All He Needs: Bennett Family

By Rhonda McKnight

People marry for financial reasons all the time, but it's usually not to get their own money!

 

Marriage settles a man or at least that's what Zeke Bennett's great-grandmother believed. Only a settled man will inherit her millions. Fast forward 70 years and the only settling Zeke wants to do is on a business deal. The opportunity of a lifetime is dangling in front of him, but poor Zeke doesn't even have a girlfriend. Well, he does, but she's his best friend and he can't marry her—can he?

 

Rachel Ingram is in love with her best friend, Zeke, but he doesn't know it. Fortunately for her, she has a Team Ingram—five sisters with a plan for how to turn Zeke's head and heart in Rachel's direction. In a game that begins with lies and manipulation, Rachel must fight hard to flip her fake marriage to a real one. Will she discover God's plan would have been better?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rhonda McKnight
• Release date: Feb 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393611141

Rhonda McKnight

Rhonda McKnight is the author of several bestselling novels, including An Inconvenient Friend and What Kind of Fool. She is the winner of the 2015 Emma Award for Inspirational Romance of the Year. She loves reading and writing books that touch the heart of women through complex plots and interesting characters in crisis. Themes of faith, forgiveness, and hope are central to her stories. Originally from a small coastal town in New Jersey, Rhonda writes from the comfort of her South Carolina home. Visit her online at rhondamcknight.com; Instagram: @authorrhondamcknight; Twitter: @rhondamcknight; Facebook: @BooksByRhonda; and Pinterest: @rhondamcknight1.

Book preview

The deal was to marry his best friend, get his inheritance, so he could make the investment of a lifetime, but this fake marriage might cost more than they ever expected to give.

Rachel Ingram

Rachel didn’t know when her feelings for Zeke shifted from friendship to love, but she was here, loving him hard and willing to risk everything to have him. In a game that begins with lies and manipulation, Rachel must fight hard for love. Will she chase it down?

Zeke Bennett

Zeke thought his inheritance was a sure thing, until he finds out his deceased great-grandmother’s will stipulates he be married to get it. Zeke doesn’t want anything more than to invest in the Carolina United Soccer franchise, or at least he didn’t think so until he opened his eyes and saw his best friend in ways he can’t unsee. Has the woman closest to him caught the playboy bachelor?

All He Needs

by

Rhonda McKnight

Dedication

For those who encourage me. You know who you are.

xoxo

Chapter 1

I ’m in love with my best friend. A cloak of shame pushed Rachel Ingram’s shoulders down. She climbed off her stationary bike and dropped into a nearby chair. She was glad she and her sisters were the only people in the gym’s cycling class because she didn’t think she could hold her emotions in for another minute.    

So, does that mean you’re a lesbian? Lauren, the oldest of the six Ingram sisters, used a towel to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She dropped into a chair next to Rachel.

Harper, the only sister who insisted on keeping sibling rivalry among them alive, deadpanned Lauren from her perch on her bike. If you weren’t so busy jumping on planes and going from place to place taking pictures of the world, you would know she’s not talking about a woman.

Lauren frowned. That little taking pictures thing I do is my career. A very successful one that put five of you chicks through college.

Everyone was quiet on that point, especially Rachel who had managed to get a full tuition ride to Spelman University, but still needed more than fifteen thousand a year for room, board, and expenses. She’d graduated without a single loan payment and appreciated her sister for making that happen.

After their parents died in a car accident, there was only enough money to pay off the family homes, the one in Forest Hills, Georgia where Sienna and Zoe continued to live and then the second, a vacation cabin in the Georgia mountains that they visited a few times a year. At twenty-three, Lauren had been the oldest, Harper at twenty-one had been behind her, then Rachel had just turned eighteen, but the youngest, Addison, Sienna, and Zoe had been difficult to keep out of the hands of the child-welfare workers.

