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  The Perfect Recipe For LOVE

  xoxo,

  Melanie

  A Merry Vested Wedding by Melanie Moreland

  Copyright © 2020 Moreland Books Inc.

  Copyright #1175440

  ISBN Ebook 978-1-988610-45-0

  Paperback 978-1-988610-44-3

  All rights reserved

  Edited by

  Lisa Hollett—Silently Correcting Your Grammar

  Cover design by Karen Hulseman, Feed Your Dreams Designs

  Photo Adobe Stock

  Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  This book is a work of fiction.

  The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author's imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Dedication

  Because you asked—

  This is for you.

  My readers.

  Thank you.

  Contents

  A brief peek at the past

  Part I

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Part II

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  The Father Circle of Truth

  Sneak Peek

  Also by Melanie Moreland

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  A brief peek at the past

  (Extended epilogue from Sandy,

  Book 7 of the Vested Interest Series.)

  Brayden

  The hardwood floors creaked under my feet as I made my way toward the boardroom at BAM. I stopped by the main desk, smiling at Lynn.

  “How’s it going?”

  She smiled in return, handing me a stack of files. “Good. How was the workout?”

  I groaned. “Uncle Aiden was in fine form. I swear he’s in better shape in his fifties than any of us are in our twenties.”

  “Speak for yourself.” I was hip checked by a lanky brunette as she went by. “I can run circles around you, Brayden Riley.”

  I chuckled. The ball of fire known as Ava to us all could bring any of us—her triplet brothers included—to their knees. Aiden, her father, made sure she was as tough as her brothers, if not tougher, physically. She was feisty, strong, and one of the best people I knew. I adored her.

  I rolled my shoulders, and Lynn grinned, handing me some Tylenol and a bottle of water. “You’re gonna need this.”

  “Yeah, my body took a beating.”

  “So will your head this afternoon. The agenda’s been added to.”

  I swallowed the pills. “Oh god. She didn’t. Another ‘vision’?”

  Lynn smirked. “Like father, like daughter. They’re both on a roll.”

  “God help me.”

  “Go defend your budgets.”

  I laughed and gathered up the files, heading to the conference room.

  At the end of the table, the Callaghan triplets—Ronan, Paul, and Jeremy—were poring over a set of blueprints. Large cups of coffee were in their massive paws. An empty plate scattered with the crumbs of what I assumed were Danishes sat on the large wooden table. They looked up as I walked in, their faces breaking into large grins. They looked like Aiden, except none of them had his different-colored eyes. They were tall, muscular, with dark curly hair and their mother’s green eyes. That seemed to be the only thing they had inherited from Cami. They were big, loud, with boisterous voices and booming laughs.

  And all brilliant in architecture and design. A huge asset to the company. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be here. Family or not.

  A figure rushed past, and the scent of coffee hit me. I grinned at the woman who settled into the chair beside mine, her laptop open, her hands already busy as she waited for the meeting to start.

  “Heather VanRyan, is that any way to say hello?”

  She glanced up, a small frown on her face. I tried not to laugh at the smudges of color on her cheeks, no doubt from the many felt pens she was always using.

  “Hey, Bray.” She looked back to her laptop. “I had an idea for a mural in the lobby of the new condo tower. Gotta get it out.”

  I flicked her hair. “Wasn’t your hair hot pink on the weekend?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I was told cornflower blue suited my eyes.”

  Reed Morrison peered over the edge of the two laptops in front of him. “It does. Totally hot, babe.”

  “Not at the office, Reed. Keep it in your pants.”

  He chuckled, going back to his screen.

  “Not what you said last night.”

  I tried not to laugh at the two of them. Heather and Reed loved to spar. It was their thing. It drove Gracie VanRyan, Heather’s sister, crazy. She was the quiet one, suited to her chosen profession of the law. Unflappable and intelligent, she looked like her mother, with dark hair and blue eyes, while Heather had inherited her father’s hazel eyes, the color shifting according to her mood.

  Gracie attended the University of Toronto, finishing her degree in corporate law. She planned to come to work at ABC full time once she had completed her internship. Richard often bemoaned that both his eldest daughters were here in Toronto and not in BC, but everyone knew he was pleased for them to be working with us.

  Their parents, especially Richard, visited often to check on “his girls” and spend time with my dad. The two of them were the best of friends.

  I grabbed a cinnamon bun and bit into it, then poured some black coffee from the carafe, sipping with appreciation. I settled into my seat, wondering what the latest addition would be to the lineup.

  I took my laptop from my bag, purposely dropping the empty satchel on the floor beside me.

