She sighed with relief. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
His cheeks warmed. “I’m sure you’d manage.”
“It’s amazing how everything has come together, particularly since the balcony collapse. Adam insists you’re the voice of reason among all the chaos.”
“Someone needs to be,” he said, and grinned. “All those Fortune egos together can be dangerous.”
“I think it’s great that they listen, though,” Laurel said with a smile. “And it’s good to see you all getting along, like a real family.”
Family. Yeah. For most of his life, Kane’s family had been settled in upstate New York. His parents were still there, and most of his siblings, but since he and Adam and Brady had moved to Rambling Rose, they’d been welcomed by their cousins and created a strong family connection. And now that Adam was married to Laurel and had a family, and Brady was now legal guardian to orphaned twin boys, they all felt a deeper connection to one another and to Texas than any of them had originally imagined. Rambling Rose was a good town with good people. And he intended to stick around for a while.
He left a short while later, pleased he was able to pick Larkin up from day care on Thursday. Maybe, he thought as he got into his truck and headed back to the hotel for his meeting, he’d see the pretty blonde with the nice smile while he was there.
* * *
Layla McCarthy was having the week from hell. Admittedly, most of her weeks felt like that lately. The truth was, she couldn’t remember a time in the last year or so when she hadn’t felt as though her whole life was like some kind of ongoing improvisation. With work, studying, her aging grandparents and her two-year-old daughter, Erin, all she seemed to do was think about everyone else and give little heed to her own needs. She loved being Erin’s mom and adored her grandparents, but occasionally she wondered what it might be like to have a moment for herself.
But not tonight, she thought as she dished out pasta into containers and popped them into the freezer. Being organized was her salvation. She cooked up a storm every Wednesday night and filled the freezer with meals for the remainder of the week. And this week she needed to save as much time as she could so she could pick up more hours at Paz Spa, where she worked at reception. She’d been there for over four months and enjoyed the job. Her boss was great to work with and she genuinely liked all of her colleagues. While she didn’t have time to socialize with any of them outside of work, she did get the opportunity to share coffee and a chat in the lunchroom some days.
Once she’d cleaned up, Layla checked on Erin, saw that she was sleeping soundly, and grabbed the baby monitor and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Once she was in her pajamas, she sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at the small framed photograph on the bedside table. Frank’s smiling face beamed up at her and a familiar surge of sadness enveloped her like a cloak. Over eighteen months had passed since his death and she still felt his loss with the same intensity as she had from the moment he’d left her. Heartbreak didn’t ease. When love was as strong as theirs had been, it lingered in the mind like the lyrics of an old song.
They’d been married for four years, dated for seven months, been friends for a year before that. Marrying Frank had been a no-brainer. He was the best man she’d ever known—kind, considerate and gentle. Their relationship had been a happy one and she missed him down to the depths of her soul. She missed his friendship and his company. She missed sharing that first cup of coffee and conversation over breakfast. She missed lingering in bed on Sunday morning and then making love for a few hours. She missed the intimacy they’d shared every day. She missed his arms around her. And she mourned that he didn’t have the chance to watch his daughter grow up. Of course Erin didn’t really remember him. And now, all Layla had were photographs and the memories in her heart.
She let out a weary sigh, grabbed her laptop and slipped into bed. She opened the document of her current assignment and reread the passages she’d written early that morning. Taking online college courses had seemed like a good idea six months ago, but with the workload increasing and two assignments due, Layla wondered if she’d overcommitted herself. Getting her degree in marketing had been a goal since high school. College hadn’t been in her future then, since she had no father and her mother had left years earlier, and her grandparents weren’t in any kind of financial position to fund her education. Instead, Layla had started working full time at eighteen. Without a college degree her options were limited, so she worked mostly as a receptionist, changing jobs every twelve months or so.
She met Frank when she was working the front desk at a car dealership. He’d come in looking for a new car, and she’d supplied him with coffee while the paperwork was being done. By the end of the afternoon, he’d bought the car and she’d agreed to go out with him. As friends at first, because he’d just come out of a serious relationship and she wasn’t prepared to be anyone’s rebound girl. So they got to know each other as friends and when she finally agreed to a real date, Layla was already half in love with him.
Since his death, she’d remained resolutely single. She didn’t date. And no one had been so much as a blip on her radar.
Until yesterday.
