by Nana Prah
The man who broke her heart...
Is the man she now needs more than ever!
Heir to his family’s global empire, branding genius Miguel Astacio turns everything into marketing gold. Only his best friend’s sister seems immune to his magic touch. Until Tanya Carrington comes to him to save her floundering nightclub. Miguel is ready to rectify past mistakes. But will his supreme sacrifice win the heart of the woman he loves?
“Tanya.”
“Yes.” She hated the shyness that had come over her. Couldn’t she wind back the hands of time and make things between them comfortable again? She’d have to go back to before she’d ever laid eyes on him in college, and she never wanted to have never known him. Even after everything she’d been through, meeting him was the best thing to happen to her.
“Sweetheart, look at me.”
The butterflies in her stomach took flight, but she feigned interest in the occurrences of the busy city. She had no choice but to obey when he grasped her shoulders and turned her. Staring at his chest did nothing to ease her anxiety, so she took a leap and looked up into his eyes. Back to the brilliant hazel she’d always loved.
For every moment they stood gazing at each other she sank deeper. She could barely remember who she’d been when he hadn’t been in her life for the past ten years. He was her world at that moment and nothing else mattered.
Her breaths came out in little pants as dread competed with nerve-racking anticipation. Would he kiss her? The air pulsed around them.
Dear Reader,
For some reason, the term “being on the down low” popped into my mind one day and refused to leave. That’s the reason why Tanya Carrington ended up having an ex-husband who epitomized the phrase. It made for a fascinating and painful backstory for the heroine. The reintroduction of the man who rejected her years ago added to the drama that is her life.
I’ve been crushing on Miguel Astacio since I first introduced him in A Perfect Caress as the heroine’s younger brother. Handsome, rich, fun, sexy, dimpled and always seeking the limelight, there’s a lot more to Miguel than his partying ways. He’s now put in the position to prove himself to his family, to the world and especially to the woman he gave up but now has a second chance to be with.
I hope you enjoy the story.
Nana
Path to Passion
Nana Prah
Nana Prah first discovered romance in a book from her eighth-grade summer reading list and has been obsessed with it ever since. Her fascination with love inspired her to write in her favorite genre where happily-ever-after is the rule.
She is a published author of contemporary multicultural romances. Her books are sweet with a touch of spice. When she’s not writing she’s overindulging in chocolate, enjoying life with friends and family, and tormenting nursing students into being the best nurses the world has ever seen.
Books by Nana Prah
Harlequin Kimani Romance
A Perfect Caress
Path to Passion
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To Ortanyi Arrington. Something about being the “wind beneath my wings” and a super fantastic friend.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank all of the people who have encouraged me with my writing over the years—you know who you are.
To every person who has ever read one of my books—thanks for keeping me going.
A huge thanks to Keyla Hernandez, Glenda Howard, Melissa Senate and everyone at Harlequin Kimani for your expertise and guidance.
To Hamzeh for your discussions on clubs and disguises that made the story even better.
As always I thank God for...everything!
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
Excerpt from Unconditionally Mine by Nadine Gonzalez
Chapter 1
Miguel Astacio slid on his tailored suit jacket for the third time in twenty minutes, found the material irritating and flung it onto his seat. He hadn’t been this nervous since... Well, never.
He went into his office’s private bathroom to splash cold water on his face. Maybe that would take away some of the heat making him so unbalanced. Was he coming down with something? Maybe a case of food poisoning from the lobster thermidor he’d had for lunch? It would be a more comforting explanation than being panicked about seeing his best friend’s sister.
Josh had called him a couple of days ago asking for a favor. His friend from college never asked for anything. The request hadn’t even been for him. His sister was on the cusp of losing her nightclub and Josh claimed she needed his help. Miguel had no idea what he could do, but he’d at least listen to her story.
Tanya Carrington was the one woman he’d fallen irrevocably in love with back in college. He’d refused to acknowledge his feelings and had denied them to anyone who’d attempted to guess how much she meant to him. He’d already lost a couple of good friends in the past because he’d stupidly decided to date and inevitably dump their sisters. Lesson learned. When he’d been attracted to Josh’s older sister after they’d first met, he’d stayed the hell away from her, or had tried to. When she’d insisted on hanging out with her brother, Miguel had had no choice but to get to know her better. The more he learned, the more he’d wanted her.
She’d been unlike any other woman he’d dated. Unimpressed by his wealth and status as an Astacio, she’d treated him as she did everyone else. Her genuine personality had placed her in a category above all others. He’d loved her chubby cheeks and on the rare times they’d hugged, her full curves had felt perfect against his body. He’d appreciated everything about her. Big mistake, because whatever had zipped between them every time they were together had threatened his much-needed friendship with Josh.
