out, hearing noises from the back of the house.

“In here,” his voice returned my greeting. “In the garage.”

I headed to the back of the house and out the door leading to the garage. My dad, Vince Morrison, or Van to everyone who knew him, was standing amid boxes, scratching his head.

“Hey,” I greeted.

His face broke into a wide smile. “Hey, Mouse.”

I couldn’t stop my own smile at his greeting. He had nicknamed me Mouse when he’d started dating my mother and had never stopped calling me that. I could still recall that day as vividly as if it were only yesterday. Van, standing tall and broad in my mother’s office doorway, smiling and friendly. Taking me to his office and coloring with me, feeding me a lemon Danish so Mom could finish her work. Coming with us to lunch. Listening to me as I talked his ear off. I was convinced he was a giant. The truth was, he was only a man—but to me, a great one. He married my mom and became the best father a girl could ask for. Loving, protective, kind, and fun. He adopted me, then he and Mom adopted my brother Reed, and finally my sister Amelia. Together, we became a family.

“Hi, Dad. What on earth are you doing?”

He chuckled, shifting another box. “Believe it or not, there are still boxes we haven’t unpacked since we moved out here to Port Albany permanently. Your mom suddenly remembered a cookbook she hadn’t thought of in years and wanted a recipe from it. I was looking for it.”

I laughed. “Probably easier to look online.”

He shook his head. “It was her mom’s and handwritten. She searched everywhere in the house for it. I thought I would find it in one of these boxes.”

I smiled at him. When my grandmother had passed a few years ago, my mom had been incredibly sad, and my dad had helped her through that terrible period. It didn’t surprise me that he would dig through boxes looking for a recipe for her; that was the sort of man he was.

“Can I help?”

“She says it was in a small notebook. Spiral-bound—she thinks yellow.”

“Oh, I remember that. Grammie kept it on the shelf in her cupboard.”

He nodded. “Most of this is design stuff and things you kids made that Mom couldn’t part with. But a couple of boxes are labeled ‘Kitchen Miscellaneous.’”

“I’ll look through one.”

He lifted a box down in front of me, then kissed my cheek. “Thanks, Mouse.”

Ten minutes later, I held up the faded yellow spiral-bound notebook. The cover was bent and torn, stained with splashes of water and various ingredients. “Got it!”

He grinned. “Awesome. Liv will be thrilled. I have a feeling I’ll be having a new dish for dinner later.”

I returned his grin, then clapped my hands in delight when I saw what was by his workbench. “Is that my old bookcase?”

He nodded. “I’m giving it a fresh coat of paint and sparkle.”

I laughed, running my hand over the smooth wood. He had made this bookcase for me when I was a little girl and loved everything pink, glittery, and princess-y. Since then, it had been used by other girls in the family and was well loved. “It needs some fresh glitter.”

He grimaced. “I never thought I’d still be in the glitter phase all these years later. But here I am.”

I nudged him. “You love it.”

He shook his head, but I knew I was right. He loved seeing the bookcase in a new room, being used all over again.

He held out his hand. “Come have coffee with your old man and catch him up.”

“You don’t want to clean this up?”

“No, it’s time to go through it and either get rid of it or get it in scrapbooks. Your mom always planned on doing that. I’ll help her sort through the stuff, and it’ll give her a project to do.” He smirked. “Maybe I can get a little more room in the garage, then.”

I laughed and took his hand, following him to the kitchen. He puttered around, making coffee as I filled a plate with cookies. Mom always had cookies on hand. Dad had a sweet tooth, and he ate them daily. He still worked out every day so he could afford the treats.

He set down a mug of coffee in front of me and reached for a cookie, biting down with a satisfied hum.

“Where is Mom?”

“Out with Emmy, Cami, and Dee. Apparently the boys were wrestling a little too enthusiastically last Sunday, and we need a new sofa in the Hub.”