Layla couldn’t stop herself from remembering the tall, broad-shouldered, green-eyed, über-good-looking man she’d met at the day care center. Larkin Fortune’s uncle. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, she’d noticed. Which didn’t mean he wasn’t married or involved with someone. A man who looked like that was hardly going to be on the market. Still, it didn’t hurt to fantasize a little. It was a huge leap from believing she’d never feel anything again. Not that she was looking for a relationship. The idea of getting involved with someone else didn’t seem possible when her heart was still filled with the memory of Frank. But the thought lingered as she worked on her assignment. By ten o’clock the light was out and she spent an hour listening to relaxation music on her phone. It helped her drift off to sleep, until she woke up to the sound of Erin’s happy babbling through the baby monitor around six.
Layla headed for her daughter’s room. As always, her heart rolled over when she saw Erin standing in her crib, her blond curls bouncing, her big brown eyes wide and full of wonder.
“Momma.”
Layla still felt a thrill every time she heard the word. Erin didn’t talk much, but the few words she did say usually included the word momma. She was mostly a happy child, but the last few weeks she’d been unusually unsettled. She’d run a fever for a couple of days and, after a visit to the pediatrician, was diagnosed with a cold. Layla had taken a week off work and was still trying to make up the time by starting earlier. Of course, that meant leaving Erin longer in day care. But what choice did she have? Frank’s life insurance had covered their mortgage, but she still had a house to run and utilities to pay.
She hauled Erin into her arms and gave her a hug, then quickly changed her diaper before heading to the kitchen. She made breakfast and switched on the small television in the corner to keep her daughter entertained while she packed lunches for the day. With her routine set, she had everything organized and was out the door by eight. Forty-five minutes later Erin was in day care and Layla was at her desk at Paz Spa.
The appointment book was full for the day and clients began arriving just before nine. Several people were waiting in the reception area when Hailey Miller, the spa’s assistant manager, came out of her office and joined her behind the counter.
“Good morning,” Hailey said cheerfully. “How’s Erin doing? Over her cold?”
“Mostly,” Layla replied. “Looks like we’ve got a full day today.”
“Business is good. The Fortunes certainly know how to turn straw into gold,” Hailey said, and grinned. “And I say that with absolutely no agenda, since I’m engaged to one of them,” she added, and wriggled her left hand, showing off a perfectly beautiful diamond ring.
Hailey was
engaged to Dillon, the younger brother of Callum Fortune who was the brains behind Paz Spa. Since its opening, business was booming, as it was in most of the Fortune-run enterprises. After the news reports about baby Larkin needing a bone marrow transplant last year, the town had not only become something of a tourist attraction but was now recognized as a great place to settle down. Of course, Layla had always known it. Her grandparents had settled in Rambling Rose years earlier, when it was a small blue-collar community. She’d gone to the local high school, moving in with her grandparents when she was fifteen after years bouncing around from one place to the next with her mother.
Rambling Rose was her home and she had no plans to live anywhere else. Even though there were times when the loneliness was acute and made her long for a simpler time—when Frank was alive and she had someone to share her life with.
By three o’clock on Thursday afternoon, after a day of answering phone calls and scheduling appointments, she was happy to hand over the reins to Hailey for the last two hours. She headed directly to the day care center and pulled up outside. There was a large, hulking Ranger pulling in the space next to her and she waited until its engine turned off before she stepped out onto the sidewalk. And stopped in her tracks.
The handsome, incredibly broad-shouldered man—her first “blip” since losing her husband—was getting out of the Ranger. He smiled when he spotted her and she colored down to the soles of her feet, resisting the urge to straighten out her ponytail.
“Hey there,” he said, his deep voice quickly running riot over her burgeoning awareness. He was so darn hot. Maybe the hottest man she’d ever seen up close. Ruggedly handsome with enough charm to raise her temperature a zillion degrees.
“Oh, hello, it’s nice to see you,” she managed to say without stuttering. “You’re picking up your nephew again?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “My brother’s out of town and my sister-in-law has an appointment. So I’m it.”
Layla’s hasn’t-been-used-for-anything-other-than-talking tongue almost stuck to the roof of her mouth as she looked at him. “That’s so good of you,” she somehow managed to say. “It’s nice to have a big family you can rely on.” Then she sighed a little as she shrugged. “Well, I imagine it would be.”
He looked at her, his mouth curling at the edges. “You don’t have family?” he asked, glancing at her left hand, and she followed the path of his gaze. “Husband?”
“I’m a widow,” she said quietly, the words making her heart ache as it always did. “I do have grandparents, but they’re elderly.”
