by Helen Lacey
Erin thrust the paper higher. He took it and regarded the artwork. “Hey, that’s awesome. Thank you, sweetheart.”
Layla stared at the interaction. Erin never willingly approached people she didn’t know. She was a quiet, solitary child. Layla had her concerns, but her pediatrician said there was nothing to worry about, and said it was most likely just the trauma of losing her father, even if she couldn’t compartmentalize the loss at such a young age.
Erin popped back to the table and Layla met his gaze. “She’s never done that before. Other than my grandfather, she doesn’t have much interaction with men.”
“How old was she when your husband passed away?”
“Six months,” she replied, a familiar ache forming behind her ribs. “And she just turned two.”
“Natural then,” he said softly, “that she’d be reserved around strangers.”
“But not you,” Layla remarked, and noticed that her daughter was off her chair again and passing Kane another drawing. “Like a bee to a flower.”
His mouth curled at the edges as he took the drawing and Erin returned to her chair. “I’m very charming.”
“I’m starting to notice,” she said, oddly not the least bit embarrassed by their mild flirting. She might be out of practice, but there was something quintessentially good about Kane Fortune. She felt foolish thinking it, since she hardly knew him. But Hailey’s endorsement was enough to make her feel safe around him. “Isn’t that our mayor?” she asked when she noticed a well-dressed woman walking toward the gazebo, with a tall man on one side and a baby in her arms. She was also flanked by several other people who chatted as she walked.
“Yep,” he replied. “Ellie Fortune Hernandez. She’s married to my cousin. A complicated family tree,” he added, and smiled. “But you probably know that from all the social media hype.”
Her brows came up. “Would it shock you to discover I’m something of a purist? I read the paper every Sunday and I don’t have any social media accounts, other than Facebook, and that’s really only to connect with work and Erin’s day care.”
He looked surprised. “Really? No Instagram? Pinterest? Twitter?” He laughed softly when she shook her head. “How on earth have you coped?”
Layla smiled. “I guess I prefer a good book to a gossip column. So, tell me about this complicated family tree of yours.”
“I will,” he assured her. “I promise. But only once I’m sure you like me enough to not get scared off by the craziness.”
“I do like you,” she admitted, and dropped her gaze.
When she looked up, she saw he was watching her with blistering intensity—as though her admission had somehow shifted the dynamic between them. Layla didn’t quite know what to think. Or say. And thankfully, he spoke next.
“I need to bail for about half an hour while speeches are being made and the opening gets its official sign-off.” He dipped into his pocket and extracted a lanyard and passed it to her. “Wear this. It’s a VIP pass for your seating near the rotunda when the speeches start. I’ll find you when I’m done.”
She took the lanyard and nodded. “You know, you never did say what you actually do here.”
He looked at her. “I guess you could say I’m the jack-of-all-trades around here. See you soon,” he said, and then turned and walked off.
Layla stared after him. He really was unfairly attractive. And charming to boot!
She stayed in the kids’ tent for another ten minutes and then put Erin back into the stroller and walked around the grounds. There were hundreds of people at the event now, and she weaved through them with the stroller, spotting a few people she knew as clients of Paz Spa, and then saw Hailey walking toward her.
“You made it,” her boss and friend said, and then added teasingly, “Where’s your date?”
“Working, I think,” Layla replied. “He’ll be back.”
Hailey smiled. “The speeches are about to start so we should sit down.”
They found their seats and Layla was touched to discover she was seated next to Hailey. Kane’s doing, she figured. He really was incredibly thoughtful.
The speeches began and they listened as Ellie Fortune Hernandez took to the microphone and welcomed everyone to the party. She talked briefly about the town, about the people, and thanked several members of the Fortune family by name before officially opening the hotel. Then there was a long and hearty applause. Callum Fortune spoke next and once the officiating was over, the crowd dispersed and Dillon approached, quickly draping an arm over Hailey’s shoulder and bringing her close.
Layla experienced a spike of envy. Normally, she wasn’t the jealous type. But the intimacy between the pair was obvious and it made her ache deep in her chest. She’d had that once, long ago.
And then, just as she was wondering if she’d ever feel that kind of love again, Layla spotted Kane standing by the gazebo, and suddenly the ache in her heart eased a little.
It was crazy. She hardly knew him.
Still, the sensation lingered. He was nice. He was attractive. And she liked him. Which she figured was a good place to start.
Chapter Three
Kane had never been a big believer in love at first sight. Or second sight. Or even third.
Lust at first sight? Well, yeah.
He’d been there a few times, but it had never morphed into anything more. A few dates. And other than his relationship with Janine, usually lasted a couple of months, at the most.
Then there was Layla.
Seeing her in her red dress and black heels, her hair floating around her shoulders, had almost knocked him to his knees. There was no doubt he was attracted to her, and he was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.
“Where you heading in such a hurry?” Adam asked once the speeches were done and they’d taken a moment to thank the VIPs for attending. “Is your mystery woman here?”
