Molly Matthews Meddles in Marriage
Molly Matthews Meddles in Marriage
ISBN # 978-1-78430-982-4
©Copyright Jill Steeples 2016
Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright January2016
Edited by
Sharon Combs
Totally Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2016 by Totally Bound Publishing,
Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN
Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.
Warning:
This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a
heat rating
of
Totally Simmering
and a
Sexometer
of
1.
MOLLY MATTHEWS MEDDLES IN MARRIAGE
Jill Steeples
Matchmaker extraordinaire Molly Matthews is an expert in love, but her skills are put to the ultimate test when international heartthrob Rory Campbell waltzes into her office.
Molly Matthews knows everything there is to know about love. She should too, she runs the most exclusive marriage bureau in town. So why, then, is her own love life a complete disaster area?
When Rory Campbell, the international film star and hell-raising playboy, turns up at Molly
’
s office, she can
’
t believe he
’
s looking for a wife. Despite her better judgment, Molly agrees to help Rory in his quest, but all her attempts at finding him the perfect woman are met with disdain from her trickiest customer to date.
Molly is furious that her professional integrity has been compromised and she
’
s allowed her personal feelings to get in the way of a business relationship.
When photos of Rory appear in the press with Emma D
’
Santi, a beautiful pinup and the only woman Molly suspects Rory has ever loved, she wonders if Rory is wasting her time and playing with her heart.
Can Molly still find Rory the woman of his dreams while putting her own burgeoning emotions to one side and hanging on to what
’
s left of her frazzled heart?
Dedication
For my lovely mum.
Trademarks Acknowledgment
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Polaroid: PLR IP Holdings
Orvieto: Gruppo Italiano Vini
Cinderella: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Oscar: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Corporation
Chapter One
Molly Matthews dashed up the stairs to the top floor offices at thirty-three-A Fitzwilliam Place, which today, in four-inch patent nude stilettos and with three glasses of vintage champagne fizzing through her veins, was a slightly more treacherous task than usual.
She stumbled through the front door of Molly Matthews’ Marriage Bureau, not expecting it to be open, nor expecting to find Pippa, her best friend and sometime assistant, waiting for her expectantly.
“So how did it go?” asked Pippa, putting down the magazine she’d been flicking through and raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.
“Oh, Pippa…” Molly planted her backside on the edge of her desk, letting out the biggest, most satisfied sigh. “It was wonderful. Simply wonderful. The best wedding I have ever been to.”
“Really? I think you said that last time,” said Pippa cheerfully, the eyebrow rising even farther.
“This one was, though. It was so magical. Emma looked absolutely stunning in an off-white sheath dress and Fraser was wearing a kilt, would you believe? He looked adorable. I felt so proud, almost as if I was watching my own son marry.”
Pippa’s eyes narrowed, her mouth forming into a grimace.
“I know that’s an impossibility and probably sounds ridiculous and a little inappropriate too, but you know I have a soft spot for Fraser. He was one of my first clients, after all, and there were moments when I thought I might never find him his bride. Here, look…” Molly delved into her handbag and pulled out a Polaroid of the happy couple with Molly planted very firmly between them, beaming into the camera. “Don’t they look happy together? They really are the perfect match.”
Pippa smiled, nodding her head in agreement.
“Hmm, that kilt was definitely a good decision.”
Molly giggled, rifling through the top drawer of the desk and producing a drawing pin, which she used to post the photo up on the wall, alongside the dozen or so other pictures of Molly’s successful couplings.
“This is what it’s all about.” She stood back, folding her arms and admiring the montage proudly. “It makes everything worthwhile, doesn’t it? Anyway,” she said, fixing Pippa with a puzzled look, “what are you doing, still here? Thought you had a leg wax to see to?”
“I do,” said Pippa, glancing at her watch, “but you have a visitor so I thought I’d stay and keep him company.” She swept her head in the direction of the small reception room, looking decidedly mischievous. “I did explain that you could be some time, but he seemed quite happy to wait.”