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Age of Ava (Vested Interest – ABC Corp #3) Read Online Melanie Moreland http://www.wownovels.com/age-of-ava-vested-interest-abc-corp-3-read-online-melanie-moreland Wed, 01 Sep 2021 20:45:36 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/age-of-ava-vested-interest-abc-corp-3-read-online-melanie-moreland Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Erotic, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
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Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
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Read Online Books/Novels:

Age of Ava (Vested Interest - ABC Corp #3)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

Melanie Moreland
Language:
English
Book Information:

Ava Callaghan
A woman working in a male-dominated field. Organized, strong, and tenacious. That’s how she has to be to succeed.
Hunter Owens
A loner. He needs no one, has no ties, and his future is an unanswered question mark. It’s all he knows.
Until the day their lives intersect. He sees the woman she hides from the world.
She nurtures the part of him he lost long ago. But they both agree—their connection is temporary. They are only for now.
Can their stubborn natures allow them to bend and accept that maybe, just maybe, there is more to life than they believed?
That love can heal. That happiness can exist. That for now can be forever.
Books in Series:

Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
Books by Author:

Melanie Moreland


Chapter 1

Ava

I parked the car outside the small town hall, shutting off the engine and reaching for the file inside my satchel. I flipped open the folder and double-checked everything, confident I was prepared. All the proper paperwork had been filed. The correct reports and architectural drawings, signed off by my brother Ronan, were in order. All the necessary documentation was in place, and we met every code. We’d done this hundreds of times, and this one was straightforward. We were going to knock down a dilapidated, deserted building and erect a new, efficient structure. It would house a blend of services needed within the community. The building would be run by one of ABC’s divisions, the income expectation great for the bottom line of the company. Most of the time, we ran the businesses ourselves, but none of us had medical expertise, and this building would be dedicated to that industry.

I got out of the car, making sure to straighten my jacket and run my hand over my skirt. My hair was twisted up in its usual chignon. I headed up the stairs, approaching the door when it was flung open and a man burst through, almost knocking me down.

With a surprised gasp, I teeter-tottered on my heels, already feeling the impact of the cement on my ass, but the sensation of strong hands gripping my elbows held me up.

“Shit,” a low, masculine voice muttered. “Dammit, I’m sorry.”

I lifted my eyes, meeting the scowling countenance of a man. His eyes were piercing, the irises an unusual shade of light blue. We were so close I could discern a ring of darker blue around the rim, and they were set off by a set of long lashes. Our gazes clashed and held, and I caught my breath. There was something intense and stormy about his stare. It held me in its fury, his hand still grasping my elbow.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, stepping back.

I recovered my senses, shaking off his grip.

“I’m fine. You need to watch where you’re going. People are on both sides of the door, you know.”

He lifted one eyebrow, eyeing me sardonically. “Thanks for the lesson. I believe I apologized.”

For a brief moment, I was once again speechless. With a small distance between us, I could see him fully. I judged him to be in his early forties. He had a head full of shaggy, deep-brown hair shot with silver, but his eyebrows were heavy and dark, his face all angles and sharp lines. His tightly trimmed beard showed off his chiseled jaw. A full, sensuous mouth and a straight nose were somehow both beautiful and masculine at the same time. His broad shoulders were covered in a thick plaid jacket that was open to reveal a tight white T-shirt, and dusty, torn jeans sheathed his long legs. He was about six foot three or so, well-built, but unlike the thick men of my family, his torso led to a trim waist and narrow hips. His feet were encased in a set of Doc Martens, muddied and worn from use. Everything about him screamed sex. A silver fox, I knew my cousins would call him.

With a start, I realized I had been staring. He was watching me, a slight curl to his lips as if I amused him. As if he knew exactly what I was thinking. I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze. “Apology accepted.”

“Well, thank you. I’ll sleep so much better tonight knowing I haven’t offended you.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t offensive. I simply accepted your apology.”

This time, his lips quirked. “Really, I’m sorry.” He held up a sheaf of papers. “Bureaucracy pisses me off. I had to get out before my fist went through a wall.”

“Better than somebody’s face.”

