by Judy Duarte
She shrugged. “Twenty dollars?”
He might have haggled, just for the fun of it, but he was too intent upon owning the scrapbook and taking his time to catch up on more of Rambling Rose’s history.
Moments after they’d purchased both the peacock necklace and the scrapbook, Ellie said, “Should we head over to Mariana’s now or wait for Dillon?”
“I can go back and tell him we’re ready to eat.”
In all honesty, though, Steven preferred to have more time with Ellie on his own, without his brother or the business or the family name to get in the way. He liked having the chance to get to know her better—not as the mayor, but as a young woman the town loved and admired.
Ellie might think that she was just like her neighbors, but there was more to her than that. A lot more. Something seemed to be happening between them, and while he wasn’t sure what it was, it went beyond politics and business deadlines.
She’d shown him a side of the town she’d grown up in, and he wanted to introduce her to his world, too.
As they walked back to the card game, her shoulder brushed against his arm, and he felt the strangest compulsion to take a hold of her hand, which would have been totally inappropriate. And stupid. But for some crazy reason, he felt more and more drawn to Ellie Hernandez as a person.
And worse, he was tempted to act on it before the day was done.
* * *
After taking Dillon away from his VIP seat at the weekly gin rummy game, Ellie led the two Fortune brothers to the center of the marketplace, where Mariana’s food truck was parked. It was quite the experience, she supposed—being flanked by two gorgeous hunks, both muscular and at least six feet tall. They also had the same blue eye color, with only slight variations in the shade.
But there were more than a few subtle differences. Dillon’s dirty-blond locks were slightly tousled, while Steven’s dark, short-cropped hair was often covered by the black Stetson that seemed to have become a part of him since he’d moved to Texas.
Several times over the past hour or so, when the brothers weren’t looking, Ellie had stolen a peek at them, just to check them out. Surprisingly, she hadn’t been able to spot a family resemblance. Not that it mattered, she supposed. Some siblings took after different relatives.
Still, they were both eye candy in their own right. And she hadn’t been the only one checking them out, either. The brothers had caught the attention of just about every woman shopping at Mariana’s Market today, drawing smiles from most of them. But it was Steven who’d captured Ellie’s interest—and not just because of his sexy swagger, his damn good looks or the way those fancy jeans molded to his butt.
No, there was more to Steven Fortune that Ellie found appealing. His charm, she supposed. He also exuded confidence without any sign of pride or arrogance. And he was bright, too. Whenever she challenged him, he held his own.
Unlike a lot of men Ellie knew, Steven wasn’t intimidated by her brains and political success. She had to admit that she found it refreshing.
Unable to help herself, she stole another glance at him, only to find him gazing at her in a way that set off a dizzying flutter in her chest. For a couple of beats, something stirred between them, and even though they continued to move through the crowd, the marketplace seemed to stand still.
Oh, for Pete’s sake, Ellie. You didn’t read any romantic interest in his eyes.
And even if she had, she’d better get over it. In a few short months, she’d be a mother with her hands full. It was going to be tough enough for her to put her baby boy first while trying to handle her job as mayor. So she’d be absolutely crazy to consider a romantic relationship—and a complicated one like this one would no doubt be. Her day planner was full enough as it was.
Besides, if Steven actually had dating on his mind, a rich, handsome man like him would run for the hills as soon as he learned she was pregnant.
Ellie shook off the foolhardy thought and pointed ahead at the food truck, where several people had already begun to fill the seats at the folding picnic tables set up out front. The red, black and white vehicle with chrome trim had gotten a fresh coat of paint since the last time she’d been here, as had the green swirly letters on the side that spelled out Mariana’s in a fancy cursive font.
She pointed ahead. “There it is. We’d better place our orders while we can find a place to sit.”
“Something sure smells good.” Steven took a second whiff. “All of a sudden, I’m starving.”
“I agree,” Dillon said.
Mariana, a matronly woman with ruddy cheeks, warm brown eyes and bleached blond hair pulled into a bun, popped her head out the open window where she took orders and passed out food. She gave Ellie a little wave, then, in a graveled voice that was loud even when she whispered, she yelled, “Fred Willingham! Your meat-loaf sandwich is ready.”
“That has to be Mariana,” Steven said to Ellie.
“You’ve got that right.”
As they got within five feet of the food truck, Fred said something to Mariana as he picked up his meal. The tall, slender man usually spoke in a soft tone, so Ellie couldn’t hear what he said, but it must have been funny, because Mariana let out a raucous laugh.
Before Ellie had a chance to say hello to Fred, he turned to the left and walked away holding a foil-covered paper plate. But the matronly woman remained at the open window and broke into a big ol’ grin. “Howdy, Mayor. What do you think of the new paint job?”
“It looks good.” Ellie glanced at each of the brothers, then back to Mariana. “I’d like to introduce you to Steven and Dillon Fortune.”
“Well, now.” Mariana crossed her arms and eyed both men carefully. “This is a surprise. You fellows have been the talk of the town, and I don’t mean just among the gossipmongers. But I gotta say, you two don’t look like rich vermin to me.”
