Read Online Wildest Hearts by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online
Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
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investors are all a bunch of male chauvinist pigs who don't think two women can keep the business going on their own.”
“It's not the fact that you're both female that worries them,” Oliver said. “It's the fact that neither one of you has any experience or background in the electronics industry or in running a highly competitive business such as Lyncroft.”
“All the same,” Annie muttered as Bolt drew the limousine to a halt in front of the courthouse, “I think they would have reacted differently if Joanna and I had been male. Good lord, who are all those people waiting for us?”
Oliver glanced out the heavily tinted windows. “Family.”
“Yours?” Annie shot him a quick, searching glance. She realized that even though Daniel had mentioned the Rain family in passing, she had not really imagined Oliver having real relatives.
“Mine.” Oliver studied the small group. “The two young men on the left are my half brothers, Nathan and Richard. The two women on the right are my sisters, Valerie and Heather. Nathan and Richard are in college. Valerie is an assistant curator at the Eckert Museum and Heather is a doctor.”
Annie noted the undercurrent of pride in his voice. “I'm impressed. And the woman in the peach suit?”
“That's Sybil, my father's second wife.” Oliver's tone turned cool. “She's Nathan and Richard's mother.”
Annie glanced at him but could read nothing in his eyes. She turned back to study the Rain tribe more closely as Bolt parked the limousine in a no-parking zone.
Oliver's half brothers were twins. Both were good-looking with the lean, graceful build and dark hair that seemed to be characteristic of the men in the Rain family. Heather and Valerie were equally attractive, although they both had light golden brown hair and softer, less angular features.
Heather looked every inch the professional woman with her short, stylish haircut and serious eyes. Her expensive, well-tailored tweed suit had a narrow skirt that ended just below her knees.
Valerie was equally stylish and equally businesslike. Her hair fell to her shoulders.
As Bolt opened the door, Annie realized that Sybil Rain was considerably younger than one would have expected. She was probably not more than a few years older than Oliver. She was also a strikingly attractive woman.
Annie decided that none of the rest of the Rain clan had Oliver's talent for keeping their expressions cool and unreadable. They all watched Annie and Joanna with unconcealed curiosity.
Annie surveyed her future in-laws-in-name-only and was glad she had taken the time to put on her hunter-green dress. The long sleeves and full sweep of the calf-length skirt gave her a more polished look than she would have had in the slacks and sweater she had originally intended to wear.
“I suppose we'd better make a few introductions before we go inside,” Oliver said. He took Annie's arm and steered her toward the rest of the Rains. Joanna trailed after them, looking extremely unhappy.
Oliver's proprietary grasp on Annie's arm drew the full attention of his family. As one, their eyes swung from Joanna and settled on Annie. Sybil's gaze narrowed.
“Trust Oliver to spring a surprise bride on us like this,” Heather said as she shook Annie's hand. “He never gives out any clues about what he's going to do or when he's going to do it.”
“Surprise is right,” Valerie murmured. She shot her brother a speculative glance. “The rest of us are expected to get any potential spouses approved by him. But Oliver apparently didn't feel he had to get our approval for his own marriage. Hardly fair, big brother.”
“Not much point in being the head of the family if you don't get to approve your own bride, right, Oliver?” Richard grinned at his brother as he shook Annie's hand.
“Yeah, old Oliver deserves a few perks as head of the clan. We'll let him get away with selecting his own bride,” Nathan added cheerfully. “Looks to
“It's not the fact that you're both female that worries them,” Oliver said. “It's the fact that neither one of you has any experience or background in the electronics industry or in running a highly competitive business such as Lyncroft.”
“All the same,” Annie muttered as Bolt drew the limousine to a halt in front of the courthouse, “I think they would have reacted differently if Joanna and I had been male. Good lord, who are all those people waiting for us?”
Oliver glanced out the heavily tinted windows. “Family.”
“Yours?” Annie shot him a quick, searching glance. She realized that even though Daniel had mentioned the Rain family in passing, she had not really imagined Oliver having real relatives.
“Mine.” Oliver studied the small group. “The two young men on the left are my half brothers, Nathan and Richard. The two women on the right are my sisters, Valerie and Heather. Nathan and Richard are in college. Valerie is an assistant curator at the Eckert Museum and Heather is a doctor.”
Annie noted the undercurrent of pride in his voice. “I'm impressed. And the woman in the peach suit?”
“That's Sybil, my father's second wife.” Oliver's tone turned cool. “She's Nathan and Richard's mother.”
Annie glanced at him but could read nothing in his eyes. She turned back to study the Rain tribe more closely as Bolt parked the limousine in a no-parking zone.
Oliver's half brothers were twins. Both were good-looking with the lean, graceful build and dark hair that seemed to be characteristic of the men in the Rain family. Heather and Valerie were equally attractive, although they both had light golden brown hair and softer, less angular features.
Heather looked every inch the professional woman with her short, stylish haircut and serious eyes. Her expensive, well-tailored tweed suit had a narrow skirt that ended just below her knees.
Valerie was equally stylish and equally businesslike. Her hair fell to her shoulders.
As Bolt opened the door, Annie realized that Sybil Rain was considerably younger than one would have expected. She was probably not more than a few years older than Oliver. She was also a strikingly attractive woman.
Annie decided that none of the rest of the Rain clan had Oliver's talent for keeping their expressions cool and unreadable. They all watched Annie and Joanna with unconcealed curiosity.
Annie surveyed her future in-laws-in-name-only and was glad she had taken the time to put on her hunter-green dress. The long sleeves and full sweep of the calf-length skirt gave her a more polished look than she would have had in the slacks and sweater she had originally intended to wear.
“I suppose we'd better make a few introductions before we go inside,” Oliver said. He took Annie's arm and steered her toward the rest of the Rains. Joanna trailed after them, looking extremely unhappy.
Oliver's proprietary grasp on Annie's arm drew the full attention of his family. As one, their eyes swung from Joanna and settled on Annie. Sybil's gaze narrowed.
“Trust Oliver to spring a surprise bride on us like this,” Heather said as she shook Annie's hand. “He never gives out any clues about what he's going to do or when he's going to do it.”
“Surprise is right,” Valerie murmured. She shot her brother a speculative glance. “The rest of us are expected to get any potential spouses approved by him. But Oliver apparently didn't feel he had to get our approval for his own marriage. Hardly fair, big brother.”
“Not much point in being the head of the family if you don't get to approve your own bride, right, Oliver?” Richard grinned at his brother as he shook Annie's hand.
“Yeah, old Oliver deserves a few perks as head of the clan. We'll let him get away with selecting his own bride,” Nathan added cheerfully. “Looks to
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