He smirked. “I suppose. Not as satisfying, though, to be honest.”

I had to laugh, because he was right. I held up my own file. “I feel your pain.”

He laughed, a muted, brief sound of amusement that relaxed the frown between his eyes and made him infinitely more attractive—something I didn’t think was possible.

He leaned down, his voice pitched low. “Maybe I could buy you a drink after? We could share our pain over paperwork and BS?”

I was tempted. So tempted. But I didn’t go for drinks with strange men, and I had an evening of work ahead of me.

“Thanks, but I’ll have to pass.”

A flash of something went through his eyes, but he shrugged. “Pity.” Then he held open the door. “I hope you have better luck in there than I did.”

I walked past him, feeling regret. Part of me had hoped he would try—cajole me a little. But he let me walk away, and when I turned to peek over my shoulder, he was already at the bottom of the steps and heading away, his long legs eating up the distance quickly.


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Loved by Liam (Vested Interest – ABC Corp #3) Read Online Melanie Moreland http://www.wownovels.com/loved-read-online-liam-vested-interest-abc-corp-3-read-online-melanie-moreland Fri, 30 Jul 2021 23:08:16 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/loved-read-online-liam-vested-interest-abc-corp-3-read-online-melanie-moreland Categories Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Insta-Love, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
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Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
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Read Online Books/Novels:

Loved by Liam (Vested Interest - ABC Corp #3)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

Melanie Moreland
Language:
English
ISBN/ ASIN:
B095L8G736
Book Information:

Liam Callaghan is happy with the way things are.
He has a successful business, a family he loves, and a life he thinks is fulfilling and complete. Until a favor for his brother brings him to her.
She sparks something inside him. Something he had no idea he was missing. One touch and he knows Paige Winters is the woman he wants.
She and her daughter become his focus. His world. He only has to convince her to believe in them.
Liam entered Paige’s life quietly, but from the moment he took her hand, her world exploded.
Larger-than-life, he stepped in, brightening her days and filling her with happiness. But she has more than her own heart on the line.
Her daughter, Lucy, has to come first. As much as her soul yearns for him, can she trust his words?
Can the seeds love plants take root and bloom, growing over the past? If Liam has anything to do with it, they will.

****Author Note: You have read their story as told through Ronan and Beth in FINDING RONAN'S HEART. But readers have asked to see it through the character's eyes - and my characters agreed. This is a companion novel to be enjoyed with Vested Interest: ABC Corp Book 2.
Books in Series:

Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
Books by Author:

Melanie Moreland


Chapter One

Liam

The compound was quiet as I reversed my truck out of the driveway and headed toward the gate. I grinned as I spied Pops out on his dock, stepping onto his boat. He loved that thing. I had no doubt he’d putter around on it until Nan would appear, demanding he come have breakfast. I wondered briefly if he’d cajole her into a little trip around the bay. She did love to sail with him.

No one else was around yet, although I knew if I were walking on the beach, I would see Bentley sitting on his deck, sipping coffee, perusing the headlines on his laptop. My dad might be jogging on the beach, intent on keeping strong. If he were, he would head up to join Bentley soon. Even after all these years, the two of them spent an inordinate amount of time together, both in and outside the office.

I passed my brother Ronan’s house, the windows dark. I wondered briefly if he was asleep or sitting in the lone chair in his living room, staring out the window over the expanse of water he loved so much, torn up and lost.

I had never seen him so despondent. I couldn’t forget the devastated look in his eyes the day I led him away from the corner as he watched the woman he loved walk away.

But hopefully, today, that would change.

“Keep your chin up, little brother,” I muttered. “Help is on the way.”

I left the compound, a small smile playing on my lips. Ronan had no idea his life was about to get a lot better.

And I, for one, could hardly wait.

I pulled up to the address Ava had given me, studying the small bungalow. Well-kept and tidy, the grass was cut, the bushes trimmed and neat. Some flowers were planted along the front of the house, just beginning to catch and bloom. I looked the yard over with a critical eye, thinking a nice dogwood would look good by the steps and a cedar tree would suit the bare corner.