“Actually,” Steven said, offering her a charming smile, “my brothers and I are pretty harmless.”
“Good to know. But just in case one of you should get a wild hair, I keep a shotgun near the cash register, and I know how to use it.” Mariana waited a beat, then winked at the men, who hadn’t quite figured out how to take her, and let out another hearty laugh.
“I’ve been telling them about the locals,” Ellie told Mariana. “About the people who’ve called Rambling Rose home for years. It’s hard for them to understand that we’re simple folk with big hearts and a strong work ethic. So I brought them to the marketplace so they could see for themselves just how special this town really is.”
Mariana arched a brow and studied the men. “So now you’re here. What do you think of us?”
“You’re all pretty colorful and likable, especially Norm and the boys playing gin rummy.” Steven cracked a grin and nodded his head toward Dillon. “I was afraid my brother was going to sit down and join the game.”
“They’d welcome a newbie like you,” Mariana said, “but if you take ’em up on it, you’d better hold on to your wallet. Losing to those guys won’t be cheap.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Dillon said.
“So what’ll it be?” Mariana asked. “I’ve got meat loaf and fried chicken on the menu today. And the southwestern special is green chili and homemade tortillas.”
“How about the menudo?” Ellie asked.
“Sorry. I’m afraid you’re out of luck. I got off to a slow start this morning and didn’t get a chance to cook up a new batch.”
“That’s too bad.” Steven winked and jabbed an elbow at Dillon’s arm. “My brother and I had our hearts set on having a great big bowl of it.”
“If you come back next weekend, I’ll have it for sure. And your first bowl is on the house.” Mariana glanced at Ellie. “You guys gonna eat? Or did you just stop by to hold up the food line?”
Ellie couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll have the fried chicken.�
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“Me, too,” Steven added.
Dillon said, “Make that three.”
Twenty minutes later, after they’d eaten their fill of some of the best fried chicken and homemade potato salad in Texas, they called it a day and returned to the car.
As Dillon climbed into the back seat, Ellie paused before opening the driver’s door. She probably could’ve waited to question the brothers until the drive back to town, but Dillon hadn’t done much talking today. And she couldn’t quell her growing curiosity.
“So what did you think?” she asked Steven.
“About what?” A crooked smile tweaked one side of his lips and dimpled his right cheek. “The people we met here?”
She nodded.
“I’ll admit, it’s been eye-opening. Up until a couple of days ago, when we had that run-in with the protesters at the grand opening of the Shoppes, I had no idea how much local resistance we were facing.”
Ellie’s hands hung at her sides, and she fought the urge to cross her fingers. “Does that mean you’ll reconsider your plans to build that big luxury hotel?”
“Not really. You and the people who frequent Mariana’s Market might not like it, but the newcomers in town will welcome a nice place for their friends and family to stay while visiting. On the other hand, the tour has given me a lot to think about and consider. So thank you for bringing us here today.”
“You’re welcome. Were you surprised to see this side of Rambling Rose?”
“Yes, but I saw something else that I hadn’t expected to see. And that’s making me reconsider a lot of things.”
“Like what?” she asked, wanting to hear him out.
He scanned her from head to toe and back again, his gaze practically caressing her. Then he offered her a smile.
Her cheeks warmed, and she wondered what he was getting at. And what that appreciative grin meant. Instead, she pushed for a different response. “Aren’t you going to answer my question? What did you see that gave you pause?”
“I saw the way you relate to the people—and vice versa. They love and respect you as much as you love and respect them.”
“There’s a reason for that. I haven’t lived in Rambling Rose my entire life. I was adopted when I was six. But it wasn’t just my parents who took in a scared, awkward little girl in pigtails. Everyone in town adopted me, too. So I consider them all part of my family.”
“You’re lucky.”
“Don’t I know it.”
Sometimes it seemed as if Ellie had grown up as a princess in a fairy-tale life. Once upon a time, she’d been a neglected, frightened and malnourished little girl who’d been rescued from a crack house by a king and queen who weren’t able to have children of their own. And she’d never forgotten that. So for that reason, she’d spent the last twenty-two years trying to make her adoptive parents proud and to prove to them, as well as the entire community, that they’d made a wise choice in accepting her as one of their own. And for that reason alone, she dreaded having to tell them that she was about to be an unwed mother.
But that was way too much to share with anyone, especially one of the new, rich residents.
“The Rambling Rose locals trust me,” she said. “Not a day goes by that I don’t know that, that I don’t respect it. And I feel the weight of that trust every day.”
He nodded and smiled. “I’m sure you do.”
She inadvertently placed a hand on her tummy and stopped short of giving it a loving caress. What had been a small bulge last week was developing into an actual baby bump, which meant her secret would be out soon enough. It was time to tell her parents. And then she’d have to make an announcement to the community.
Maybe it would be in her best interest to tell Steven first. She could practice her confession on him, and once she’d done that, she wouldn’t be able to drag her feet any longer on telling the people she loved.
Actually, that would solve another mounting problem. Once she’d told Steven she was pregnant, neither of them would waste another minute thinking about wacky romantic ideas.
