Never Let Me Go
by Kianna Alexander
Publication Date: 9/1/2020
Tender,
emotional contemporary romance—you’ll fall in love with this band-of-brothers
and the strong women they’re determined to win.
Architect
Maxwell Devers is laser-focused on winning the contract to build a new cultural
arts center—his biggest project yet. But as a single dad of a beautiful baby
girl, he has to find some help if he’s going to stay on track.
Yvonne
Markham is thrilled to get her first nanny assignment. She knows the
high-paying job will speed her progress toward owning a child care center of
her own. Maxwell’s daughter is a delight, and she quickly comes to love the
bouncing baby girl. Falling for her handsome new boss, however, was not part of
the plan…
Hang on to your heartstrings: This multicultural
romance features a single father, a sweet baby daughter, and the nanny who falls
in love with them both.
Purchase
Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fVn8uW
Apple: https://apple.co/3fUFmgb
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2QNjdWB
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3gx9WMG
Excerpt:
Yvonne clutched her black leather purse tightly, the straps
crushed between her fists as she crossed the parking lot toward Devers
Architectural. The conversation she’d had at the Wittenmyer office with Mrs.
Cross thirty minutes prior was still playing in her head.
“You’re in luck, Ms. Markham,” Mrs. Cross had said. “You’ve
been with us for a very short time, and we already have an assignment for you.
I’ll need you to be at this address within the hour.”
After that, her boss had gone on to give a vague description
of the job. A father had requested someone of the highest skill to care for his
baby girl, and the client had offered a generous bonus to get someone over
right away. Yvonne’s jaw had dropped when she heard the salary, but she’d
quickly shut it. Wittenmyer was the top agency in town, and she didn’t want to
look like a poor country urchin in front of Mrs. Cross or the two coworkers
also in the office.
Now, as she approached the beautiful, contemporary building,
she wondered why she was meeting the client here instead of at his home. She
pushed the thought away, knowing she’d find out the answer soon enough. For a fifteen-hundred-dollar bonus, we could’ve met wherever he
liked.
Entering the building, she stopped at the reception desk.
The petite redhead there greeted her right away. “Welcome to
Devers Architectural. I’m Mary Alice. Can I help you, miss?”
Feeling her hand begin to cramp, Yvonne finally loosened her
grip on the purse straps. “Hello. My name is Yvonne Markham…”
Mary Alice stood. “Oh, from the agency. Just go down the
hallway to your right. Carson will be waiting for you.”
“Thank you.” Yvonne turned and went in the direction she’d
indicated, taking in the soft-hued decor, wood paneling, and modern art. The
place was immaculately decorated, but then she supposed she should expect no
less from an architect.
At the end of the corridor, a rather nervous-looking young man
with brown hair and blue eyes stood, tapping his foot. When she approached, he
asked, “Are you Yvonne?”
She nodded. “I am. Are you Mr. Devers?”
The tapping stopped, and he seemed less agitated now. “No. I’m
his intern, Carson. I’ll escort you in. He’s waiting for you.”
Carson turned and opened the heavy wooden door behind him,
gesturing for her to enter.
Yvonne entered the room with Carson close behind her. It was a
small office, and by Carson’s quick steps, it appeared they were only passing
through. They came to another door, this one made of the same wood but with an
intricate monogram, MD,
carved into it.
Carson knocked.
“Come in,” called a deep voice from within.
Carson opened the door and stepped away. “Go in, please.”
Yvonne took three cautious steps into the room. This inner
office was much darker than the outer one, and looking around, she could see
most of the window blinds were shut.
Except for one window, where a man stood, looking out. His
back was to her, but she could see his shape clearly. His frame, tall and
broad-shouldered, seemed imposing despite the size of the room. Without being
able to see his face, she couldn’t gauge his mood. The dimness of the room
didn’t exactly make her feel welcome.
This was her first encounter with her very first client, and she didn’t want to
do or say anything that
might offend him. She stood by the door, waiting for him to
speak.
After a moment or two of silence, he spoke. “Come in, Ms.
Markham. Have a seat.”
She eased to the chair by his large, oddly shaped desk and sat
down, placing her purse in her lap.
He turned then, and her eyes widened at the sight of the
sleeping baby in his arms. Sure, it was the first meeting, and she didn’t know exactly what
being an architect entailed. Still, she doubted bringing a baby to work was
standard practice for professionals in the field. I suppose that’s why I’m here.
He moved away from the window, circling the room and opening
the vertical blinds, all while carefully balancing his slumbering child. As the
light began to fill the space, it became far more inviting. Once all the
windows were adjusted, he came to stand behind the desk.
As she looked at his face for the first time, a prickling
sensation went down her spine. The afternoon sun streaming into the room let
her see his smooth, caramel-skinned handsomeness, and she thanked the heavens
for the good weather. He had a strong jaw, piercing brown eyes flecked with
green, and the most kissable lips she’d ever seen. His suit, a rich shade of
royal blue, had obviously been tailored with care to fit his tall, muscular
frame. She knew she should say something, but staring at him seemed to be all
she could manage.
***
Excerpted from Never Let Me Go by Kianna Alexander. © 2020 by Kianna Alexander. Used with
permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks
Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Like any good Southern belle, Kianna Alexander
wears many hats: loving wife, doting mama, advice-dispensing sister, and
gabbing girlfriend. She's a voracious reader, history nerd and craft fanatic. A
native of the TarHeel state, Kianna lives with her husband, two kids, and a
collection of vintage 80's Barbie dolls in Raleigh, NC.
Author
Website: http://authorkiannaalexander.com/
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