New and…Improved? & Andrew in Excess

forever? “I was wondering if, considering all that you’ve said about us being soul mates and all, if you’d like to have me change my name to yours.”

He didn’t move a muscle. “Are you asking me to be your husband?”

Why wasn’t he jumping for joy? Saying yes? Kissing her? “Yes,” she whispered.

“Because you know, it really didn’t sound quite like a marriage proposal.” His voice was solemn, not a trace of his thoughts showed on his face.

“What do you mean?”

“Well for one, I haven’t heard you say you love me.”

Drawing in a shuddering breath, she lifted her head, tossed back her hair. “Okay, I’m trying too hard,” she muttered. “Give me a minute here.”

Gently he squeezed her hand, and desperately, she searched his gaze. She found what she was looking for in a small, barely there twinkle. “I’m sorry. I’m not very good at this.”

“Together, we’re good.”

Her eyes stung. “Yes, I think you’re right. I love you, Kent. I love you with all my heart.” She let out a slow, shaky breath.

He looked shaken, too, but shot her a devastating grin. “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“No.” She smiled back. “There’s more. You make me happy, you make me laugh. And you love me back.”

“No matter what you’re wearing,” he clarified. “Say that part.”

Her eyes filled, her throat swelled. “No matter what I’m wearing. Will you-”

His fingers caressed her lips, holding the words in. His other hand slipped around her waist, drew her close. “Be mine, Becca. My best friend. My lover. My wife. Forever and always.”

A smile burst through her happy tears. “Forever and always.” She hugged him tight. “No matter what I’m wearing.”

“Speaking of which…” His hands slipped down the backs of her thighs and up beneath her coat to squeeze her bottom. “I was wondering about these jeans… Think you can shrink them a couple of sizes?”

She laughed. “I could try.”

He kissed her. “Try hard.”

Her laughter filled the lab, but it was smothered quickly by another kiss.

At their audience’s collective whoop of encouragement, Kent lifted his head. “Don’t you people have work?”

Dennis popped up over the divider. So did Jed. Then Cookie. Others followed. They were all grinning.

Kent grinned, too, then bent Becca over his arm and kissed her to the music of catcalls and laughter.

Andrew in Excess by Jennifer Labrecque

Dear Reader,

I have long believed there are two keys to happiness: moderation and organization. Now, if I could at least manage just one!

Have you ever baked a pan of brownies and wondered whether you should either not touch them at all or just go ahead and eat the whole pan to get them out of the house? You know you have. If you answered no, then you, my dear, qualify as a person of moderation.

Kat Devereaux knows she’s a woman of excess. And does it ever get her in all kinds of trouble! But Kat’s biological clock is in express mode and she wants a baby. Marrying Andrew seems like the answer to her problem. If she can just master moderation…

So hunt down some chocolate, find a comfy spot and indulge in Andrew in Excess. And best of all-it’s calorie free!

Enjoy,

Jennifer LaBrecque

P.S. I’d love to hear what you think about my first book. Write to me at P.O. Box 801068, Acworth, GA 30101.

To Robert, my husband, who tossed me the ball and pushed me to play the game.

To Anna Adams and Susan Goggins, who helped me move the ball downcourt. And to Brenda Chin, who caught it and slam-dunked it.

Prologue

“I’VE LOST MY MIND.” Kat Devereaux slid onto the leather car seat and slammed the door. “Why’d I let you talk me into coming? I hate cocktail parties. No, that’s too mild. Loathe. Despise.” She reached for the door handle even as her best friend hit the gas.

“Do you or don’t you want to have a baby?” Bitsy Winthrop Sommers demanded.

“Yes, of course I do. Desperately. I feel my eggs aging as we speak. In fact, they may be scrambled already. But marrying a total stranger seems a bit excessive. Sort of like last year when you talked me into-”

“Let’s not even go there. I didn’t know about Rusty’s side job as a circus freak. Anyway, that was last year.” Bitsy jammed her brakes at a traffic light. “This is perfect. Daddy insists his heir have a wife if he wants to make partner. And Andrew’s wanted that partnership since he started kindergarten and got himself elected class president. What he doesn’t want is a wife. You want a baby more than anything, but you know the school board isn’t going to go for a teacher being a single pregnant woman. And after that jerk ex-husband of yours skipped out on you, you don’t want another husband. So, the two of you set up temporary house, you both get what you want and everyone’s happy.” Bitsy preened with self-satisfaction. The light turned and she shot the car forward. “I’m brilliant.”

Kat recognized herself as a woman of excess. She either ate the entire pan of brownies or she didn’t touch them. God knows she tried, but moderation was not her strong suit. Marrying Bitsy’s older brother, Andrew, in order to have a baby smacked of potential excess-but she was running pretty darn low on choices.

“Isn’t ‘Mr. One of Florida’s Most Eligible Bachelors’ dating someone? Plus, from what I’ve heard of him over the years, we’re not exactly each other’s type.”

“He is something of a stuffed shirt.” Bitsy agreed. “Very conservative. Actually, even though I love him to no end, he’s sort of a stick-in-the-mud. But he’s rich, successful, doesn’t belch in public, so, of course, he’s dating someone. Claudia van Dierling. She’s horrid, and she wants to marry him. You can see the dollar signs dancing in her eyes every time she looks at him.”

“Well, I’m not interested in his money. With my teaching salary and the trust fund my grandparents set up, I live very comfortably. I can certainly support my own child.”

“Exactly, my dear independent friend. I’m glad you agree with me.”

“Whoa. I didn’t agree with you-”

“And the fact that you’re opposites-well, therein lies the beauty. You’re in no danger of going overboard, are you, ’cause he’s not your type-although I swear I don’t know how you have a type considering you haven’t had a serious relationship since Nick.”

“Relationships are tricky for someone with all-or-nothing tendencies. I gave Nick my all. When he left, it almost did me in.”

“Yeah, Nick wins the creep-of-the-decade award. But that’s just it. With Andrew, you don’t need a relationship. A simple agreement will do nicely.”

“One of those prenuptial things. He’d have to agree to give up the baby.”

Bitsy looked momentarily nonplussed. “I don’t know. He’s never wanted a wife, so I guess that means he never wanted a kid. Although, he’s really great with Juliana. I bet he’d make a great dad.”

It didn’t matter how great he was with Bitsy’s daughter, joint parenting was a no go. “Uh-uh. I won’t have my