Character Interview with Ben Devereaux ~ Raine Rochelle

Hello, I hope this finds you well. 

I’m currently working on the first in a new spin-off series from The Billionaires of Brightside Ranch, and wanted to let you into a little secret. If you’ve read the first book in the series, His Hot Property, you might be interested to know that that book two, Banking on Miss Right will be FREE from 10^th-14^th of this month. Put a note in your diary now. (Btw – all of my books are currently included in your Kindle Unlimited membership).

I thought this would give me a good excuse to interview Ben Devereaux, so I popped over to Brightside to find out a little more about him:

 

Ben Devereaux turns a few heads as he strolls into the little café opposite the bank in town. He’s even taller than I expected, and has a confident air about him. His smart clothes speak volumes about him, and he looks immaculate being clean-shaven with short, brown hair. He removes his hat on his way over to the little table by the window where I’m waiting for him, and his easy smile is contagious.

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting.” His sudden concerned frown is sincere, and I quickly shake my head before assuring him that I’d arrived early.

His smile returns and he takes the seat opposite me, his long legs brushing against mine under the table. He’s even better looking close-up, and that’s saying something! As Sadie brings over our coffees, he sits forward, looking at me expectantly. Knowing what a great gossip Sadie, the waitress, is, I wait for her to leave before embarking on my first question.

“I’ll bet that bank holds a lot of memories for you,” I say, nodding to the building across the street. “What did you think of Faye Whitney the first time you met her?”

He gives a self-deprecating grin and chuckles. “Well, I guess my first thought was how beautiful she looked, and then I was just shocked to realize she was the new bank manager. Not because she’s a woman—although we’ve never had a female in that role before—but because she was so young. And pretty. Did I mention how beautiful she is?” His eyes glaze over in a dreamy haze.

“Was it love at first sight?” I ask, candidly.

“Probably, I didn’t really think about it at the time, to be honest.” He grins. “It was like she just sort of got under my skin, you know? I needed to know more about her. I was intrigued, especially at her attitude toward me when we first met. She really didn’t seem to like me and I had no idea why. Her predecessor was always pleased to see me over there, but she clearly wasn’t keen.”

“Did you think maybe she was just playing hard to get?” I raise my eyebrows, studying his reaction.

Ben shakes his head right away. “Nah. Faye’s not the type to play games. She’s as honest as the day is long. I could tell that much as soon as we met. She’s straight-talking, and that’s one of the many things I love about her. Not many people would have stood up to me the way she did, but she was sure of her facts and just laid it all out there. I respect her for that.”

“Do you think she respects you, too?” I take a sip of my coffee, watching as he sits back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his handsome face.

“Yeah.” He sounds very definite. “Mutual respect is really important in a relationship, don’t you think?”

I nod. “How about your brothers? Do you think they respect you?”

“Of course. Not just because I’m the eldest, but because of the person I am. And I respect them for the men they are, too. We’ve all got different strengths and I think it’s essential to recognise them in each other. Same with anyone, I guess.” He takes another sip of his drink.

“Do you think it’s easier or harder for you, being the eldest of the brothers?” I want to know.

Now it’s his turn to raise his eyebrows. “I don’t think anyone’s position in the family is harder or easier than anyone else’s,” he tells me. “I guess I found it harder when our parents passed away because I was suddenly the head of the household. I saw it my place to keep it all together; the ranch and the guys. It was tough. Still is.  But I think we owe it to Mom and Dad to build on the business they created, and to keep it thriving. It’s what they’d have wanted.”

“And what do you want?” I inquire.

His face relaxes into a bright smile. “To keep on doing exactly what I’m doing—with Faye by my side, of course.”

“Of course.” I smile as I close my notebook. I think it’s what the readers would want for him, too.

https://www.amazon.com/Banking-Miss-Right-Billionaire-Billionaires-ebook/dp/B08RY7PGJL