Guarding His Fortune

by Stella Bagwell

  “And what about her father? Do you think he’ll go to Austin and take her home?”

  “No. Miles has already hired a bodyguard to replace me. Apparently, he understands how important Savannah’s studies are to her and won’t interrupt her time with the study group—unless he believes I’m trying to come back into her life. And that’s not going to happen.”

  Maria gave him a calculated glance as she reached for her tea glass. “I’m sorry to hear that, Chaz.”

  His fork paused halfway to his mouth. “Sorry? Why? Surely you can see what a mismatch we are.”

  “I can’t see anything—except for the pain on your face. How do you expect to fix that?”

  His gaze dropped to his plate. “Time will take care of it.”

  Maria frowned. “If I lost Jose, no amount of time would fix things.”

  “That’s because you and Jose have been together for many years. The two of you are connected at the hip.”

  “I have a feeling you’re connected to Savannah, too. Much more than you know.”

  His face stoic, he used his fork to cut a piece of tamale. He shouldn’t have come here to spend time with the Red Rock Mendozas, he decided. Everyone in the family was aware that Maria was a hopeless romantic and a matchmaker to boot. Rather than helping him get past this painful ordeal with Savannah, she wanted him to patch things up and fight Miles for his daughter’s hand. The woman just didn’t have a clue what a mountainous task that would be. Not just because of Miles. Hell, he wasn’t even sure Savannah loved him.

  The sound of the doorbell broke into his troubled thoughts and he looked up to see Maria rising from the chair.

  “You stay put and eat,” she ordered. “I’ll go see who could be calling right at lunchtime.”

  Chaz was forcing himself to swallow down the food when he picked up the sound of voices coming from the front part of the house. Apparently, Maria had company. Which wasn’t at all surprising, since both she and Jose had made many friends through their restaurant and years of being Red Rock residents.

  A few minutes passed and, deciding it might be a while before Maria returned to the kitchen, Chaz finished the last of the tamales. He was standing at the sink, about to scrape his plate into the garbage disposal, when the sound of footsteps approached the arched doorway leading into the kitchen.

  He glanced over his shoulder and very nearly dropped the plate. Maria’s unexpected guest was the woman who’d taken up residence in his heart!

  “You have a visitor, Chaz,” Maria said with a beaming smile. “She’s come all the way from Austin to see you.”

  His gaze gobbled up Savannah’s image, while shards of pain sliced through his heart. What was she doing here? To tell him what a coward he was, or that she was going home to New Orleans where she’d never have to see his face again?

  Feeling as though he were in a dream, he watched her walk toward him. She was wearing the same pink sundress she’d worn the day he’d taken her to the winery. He’d given her the rose that day and when he’d found her in the sculpture garden with tears in her eyes, it had been impossible not to pull her into his arms.

  He’d fallen in love with her that day. And just like that moment, he was finding it a hell of a battle not to go to her and drag her into his arms.

  “Hello, Chaz,” she said. “You look surprised to see me.”

  “I am. Did you come here alone?”

  She shook her head. “No. My other bodyguard insisted on accompanying me. He’s waiting out in the living room.”

  “I see. Well, at least you’ve been protected since I left Austin.” He lowered the plate to the sink, then stepped slightly toward her. “I told my father not to tell anyone where I was. He talks far too much.”

  “Don’t be angry with Esteban. I forced him to tell me.”

  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure you twisted his arm against his back,” he said, then muttered under his breath, “He never could resist a beautiful woman.”

  Maria’s dark eyes were full of approval as her gaze went from Chaz to Savannah and back to Chaz.

  She said, “I’ve been telling Savannah how back in 2005, my daughter Gloria married Jack Fortune and in 2009, my son Roberto married Frannie Fortune.”

  Chaz didn’t want to be reminded. “Savannah already knows about the Fortune/Mendoza weddings.”

  “Does she know that each year, for the past few years, a Fortune and a Mendoza have gotten married?” Grinning, the older woman sighed as though she were a newlywed herself. “Something magical happens when the two families meet.”

  “Magic,” he repeated dazedly. “Is that what you call it, Maria?”

  “Magic. Love. Fate. I think all of those things have touched you, Chaz.” She gestured toward Savannah. “Don’t you think you should give your lady a proper hello, Chaz?”

  Unable to tear his gaze away from her lovely face, he said, “Hello, Savannah.”

  She stepped toward him and the tenuous thread holding Chaz’s emotions in check suddenly snapped. He reached for her and she fell sobbing into his arms.

  “Well now, that’s more like it,” Maria said happily. “The magic of love has touched both of you two. I can see I need to have a talk with Savannah’s father just so he understands that it will do him no good to mess with fate.”

  Swiping at the tears on her face, Savannah looked at Maria and smiled. “What my father thinks doesn’t matter. It’s what I know that counts.” She looked up at Chaz, her eyes soft and tender. “I love you, Chaz. And all I want is for us to be together.”