“She’s not a mystery,” Kane replied as he stepped away from the gazebo, scanning the crowds for Layla. “Her name is Layla McCarthy. I’ll introduce you.”
“Introduce him to who?” Brady asked as he stepped into their circle, a twin holding on to each hand.
“He brought a date today,” Adam supplied. “A single mother he met at Larkin’s day care.”
“Really?” Brady queried, brows up. “An instant family.”
Kane couldn’t ignore the gibe. “We just met the other day, so hold up on any instant family jokes, will you. She lost her husband a year or so ago, so I don’t think she’s in any frame of mind to get serious. And neither am I,” he added; however, his brothers didn’t look convinced. “Don’t interfere, okay?”
“Who? Us?” Adam suggested innocently. “It’s not like we’re gonna tell Mom or anything,” he said, and winked toward Brady.
Kane shook his head, excused himself and headed across the grass, quickly spotting Layla. He experienced a tight knot in his gut as he walked toward her, which increased when he also noticed Hailey and his cousin at her side. Great, more relatives. Sometimes he wished for the days when he had a much simpler family tree.
Layla smiled as he approached and the knot quickly subsided. He shook Dillon’s and Hailey’s hands and turned toward Layla. “Everything okay?”
She nodded. “Great. The speeches were good. And this is a fabulous venue. You should all be really proud of this place.”
“It wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Kane,” Dillon said.
“Well, I come from humbler beginnings,” Kane said, and half shrugged. “So, figuring out what a small town like Rambling Rose needed was easier.” He turned his full attention to Layla. “Would you like to take a walk?”
“Sure,” she replied, and quickly secured a small blanket around Erin’s legs.
He excused them and ushered her forward, giving her a moment to get some traction with the stroller. “She seems s
ettled,” he said as he gestured to her daughter, who was quietly playing with a soft stuffed toy.
“I’m sure she’s happy that our usual Saturday routine is shaken up,” she said, and smiled. “We don’t get out much.”
Kane led them around the rotunda and into the pathed garden area. “You know what they say about all work and no play, right?”
She nodded. “They would be correct,” she said, and laughed a little. “The truth is, with work and Erin, sometimes I feel like I don’t even have time to catch my breath.”
“I don’t imagine it’s easy being a single parent,” he said as they veered to the left of the path.
“It’s not,” she replied, and sighed. “But I love Erin more than life, so even when it’s hard, it’s worth it. What about you? Do you want kids?”
“One day. I guess I don’t think about it much. If I met the right person,” he said, and shrugged. “Then...yeah, sign me up.”
He was sure he saw a tiny smile play around at the corners of her mouth. “And in the meantime, you are getting plenty of practice with your nephew.”
“Nephews,” he corrected, and briefly explained about his brother taking over guardianship of the twins. “Brady’s the last person I would ever have imagined taking on two kids, but he’s doing a good job.”
“Wow, that’s admirable,” she said. “It takes a big heart to raise someone else’s children. I know that if I ever...” She stopped, her words trailing off.
“If you ever...what?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “Let’s just say that if I ever...you know...found someone again, I’d have to be sure he’d care about Erin first and foremost,” she said, and then shivered as a gust of wind ripped down the pathway and between the hedges.
Kane took a quick look at the thin sweater she wore over her dress and immediately pulled off his jacket and offered it to her.
“Oh, I couldn’t,” she protested. “You’ll get cold.”
“It’s okay,” he assured. “Take it.”
She hesitated for a second before finally taking the jacket and draping it over her shoulders. “Thank you. I didn’t exactly dress for the weather.”
“You look pretty. Very Valentine’s Day-ish.”
“Thanks. I like red,” she said as she stopped the stroller for a moment and checked her daughter, who was now fast asleep. “I think she wore herself out with all the coloring.”
“Well, she did create a couple of masterpieces and that’s tiring work. Would you like to head to the hotel? If you’re hungry I could ask the chef at Roja to make something for you.”
“Roja?”
“The restaurant in the hotel. My cousin Nicole is the chef there. I think she gave the opening celebrations a pass because she is still working on the menu for this evening, which is when the first guests arrive.”
Her expression narrowed a little. “Wasn’t it the restaurant that got damaged last month?”
He shook his head. “The balcony collapsed, but the inside of the restaurant wasn’t affected.”
“It must have been a difficult time for you all,” she said. “I only know what I read in the paper. Has the cause of the accident been determined?”
“Well, that’s the thing,” he replied as they turned and headed toward the main building. “We’re not entirely convinced it was an accident. The Fortune family have made a few enemies over the years—and not everyone in this town supported the hotel being built. It only takes one person with a grudge to do harm.”
“I guess,” she agreed. “But seeing the hotel now, it’s hard to imagine anyone thinking it wouldn’t be good for the town. I’ve lived in Rambling Rose all of my adult life and I’ve never experienced it being so vibrant and so alive. For a long time it was forgotten...just another blue-collar town that was little more than an accidental veer off the highway for most people. But not anymore. We have restaurants, a pediatric center, Paz Spa and now this hotel. Your family did that...and that’s quite a legacy.”
