No Time for Intrigue (The No Brides Club Book 13)

by Raine English

  What’s Next?

  Read the first chapter of NO TIME FOR LOVE, book 1 of the No Brides Club…

  The colors of dusk shot across the Manhattan skyline in vibrant magenta and tangerine, while the lights from the high-rise buildings twinkled like the first stars of the night. The view from the West Ridge penthouse was spectacular and added a bundle to the selling price. It also played a huge role in why her buyer wanted it, making it the largest sale in Kinsley King’s career as a real estate broker. And that was saying a lot because she was among the city’s best.

  She didn’t usually do walk-throughs this late in the day, but it was the only time the Sultan of Mawta’s representative could do it. “Everything you requested has been taken care of,” she said, turning her back on the wall of floor to ceiling windows and strolling into the kitchen. The dark gray soapstone countertops had been replaced with white marble that had been highly polished to bring out the veining and character of the stone. That alone had cost a pretty penny, but the seller was willing to do just about anything to close on the property.

  The tall, slim man ran his hand over the smooth surface. “Very nice. Exactly as requested.”

  Kinsley took him through the rest of the penthouse, letting out a sigh of relief after he left that everything was perfect. She’d been worrying all day that something might go wrong, but so far so good. Now they just had to get through the closing. It wasn’t unheard of for a sale to fall apart at the last minute.

  She needn’t have worried, though. About an hour later, she was headed to her office in Tribeca, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city, with a nice big check in her hand.

  “My, my, don’t you look like the cat who swallowed the canary,” Sue, her assistant remarked when Kinsley strutted into the office.

  She grinned as she dropped the check on the desk. “Nothing makes me happier than getting both ends of the deal, and this one has me ecstatic.”

  Sue’s mouth dropped open when she saw the hefty commission seventy-five million brought. “Guess I don’t need to ask if you’re celebrating tonight.”

  “Looks like I’m buying dinner for the No Brides Club.” Kinsley looked at her watch. “And I’m late.”

  “That’s right. It’s Thursday.”

  “Has been all day,” she replied with a wink, before heading into her office to change into a sleek little black dress. Three years ago she’d met some fabulous women during Happy Hour at the Briarwood Tavern, an upscale restaurant with a gorgeous roof-top bar. Kinsley had been going there for years. It was her favorite haunt, especially after a stressful day of showings. She used to go alone, have a glass or two of wine while checking her emails, and then head home to her multi-million dollar loft on North Moore Street. However, now she had friends that were just as career-driven as she and who had dreams that didn’t include a husband and kids. Many people would find that selfish, but those women didn’t. They were all on the same page—tired of having their wants and needs pushed aside for a man’s. And that’s why they formed the No Brides Club—a group of like-minded women who had sworn off marriage.

  Kinsley took down from the closet shelf two evening bags—a Chanel and a Gucci—holding them both in front of her. She always had trouble deciding on accessories. Luckily, Sue didn’t have that problem.

  “What do you think? The envelope clutch or the velvet cross-body?” Kinsley stood in front of her assistant’s desk.

  “You know me. I’m a Chanel girl.”

  “Hmmm…” Kinsley handed her the cross-body, then tucked the black satin clutch under her arm. “You’re right of course. Would you mind putting the Gucci back in my office? I’ve got to run!” She didn’t wait for an answer. Sue knew the ins and outs of King Realty and was used to locking up.

  The walk to Church Street was a short one, and Kinsley enjoyed the trek through the neighborhood with its cobblestone streets and cast-iron buildings. The nineteenth-century mercantile architecture was simple, yet beautiful. There wasn’t the hustle and bustle of the Upper East Side, and that was one of the things Kinsley loved most about it. She spent a big part of the day in Manhattan and by nighttime was more than ready to return to the quieter streets of Tribeca.

  When she entered the Briarwood, the usual Wall Street types were at the main bar. Kinsley had to squeeze past them, bumping into the back of a guy with a full glass of beer that nearly ended up all over her new Jimmy Choo shoes.

