A SWEETHEART FOR JUDE FORTUNE

by Cindy Kirk

  “Because you seem to have gotten the mistaken impression there’s more depth to our relationship than actually exists.” Her tone was cool, distant. “I used the disclosure of the transplant to illustrate you don’t know me as well as you think.”

  Jude fought his way through the fog shrouding his brain.

  “On Sunday, you told me how much you missed me.” That he knew he hadn’t misunderstood. In fact, his heart warmed now remembering her words and the intense emotion he’d seen in her eyes.

  Gabi hesitated only a second.

  “It was code.” Her laugh reminded him of nails on a chalkboard. “I was telling you I missed having sex with you.”

  “You seriously expect me to believe I meant nothing to you? That what existed between us was only about good sex?”

  Something flickered in those dark depths before a shutter dropped, hiding any emotion.

  “That’s exactly right.” Hopping off her swing, Gabi tugged on Chico’s leash then shot Jude a bright smile. “I should get back to my father. I’m glad we had a chance to clear this up before I left.”

  He pressed fingers against his temples, where a headache had begun to pound, making it difficult to think. “When are you leaving?”

  “Does it matter?” She tilted her head, her brown eyes unreadable. “With my dad home, there can’t be any more between-the-sheets action.”

  Jude could only stare. Could he really have been so wrong about...everything?

  * * *

  The walk back from the park was a blur, and when they reached the house, Jude didn’t come in. Gabi didn’t really expect him to and told herself she was glad he’d gotten the message.

  Keeping that phony smile on her face all the way home when all she wanted to do was dissolve into tears had taken all her energy. She wasn’t sure how much longer she’d have been able to keep up the pretense he meant nothing to her.

  She stepped inside the house, conscious of a truck door slamming shut, then seconds later, an engine roaring to life and tires squealing.

  Still, Gabi didn’t let her guard down until the front door was firmly shut behind her and locked. Only then did she allow the tears to fall.

  “How was the walk?” her father called out. “Is Jude still with you?”

  Gabi unclipped Chico’s leash then hurriedly swiped the tears from her cheeks.

  “He had to get back to the ranch.” She forced a bright smile and strolled into the living room. “You were right. It was nice to get some fresh air. And Chico really enjoyed the park. There were a lot of kids there and he couldn’t take his eyes off of them.”

  With sudden horror, Gabi realized she was babbling. She clamped her mouth shut. At least she’d done a stellar job of keeping her tone light, or so she thought, until her father’s gaze latched on to hers.

  “What’s wrong?” he demanded.

  You mean other than me decimating the man I love with a pack of lies?

  “No-nothing.”

  Orlando’s gaze narrowed. “Did that boy say something to upset you?”

  “Actually, I believe I may have upset him.” Gabi fought to project a cavalier tone. “I told him, because I’d soon be heading back to Miami, I didn’t see any reason for us to continue our friendship.”

  “Friendship.”

  Gabi nodded. “That’s right.”

  A watchful look filled her father’s eyes. The same look she’d seen numerous times in high school when she slipped in past curfew and tried to fib about it the next morning.

  He always seemed to be able to tell when she was stretching the truth. In fact, he’d once told her he could even tell when she was lying to herself.

  Gabi settled herself on the sofa, forced herself to breathe past the tightness in her chest. “Oh, and you’ll be happy to know, I told him about the transplant.”

  Orlando’s dark eyes flickered but his expression remained impassive. “How did he react?”

  “He asked why. I told him. He was surprised I hadn’t told him before.” Her tone turned clipped as she fought to keep her emotions under control. “Ah, well, it was fun while it lasted.”

  “He’s in love with you.”

  Gabi started to deny it then shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “You’re in love with him.”

  Gabi shifted her gaze to the silly sitcom playing on the television. The characters acted as if life was one big joke. Maybe it was for some, but not for her. Gabi jerked her head toward the screen. “Mind if I turn it off?”

