Master of Fortune / Marrying the Lone Star Maverick

He brushed that thought away. This was a new century. Attitudes were different than they had been in the ‘70s. But he still didn’t want to make Astrid feel uncomfortable in the office with him.

At the same time he knew that he wasn’t going to be able to resist pulling Astrid into his arms before too long and finding out how good that sassy mouth of hers tasted under his.

His phone rang and he reached for it. “Devonshire here.”

“Henry? This is your mum.”

He loved how she always identified herself even though he could never mistake her for anyone else. “Hello, Mum. What’s up?”

“I need a favor,” Tiffany Malone-Ferguson said. “Do you know anyone at Channel Four?”

He knew a few people there. And he was afraid that this was going to be another attempt for his mother to regain the limelight. When pop stars and celebrities from the ‘70s and ‘80s had started turning up on game-style shows on Channel Four, his mum went mad. She’d said that she could return to the spotlight now that his halfbrothers were older.

“I have talked to everyone I know over there more than once.”

“Will you try again? Gordon suggested I start a show like that American show The Bachelor, but for rugby players. I know the lifestyle and I could definitely help arrange suitable girls. Not those tart scrummies that always pop up in the tabloids.”

This idea wasn’t half-bad. He made a few notes and asked her more questions about her idea. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“You’re the best, Henry. Love you.”

“Love you too, Mum,” he said, disconnecting the call.

He held his mobile loosely in his hand for another minute until someone cleared their throat and he glanced up to see Astrid standing in his doorway.

“Yes?”

“I need your signature on these forms. The runner from talent scout Roger McMillan dropped this demo off with a note that they are playing tonight. And I’m going to need you to give me a little more information on Steph,” she said, holding a sheaf of papers out toward him.

He gestured for her to come in.

“Also the head of legal wants a meeting with you to discuss contract procedures. I know you said we’d be working out of your Bromley office, but the management staff have enquired about setting up meetings with you. Do you want me to direct them to your home office?”

He leaned back in his chair. “No. I think we’d better establish a day in the office each week for meetings. I have six direct reports, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Have them all scheduled for tomorrow,” he said. He’d learned the hard way at rugby that if he didn’t go for his goals he’d never achieve them. And teamwork was paramount to winning.

“Astrid, bring me the personnel files on all of the staff. After I’ve reviewed them, you can schedule the meetings. Does anyone have anything that’s pressing?”

“Just legal and accounting. You need to be added to the signature authority card before you can sign this contract.”

“Do you have that form?” he asked.

“It’s at the bottom of your stack. I’ll walk it down to accounting once you sign it.”

He pulled the paper out of the stack and signed it. There were a few other housekeeping-type forms for him to sign. Astrid had prepared them with his name and flagged the places where he was supposed to sign.

“Thank you, Astrid,” he said, handing them back to her. “You’re a very efficient assistant. I’m sure Daniel was devastated to lose you.”

She flushed and looked away, but didn’t respond. “You’re welcome, sir. Was there anything else before I go?”

He stared at her mouth for a minute, knowing his obsession with her lips was going to get him into big trouble. All he really wanted was to taste them.

Two

Astrid hoped that Henry never called Daniel to find out why she left her last job. Despite how close she and Daniel had become during their affair she knew he wouldn’t give her a good reference. Hell, he’d said as much earlier.

At the end … there’d been all those sick days…. Daniel hadn’t been very understanding. She wrapped an arm around her own waist as she struggled for a moment to keep the past where it belonged.

Astrid spent the rest of the day trying to stay focused on her job. But Henry seemed to need her in his office a lot as he got acclimated. And she found herself entranced just the tiniest bit.

He was smart and funny. Yet even innocent flirtations in the office were dangerous. Hadn’t she learned that the hard way?

She walked down to the legal office and left the paperwork that Henry had signed with the proper legal secretary.

Henry’s office was empty when she returned to her desk; she’d poked her head in his office to see if he needed anything. She’d listened to a few songs that Steph Cordo had sang … and that she’d heard on the morning talk radio.