Their grandmother’s advanced age and failing health did not convince the social worker the Ingram girls had a safe home with her, so Lauren fought for her sisters. She’d been tenacious, temporarily giving up her dream of being a photojournalist to take a job editing film for Bennett Television, even though she greatly disliked the job. She’d been freed of it when she took an award-winning photograph in Ethiopia the year Zoe turned seventeen. That photo paid a small fortune, launched her career, and secured the Ingram sister’s financial future. It also gave her permission to leave the reins of sister rearing to the more than capable and responsible Harper. Now Lauren traveled extensively; it seemed to make up for the lost years in her chosen field.

Lauren pursed her lips and raised a water bottle to them. After taking a long sip she said, I know you aren’t talking about that Zachary Bennett. At this point, all the Ingram sisters climbed off their equipment and gathered around the chairs where Rachel and Lauren were sitting.

Yes, I am talking about Zeke. I can’t take this anymore. He’s working at home right now. I have to see him every day.

You saw him every day anyway. You guys live across the cul-de-sac from each other. Remember his master plan to make sure you continued to make mud pies together? Lauren raised her hand and removed her sweatband.

Lauren, shushed Harper. She’d been the go-to for the sisters over the past seven years. Harper squatted in front of Rachel. Taking her hand, she asked, Honey, when did you catch feelings for him?

Catch feelings? Lauren sneered. Why do you talk like you’re on some low budget reality TV show? I paid too much for your education for you to use such language. You can’t catch feelings.

Harper rolled her eyes. You didn’t pay for my education. I was the one who got to go with insurance money.

Rachel raised her hands to stop what she knew would become a battle between her two older sisters. Lauren took credit for everything good that happened with the sisters and Harper was determined to not let her. Separate corners. Please, I’m trying to talk. This is a serious problem.

Lauren patted her on the back. I’m sorry to interrupt. Our father was an English professor. I feel obligated to keep English as our first language, and you can’t catch feelings.

Yes, you can, Rachel said. They feel like an illness, so trust me they can be caught.

Sienna, the most sensitive and kindest of the group interjected. It’s okay. I mean Zeke isn’t a horrible person to fall for. He’s fine as he can be, smart, educated, well-mannered.

Filthy rich, Addison interjected.

And a playboy since he was five, Lauren added coolly. Just like his brothers, cousins, and uncles.

Addison shrugged agreement. They’ve had a few weddings over the past couple years.

Lauren raised an eyebrow. You’re kidding? A Bennett man got married?

The oldest cousin, what’s his name... Harper popped her fingers. Donovan got married and then, Perry Bennett got married last summer.

All the uncles are married I think, Sienna added. And their cousin, Jacob, is getting married. I just booked the venue in St. John for him.

Lauren shrugged. As old as they all are, they should be.

Seems Ethan Bennett’s not that old. He was young enough for you to get involved with, Harper teased.

Lauren rolled her eyes. Must you bring up my sordid and troubled past? She wiped her wet forehead again. Ethan Bennett was a juvenile mistake.

Harper continued, Maybe his wife was one for him as well. She’s run off, left the three-year-old behind. He’s getting a divorce.

Lauren shrugged nonchalance. How very sad for him.

He’s an old friend, Lauren, you could check on him, Harper continued.

Lauren’s chest rose and fell heavily. I could also pull my fingernails out one by one, but I’ll pass. Now, back to you Rachel. What are you going to do about this Zeke Bennett flu?

Rachel bit her lip. I don’t know. I want to believe I’ll eventually get over it, but it’s not looking good.

The sisters were all quiet and then Harper spoke up. Is telling him how you feel out of the question?

He doesn’t feel the same way. He still wants to go to the games and watch Westerns with me, Rachel replied.

Well, he wants to spend time with you, Sienna said.

He thinks of me as a buddy.

That’s because you look like one. Addison, a former fashion buyer, turned fashion reporter, interjected.