Then I chuckled. I knew Beth and her roommate Paige rented the house. I was here to pick up Beth and take her to Ronan. Not landscape the place.

I turned into the driveway and cut the engine. Outside, the cool morning air was beginning to warm. I chuckled as I bent and picked up a ball on the grass. It was roughly the size of a soccer ball, but the plastic was various shades of pink. I recalled the many stories Ronan had shared of Paige’s daughter, Lucy, and determined the ball must be hers.

Climbing the steps, I admired the two baskets by the door, overflowing with petunias, verbena, geraniums, and ivy. The bright colors added a nice homey touch to the front door and made you feel welcome.

I knocked on the door, and without thinking, bent and deadheaded some petunias while I waited for Beth to answer it. Ava said she would be expecting me.

I was so intent on my task, I was startled when a woman spoke. I hadn’t even heard the door open.

“I didn’t hire a gardener, so I am going to assume you’re not on the clock.”

I looked up and froze.

The woman who opened the door was not the one I’d seen with Ronan. It wasn’t Beth, so I surmised it was her roommate, Paige.

Jesus, she was lovely.

Straightening, I stared at her openly. She had dark-brown hair that hung past her shoulders in waves and soft blue eyes. She was pretty, with a gentle expression on her face. Her mouth was full, and her smile was warm. She had dimples in her cheeks that deepened when she grinned. The mischievous sparkle in her eyes spoke of humor. I judged her to be about five foot four with pleasing curves I had the craziest impulse to touch. Her gaze was wide, frank, and the way her eyes roamed over me caused my dick to kick to attention in my pants.

I hadn’t expected that.

I hadn’t expected her.

I cleared my throat. “Hey, you must be Paige. I’m Liam, Ronan’s brother. I’m here to pick up Beth.”

She leaned on the doorframe, crossing her arms. The movement caused her breasts to lift and press together. I was transfixed by the creamy swells. “It’s a shame you’re already spoken for today. I’d let you pick me up. I bet with those arms you could, too.”

I lifted my eyes to hers, and she grinned. She knew I’d been staring at her breasts. They were rather spectacular. The long lashes framing her pretty eyes fluttered, and the slightest bit of color bloomed on her cheeks as our eyes locked.

I wanted to kiss her.

The feeling was so intense, I had to grab the doorframe to stop myself from doing just that.

“Happy to oblige,” I uttered, my voice low and raspy. “But I think I need to get Beth to my brother. Perhaps another time.”


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Finding Ronan’s Heart (Vested Interest – ABC Corp #2) Read Online Melanie Moreland http://www.wownovels.com/finding-ronans-heart-vested-interest-abc-corp-2-read-online-melanie-moreland Fri, 25 Jun 2021 21:55:03 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/finding-ronans-heart-vested-interest-abc-corp-2-read-online-melanie-moreland Categories Genre: Billionaire, Contemporary, Erotic, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
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Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
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Read Online Books/Novels:

Finding Ronan's Heart (Vested Interest - ABC Corp #2)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

Melanie Moreland
Language:
English
ISBN/ ASIN:
9781988610498
Book Information:

“The boys.”
“The Callaghan Triplets.”
“Three of a kind.”
All his life, Ronan Callaghan has been part of a group. Always looking out for his brothers. Never seen as an individual or judged on his own merits. When his brothers veer onto their own path, he finds himself alone. Restless. Then he meets her.
Beth.
A waitress who sees him just for himself. None of the trappings of his wealth or family. A woman who only wants to know him—Ronan. She captures his heart, but how will she feel when she discovers the truth he’s holding back?
Can he show her the man he really is? That he would be rather be hers than anything else?
Books in Series:

Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
Books by Author:

Melanie Moreland


Chapter One

Ronan

I stared at the screen, tilting my head and squinting.

“No, something is off.”

Paul looked over my shoulder, his large frame casting a shadow across the screen. “Too much?” he asked.