She downloaded the song on iTunes and added them to her playlist. One thing she’d learned working with Daniel was to be very familiar with the artists and groups that label was pursuing. So Steph was the first of many new artists she’d be listening to. It would help give her a feel for what Henry liked, too.

Henry entered the office a few minutes later with three other men, none of whom she knew. He directed the men into his office.

“Hold my calls,” Henry said.

“Certainly, sir. May I speak to you for a moment?” she asked.

“What’s up?”

“These men aren’t on your calendar…. Do you not want me to make your appointments?”

“Oh, of course I do. I’m just not used to having an assistant,” Henry said.

She nodded. “Do you need anything for the next thirty minutes?”

“That’s pretty specific,” Henry said.

“Sorry about that. I’d like to go for lunch. My sister just rang and said she could meet me,” Astrid clarified.

“Go on then. I’ll be in this meeting for at least that long.”

“Do you want me to bring you back something?”

“No. I’m meeting my … half brothers. That still sounds strange to me when I say it.”

“I’d heard you all were getting together lately.”

“Heard where?”

“Um … well, I read about it in Hello!” Astrid refused to be apologetic about it. Hello! and other celebrity magazines were a resource for people in their industry. Daniel used to have her keep clippings of their artists so they could track their popularity.

“Gossip rags?”

She arched one eyebrow at him. “Where else would I hear about your meeting them? We don’t exactly run in the same circles.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I know the feeling. They aren’t my crowd either.”

“No, celebrities and footballers are more your speed,” she said. “I guess that’s how you have your finger on the pulse of what’s next.”

“Maybe. I think it’s more a feel for what the public is hungry for.”

He had a point. “I think you’re a very savvy man.”

“I am,” he said. “Before you head to lunch, will you call Marcus Wills for me? I’m supposed to have drinks with him, but I don’t think I’ll have time between meeting with the other Devonshire heirs.”

“Not a problem. Do you have his number handy? I haven’t merged your contents file with mine yet,” she said.

“I’ll IM it to you.”

“Great. I’ll take care of it.”

He nodded and walked away, and she couldn’t help but admire his butt. He stopped in the doorway and glanced back over his shoulder. She blushed when he gave her a knowing smile.

“I guess you still work out even though you don’t play anymore,” she said.

“Didn’t Hello! magazine have the scoop on my gym membership?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, they didn’t. I’m hoping to make a little on the side by selling them the exclusive story.”

He threw his head back and laughed. And Astrid couldn’t help chuckling along with him. He was fun and after the heartache she’d endured for the past year of her life she needed that.

“You’ll do, Astrid.”

She winked at him. “I know I will.”

Henry went into his office, and Astrid made the call he’d asked her to before leaving to meet her sister, Bethann.

Bethann was sitting in the sun on one of the benches that lined the walkway along the Thames—the exact spot Astrid had met Daniel earlier. This part of London was newer and lined with glass-and-steel buildings, but across the river was the old Tower of London. Her sister looked up as she approached and waved.

Astrid hugged her sister as soon as she was close enough.

“How is the new job going?” Bethann asked.

“It’s good. I think working for Henry is going to be just what I need. He’s focused on signing new acts.”

Bethann handed her a sandwich. “Be careful. The last job nearly ruined you.”

She shook her head. It didn’t matter that they were both grown woman; Bethann still thought of her as her baby sister who needed looking after.

“I am very aware of that. I just meant … never mind.”

Bethann reached over and put her arm around Astrid’s shoulders. “I love you, sweetie. I don’t want to see you hurt again.”

“I won’t be,” Astrid said. She’d made up her mind when Daniel had fired her that she wouldn’t be used again. Not by any man. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy working for Henry.

Considering he, Geoff and Steve all had the same father, they didn’t really have that much in common. If he had to guess why, he’d say it came down to their mothers: three very different women.

Malcolm had played fast and loose with all of their mothers. The paparazzi had photographed him leaving all of their residences, and Henry knew from things his mother had said that seeing Malcolm with his other lovers had slowly crushed her.