  Orlando picked up the remote, flicked off the television, then turned back to his daughter. “I can’t believe Jude doesn’t want to be with you because you’ve had a heart transplant.”

  Her father’s voice was heavy with disappointment.

  “It wasn’t him. I’m the one who said it was over between us.” Gabi paced a moment then returned to sit. “He wanted to get serious. Since I don’t plan to marry, I didn’t see the point in continuing a relationship with him.”

  “Even though you love him you don’t want to marry him?” Now her father looked totally confused.

  “I don’t want to marry anyone. I saw what you went through with Mama.” Gabi wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans and did her best to control the tremble that kept trying to creep into her voice. “I have a new heart, Papi. But we both know there are no guarantees I’ll stay healthy. My body could reject it tomorrow.”

  Her father’s eyes softened. “There are no guarantees with anything in life, mija.”

  “Some women are better bets than others.” She rested her head against the back of the chair. “I won’t put Jude through the pain of losing a wife. You, of all people, should understand that by walking away I’m giving him a gift.”

  “I understand love and wanting to protect.” Orlando stared into her troubled face. “But every day I had with your mother was precious.”

  Gabi simply shrugged

  “He won’t give up,” Orlando warned. “He loves you too much to just walk away.”

  “Then I’ll just have to do or say whatever necessary to get him to stop loving me,” she said in a weary voice. “I’m sure he’s already rethinking how he feels about me after our conversation this afternoon.”

  As Orlando gazed at the face of his only daughter, he realized she needed time and distance to clearly consider all she was giving up by charting this course. She was smart, his Gabriella. He believed she’d soon see that Jude had a right to be a part of a decision that affected his future.

  In the meantime, he couldn’t sit by and let her destroy Jude’s love. Not when he knew the cowboy would make such a fine husband and son-in-law.

  “Gabriella,” he said, “I believe it’s time for you to return to Miami.”

  “Soon,” Gabi agreed. “After I make sure you have everything you need then—”

  “Between the woman you’ve hired and my nurse and therapist, I’m covered. You need to get back to your job and your life in Miami.” His tone brooked no argument.

  “You’re right.” Gabi sighed and glanced at the dog on his lap. “But I’m going to need a favor. Could you possibly watch Chico until I find a place that allows dogs?”

  Gabi shifted under the animal’s unyielding stare and remembered promising him he’d always be with her. But it couldn’t be helped. Just like walking away from Jude, that couldn’t be helped, either.

  “Of course he can stay with me.” Orlando scrubbed the top of the dog’s head with his knuckles. “I’ve grown fond of the little guy.”

  Gabi clumsily pulled herself upright. It felt as if everything was suddenly moving at warp speed. Which was good, she told herself. Once a decision was made, you went with it. “I’ll have to start checking for flights—”

  “I have a friend who’s a bigwig at one of the airlines that fly
out of Lubbock. I’ll call him tonight. He owes me a favor. We may be able to work something out for tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” Gabi gaped. “You must really want to get rid of me.”

  Though she tried to keep the hurt from her voice, she wasn’t entirely successful.

  “Ah, mija.” He held out a hand to her, wrapping his fingers tightly around hers when she came to him. “I love you. While it’s been wonderful having you here, it’s time for you to go. Trust me, this is for the best.”

  His gaze dropped to their interlocked hands.

  “I have to admit when you came I hoped you’d love it so much you’d want to make it your home, too,” he said softly. “I’m sorry that didn’t happen. Sorry things didn’t work out.”

  She knew what he was saying. Her father had hoped she’d stay in Horseback Hollow and marry Jude. He liked her cowboy, she realized suddenly. Liked him a lot. Instead of comforting her, the knowledge only added to her pain.

  “I’m sorry, too, Papi.” She brought his hand to her cheek, resting the side of her face against his large workman’s hands. “So very sorry.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Bright and early Wednesday morning, while the home health nurse was busy with her father, Gabi packed for her afternoon flight. She was headed to the kitchen for some Ziploc bags when the doorbell sounded.