  As Maria discreetly slipped from the room, Chaz attempted to reason with Savannah. “I left Austin because I don’t want to ruin your life. Or ruin your relationship with your father.”

  Shaking her head, she argued, “The only way you could ever ruin my life is for you not to share yours with me. As for my father, he can be unbending at times, but in the end he’s a reasonable man. We’ll change his mind about us, Chaz. Once he gets to know you, like I know you, he’ll be proud we’re together.”

  Chaz needed to believe her. He wanted to tell her how much he adored her and wished to spend the rest of his life with her. But he couldn’t. Not until he faced Miles Fortune.

  “He might still slap me with a lawsuit,” he said.

  “If he fights you, he’ll be fighting me, too. He’d never hurt me that way.”

  Chaz wasn’t so sure. But he was sure of one thing: he didn’t want to live without this woman in his arms.

  “All right, Savannah, I’ll show you I’m not a coward. How soon can we get to New Orleans?”

  With a happy little cry, she rose on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. “We’ll drive to Austin, catch a plane and be in New Orleans by dinner tonight.”

  * * *

  When Chaz and Savannah finally arrived at the Fortune mansion in New Orleans, the family was in the midst of dinner. Rather than disrupt the meal, they chose to go to the study and wait for Miles to join them.

  Even though Chaz had insisted he wanted to meet with the man alone, Savannah firmly refused to leave his side. As the two of them sat close together on a leather couch, their hands tightly entwined, Savannah said, “Dad needs to see us together and get used to the idea that we’re a couple. And that we’re going to remain a couple.”

  Skeptical, he looked at her. “You might hear things you don’t want to hear.”

  “Chaz, I’m not a child. I understand that dealing with family matters can be tough. Besides, Dad might hear his daughter say things he doesn’t want to hear. But it’s high time he heard them.”

  The remark had barely gotten out of Savannah’s mouth when, without a knock, or any warning signal, the door of the study flew open. Miles stalked into the room and, without giving them so much as a cursory glance, headed straight toward the executive chair behind his desk.

  Savannah said, “Hello, D
ad. I want to introduce you to Chaz.”

  Polite manners were forgotten as Miles merely took a seat and stared at the two of them. His jaw was clenched, his lips pressed into a straight, angry line. If he’d been any man other than Savannah’s father, Chaz would’ve already pointed out to him that rudeness held no part in being a gentleman.

  “That’s hardly necessary, Savannah. Mr. Mendoza and I have talked on several occasions.” His eyes narrowed to slits as he turned his attention on Chaz. “I had hoped that yesterday would be the last time I’d have to deal with you. For your own sake, you need to leave my house. Now!”

  Unflinching, he said, “I’m sorry you feel that way, Mr. Fortune. I was hoping you might be able to meet me with some civility.”

  Glaring at him, Miles snorted. “You expect civility? After your betrayal? I’ll say one thing for you, you’re not lacking nerve.”

  Incredulous, Savannah stared at her father. “Did you honestly think I’d fall in love with a man who wouldn’t have the courage to face you? It takes more than having millions of dollars to be a man, Dad.”

  Miles’s face turned a bright red. “Savannah, you’ve always been one of my smartest children. I thought you’d have the sense to fall in love with a man of your own standing. Instead, you’ve behaved like a rebellious teenager, sneaking around with a punk from the wrong side of the tracks.”

  Savannah’s jaws snapped shut and when Chaz recognized she was about to jump to her feet, he laid a hand on her arm to hold her back.

  “Let me handle this, Savannah.” He left her side and walked over to stand in front of Miles’s desk. “Sir, I’m going to ignore the name calling because if you honestly considered me a punk, you would’ve never hired me to protect your daughter.”

  Miles spoke through clenched teeth, “I obviously made a mistake in judgment.”

  “I don’t think so. I don’t believe you ever misjudge anyone. That’s why you’re so successful at what you do.”

  Chaz’s remark appeared to catch Miles off guard for a moment, but the man was hardly ready to relent.

  “Soft-soaping me will get you nowhere. You’re not good enough to even look at my daughter—much less—”

  When Miles words sputtered, Chaz broke in. “I’m well aware of the stark differences between Savannah and myself. She isn’t blind to them, either. But, in spite of our differences, we care about each other.”

  “I don’t give a damn about how either of you feel! In a few weeks, all of that will be dead ashes. Probably sooner. As I’ve not yet ruled out suing your ass!”

  Determined to show Miles he could be cool under fire, Chaz called on every ounce of his military discipline to keep his temper at bay. “If you feel that suing me would fix things as you seem to want them, then go ahead and sue me. But I doubt you’ll get anywhere with that threat. Savannah is a grown woman, a consenting adult. In spite of what you might think, you don’t control her anymore.”

  Miles practically shouted, “I’m her father! She lives in my house. Spends my money! If—”

  Savannah instantly appeared at Chaz’s side and interrupted her father with a scathing retort. “If that’s how you think of your children, as puppets you can maneuver with your money, then you’re not the father I always believed you to be.”

  “Savannah, you need to stay out of this!” he warned.