Tiffany had gone through a total confidence change in the six months leading up to his birth. No longer the brassy Irish singer who had melted men’s hearts, she’d turned distrustful of compliments and started to doubt her own abilities as a singer.

The paps still dogged her even after she’d broken things off with Malcolm. But in later years she’d found happiness with Gordon—a kind of love, she told Henry when he’d asked her about it, that she’d never found with Malcolm. She’d said that her love with Malcolm had burned hot and fast but that Gordon was a slow burn. Henry hadn’t understood that as a teenage boy, but as a man he was starting to.

He was very aware the paparazzi were probably having a field day seeing the three brothers together now, which was why they’d chosen to meet at The Athenaeum Club instead of a pub. He’d learned as a youngster that ignoring them and going about his life was the only way to be happy.

And happiness was one of his chief concerns. He saw Geoff sitting on a high stool at a table in the back of the establishment and nodded to acknowledge him.

Henry was stopped several times by fans from his playing days as he walked through the pub. Henry exchanged a few words with every one of them. Shook their hands and signed napkins and scraps of paper. His stepfather had always said that players should remember without the fans they’d be back on their local pitch playing for fun instead of money.

And his fans had made him very wealthy.

Geoff was on the phone, seated at the back of the club. So Henry took his time. Everyone always wanted to know whom he favored in the 6 Nations game—a tournament held between the first nations to play each other in rugby. Originally it had been England vs. Scotland, but over time had grown to include Ireland, Wales, France and Italy, as well. And it went without saying that Henry always favored the home team.

As he approached Geoff, the other man motioned he’d be another minute, so Henry detoured to the bar and ordered a beer. He wasn’t too keen on this get-to-know-you meeting, but both Steven and Geoff had outvoted him, so to speak.

He brought his drink back to the table where Geoff was as the other man disconnected his call. Geoff stood and shook his hand.

“Where’s Steven?”

“His secretary called and said he’d be running late today.”

“I can’t stay long. I’ve got things to take care of before I hit the clubs tonight. How’d you like your first day?”

Geoff arched one eyebrow at him. “Probably as well as you did. The airline is a well-oiled machine, and I think we should be able to show a large profit during the terms of the will.”

Henry realized that Geoff expected to win. Probably by order of his birth he should inherit the entire Everest Group but Henry wasn’t ready to back down and give up the fight. It would take signing just one phenomenal group for his segment to outperform Geoff’s airline. And Henry was damned determined to make sure he found it.

“How’s the record label?”

“Good. It’s in good shape and I have the right people in place.”

“I always heard you were a team player,” Geoff said.

“It’s served me well all my life,” Henry said.

“Good to hear it.”

Henry had heard that Steven and Geoff were both loners. Steven’s mother was a twin. And, according to the media, very close to her extended family.

His mobile beeped and he glanced down to see that a text from Astrid had arrived. He skimmed it and turned his attention back to his Guinness. He and Geoff talked about sports and Henry noticed that the other man was uncomfortable with him.

Geoff had grown up in the spotlight as part of the royal family. Henry wondered if being around a rugby man such as himself was what bothered Geoff. Though rugby was a ruffian sport, it had always been played by those of the middle and upper classes.

“Do you see your mum much?”

“Every Sunday for brunch,” Henry said. His mother had done her best by him. Making sure that he grew up in comfortable surroundings with the family she’d created for them. Being left by Malcolm Devonshire hadn’t put her off her dreams of family.

“That’s good. My cousin Suzanne is a huge fan….”

“Does she want an autograph or a chance to meet her?” Henry said. His mum was just that, his mum, but he was very aware that to other people she was a pop star. And despite the fact that she hadn’t had a hit in fifteen years, she was still very popular. And when he’d been in secondary school, all of his mates had listened to her records. Tiffany couldn’t walk down the street without being recognized.

Geoff laughed. “She’d settle for an autograph.”

“Send me her name and I’ll get Mum to autograph a picture for her.”