Rachel rolled her eyes. I don’t want to lose my best friend. I don’t even have any girlfriends. Zeke and I do everything together, hang out, read the same books, go on vacations...we even fish together.

The makings of a great relationship, Lauren stated.

No, it’s the waste of a perfectly good rich man, Sienna interjected.

No, the end to the perfect friendship, Rachel insisted.

Harper released Rachel’s hand. Honey, it’s already over on your end. Zeke just doesn’t know it. You can’t keep the way you feel about him a secret forever, so you might as well figure out how to give him the feelings-flu too.

Rachel twisted her lips before she spoke. That’s nearly impossible. Have you seen the women Zeke dates?

Yeah, he was with Miss New Jersey a few weeks ago. Zoe who’d been quiet the entire time chimed in.

And that gorgeous supermodel from the Lancôme ads last month, Addison said.

You stop that! Lauren barked. All the Ingram women are beautiful. You just have to package what you have right. Start with some new clothes and a makeover. We’ll teach you how to walk in something other than mules and in no time, Zeke will be head over heels in love.

We? Harper asked. Don’t you have a plane to catch in five minutes or something?

It was a few days, but I consider it my duty to help my sister get the love of her life, so I will postpone my trip to Dubai and hang around until we have Operation Catch Zeke Bennett wrapped up.

Five pairs of eyeballs rolled in Lauren’s direction. She was delaying a trip. Lauren had never delayed a trip, not even after their grandmother’s funeral. She attended the services and hopped on her plane later that night.  

Thank you, Lauren, Rachel exclaimed, reaching over and wrapping her arms around her sister. I knew I could count on you to help me.

Lauren smiled warmly at her secret favorite of the Ingram clan. Let’s put our pretty little heads together. We know what Rachel needs to do, get a makeover, but what do we know about Zeke Bennett that we can use to take him down?

Chapter 2

Zeke Bennett leapt out of his Lamborghini, tossed the keys to the valet, and rushed into the restaurant. He almost knocked down the maître ‘d and two waitresses on the way to his table. He hadn’t needed anyone’s help and none of the staff attempted to stop him. The Bennetts were well known at Fontana’s. The Bennetts, a family who owned a television network worth nearly a billion dollars, were known in a lot of places, but for sure in the small suburb of Atlanta, Forest Hills—as was their attorney, Oliver Tindall.

Zeke spotted Oliver and slid into the chair across from him, as if the man would not notice he’d just arrived—forty minutes late.

Oliver shoved his phone into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. Do you ever plan to grow up?

Humored, Zeke smiled. If it’s as boring as it looks, not anytime soon.

Well then, we don’t need this meeting. It’s a conversation for grownups.

Zeke picked up the untouched, sweating water goblet in front of him and took a long drink. Are you going to continue to torture me with all your secretiveness or tell me why you called me here?

It’s about your great-grandmother’s will.

Zeke nearly choked before asking, What kind of weirdness are you about to tell me? 

Zeke knew his grandmother had set specific rules in her will for each of the Bennett great-grandchildren. There were eight of them equally splitting a billion-dollar trust of which Zeke’s part was a 125 million dollars. He was inheriting his portion in exactly thirty days, on his thirtieth birthday.

Do you remember I told you to get married?

Zeke felt the oxygen leave his lungs. I know you’re not going to tell me what I think you’re going to tell me.

That was your hint. Oliver nonchalantly cut his steak and put a piece in his mouth. He started chewing like he didn’t have a care in the world.  

Zeke closed his eyes. When he was done lamenting that he hadn’t picked up on the hint, he opened his eyes and swore. Was I even sober when you told me that?

You were in complete control of your faculties, Zachary. I’m good at my job.

Zeke drummed his fingers on the table. Oliver and his father were the only two people who called him by his full name. He couldn’t help clenching his teeth. You needed to remind me.

I have. I’ve reminded you at every family gathering you’ve attended for the past year.

Zeke shifted in his chair. The old