He and his soul brother had met in their sophomore year. Josh hadn’t initially known Miguel was one of three heirs to the Astacio empire, and when he’d found out, it hadn’t made a difference. At first, Miguel had been wary because everyone wanted something from him; after all, he wasn’t just an Astacio but a Gill on his mother’s side, which meant double the prestige, money and power. His parents owned a conglomeration of companies all over the world and kept creating more just because they could.
He recalled Josh’s words on the day he connected his last name to that of the famous Astacio family: “I don’t understand why you’d want to hang out with a geek like me, but if you don’t mind catching some of my uncoolness, I don’t mind sharing. Just don’t expect me to be a groupie. I don’t have time for that.” His words had cemented their friendship. Miguel could never give up having such a supportive and loyal person in his life. The man’s innate integrity and comedic nature had made him indispensable.
The splash of cold water against his face didn’t help settle his nerves. Mig
uel wiped away the liquid and frowned at his reflection. Where had those sweat rings under his arms come from? Dammit. He stripped out of the shirt and stormed to the closet where he kept extra clothes.
He had to calm down. This wasn’t the suave man he’d branded himself into since stepping out in front of the cameras with enviable confidence at the age of twelve. This nervous, sweaty man had to go.
Ten years had passed since he’d last seen Tanya. He’d been with more women than he could count during that time. Why the hell was he jittery about seeing her again? Sure, she’d been on his mind over the years and he couldn’t help comparing every woman he’d been with to her, but he’d gotten over his best friend’s sister. Right?
Momentarily distracted from his plight, Miguel smiled as he glanced at his watch and thought about how he’d used his marketing savvy to put the newly launched Astacio watch line in competition with established timepiece designers such as Movado and Breguet. Now people of prestige were wearing their Asombra watches.
Only ten minutes before her arrival. Pulling out a lavender shirt with a matching tie, he ignored the fact that it used to be Tanya’s favorite color. What did he expect from her? To be the same sweet, intelligent, loyal-as-her-brother woman he’d spent all night talking to back in school? He scoffed as he slid the gold-and-onyx cuff links into the sleeves. She owned a nightclub. How sweet could she possibly be anymore?
The thought calmed his agitation. He’d changed over the years so it stood to reason she must’ve, too. Of course he’d become more handsome, confident, charming and responsible. If she’d headed in the same positive direction as him, then he had every right to fear this meeting, because other than being Josh’s sister and two years his senior, she’d been damn near perfect.
* * *
Tanya Carrington had sat in her car for the past fifteen minutes willing herself to get out. Repeating phrases like “Turn off the engine. Unlock the door. Breathe, girl, breathe...” hadn’t helped one bit. The heater keeping her warm in the harsh Cleveland weather could attest to that. Not only did she want to avoid the blistering wind, she’d become paralyzed at the thought of seeing Miguel Astacio live and in person again.
It was one thing to daydream about him after watching him give some speech or catching the entertainment news feature him with his latest girlfriend. He couldn’t see how dejected she became every time his virtual presence crossed her world. She took a quick glance at the car’s digital clock—in ten minutes she’d be walking into his office to ask for the biggest favor of her life.
Her heart thundered just as it had all those years ago when she’d first met him and every time after. Her brother’s friends had never interested her. In college, her focus had been on her studies in order to keep the full scholarship that had allowed her to major in computer science at Ohio State University.
She’d been drawn to him the moment she’d walked into her brother’s room and locked eyes with the new transfer. She could’ve sworn she’d seen an answering flash of interest in hazel eyes set in the most flawless light brown skin she’d ever seen. His long eyelashes had distracted her until he’d smiled and two dimples had appeared, making her knees so weak she’d sunk down into the first chair she could stumble to. She didn’t know anything about him other than being the most handsome man she’d ever met in her life, but she’d known for sure that she’d wanted him.
While her nerdier-than-her brother had gone on and on about a sci-fi movie he’d just seen, she’d tried to pay attention, but Miguel kept stealing it. Not that he’d paid any mind to her after their initial introduction, where he’d tipped his chin up and said, “Sup,” before ignoring her.
She’d spent more time in her brother’s room those few weeks than she had in her own just so she could sneak glances at Miguel when he’d drop by. It took a while for him to warm up to her, but he had and they’d became friends.
Toward the end of their second semester, they’d gotten really close, and she could’ve sworn he’d liked her way more than a friend. But every time she looked at him, she remembered the forty pounds she needed to lose before a guy like him would even consider dating her. How many times had she attempted to lose weight to be more attractive to him? Every time she’d started a diet, the pounds she’d lost would rebound when she fell into a state of temptation.
What she’d detested him for was the fact that he’d humiliated her when finally she’d summoned the courage to tell him she loved him just before she’d graduated.