“Thanks. If there’s ever anything I can do for you.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

Steven showed up a few minutes later. “A girl is at the front desk asking for you, Henry.”

“A girl?”

“Astrid something. I told them I’d let you know.”

“Thanks. I guess that means I need to go.”

“Do you?” Geoff asked. “Who is she?”

“My new assistant, Astrid Taylor.”

Steven signaled the butler and ordered a drink. Geoff rubbed the back of his neck.

“Did she used to work for Daniel Martin?”

“Yes, I believe she did. Why?”

“I recall reading something in the business journal about it. She sued them because they didn’t give her adequate exit benefits. Just be careful.”

“I always am,” Henry said. “I know a lot about building a winning team.”

“I’ll say. Do you have time for another drink before you go meet her?” Steven said as his drink arrived.

Henry wasn’t sure and being indecisive didn’t sit well with him. He shook his head. “I better not. We have a couple of meetings tonight. I appreciate the information Geoff. I’ll keep my eyes open.”

Geoff laughed. “I sound like my sisters passing gossip.”

“You have sisters?” Steven asked.

Henry had to laugh at that. They’d been linked … well their names had since their birth, but they were virtual strangers.

“I have two younger brothers,” Henry said.

“I’m an only child.” Steven took a sip of his drink. “But we can talk about siblings later.”

“I’m not sure I trust Malcolm not to throw something else at one of us,” Geoff said.

“I agree. I’m surprised even being faced with his mortality has made him contact us,” Henry said.

“Too right,” Geoff added.

“I don’t give a damn about his legacy,” Steven said. “I’m in this for the money and the challenge.”

Henry laughed at the way Steven said that. This man was someone who just said what he wanted, to hell with the consequences.

“I see your point.”

“Good … on that note, I think you should know that I’ve been contacted by a magazine … Fashion Quarterly—”

“Isn’t that a woman’s magazine?” Henry asked. His mum loved the magazine and read it cover to cover each month.

“Yes, it is. The editor-in-chief needed a favor from me and I helped her out in exchange for a promise to run some articles on us in her magazine.”

“On us?” Geoff asked. “Everything I do has to go through the Royal Press Office.”

“It’s on our mums actually since it’s a woman’s mag but they will mention our business units and do a bit of a showcase on each one as well,” Steven said.

“My mum will love that,” Henry said.

“I’m not so sure about this,” Geoff said.

“Just talk to her,” Steven said. “We need the publicity and this is a nice angle.”

“I’m in. You don’t need to convince me,” Henry said, glancing at his watch. “Is there anything else we need to discuss?”

“I like your idea of using the airlines to promote the album covers,” Geoff said. “So I’ll be calling you tomorrow or the next day to get a team together to move that idea forward.”

“I’ll look forward to your call,” Henry said. “Steven, I’ve got a few ideas for using the Everest Mega Store to promote my newer artists. Do you have time to meet with me this week?”

“I do. Shoot me over an e-mail with your availability and we will make it work,” Steven said. “I have to go to New York to check out our North American operation.

“Indeed,” Henry said. “So we’re doing this again next week?”

“Yes. I think a weekly check-in is a good idea,” Steven said.

Henry left his half brothers and walked slowly through the club. He didn’t worry about Malcolm because that man was a stranger to him just like Steven and Geoff, and he was the type of man who didn’t worry about the future. He’d take care of what he needed to.

And right now that involved finding out a little more about Astrid and her past employer.

He spotted her standing at the coat check. She was talking on her mobile and turned around as he came down the stairs. She waved at him and smiled.

He smiled back, thinking that talking to his assistant was going to be very enjoyable.

Astrid hung up the phone as Henry joined her. He looked good in his trendy casual clothing. He wore gray trousers and a button-down shirt left open at the collar with a navy blue sport coat that made his eyes seem brighter. He smiled at her as he approached, and she just stood there for a minute not saying anything.

It didn’t help that he was one of the rugby players she’d had an insane crush on when she was a teenager, which made it harder for her to see him as her boss now that they weren’t in the office.

“Hello, Astrid. What did you need me for?”