“Or not enough,” I replied.

I erased the double columns, replacing them with heavier, single structures. I added detail to the bottom, then shaded them black on the top.

“Perfect.” Jeremy clapped his hand on my shoulder. “That makes it unique.”

I pulled off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. I really needed to get them checked.

“I’ll send it to Addi and see what she thinks.”

Jeremy flung himself into the chair beside me. “She’ll love it. We’ll start on the room layouts tomorrow. She only wants twenty-four, right?”

I reached for the thermos of water I carried everywhere. I liked it cold. Ice-cold, so the large double-walled flask was filled several times a day, and I added lots of ice each time.

“Yeah. All luxurious, self-contained. Separate bedrooms, kitchen area, sitting room, and spectacular baths.”

Paul chuckled as he poured a coffee and sat down. “This is going to be amazing.”

“It took us long enough to acquire the old Port Albany hotel. Addi wants it to handshake with the winery. Stay at the resort, visit the winery. Host an event at the winery, book your guests at the hotel. She plans on shuttles, cross-promotion, all of it.”

“Heather already has ideas for the interior. The whole beachy vibe thing. She’s been sketching for days.”

I grinned. Heather VanRyan was one of our “cousins.” We had a massive extended family, and many of us worked here at ABC Corp—a division of BAM that specialized in business and land development outside the Toronto area—or the GTA, as it was known. Our fathers pretty much had that city sewn shut. As the next generation, we brought a new energy to the mix. We bought the land, created the businesses, and ran them. The talent in our family was rich and varied, and we worked well together, having grown up surrounded by one another. We’d never felt any pressure from our fathers to be part of their world. Thomas, Bentley’s son, was a marine biologist and had zero interest in the corporate world—except the money his father donated to the causes dear to his son’s heart. Shelby, Maddox’s daughter, was an artist and preferred her canvases to that of a boardroom. Each cousin found their own path, and those that led to ABC were welcomed. We supported one another with the love and respect our parents had taught us.

Melissa Hanson, one of the office assistants, knocked on the door, holding a bag. “I got your lunch.”

Paul grinned. “Awesome. I’m starved.”

Jeremy reached for the bag, but I frowned. “I never gave you my order.”

She laughed. “As if I need it. Turkey on white, lots of lettuce and mustard. All the same for the threesome. You guys are so easy.”

“Actually, I prefer extra tomatoes and mayo. No mustard or lettuce. And sourdough.”

She looked startled. “Pardon me? You always get the same.”

“Because no one ever asks,” I muttered under my breath. “It’s fine,” I said loud enough for her to hear. I’d eat the damn thing, because I always did. “It’s all good.”

“And I got some chips,” she added and left.

I didn’t ask what kind. There wasn’t a hope in hell they would be sour cream and onion.

Sure enough, Paul pulled out three bags of salt and vinegar chips.

I took them without complaint. It wasn’t worth the hassle over a sandwich and chips.

We worked most of the afternoon together, perfecting the design and the specs for the building.

It was early evening when I slapped the laptop shut. “We should celebrate tonight. Tacos?” I asked hopefully.

Paul and Jeremy exchanged a glance, and I frowned.

“What?”

“Um, we have a date.”

I lifted my eyebrows in surprise. “Again?” It had happened several times lately when they had turned me down. Used to being part of a threesome that hung together constantly, I was missing my brothers.

I was the eldest triplet. Born four minutes before Paul and six before Jeremy, I loved flaunting my older status. We weren’t identical triplets, although we were similar. We were all tall and broad like our father, Aiden. We had green eyes that came from our mother, Cami. Our personalities were more like our dad’s—loud, boisterous, and happy. Paul and Jeremy were most alike—I was slightly taller, a little broader, and as my brothers liked to tell me, the worrier. I kept it hidden quite well, but I did tend to watch over my brothers, as if those four- and six-minute differences in our ages made me the responsible one. I was quieter than they were, not that many people noticed. They saw the group, not the individual, most of the time. People often exclaimed how much we looked alike, but if you took a moment, you would realize how different we actually were.