  The group was at their usual table in the dining room, and she slid into one of the tufted leather banquettes beside Melody Mitchell, a pretty brunette with gorgeous green eyes. They’d met at a showing and had been at the bar celebrating Melody’s new apartment the night they met the other No Brides Club members. Although they were a tight-knit group, Kinsley and Melody had become the best of friends.

  “Sorry I’m late,” she said. “I had a closing. Dinner and drinks are on me tonight.”

  “Well, then it’s lobster and Champagne,” Rachel, an aspiring Broadway actress said with a laugh.

  Kinsley shot her a huge smile. “You go for it, girl. Tonight’s a celebration. I’d been trying to sell the West Ridge penthouse for over six months and could’ve lost the listing if this deal hadn’t worked out.” With that said, when the waitress came by, she ordered a Magnum of Dom Perignon, after which she poured each woman a glass. “You all mean so much to me. I’m extremely grateful that you’re part of my life.” Kinsley raised her flute in a toast.

  She’d just taken a sip when her cell phone rang. “No work tonight,” she said, more to herself than anyone else as she ignored the call and set the phone to vibrate. A moment later it went off again and then again.

  “Maybe you should take it,” Melody advised. “It might be important.”

  “They’re all important,” Kinsley replied, letting it go into voicemail for the third time. “However, tonight I’m not working. This is my time with my girlfriends.” She took a huge sip of champagne. Work was the love of her life, and most of the time she couldn’t get enough of it. Kinsley was smart enough, though, to know that too much of a good thing could cause burnout. She knew when it was time to take a break and those breaks were usually Thursday nights at the Briarwood. But all good intentions came with a price, and that price could mean losing a listing, so a few minutes later, she excused herself and headed to the ladies’ room where she checked her messages. The calls had come from an attorney in Upstate New York. Before she could call him back, her phone rang again. Boy, insistent. Must be an anxious buyer. Her favorite kind. “Hello. Kinsley King here.”

  “Ms. King, this is Robert Sykes, Cora Forrester’s attorney.”

  Her pulse quickened. Why would an attorney be calling about her aunt? “Is Cora okay?” Her voice was high pitched and a little shaky, revealing her inner terror. Besides Kinsley’s father, Cora was her only other relative. If something happened to her… Kinsley’s thoughts were jagging in a million different directions and were interrupted by the man clearing his throat.

  “I’m sorry. I hate to have to tell you this, but Cora passed away,” he said quietly.

  “What?” Her throat felt like it was about to close up. She swallowed hard, but that didn’t help. A picture of the elderly woman’s face appeared in her mind’s eye—short silver pipe-screw curls encircled her round rosy face and her pale blue eyes, so much like Kinsley’s mom’s eyes. She’d never seen her aunt angry or upset. She loved life and had always lived it to the fullest, believing the cup was half full, never empty, even in her darkest of times. Kinsley had tried to emulate that in her own life but usually wound up failing miserably. There was no way she could match Cora’s upbeat attitude.

  She sucked in some much-needed air and then said in a small, squeaky voice, “What happened?”

  She heard his heavy breath on the other end of the phone. “It was a heart attack. She’s at peace. Remember that.”

  When Kinsley didn’t respond, he went on to say, “You’re her main beneficiary. I can mail you a copy
of the will, but I think it would be best if you came here to read it. After all, there are the animals to consider. You’re going to have to decide how best to run the sanctuary.”

  Kinsley’s grief quickly turned to shock. “What do you mean, run the sanctuary?”

  “Well, it’s yours now. Although Cora did ask that Dylan Reese stay on as manager, she didn’t make that a provision in the will, so ultimately it’s up to you. If you’d like someone else, you’ll have to let him go. Best to make these decisions right away.”

  “Yes. I suppose it is.” Kinsley sank onto a plush velvet settee. “I have a few things I need to do in the morning. I can be at your office at one. Will that work for you?”

  “That’s fine. I’ll see you then.”