He took a second to reply. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“You weren’t,” she assured him, feeling the mood become awkward.
“After you,” he said, and motioned toward the pathway as a couple of other parents walked by them.
She clutched her tote and walked on ahead, through the doors and into the reception area. There was a line of people at the desk and she stood in turn, conscious that he was beside her.
“I’m Layla, by the way,” she said, and held out her hand. “Layla McCarthy.”
He took her hand and she felt the burn of his touch like it was poker hot. It was unexpected. And on some base level, unwanted. It was silly, of course. She didn’t know him. She’d never know him. He was just some random hot guy who had turned her head for a few minutes.
“Kane Fortune,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”
She smiled. “Of course, one of the Fortunes.”
His mouth twisted a fraction. “One of the lesser ones,” he replied.
His words made her laugh softly. “I’m sure that’s not true. I work with Hailey Miller at Paz Spa—she’s engaged to Dillon. And I’ve met Callum a number of times.”
“Cousins,” he supplied. “My brother Adam and I moved to Rambling Rose from New York last year. And one of my younger brothers just moved here, too.”
“Adam is your nephew’s father, correct?” she asked, conscious that they were next in line. “He’s the baby who needed a transplant?”
He nodded. “Yes,” he said as they approached the counter. “Larkin.”
Layla nodded, but she didn’t comment. Instead, she greeted the regular receptionist behind the counter who was back and clearly recognized them both. The children were brought out a couple of minutes later and Erin’s arms were outstretched the moment she saw her mother.
“She had a much better day today,” the aide said as she passed Erin’s backpack to her.
Layla grabbed the bag and her child and hugged Erin close. “Oh, great. Thank you.”
She turned on her heel and saw Kane was holding his nephew. It was a good look on him, she thought, and then figured he probably had a girlfriend or significant other waiting for him at home. He might even have kids. Sure, he’d said he was an uncle, but maybe he was one of those all-around great guys who were great dads and uncles. And he hadn’t said anything about being single. Not that she cared, Layla reminded herself.
With Erin’s backpack in one hand, she pushed her tote over one shoulder and walked outside. He was close behind and they reached their vehicles at the same time. Once she secured Erin in the car seat, she turned and saw that Kane was behind her, strapping his nephew into his Ranger. The boy was chuckling delightedly and it made Layla smile.
“He’s such a happy child,” she remarked. “And he obviously adores you.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Kane replied, and grinned. “Your daughter’s cute.”
Layla nodded. “Yes, I know. Takes after her mom.”
His grin turned into a soft chuckle. “Obviously. Do you have any more children?”
“Just Erin,” she replied. “Do you have kids?”
“No,” he said, and hooked a thumb backward. “I’m just an uncle to Larkin. I’m not married,” he added, and smiled again.
Layla realized she had a serious case of Captain Obvious. Gawd...she needed to get a grip. “Oh...well...”
“I was wondering, are you busy on Saturday?” he asked unexpectedly.
She sucked in a sharp breath. “Saturday?”
He nodded. “There’s a grand opening celebration at the Hotel Fortune on Saturday afternoon. It’s going to be like a big party—kids are welcome, so you can bring your daughter. I’m pretty sure Hailey will be there, and it should be a fun afternoon.”
Was he asking her on a date? She wasn’t sure. She’d had so little interaction with men in the last year or so, she was inept at reading signals.
“It’s Valentine’s Day on Saturday,” she reminded him.
“I know,” he said and met her gaze straight on. “So...is that a yes?”
Layla’s first thought was to refuse. She didn’t need anything derailing her at the moment. And the man in front of her was pure distraction. But still...he hadn’t indicated it was anything other than an afternoon at a party and Erin might enjoy it. And she had no real reason to refuse. In fact, getting out and socializing would probably be good for herself and her daughter.
“Ah...okay. What time?”
He ducked into the Ranger for a second and returned holding a small business card. “My cell number is on there. Send me a text message and I’ll let you know the time and address.”
“I know where the hotel is,” she said. “But I’ll send you a text anyway.”
He grinned. “Great. See you Saturday.”
Layla got into her car and waited until he pulled out of the parking space before she started the ignition. Somehow, she thought as she drove home, she’d agreed to a pseudo date with Kane Fortune.
Now all she had to do was decide if she had the courage to actually go.
Copyright © 2021 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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ISBN-13: 9781488075292
Wyoming Cinderella
Copyright © 2021 by Melissa Senate
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Wyoming Cinderella Page 19