“A signature. Without one your staff isn’t going to get paid,” she said. They all got paid monthly, so missing a pay period could put a lot of the staff in a bind. And since she’d only just started at Everest Records she didn’t have the relationships needed to finesse the payroll clerks into giving her an extra day.

She handed him the papers and he signed them with a flourish. His signature had style just like the man.

Oh, for God’s sake, she thought. She was developing a crush on him. On her boss! This had to stop.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Are you going back to the office now?”

“No I have a runner waiting for this packet. I’m supposed to meet you in fifteen minutes and I’d never make it on time.”

“No, you wouldn’t. Did you eat yet?” he asked.

She shook her head. There hadn’t been time. She handed the packet to the runner she’d brought with her, and he took it and left.

“Want to grab a bite?” Henry asked. “I’m hungry.”

“Sounds good.”

He led the way out of the club. “Do you have a car?”

“No. I take the underground mostly. Congestion charges and parking are outrageous,” she said.

“That they are. There’s a congestion charge around my neighborhood. I have to pay to drive home.” Traffic was a major problem in some London areas, so a charge had been introduced to ease traffic flow during certain hours.

“Not many days,” she said. “I hear you get home in the wee hours of the morning.”

He chuckled. “That’s true. But if I kept respectable hours I’d have to pay.”

“You do now with the job,” she said.

“That’s true,” he said. “What about you?”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Is this job keeping you respectable?”

She had no idea what Henry was after with his questions. The valet brought his car around and after she was seated in the Ferrari Enzo, Henry put the car in gear. He drove with confidence and skill, negotiating the traffic with ease. She couldn’t help but admire the way that he drove. She was beginning to believe there was little that Henry didn’t do well.

“Of course it is.”

“Did your last job, working for Mo Rollins’s group, do the same?”

She had a sinking feeling that he’d checked her employment record. Had he found out about her affair? Bethann had suggested to her before she’d taken this job at Everest Records that she should work in another industry, but the record industry was all she knew.

“I took that job really seriously, Henry. I was a good employee and supported Daniel in every way I could.”

“But he still let you go,” Henry said.

“I had a health issue,” she said. This was a nightmare, she thought. When she’d been in the throes of her affair with Daniel it had never occurred to her that someday she’d be answering questions about why she no longer worked for him.

Henry braked to a stop as they neared Kensington High Street. She knew he planned to check out Roof Gardens, the eclectic nightclub owned by Richard Branson, tonight.

“Babylon okay for dinner?” he asked.

“Yes.” She’d never eaten at the trendy high-priced restaurant before. When she’d been with Daniel, even when they’d been dating, they had tended to stay more to economical places. Daniel only spent money on his clients.

Henry pulled up to the valet stand and got out. Astrid climbed out on her side and wished for a moment she’d taken time to dress a bit differently for her day. She was already realizing that Henry was different. That didn’t mean he would treat her better than Daniel had. This was a job, she thought. Nothing more. The measure of the man she worked for was better than her previous boss. And she knew she was going to have to change and probably grow a bit to keep up with him. She shifted the strap of her large shoulder bag and hurried around to the sidewalk so she was next to him.

There were a few paps—paparazzi—who took some photos of Henry. She stepped back so he could be photographed alone. He posed and talked to the photographers and signed a few autographs before reaching for her hand and drawing her up the path to the entrance.

She knew that Henry hadn’t finished questioning her about her past and Daniel. She also decided if she played her cards right, she could keep him off the topic tonight.

“Does that happen to you often?” she asked when they checked their coats downstairs.

He smiled ruefully. “Yes. I’m used to it, though. My mum says that it’s part of our life being in the spotlight. I grew up around it. I don’t court them, but if they want a photo I give them one.”

“Isn’t it intrusive?” she asked.

He stopped and pulled her toward a quiet corner. “It’s my life. I don’t think about it. When I was a player, I didn’t like them because they were a distraction and some of the other players would let the paps keep them from concentrating on the game. But now, they are what keeps my lifestyle going forward,” he said.