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My Saving Grace (Vested Interest – ABC Corp #1) Read Online Melanie Moreland http://www.wownovels.com/my-saving-grace-vested-interest-abc-corp-1-read-online-melanie-moreland Sun, 28 Feb 2021 09:51:40 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/my-saving-grace-vested-interest-abc-corp-1-read-online-melanie-moreland Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
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Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
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Read Online Books/Novels:

(Vested Interest - ABC Corp #1) My Saving Grace

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

Melanie Moreland
Language:
English
ISBN/ ASIN:
1988610486 (ISBN13: 9781988610481)
Book Information:

It's time for the next generation of Vested Interest to find their Happily Ever Afters.
Grace VanRyan has her life mapped out. Law school, a career with ABC, and a bright future ahead of her.
Until Jaxson Richards steps into the picture. He’s everything she hasn't planned for. Older, sexy, off-limits.
And her new boss.
When the passion between them explodes, will her life blow up along with it?
Books in Series:

Vested Interest - ABC Corp Series by Melanie Moreland
Books by Author:

Melanie Moreland


Prologue

Grace

I woke up, my head aching and my limbs heavy. I blinked in the darkness of the room, my mouth feeling like the Sahara Desert. The room was unfamiliar, and it took me a moment to recall I was in a hotel room in Las Vegas.

Why did my head ache so badly?

I searched through my memories of the day before. Finally resolving the mystery of the trademark and copyright fiasco. Spending a carefree afternoon in Vegas. Having fun at the slots, sampling a couple of buffets. Seeing the sights. Then I got a call before we left for the airport to inform me that my plane was canceled due to a mechanical malfunction and the earliest flight I could get out was the next day. It was a long-ass flight with lots of stopovers all over the States before it landed in Canada, but it would at least still get me home before Addi’s wedding. I hadn’t wanted to come on this trip so close to her nuptials, but I had. Jaxson had asked, and I had said yes. It proved how much of an idiot I was.

The fact that he came to mind as soon as I woke up only solidified that assertion.

What the hell happened to me after that phone call?

I racked my brain, trying to remember, to grasp some minute detail of yesterday, but the one clear memory in my mind was meeting him a couple of months ago.

I had interviewed at Smith and Hodges and was offered a position to article with the firm. Articling, as I had learned in law school, was a uniquely Canadian term—basically, I would be a paid intern and benefit from hands-on experience with a mentor. After the interview was done, I was sent to Jaxson Richards’s office. His outer office was empty, so I knocked on the door, waiting until he called out for me to enter. He sat behind his massive desk, and the moment our eyes met, my world tilted.

Tall and broad, stern and fierce, he stared at me, rising from his chair. His eyes were like iced fire, the blue vivid and clear. His hair was so dark, it was almost black and brushed to gleaming. His suit fit him perfectly, and as he strode toward me, I caught a glimpse of his powerful thighs, large hands, and wide chest. He held out his hand, a smile tipping up one corner of his full lips and making the cleft in his chin prominent. I had never seen a man as handsome in my life. Considering the caliber of the group of men around me all the time, that was saying something.

“Grace VanRyan, I presume?”

I slipped my hand into his and shook it. The shock that tore through me at his touch startled me. For a moment, I was speechless, my throat dry, the words I needed to say unclear. I shook my head and found my voice, wondering why I was suddenly so nervous.

“Mr. Richards. Yes, I’m Grace.” I cleared my throat, my words sounding strangely breathless. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to our time together.”

He tilted his head. “As do I.”

He escorted me to the chair across from him and waited until I sat down. It was only then I realized he was still holding my hand. He released his grip and sat down, resting his elbows on his desk. Then he asked me the strangest question.

“Tell me about Grace VanRyan. Besides being an articling law student.”

I had expected him to ask about school. What I wanted to get out of my time with the firm. My thoughts on the future. Not to ask about me.


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