  “I’ll get it,” she called out, detouring to the front of the house.

  Right before her hand closed over the knob, Gabi had a sudden image of Jude, standing on the porch, daisies in hand, begging her to stay.

  When she opened the door it wasn’t Jude but his mother who stood on the porch, a bakery box in one hand and a smile that reminded Gabi of the man she was trying so hard to forget.

  “Jeanne Marie, how nice of you to drop by.” Though seeing the woman tugged at her heartstrings, Gabi smiled warmly. “I’m afraid my father isn’t available right now. The nurse just got here.”

  “Actually, it’s you I came to see.” Jeanne Marie raised the box. “Although I did bring enough scones for your father and his caregivers, as well.”

  “That’s very kind.” Gabi stepped back. “Would you like to come in? I can make coffee.”

  “I’d love a cup.”

  “I hope decaf is okay. It’s all we have.”

  “It’s perfect. While you get the coffee started, I can get plates for the scones,” Jeanne Marie offered when they reached the tiny kitchen.

  “The dishes are in the cupboard to the right of the sink.” Gabi started the coffee then set out skim milk and sugar.

  The older woman pulled out two plates then placed a scone on each. She turned back to Gabi. “I hope you like cranberry-orange.”

  Gabi gave a little laugh. “I like them all.”

  While fruit scones tended to be higher in sugar than the plain kind, Gabi decided she’d make an exception this time and simply enjoy the treat.

  “Was that a suitcase I saw in the hall?” Jeanne Marie asked moments later, lifting a mug of steaming coffee to her lips.

  “It’s mine.” Gabi kept her tone matter-of-fact as she broke off a piece of quick bread. “Now that my father is on the mend, it’s time for me to head home.”

  Jeanne Marie’s eyes registered surprise. “This seems awfully sudden. You didn’t mention anything about leaving when I saw you on Sunday.”

  Gabi popped a bite of scone into her mouth, forced herself to chew. “The bank will only hold my position for so long.”

  “Does Jude know you’re leaving today?”

  Gabi chose her words carefully. “He’s aware I planned to return to Miami.”

  “No wonder he was distraught.” Jeanne Marie spoke bluntly, a frown furrowing her brows. “You realize my son is in love with you?”

  Gabi wasn’t about to negotiate that minefield.

  “Jude’s been in love before.” Easy-breezy, she told herself. “No doubt he will be again.”

  Yet the mere thought of him with another woman brought a searing pain to her chest.

  Jeanne Marie snorted. “If you believe that, you’re not as bright as I think you are.”

  Even though the scone had tasted like sawdust in her mouth, Gabi took another bite and kept her expression impassive. If Jeanne Marie hoped to goad her into a reaction, it wasn’t happening.

  The older woman fixed her steely-blue eyes on Gabi. “You’ll break his heart if you leave.”

  I’ll break it if I stay.

  For a second Gabi feared she’d spoken her thoughts aloud. But when Jeanne Marie’s expression didn’t change, Gabi took another bite of scone and washed it down with a big gulp of coffee.

  “Deke and I stopped by Jude’s place last night.” Jeanne Marie pursed her lips. “Even though he staunchly insisted nothing was wrong, I could tell he was lying. A mother knows such things.”

  Gabi squelched a nervous laugh. Shades of her father. Could it be parents were issued a built-in lie detector when children were born?

  “Family means everything to Jude,” Gabi said through lips that felt frozen. “And to you.”

  “We’re a close-knit group.” Jeanne Marie nodded as if the words required additional emphasis then added. “Most of us, anyway.”

  The older woman sighed and for a second, a look of profound sadness shadowed her eyes.

  It was obvious Jeanne Marie was thinking of Deke and Chris. Though she hid it well, Gabi had seen on Sunday how much the argument between her husband and youngest son troubled her.

  “Now you have even more family to love,” Gabi pointed out, nudging the conversation in a different direction. “You’re part of the Fortune family. Connected by blood.”

  Jeanne Marie’s expression relaxed.