Why hadn’t she sought her best friend, Becca’s, opinion on it before exposing herself? That’s right, her stubborn self had already made up her mind and nothing would stop her. Becca may have told her to forgo the plan of revealing her true feelings for Miguel, which would’ve saved her from mind-numbing humiliation. Although the experience had left a lingering ache in her chest every time she thought about it, at least she never had to wonder how Miguel felt about her.
His rejection still rang in her ears. He’d never seen her as anything more than Josh’s older sister and a friend as he dated every woman on campus. At least she’d had sense to tell him how she felt just before graduation. The timing saved her from ever having to see him again.
Tanya gripped the steering wheel and took deep, controlled breaths. No need to dredge up the past when there was nothing she could do about it. The focus should be on fixing her business so she wouldn’t end up living in her car or, worse: moving in with her parents. In order to do that, she had to get out of the car, walk down the block to the fifteen-story Astacio building and ask advice from a man she’d once allowed to destroy her.
No big deal.
Chapter 2
The fact that her brother had suggested and arranged this meeting with the king of marketing had forced Tanya to drag herself out of the vehicle, smooth her knee-length down coat and speed walk to the Astacio building so she wouldn’t be late. Just because Josh had had to convince her to attend didn’t mean she was stupid enough to annoy the marketing director by being late. What had she been thinking sitting in the car for so long?
The trepidation and mortification she should’ve gotten over a long time ago had held her bound. She made it to the ninth floor of the building with one minute to spare. The space reminded her of what she’d learned about him over the years. The word vivid came to mind. Weren’t offices supposed to be sedate and understated? No one must have given Miguel the message, because the reception area was the polar opposite of traditional.
Bright blues, yellows, greens and reds interspersed with white would’ve made teaching primary colors to a kindergartner fun and exciting. She blinked as she looked down at her conservative navy blue skirt suit with the maroon-colored silk blouse. She felt more than a little out of place.
She gasped as she turned to the right and saw what appeared to be a Jackson Pollock in matching colors to the office. Was it real? Just as she was about to step closer to the painting, the receptionist said, “Good afternoon. How may I help you?” His grin spoke of more than just politeness. He was amused by her reaction. His red suit and white dress shirt adorned with a canary-yellow pocket square fit right in with the trendy atmosphere.
“Hi. My name is Tanya Carrington and I have an appointment with Mr. Miguel Astacio.”
“Please have a seat. I’ll let him know you’re here.”
She nodded and sat, gripping her purse on her lap. For the hundredth time, she asked herself if she really needed Miguel’s help. She’d been in worse situations than having her livelihood snatched away. When had she started lying to herself? She’d never been in such dire straits. Josh seemed to think Miguel could help, so she’d trusted him and consented to him calling his best friend. Besides, she’d transitioned into a confident woman who ran a restaurant and nightclub. Did it matter that it was failing miserably and she was spiraling into a near-debilitating debt?
“He’ll see you now, Ms. Carrington,” th
e stylish receptionist announced.
She swallowed hard with a longing look at the watercooler as she forced a smile to her face. “Thank you,” she said while standing on shaky legs, making sure not to trip in her comfortable wedge heels. With the aim of going into the lion’s den with a strictly professional mentality, she ran through a couple of her favorite affirmations. I am worthy. I am great. I am successful.
When she stepped into the large office to see the man who’d broken her heart with his callousness years ago, feelings of self-doubt rammed into her like a linebacker. One last thought rolled into her mind: I am screwed.
* * *
Miguel had lowered the heat, yet his fingers had difficulty grasping his pen due to the excessive sweat. He figured the busy look would be best when Tanya walked in. Unfortunately, a shaky pen due to his trembling hands was too telling, so he lay it down and waited for her to walk in while pretending to read a document.
The woman who entered could’ve been a swimsuit model with her full hips and breasts, emphasized by a slim waist. His gaze settled on her flawless medium-brown complexion and lingered. Her beauty stunned him. Large onyx eyes stared at him from beneath finely arched brows. Her light hand with the makeup emphasized her sculpted cheekbones and succulent lips. Who was this woman and where was Tanya? He watched the door she’d closed and waited for Josh’s sister to follow behind.
“Good afternoon,” the stranger greeted.
He started at the sound of the familiar voice, and he snagged in a sharp breath. “Tanya?” he whispered. This gorgeous woman couldn’t be her.
Her eyes turned cold although she smiled while extending her hand. “Good to see you again, Mr. Astacio.”
The hard tone of her voice indicated otherwise. Pulling himself together, he ignored her hand the same way he did her lie. After how he’d treated her back in college, she’d probably never wanted to see him again, but at least he’d been honest. He extended his arms out to her, not missing the way she shrank away even though his smile was genuine. “There’s no Mr. Astacio among us. Bring it in.”