Marrying the Boss

“Your grandfather was in no way impaired when he devised the will,” Benton said. “I tried to talk him out of it, Mark, but it was his money, his company and his prerogative on how to dispose of it.”

“Dispose of it is right. He might as well have sold the place for scrap as to hand it over to…” His voice trailed off, and he turned to face Leanne.

“Yes?” She smiled. “You were saying?”

He ducked his head for a moment, then met her gaze. “I apologize, Ms. Fairbanks. I was on the verge of being impolite, but I’m sure you agree how crazy the idea is.”

“Do I?”

Mark stared at her. She blinked down at her hands, which she’d gripped together. When she raised her head again, he couldn’t read her expression.

He found his voice. “I shouldn’t have to buy the company I’ve worked for my whole life. It should be mine.”

“Why?” Leanne asked.

“Because—Did you ask why? You, who I didn’t even know existed until twenty minutes ago?”

She raised her chin. “Yes.”

“Well, then, I’ll tell you, Ms. Fairbanks. I’ve lived with the company since I was a baby. I learned the inner workings of every aspect of each department. I sat at the dinner table with the Lion, celebrated holidays with him, worked at his side. I’m the heir apparent.”

Leanne smirked. “Apparently not.”

Mark’s jaw tightened. He’d walked right into that one, but couldn’t retract his words. The heir apparent, for God’s sakes. He didn’t talk like that. No one talked like that.

He swallowed down his embarrassment and reined in his anger. It wasn’t her fault the Lion had betrayed him.

Dammit. The company should be his, without any question. Without any qualification or restriction. Without any idiotic contest.

“Oh, my God,” he groaned. “It’s that TV show.”

Benton nodded. “Your grandfather always admired the Donald. He drew up this will after the show first aired. I advised against it.”

Mark ran a hand over his face. He couldn’t believe he’d have to earn his place all over again.

Leanne cleared her throat.

Mark narrowed his eyes at her. A pink tinge from the cool April air nearly covered the pale freckles on her cheeks. He couldn’t be distracted by her. She embodied his new competition. No, don’t think about her body. Still, he gave her slender form a once-over, noting the snug waist below nicely rounded breasts.

“If I’m following you,” Leanne said, cutting short his inspection, “Lionel’s will is based on a reality TV show?”

Benton nodded. “The Apprentice. Young business people compete to win a job with Donald Trump.”

“Then,” Mark interrupted, “we can definitely declare the Lion out of his mind.”

“He was mentally competent,” Benton stated again.

“Nevertheless, I plan to contest the will. The Collins Company will not go to a stranger.” He paused, feeling a moment’s regret for Leanne’s feelings, but determined all the same. “I won’t lose control of the company to anyone, family or not.”

“IT WAS dreadful,” Leanne told her mom later in her mother’s living room, having taken a cab rather than accept a ride from Mark Collins. She swirled her lemonade. She’d angled herself on the couch facing her mother, who was wedged against the opposite corner. They’d sat like this for years, whether to gossip or have a heartfelt conversation. “He was so angry, so hurt. He wouldn’t let me say anything. I meant to say I didn’t want the damned company, that I didn’t want anything from Lionel.” Nothing for myself, she thought. Recognition of her mother’s loyalty and some money so her mother could retire would have been nice.

Leanne sighed. She didn’t want the company, but she wouldn’t be dismissed as worthless. She’d been overlooked and neglected by the Collins family her entire life. To have her ability to run the company compared to scrapping the place had irritated her.

“Oh, dear,” her mom said when she didn’t continue. “What did you do?”

Leanne shook her head, feeling idiotic. “Exactly what you’re afraid of, I’m sure. I let my feelings run away with me. My mouth ran with them, charging ahead without my permission.”

Her mom laughed. “You’re too blond to have such a temper. If you’d let me dye your hair red, people would at least have a warning.” She patted Leanne’s hand. “So, are you going to compete for the company with the boy?”

“‘The boy’ is four years older than I am, as you well know.” Lionel had admitted to her mother he had a family, Leanne would give him that. He’d been honest, in his way.

“Will you do it?” her mom asked.

Leanne didn’t know. Her pride had taken a hit with Mark’s vehement rejection. By naming her in the will, Lionel had acknowledged her as his daughter. To inherit some money mollified her pride. To be given a chance to take over CoCo, as she and her mother referred to the Collins Company, confused her.

She’d wanted Lionel to honor her mother with an inheritance as well, no matter how small the amount.

“I’m not sure,” she said when she realized her mother still awaited her answer.

“Could you?”

“What? Take it from him?” At her mother’s nod, she shrugged. “I could give him a run for his money, I think. But what would I do if I won?”

“Control CoCo.”

“I’m pretty happy teaching at the university, Mom. What would I want with their company?”

Her mother’s gaze dropped to her own glass. “Revenge?”

Leanne stilled. Avenge her mother? She swallowed. “But…I thought you loved Lionel and didn’t regret your time together?”

Her mother nodded but didn’t raise her head.

“Mom.” She laid her hand over her mother’s.

Her mother looked at her, her eyes wet with unshed tears. “I gave him up and never saw him again. I was the other woman, Lee. I knew I wouldn’t get to keep him. I never intended to take him away from his family. I just wanted him, for however long he could stay.”

Leanne didn’t understand that kind of thinking. If she loved someone, she’d want him all to herself.

Her mother sniffed and sipped from her lemonade glass. “Did you like the boy?”

“Please stop calling him that. His name is Mark.”

Her mother winced, and Leanne cursed her clumsy tongue. Mark had been Lionel’s middle name.

“Although from the way he acted,” Leanne teased, “you’d think it was Barnabus Collins.”

Her mother laughed, as Leanne had hoped, picking up her reference to an old TV show about vampires. “I’m sure that was just the eerie setting. I didn’t notice any pointy teeth, but he definitely had hypnotic eyes.”