Satisfied with her new game plan, she turned toward the driver’s door.
“How about having dinner with me tonight?” Steven asked.
Even though she’d half expected him to ask a question like that, her lips parted, and she slowly turned back to face him. “I...uh... Thank you, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
She glanced to her right and then to her left. Several other people had followed them out to the parking lot.
“I don’t want to explain in public,” she said. “I’ll tell you when we’re alone.”
“Then a private dinner it is.” He tossed her a boyish grin. “How about tonight, at the Fame and Fortune Ranch?”
Chapter Four
The drive back to town seemed to take a lot longer than the ride out to Mariana’s Market. It was a lot quieter, too. If Ellie hadn’t been nearly drowning in remorse for accepting Steven’s dinner invitation, she might have tried to break the awkward silence.
Steven had assured her that the Fame and Fortune Ranch was the best place for them to speak confidentially, but the more she thought about the logistics, the more she doubted his claim. After all, his entire family lived on the property. Well, at least those who’d moved to Rambling Rose from Fort Lauderdale.
She’d heard through the grapevine that the fancy-schmancy house was laid out in a way that provided them all with a certain amount of privacy, but she found that hard to believe. And what about household help? Maids, butlers and cooks—oh my!
By the time she reached the city limits, she decided to ask him for a rain check—one she’d never use.
Since Dillon hadn’t been privy to Steven’s invitation, she wouldn’t mention it until after she dropped off the brothers at their pickup. Then she’d take Steven aside and tell him she’d just remembered her plans to go out with her friend Daria this evening, so she’d have to pass.
But by the time they arrived at city hall, she’d changed her mind yet again. Everyone in Rambling Rose had been talking about the Fortunes’ renovated, ranch-style home. From what she’d heard, the sprawling estate would boggle the mind of a common person. So Ellie actually would like to see it. On top of that, it might be a good idea—politically speaking, of course—for her to interact with Steven and his family on their own turf. Then, after dinner, she’d ask him to walk her out to her car. That’s when she’d tell him about the baby.
Granted, it would be a difficult conversation to have, a rather embarrassing one. But once she’d gotten that out of the way, she’d go to her parents’ house and give them the news.
Eventually, the community would learn her secret, too. At that point, she’d deal with any repercussions that might arise.
One day at a time, she told herself, one good deed after another. That had been her mantra for as long as she could remember, and it had led her to becoming a perfectionist, an overachiever and a leader.
Only trouble was, Ellie wasn’t perfect. Deep down, she felt like an impostor. And now everyone in Rambling Rose would know it.
The whispers would eventually die down, she supposed, and everything would fall into place. Then she’d finally be able to openly celebrate the upcoming birth of her baby. Her son. A tiny human being who’d need her to look after him, to encourage him and to love him with all her heart.
When she stopped next to the pickup to let both Fortune brothers out of her car, she told them goodbye.
Dillon got out of the car first and shut the passenger door, but Steven remained seated beside her, holding the brown paper sack that held the old scrapbook he’d purchased and looking at her. A slow smile stretched across his gorgeous face. “I’ll see you later.”
Still, he didn’t reach for the door. His eyes lingered on her for a beat. As their gazes locked, her b
reath caught, and her pulse kicked up a notch.
“Does six o’clock work for you?” he asked.
For some reason, the words jammed up in her throat, making it impossible to utter a sound, so she nodded her agreement.
“Great.” Then he got out of the car.
Once the passenger door snapped shut, Ellie didn’t wait for him to get into his own vehicle. Instead, she drove off, hoping she hadn’t made another big mistake. But they seemed to be tiptoeing around attraction, pondering whether to act upon it. And that needed to stop.
Once Steven knew she was pregnant, her life would take a slow turn to normal. The flirtatious smiles, as well as her heart flips and flutters, would soon be a thing of the past.
Minutes later, she turned down Pumpernickel Court, a small subdivision that was built near the elementary school in the 1960s. She pulled into the driveway. Using the remote on her sun visor, she opened the garage door and parked next to Daria’s late-model Prius.
Three months ago, Daria had been working for an accounting firm in Austin, but the company downsized and she was let go. Knowing Daria, she would’ve taken the layoff in stride, calling it a little inconvenience. But she’d just gone through a major breakup, so it hadn’t taken much to knock her off balance. She’d called Ellie that evening in tears.
“Rent a U-Haul trailer,” Ellie had said. “Then pack up your stuff and come to Rambling Rose. I’ve got a spare bedroom, and it’s yours for as long as you need it.”
Two days later, Daria arrived. The timing had worked perfectly. Ellie and Mike had recently split, so the two new roommates had shared their disappointment and pain caused by men who were all hat and no cattle. And now the roomies were relieved and glad to be single.
Ellie closed the garage door and entered the house through the outdated kitchen.
“I’m home,” she called out as she set her purse on the kitchen counter.
Tank bounded toward her, greeting her with a happy whimper and a wagging tail. He miscalculated his speed and tried to slow his pace, but he tripped over his big paws and tumbled to a stop at her feet.