“Really. There wasn’t anything in the diary, was there?” Molly’s heart sank. She was horrified that she may have overlooked an appointment, and even worse, that she now had a meeting to attend. Post-wedding fever had made her legs heavy and her mind fuzzy.
“Nope. He didn’t have an appointment. Just called in on the off chance, apparently.” Pippa jumped up from her seat, looking as if she might burst with excitement. “You’ll never guess who it is in there.”
“You’re right, I won’t guess! I’m not blimmin’ clairvoyant! And if you’re meant to be keeping him company, why aren’t you in there, keeping him company?”
“Ah yes, about that. I think my scintillating presence was too much for him. He’s fallen asleep in the chair so I thought I’d leave him to it.” Pippa giggled. “You are so not going to believe who it is.”
“Fallen asleep! Oh, for goodness sake!” Molly marched over to the doorway and flung open the door. She stopped dead in her high heels and for a split second thought her heart may have stopped too. She inhaled sharply as her gaze skittered around the familiar room, which suddenly seemed wholly unfamiliar with the man’s long, broad figure reclining in the chair. His chestnut-brown hair flopped over to one side of his face, his black eyelashes, obscenely long, rested on his cheek and his lips, gently parted, emitted the faintest whooshing noise. Molly took a big step backward and carefully closed the door again. She turned to look at Pippa, her mouth opening, closing and then opening again.
“Oh my God! Is that…? Is that…?” Easing the door handle down gently, she took another peek at the sleeping god, before quickly shutting the door again. “Rory Campbell is asleep in my office?”
“I said you’d never believe it!” Pippa danced on tiptoes, flapping her hands at her side, giving a very good impression of a fairy ballerina. “Rory Campbell!” She let out a little squeal.
Molly shrugged, holding her hands up in the air and lowering her voice to a whisper.
“What on earth is he doing here though?”
“Well, he wouldn’t say, he specifically asked to speak to you.” She picked up her handbag, slipped on her jacket and headed for the door. “And I know my wonderful skills of deduction would be much better suited to a detective agency, but I wouldn’t mind guessing that Mr. Gorgeous in there is looking for a wife!”
How ridiculous was that! Rory Campbell looking for a wife. There might be any number of reasons why Rory Campbell was sitting in her office, it was just that Molly couldn’t think of any at the moment, but looking for a bride certainly wouldn’t be one of them.
Molly paced around the office, wondering what she should do. She’d fallen in love with Rory the very first time she’d set eyes on him, four or five years ago. From the big screen, he’d teased and flirted with her, seducing her with his boyish good looks and his easy charm. He’d broken her heart when he’d had an affair with that Dana Andrews, a high-profile glamour model, but of course she’d forgiven him that. Rory was all too easy to forgive.
She’d even overlooked all those minor indiscretions that seemed to appear with increasing regularity in the newspapers these days, stumbling out of nightclubs looking the worse for wear each time with a different woman on his arm, the rumors that he’d been making more enemies than friends with his outlandish behavior. Molly had been able to forgive him all of that, but now he was here, sitting in her office, and she had no idea what she was going to say to him.
The effects of the champagne were clearly muddling her mind. There was only one thing for it, she would just have to go right in there and…and introduce herself!
She smoothed down her skirt before knocking forcefully on the glazed panel of the door, which was slightly disconcerting seeing as it was her own door to her own office, but still she felt the need to announce her presence to her sleeping guest.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Campbell,” she said, in her most professional, business-like voice as she waltzed through the door.
She was met with a groan as Rory shifted in his chair. She paused, certain he would wake at any moment. It was only a small room and it was a sweltering hot afternoon, his presence only adding to the heady atmosphere. Surely even in his sleep-induced haze, he must be aware there was someone standing over him? She waited a few seconds more. Clearly not, she mused, realizing he was looking more comfortable with each passing moment.
This was ridiculous. This was her office, she didn’t need to be tiptoeing around after some sleeping interloper. Even if said interloper was Rory Campbell. She reached up and opened the window, letting in some much-needed fresh air, before bending down beside him and gently shaking his arm.