  “Please text me your address.”

  “Will do, Ms. King. Good night.”

  After she hung up the phone, she held her head in her hands and let the tears she’d been holding back flow freely. She hadn’t seen her aunt in ages and guilt tugged at her heart. Kinsley should’ve gone to visit, but time had gotten away from her. There was always something important that required her attention, and that became even more the case after her dad retired and turned the business over to her three years ago. Still, she could’ve taken off a few days…

  She thought back to when her mother died and how devastated she’d been. It was Aunt Cora who’d consoled her, despite having to deal with her own grief at losing her sister. Kinsley had spent a week at the sanctuary and during that time had grown even closer to her aunt as they celebrated Donna King’s life, rather than despairing over the loss of it. That was seven years ago, and the last time she’d been to Forever Wild. She’d been amazed at how well Cora handled the animals, letting the wolves lick her face and the bobcats rub up against her. Kinsley had been terrified, but then she’d never even had a puppy. Animals weren’t in her wheelhouse, but they were her aunt’s entire world. And now she was gone, and Kinsley owned the sanctuary! A new wave of grief washed over her and with it another round of tears.

  When the ladies’ room door swung open, she quickly reached for a tissue from the box on the counter and began to pat at her face. She must look a mess with mascara and eyeliner smeared across her cheeks.

  “Oh, my goodness, Kins!” Melody bent down to give her a hug. “What’s wrong? We were worried because you’ve been gone a while. Does it have something to do with the calls you were getting?”

  Kinsley shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. When she tried a second time, she croaked, “My aunt died.”

  Melody sat down next to her. “Your Aunt Cora with the animal sanctuary?”

  She nodded.

  “I’m so sorry, honey.”

  “I have to go upstate tomorrow to meet with her attorney, and I’ve got so much to do before I leave.”

  Melody looked square in her eyes. “Just take care of yourself for once. The business will survive while you’re gone.”

  Kinsley balled up the tissue and threw it in the trash. “You know that’s exactly what my aunt would’ve said.”

  “She was a very wise woman.”

  She shot her friend a small smile. “She left Forever Wild to me.”

  Melody’s eyes grew wide. “She did? But you don’t know a thing about animals.”

  “Exactly, so not only do I have to deal with her death, but I also have to decide what to do with my inheritance.”

  Her friend’s brows shot up. “Won’t you just sell it?”

  “That’s obviously the most sensible thing to do. However, my head’s pounding and I can barely think. Please explain to the others why I went home.”

  “Of course. But don’t you want to take some food with you?”

  “Just the thought of eating makes me nauseous. If I get hungry later, I’ll make some soup.” Kinsley reached into her purse for her wallet and then gave Melody more than enough cash to cover dinner and drinks for the women.

  “That’s not necessary,” her friend remarked, trying to give the money back, but Kinsley refused to take it.

  “I said it was on me and I meant it. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration, so I want you all to celebrate for me.”

  “I love you.” Melody kissed her cheek.

  “I love you too. We’ll talk soon.”

  “If there’s anything you need, just give a call.”

  “I will. Good night.” Kinsley’s thoughts were awhirl as she walked home. Images of her mom and Aunt Cora flickered through her mind, and it brought her some comfort knowing they were together in Heaven. But having been bequeathed Forever Wild was a huge problem and one she wasn’t looking forward to dealing with. However, as she walked, the brisk night air helped to clear her muddled brain, and she knew there was only one thing to do. Sell the wildlife sanctuary.

  What happens next?

  Don’t wait to find out…

  Head to Amazon to purchase or borrow your copy of NO TIME FOR LOVE so that you can keep reading this sweet romance series today!

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  Read the first chapter of FLIRTING WITH THE FASHIONISTA, book 1 of the CELEBRITY CORGI ROMANCES…

  Ruby Ross pulled a freshly popped bag of kettle corn from the microwave and let the steam warm her face as she sucked it in the fragrant, buttery air with a contented sigh.