  Chaz curled his arm around the back of Savannah’s waist and the connection was like a soothing balm to the turmoil inside him. Touching her calmed every doubt he’d ever had about himself. She wasn’t like Allison. She wasn’t like any of the superficial women he’d dated over the years. She would always stand up for him. Moreover, she would never desert him.

  “Mr. Fortune, if you’ll take a moment to really consider what taking me to court would accomplish, I believe you’ll understand that if you do go through with your threat, you’ll also be dragging your daughter right along with me. I can’t imagine you wanting to muddy her name and reputation in such a way.”

  The livid anger on Miles’s face slowly began to recede and then his shoulders slumped back against the chair. “No,” he admitted gruffly. “I don’t want to hurt my daughter.”

  “Dad, you are hurting me by not seeing Chaz as the wonderful man that he is.”

  Miles’s doubtful glance darted from Savannah to Chaz, then back to her.

  “What has Chaz Mendoza done with his life that makes you think he’s so wonderful? Damn it all, he’s a bodyguard! He makes a living with his muscles.”

  “You’re wrong about that, Dad. In so many ways,” she said, her voice soft but resolute. “In the first place, there’s nothing wrong with a man using his muscles to make a living. Millions of them do it every day. Secondly, he and his family run very profitable businesses in Austin, with plans to expand. But more importantly, when Chaz looks at me, he doesn’t see dollar signs. He sees me for me. He sees a woman who wants to make a positive difference in people’s lives. A woman who wants to love and be loved. And have a family of her own with the man of her own choosing.”

  Miles folded his arms across his chest as his doubtful gaze encompassed the both of them. “I’m not convinced.”

  Chaz said to him, “Sir, I spent eight years in the army convincing my superiors that I had what it takes to stand up and fight, to face the enemy, no matter who or what that enemy might be. I don’t expect a few words to convince you. Give me a chance and over time I can prove to you that I’m worthy of your daughter.”

  Miles rose to his feet. “I suppose every person deserves one chance. I’m willing to give you that much. But don’t go getting the idea that winning my blessings will be easy. I’m not easy. And I figure you’ll throw in the towel long before I am convinced. But we’ll see.”

  With that, he walked past them and out of the study.

  Once the door shut behind him, Chaz looked over to see Savannah’s eyes were misty, but she was smiling and that was enough to lift the sober weight in Chaz’s heart.

  “See. I told you we could deal with Dad.” She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Let’s head back to Austin. Ready?”

  He lowered his head and kissed her. “I’m ready to go anywhere with you.”

  * * *

  The next night as the two of them lay cuddled together on Chaz’s bed, he pillowed Savannah’s head and stroked his fingers through her damp hair.

  The thrill of making love to her would never dim, he realized. Nor would his love ever fade. With each day, each hour he spent with her, the feelings in his heart grew deeper and stronger.

  Today, while she’d been at work with the study group, something she fully intended to finish, he’d made a trip downtown to a jewelry store. After some long thought, he’d decided that a woman who loved camellias would like an engagement ring with an antique flavor. For now, the large square diamond and open scroll setting of yellow gold was hidden away in a velvet box in the nightstand.

  When the situation with her father was settled and the ongoing threat with Charlotte was over, Chaz would surprise her with the ring and a marriage proposal. In the meantime, it was enough that the two of them were together and their love for each other had proven too strong for Miles Fortune to break.

  “Do you know what I’m thinking?” he murmured against the top of her fragrant hair.

  “Mmm. Probably that you’re hungry and that we need to go to the kitchen and see what we can find in the fridge.”

  Chuckling, he pulled her tighter against his side. “No, my sweet, the only thing I’m hungry for is you. I’m thinking how very much I love you.”

  Her head tilted back to look at him and her eyes filled with wonder. “That’s the first time you’ve ever said that to me.”

  “I waited so that it would mean something. So that you wouldn’t think I was mouthing the words just to please you.”

  “I did want to hear the
m,” she admitted. “But I want to know that they’re real and coming from your heart.”

  He picked up her hand and brought her fingers to his lips. “They’re real, all right. My heart is yours and only yours. For always, Savannah. So you might as well get ready to have a bodyguard for the rest of your life.”

  With each word he spoke, the smile on her lips grew wider. “And a bunch of little Mendozas to make our family complete?”

  He kissed her forehead, her cheeks and finally her lips. “Mmm. At least two or three babies. Maybe even four. What do you think your father will say about that?”

  She chuckled. “What can he say? He can’t argue with fate. Like Maria prophesied, when a Mendoza and a Fortune get together, something magical happens.”

  * * *

  Look for A Fortunate Arrangement

  by Nancy Robards Thompson

  the next book in The Fortunes of Texas:

  The Lost Fortunes.

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  The Lost Fortunes:

  A Deal Made in Texas

  by Michelle Major

  Her Secret Texas Valentine

  by Helen Lacey

  Texan Seeks Fortune

  by USA TODAY bestselling author

  Marie Ferrarella

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