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. Small-Town Billionaire Renee Andrews MILLS & BOON
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