  “Ahh, better than any spa treatment,” she remarked to the fuzzy little dog squirming at her feet. She and her corgi, Diamond, had been together for almost three years now. Initially, she’d adopted the rambunctious little pup with the hopes that this new companion would help her get out into the city more—socialize, meet people.

  But the tan and white corgi was far happier snuggled up on the couch than she ever was trekking through the sidewalk jungle of New York City.

  Still, it didn’t mean that Diamond was an easy dog to look after. She was forever demanding snacks, pets, and a four a.m. wake up time, and despite Ruby’s increased exhaustion since adopting the discerning ball of fluff, she wouldn’t trade her special girl for the world.

  “Ready to start our party?” she asked the dog as they both made their way to the main living area of her studio apartment. Like everything else in this city, it was cramped to the max, meaning that both Ruby and her doggie roommate needed to use space efficiently and limit the number of personal items they kept. A small price to pay for being able to reside in one of the biggest fashion capitals of the world.

  Diamond barked twice, then hopped up beside Ruby and attempted to swipe the popcorn bag from her hands with a quick nose and a pathetic whine.

  “Stop that. You have your own.” Ruby grabbed the dental bone from the drawer in the coffee table and tossed it over to Diamond.

  The dog sighed and pushed the green chew onto the floor, then started on a fresh string of barks. As much as Ruby didn’t like being terrorized, she knew she’d need to offer Diamond something better if she had any hope of catching the pre-show red carpet coverage.

  “You’re in-corgi-gable. You know that?” She chuckled at her own joke as she fished a bully stick from the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard and tossed it Diamond’s way.

  Now she was satisfied. Good.

  “Okay, but no more barking. You got it? This is basically the fashion Super Bowl, and this year I actually have a horse in the race.” Yeah, she knew she’d mixed her metaphors, but Ruby was far too excited about fashion and far too uninterested in sports to care either way.

  This was it, the big show and her first real chance at getting noticed by the fashion bloggers, reporters, and Hollywood’s most respected stars.

  Time had passed in a colorful whirl ever since acclaimed director Millie Sullivan had called on Ruby to design the perfect red carpet look for this year’s Academy Awards. Millie, like Ruby, wore a size sixteen and said she wouldn’t trust anyone else to dress her curves right. Doing so was especially important, considering that she was up for the best director award for the first time ever—and Ruby was so proud o
f her for the accomplishment.

  Together they’d designed the perfect floor-length red gown with a high slit up the side and meticulous beadwork along the neckline. It seemed most in the industry expected bigger girls to merely “dress for their size,” concealing their figures in simple black frocks while all the skinny girls topped off the best-dressed lists.

  Ruby, however, had a different philosophy.

  Celebrate your body as it is, because no body’s perfect—that’s what she often said when discussing her work with potential new clients or business relations. And that’s what she’d told Millie, too.

  Ruby’s breath caught the moment she spied her newest showstopper on the red carpet. Millie was perfection personified with a bold red lip to match the gown and a perfectly coifed 1940’s updo.

  “Who are you wearing?” one of the reporters called, rushing over and waving his mic in Millie’s face.

  Millie looked straight into the camera like the practiced pro she was. Normally, she stood behind the scenes, but tonight she stole the whole show as she smiled wide and exclaimed, “Ruby Ross!”

  “Oh, I haven’t heard of her before,” the reporter gushed as he made a big show of examining her from top to bottom and back again. “But she does beautiful work.”

  “Yes, she sure does,” Millie agreed, bobbing her head and showing off that bubbly personality Ruby had quickly come to love. “She’s an up-and-coming force in the fashion world for sure.”

  “Honey, ain’t nothing ‘coming’ about it.” Turning to the camera, he added, “Ruby Ross, your star has arrived, and she looks fabulous.”

  Ruby screamed and stomped her feet on the floor, drawing an aggravated groan from Diamond, who was still making slow work of her prized treat. Well, not even a moody corgi could spoil her mood tonight.