  “Becoming acquainted with family I never knew existed has been wonderful. But I love and adore my adoptive parents even though we’re not related by blood.” Jeanne Marie inclined her head, a quizzical look on her face. “What’s this about, Gabi?”

  Gabi dropped her hands to her lap so Jeanne Marie wouldn’t notice the trembling. “It’s my rather awkward attempt to point out that Jude is surrounded by people who love him. And to assure you that you needn’t worry. He’ll do fine without me in his life.”

  Was it Jeanne Marie she was trying to assure of that fact? Gabi wondered. Or herself?

  Jeanne Marie leaned forward, rested her elbows on the table. “My son is a good man—kind and loving. He’ll make a wonderful husband.”

  The woman was like Chico with a bone. And, while Gabi knew it was unintentional, it felt as if Jeanne Marie had snatched up a butter knife and plunged it straight into her heart.

  “I have no doubt Jude will be a good husband.” Gabi smiled politely. “But not to me.”

  Color rose in Jeanne Marie’s cheeks, and for the first time since she arrived she appeared embarrassed. “I’m not normally an interfering woman. I certainly wouldn’t be one of those stick-my-nose-into-your-business mothers-in-law everyone jokes about. It’s just that, though he’s doing a good job of hiding it, my son is hurting.”

  Jeanne Marie brought a work-hardened hand to her floral blouse and placed it on her chest. “Seeing him suffer breaks my heart.”

  Genuine, loving concern radiated from every pore of the woman’s body. For a second, Gabi was seized with the urge to fling herself into Jeanne Marie’s arms and beg her to make it all better.

  But Gabi wasn’t a child. And Jeanne Marie would never be her mother, not even by virtue of marriage. Yet, the desire to do something so radical told Gabi that her control over her emotions hung by a slender thread. If Jeanne Marie mentioned Jude’s unhappiness one more time, Gabi might break down and sob.

  “I’m sorry I have to cut this short, but I have a plane to catch.” Gabi pushed back her chair and stood. “Your family has
been so kind to me and my father. I appreciate you stopping by and giving me this opportunity to personally thank you for all you’ve done.”

  Jeanne Marie pulled to her feet. Her eyes seemed to soften as they surveyed Gabi’s face.

  “I’ll see you again, my dear.” The older woman placed her hand flat against Gabi’s cheek. “Very soon.”

  * * *

  Jude dropped down on a bench outside his barn and took a putty knife to his muddy boots. While he scraped, he brooded. Once he’d been able to factor out the emotion, he realized what Gabi had told him had been nothing but a huge scoop of bull.

  She loved him. While she may not have said the words, he had eyes. He’d seen the emotion in that big, beautiful, brown-eyed gaze. Yet she’d felt the need to make him believe she didn’t care. Why?

  He had the feeling the reason had something to do with her heart transplant. It was a logical assumption, considering she’d deliberately withheld that bit of information from him, a fact which had initially pissed him off royally.

  But he’d forced himself to put aside the anger and focus on discovering just what was going on in that head of hers. Despite spending much of last night researching heart transplants and hoping something would jump out at him, the root of her rejection remained as muddy as his boots.

  He had lots of facts. But no answers.

  “I thought you’d be out riding the range.”

  Jude glanced up to see Sawyer striding across the yard looking very much out of place in his suit and Italian loafers.

  “What are you doing way out here?” Jude finished with one boot and began on the other. “I thought you’d be ten thousand feet in the wild blue teaching someone how to crash.”

  “It’s ‘how to fly’ and that’s on tap for later.” Sawyer’s face eased into a smile as he glanced at Jude’s boots. “What did you do to those Tony Lama boots?”

  “Cow decided to give birth to twins in the only muddy spot in the whole damn pasture.” Jude’s lips curved. “Had a little trouble, but Doc Green and I got her a happy ending.”

  “Congratulations.” Sawyer lifted his briefcase. “I brought those papers you wanted. I can leave them in the house.”