  The distinct sound of stilettos approaching made me smile. The steps were measured, a steady rhythm to the sharp snaps of the heels against wood. The firm steps belonged to someone larger-than-life, whose presence commanded respect.

  The person who entered the room did command respect, but not for her tall stature. The golden-haired woman was tiny, her bright hair gleaming in the light. Intense blue eyes swept through the room, in control. She radiated poise. Power. The stern expression on her face suggested an unbending will and lack of humor. She appeared rigid. Unfeeling.

  Looks could be deceiving.

  A large travel mug landed on the table beside me. An amused voice, low and husky, spoke close to my ear.

  “You don’t have enough room? You have to use the floor space, too?”

  I didn’t look up. “It fell off the chair.”

  Addison Ridge bent down, snagged the handles, and dropped my bag into the empty chair. “You could have picked it up off the floor.”

  My lips quirked. We had done this many times. How her parents met was one of her favorite stories, and I relived it with her often. “Did you stu
mble? Are you hurt?”

  “No.”

  “Then stop being such an ass.” I winked. “Say hello, Addi.”

  She blinked at me, leaning close. I could smell her perfume, feel her heat. No one else paid attention to us. They never did. “You can’t call me an ass,” she murmured, her eyes dancing.

  “I think I just did.”

  “You can’t call me an ass when we’re about to commence a business meeting.”

  “But once I get you alone, can I touch yours?” I whispered.

  She shook her head, a wide smile gracing her face. It transformed her features, softening them. It was a look few people ever saw, and I was thrilled to be the one who saw it the most. My Addi—my little elf. The love of my life.

  “Can the two of you behave?” Ronan groaned. “This is a meeting after all.”

  I pushed the plate of buns his way. “Shut up and stuff your face.”

  Addi rolled her eyes. “Enough, boys.” She turned to me. “Behave, Brayden.”

  “Your wish, my command,” I deadpanned, then smiled as Addi ran her fingers down my cheek, her engagement ring catching the light. My ring. My girl.

  I had loved her from the time I could walk, always gravitating to her. We were always together, although she had resisted once we grew up, insisting we were almost family and it seemed improper.

  I was heartbroken, my feelings real and permanent. Finally, Nan sat her down and had a long heart-to-heart with her. Whatever wisdom she imparted helped, and Addi came to me shortly after, admitting her feelings.

  We’d been together ever since.

  With a grin, I leaned in with the whisper of a kiss. “You have the floor, Madam President.”

  I was so damn proud of her. A natural leader, she was in control and all business during the day. When Uncle Bentley decided to add another arm to BAM, Addi was the right choice to run it. We jokingly called it ABC—Addi, Brayden, and the Callaghans. It went well with BAM, and our older, business-savvy fathers loved the idea. So, it became real. ABC Corp.—a division of BAM.

  We concentrated on outlying areas. Finding new acquisitions and developing them as a new revenue stream, running the businesses we put into place in some areas. We all had our jobs. Addi discovered, the boys designed, Ava and Heather added the finishing touches, and I handled the budgets. We had business teams for the day-to-day running of the companies we added. It was lucrative and challenging, and we all loved it. Not all the BAM second generation were part of the company, but our parents supported us no matter what option we chose.

  Addi cleared her throat as she took in the group gathered around the table, waiting for her to speak. With our fathers’ guidance, we continued to make our mark on the landscape of various Ontario cities, always expanding and growing, and Addi was a huge part of that growth.

  “Please note the new item on the agenda. I discovered a property while on a detour heading to Port Albany this weekend. An undiscovered, undeveloped piece of property, possibly due to its odd shape and the fact that it is off the beaten track.”

  Excitement saturated her voice. “I had a vision…”

  Part I

  PRESENT DAY

  Chapter 1

  Brayden

  The morning of December 22, I stood in the kitchen, staring out the window as the sun began to rise. Slowly, its rays lightened the sky, scattering over the beach, glinting on the frost-covered rocks.

  Winter in Port Albany was magical. The water in the inlet usually froze, while the open waters farther beyond our tiny cove remained alive and frothy. The sand mingled with snow and ice, creating sculptures and divots everywhere. The trees hung lower with ice, and the ground was often covered with snow.

  I loved it here. It was my favorite place on earth. A smile stretched across my face. My favorite place on earth, my favorite time of year, combining into my favorite day of my life.

  My wedding day.

  Today, I would marry my Addison. My little elf. Here in this place created by my uncle Bentley—soon to be my father-in-law.

