Author: Andrew Grey
Series: Currently a Standalone
Genre: M/M Contemporary/ LBGTQ
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Press
Release Date: Dec 2016
Blurb/Synopsis:
Robert Morton is in for the surprise of a lifetime. His
mother, a bit of a rebel, raised him away from the rest of the family, and it’s
not until he’s contacted by his lawyer about an inheritance that he learns who
he truly is: the new Earl of Hantford. His legacy includes ownership of the
historic Ashton Park Estate—which needs repairs Robert cannot afford. He’ll
simply do what the nobility has done for centuries when in need of money. He’ll
marry it.
Tech wizard Daniel Fabian is wealthy and successful. In
fact, he has almost everything—except a title to make him worthy in the eyes of
the old-money snobs he went to prep school with. His high school reunion is
looming, and he’s determined to attend it as a member of the aristocracy.
That’s where Robert comes in.
Daniel has the money, Robert has the name, and both of them
know they can help each other out. But their marriage of convenience has the
potential to become a real love match—unless a threat to Daniel’s business
ruins everything.
“It’s your fifteenth class reunion and you’re a real
success. Of course you’re going to go.”
Daniel shook his head. “I have no interest.”
She came in and sat in one of the chairs. Daniel had built
all of his business teams on the philosophy of openness and communication. So
while he had an office because he dealt with private matters, his door was almost
always open and his walls were glass. He had nothing to hide from the people on
his team, and he expected the same from them. That also meant people tended to
offer advice and speak their mind—sometimes whether Daniel wanted it or not.
“I didn’t know you went to Lipton. That must have been
exciting.” She looked at him strangely. “I always thought your background was
more… humble than that.”
Daniel closed the lid on his laptop. “It is.” He didn’t want
to get into that right now. There were some things he felt were private, and
Joanne was skating very close to them at the moment. “I was on a scholarship.”
She watched him closely for a minute. “I see.”
Sometimes she scared the hell out of him with the way she
could grasp the deeper meaning from just a few words. He should have said
nothing at all.
“What does that look mean?”
“Nothing. Just that no matter what happened then, you’re
extremely successful and you can hold your own with those people.”
Daniel leaned forward. “Those people…,” he began, and swore at
himself for taking the bait, “they only cared about where their parents came
from. They were all old money, as though that made them better than everyone
else. It wasn’t about what you did or how well you did, but how far back you
could trace the money in your family. There was a Vanderbilt relative in my
class, for God’s sake. And the parents were just as shallow as their children.
Yes, I got a good education that gave me a good start into college and beyond,
but it was hell, and the last thing I want to do is—”
Joanne scoffed. “There is only one thing that gets you pissy
like this, and that’s when you say you don’t want to do something but you
really do. You’d love nothing more than to go to that reunion, sitting at the
top of the heap in every way possible. You want to go to this shindig real bad
and show them just the kind of success you’ve become.”
“Yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “These guys are not going to be
impressed or care that I have a big Internet company. They have more money than
you can imagine.”
“Like I was going to say. You’re a success, but you have to
go with someone.”
“God, I haven’t had the time to date anyone in, what? Three
years?”
“Three years, two months, and twelve days, but who’s
counting? The thing is, you need to find someone so you can go to this reunion
and hold your head high. Hell, you can take the place by storm.” Joanne came
around his desk, opened the lid of his computer, and brought up a web page.
“This is exactly what you need.”
“A matchmaker?” Daniel figured he’d finally sent Joanne
around the bend. Maybe she needed a vacation.
“Why not? This is a discreet, expensive agency with
high-class clientele. Lots of guys like you spend all their time working and
building their dream, and they forget about a personal life and have no time to
date. So the old-fashioned matchmaker has a modern application. I’ll call them
and make an appointment for you. They’ll talk to you and get the ball rolling.”
She worked through the website. “They don’t discriminate and work with men and
women, gay or straight. They even have aristocrats.” She turned the computer so
Daniel could see the screen. “Here’s Count Gregor of Villovia and his new wife,
Diana. Think about it. A title would certainly burn their asses at the
reunion.”
Daniel groaned. “I suppose you aren’t going to leave me
alone until I agree to do this.” He could just see the puppy-dog looks he’d get
until he complied—like the one she was giving him now. “Sometimes I really hate
you.”