“Callum had a vision,” Kane said as they walked through the main doors, passing two security officers who were stationed in the foyer. “His brothers Dillon and Steven supported that vision.”
“And you?” she queried as he led her past reception and into the restaurant.
“I think I’m here by default,” he replied, and grinned. “And I mean that in the best possible way. When Callum asked me to manage the construction of the hotel, I think I was still a little shell-shocked from discovering we were related to the Texas Fortunes.”
She looked around, wide-eyed. “You did this?”
“It was a joint effort.”
“Now you’re being modest.”
He laughed and then spotted his cousin Nicole by the bar. “I’m glad to be a part of it.”
“But Rambling Rose is a long way from New York,” she said, with way more intuition than he expected. Or frankly, wanted. Kane had never considered himself that easy to read. “Right?”
“I guess,” he replied. “But my family’s from upstate, not New York City. We lived a fairly ordinary life. When I think about it, I don’t see a lot of change in how I live my day-to-day life in Rambling Rose. Tell me about your family,” he said, shifting the topic back to her as she parked the stroller beside a table, and then he offered her a seat.
“You mean the whole sad story?” she queried.
“It’s a sad story?”
She nodded. “It could take a while.”
He glanced at the sleeping child in the stroller. “We have time.”
Nicole took that moment to approach and say hello, and Kane quickly made the introductions. “Did you bail on the party outside?” his cousin asked with a chuckle.
“Just taking a break while the baby’s asleep. Any chance of coffee?”
“Well, my barista has left for the day, but I think I can manage the task. And if you’re here for coffee then you must try some cake.” Nicole looked at Erin in the stroller. “Your daughter is adorable,” she said before she walked off.
“She seems nice,” Layla remarked as she slipped off his jacket and hung it over the back of a chair. “But then, all your family is nice.”
He didn’t disagree. “What about you? Ready to tell me your sad family story?”
She sighed as she tucked her legs underneath the table and faced him. “Erin is my family. I’m an only child. So was my husband. I have grandparents who I’m very close to. They live in town at a retirement center and I visit them once a week.”
“And your parents?”
She sucked in a breath. “I never knew my father. My mom... Well, she had me when she was very young. I’m not sure where she is right now. She travels a lot for her work.” She paused for a moment, taking another breath. “She’s a dancer. But I haven’t seen her for a number of years. When I was fifteen I moved in with my grandparents and I lived with them until I got married when I was twenty-two.”
“College?”
“No,” she replied. “I’ve worked in a few different admin positions since I left high school.”
“And now you work at Paz Spa.”
“Yes,” she replied. “You know, I’ve never seen you there.”
Kane grinned. “Yoga and pedicures aren’t really my thing.”
“Mine either, if I’m being honest,” she admitted. “But it’s a good place to work and Hailey is really understanding of the time I need to be with Erin.”
Nicole returned with coffee and two slices of carrot cake and they chatted for a while before she returned to her spot at the bar. Kane turned his attention back to the woman sitting opposite him and he realized the more time he spent with Layla, the more he relaxed. He liked her company. She was good-humored and self-effacing and good to be around. And as pretty as hell. Yeah...he liked her. A lot.
“I’d like to see you again,” he sai
d candidly.
Her fork stalled midway to her mouth. “As opposed to seeing me right now?”
Kane bit back a grin. “How about I take you and Erin out for breakfast tomorrow?”
She put down her fork, placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. “I’m not sure I can.”
Kane’s gut rolled. “You’re not sure about me, you mean?”
She sighed softly. “Actually, it’s more like not being sure about myself.”
He could see the hesitation and concern in her expression and wasn’t about to push the issue or the invitation. “Fair enough.”
She smiled, took a breath, and then spoke. “I’m seeing my grandparents in the morning. How about we have a late lunch instead? I’ll cook.”
Kane stilled in his seat. “At your place?”
She nodded. “It’s easier than handling a two-year-old in a restaurant. Unless she’s sleeping,” she added and gazed at the stroller. “So...yes?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“I’ll text you my address.”
And that, Kane thought as he sipped his coffee and looked at the remarkably beautiful woman sitting opposite him, meant that he had a date.
* * *
Layla visited her grandparents early Sunday morning at their retirement home villa. Maude, her grandmother, was always welcoming and Grandpa Joe adored Erin to pieces. Layla sat with Maude at the kitchen counter while Erin played in the living room with her grandfather. She gave her grandmother a quick rundown on the hotel opening party, mentioning that she and Erin were invited.
“By a man, you said?” Maude queried.
Layla tried to look casual. “He’s nice.”
“It’s good that you’re getting out. Frank wouldn’t want you to—”
“It’s just a new thing, Nan,” she insisted. “We’ll see how it goes.”
As she said the words, Layla realized that despite only knowing Kane for a few days, there was something achingly familiar about him that gave her a sense of comfort. She knew it was silly, since they’d only met five days earlier, but she couldn’t dismiss the feeling. Still, she didn’t want to verbalize it—not even to her grandmother.