  His vision of a special place, a place where family could gather and be together—to de-stress and find your center—had grown and changed over the years. As a child, I could recall the six houses, all clustered—a small community, as it were. All of us kids running around, parents always close. Sandy and Jordan were never far. Adopted uncles, aunts, cousins—there was always someone to play with, hang around with, enjoy life.

  The property hummed, especially on weekends. When they added the building we named the Hub, it became the focal point for all our celebrations.

  Then our families grew. And my father and his partners knew exactly how to accommodate. They bought as much land as they could surrounding the original six houses. Created an entire village. “The BAM Compound,” Uncle Aiden referred to it as.

  Twenty houses dotted the area. Some small weekend cottages, some larger live-in-all-the-time dwellings. You never knew who would be there, but there was always an abundance of people.

  I lived here year-round. I had loved this place as a child when we would come out on weekends. Unlike my urban-dwelling parents, I yearned for the wide-open spaces of Port Albany. The sound of the waves, the endless scope of the water stretching out in front of me. Often, I begged my parents to let me stay when it was time to head back to the city. Uncle Aiden understood my love of the place and would urge my dad to let me remain behind. I could run and move here. The city always felt more constrictive.

  And besides, often when I stayed behind, my best friend was here. My Addison. There was no one I liked to spend time with more than her.

  She had always been in my life. I couldn’t recall a single memory from my childhood without her in it. Every happy moment, she was there. We attended the same schools, went to the same dances, hung out with the same friends. We celebrated the good moments and bolstered each other during the sad ones. We were always friends.

  Until, one day, it changed.

  I was sixteen, and it was the start of summer vacation, which meant I would spend most of the summer on the beach, walking the various trails, with Jordan on the boat or Uncle Aiden and my dad doing reps in the pool. Long, carefree days spent in Port Albany. Next summer, I planned on working at BAM, so I was going to make the most of my final season.

  Sitting on the beach, I saw Addi come out of her house and head my way. I waved at her as she approached. Her hair was down, rippling like gold in the sun, and she wore a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. As she grew closer, I couldn’t help but notice how her T-shirt clung to her curves. I wasn’t sure when she got those curves or how I’d missed noticing them. The way she walked made her hips sway—she looked sexy. My board shorts grew uncomfortably tight the closer she came, and I had to sit up, drawing my knees to my chest to hide my erection. I was confused and annoyed. It was Addi—my best friend. Why the hell was I reacting as if she was a girl?

  She sat down, looking dejected. “Hey, Bray.”

  Reaching over, I ruffled her hair, noticing for the first time how silky the strands were against my fingers.

  Was she using a different shampoo?

  “Hey, little elf.”

  She huffed in annoyance. “Stop calling me that. I was six when I dressed up as an elf for Christmas.”

  I chuckled. “Addi, you still wear elf pajamas every year.”

  “Whatever.” She tossed her head, clearly dismissing me, but her shoulders remained drooped, and she looked sad.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Todd broke up with me.”

  I felt two things at once. Relief and jealousy. I didn’t like Todd. I used to until he’d asked Addi out, and after that, every time his name was mentioned, I found myself wanting to snarl and spit like some sort of demented dog.

  “Good. He didn’t deserve you.”

  She sighed, mimicking my pose and resting her chin on her hands. “He said I was too much work.”

  I snorted. “What a dick.”

  “Derek said the
same thing—a couple weeks of dating me, and they were done.” She looked at me, her wide blue eyes confused and upset. “What’s wrong with me, Bray?”

  I forgot everything in a second. My erection was gone, my confusion dissipated, and all that mattered was she was hurting and I had to help her. I scooted closer and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

  “Nothing is wrong with you, Addi. The problem is them. All they see is the outer package—how pretty you are. They aren’t prepared for how incredibly clever your mind is. How you can talk circles around them. They have no idea how advanced you are.” I snorted. “The reason they say you’re too much work is they think with their dicks, not their minds.” I shrugged when she gaped at me. “They aren’t looking for a relationship, just to get laid.” I held up my hands. “Only telling you the truth.”

  She gazed at me, and for a second, I saw Uncle Bent. Serious, determined, and older than her years. Then she began to giggle.

  “You’re awful.”

  “It’s true, though.”

  She sighed and leaned into me. “I guess I’m just going to die alone, then.”

  It was my turn to laugh. “You’re a little young for that, Addi. Give it some time. You need to find the right guy.” I turned my head and kissed the top of her head. “You’re too amazing to be alone forever.”

  A week later, I was in turmoil. Addi was suddenly everywhere. Everything about her was different. She was prettier, smarter, sexier. Her smiles taunted me. Her body tempted me. Her laughter was low and sultry.