Her Secret Texas Valentine

by Helen Lacey

  “I don’t know,” she said to her sister with a sigh. “But I know he’s the first man I’ve ever met who makes me feel as though he likes me for me, and who is completely and utterly himself. He’s not trying to be someone or something he isn’t, and he certainly isn’t trying to impress me with some ulterior motive. He’s probably the most honorable and self-sufficient man I have ever met. He’s honest, Maddie, and with my history, that’s something I’m looking for. Please try to understand that I just want to see where this goes.”

  “I do understand, Val, and I truly want you to be happy. But please go slowly.”

  “I will,” she said. “I promise. As long as you promise to let me live my own life and not judge Jake too quickly or harshly.”

  “I promise,” she assured her.

  “You can prove it on Friday night,” Valene said and smiled. “I invited him to be my date to the charity dinner.”

  Maddie looked dubious, then sighed. “Okay. Now, I had better get back to work. I’m leaving for Austin around lunchtime and will be back Wednesday afternoon. Zach’s staying here to connect with a couple of important clients.”

  “I need to get back to work, too,” Val said, grinning. “Or my boss will send me packing.”

  “No, she won’t. You’re far too valuable around here.”

  “Even though I’m losing clients left, right and center?”

  “Even then,” Maddie said and gave her a quick hug. “And we’re all in this together, remember? You’re not the only agent who’s lost clients. It’s happening to us all. See you soon.”

  The following days were busy for Valene. And surprising. Because on Tuesday morning she received a call from a man who introduced himself as Karl Messer. He was a property developer and his company, the Messer Group, was building one of the new high-rises on the east side of the city, one that was zoned both residential and commercial, and he wanted to meet with her the following day to discuss listing the place exclusively with Fortunado Real Estate. When she ended the call, Valene’s hands were shaking. It would be an amazing coup to land an exclusive listing with one of the hottest property developers in Houston. Usually Zach handled the larger accounts, and since Maddie had insisted she run everything by her brother-in-law, Valene tapped on his office door later that day.

  “Would you like me to come to the meeting with you?” he asked once she’d told him the details.

  Valene bit her lip. “I’d like to have the opportunity to land the deal myself. Is that okay?”

  Zach, who was undoubtedly one of the greatest guys she had ever known, nodded. “Of course. You know I’m here to support you.”

  “Thank you, Zach. I won’t let you down.”

  “I know that, Val. And remember that Maddie and I are one hundred percent behind you.”

  That thought stayed with her when she met with Karl Messer the following day. The meeting took place at the office on the construction site, and she was instantly impressed. Messer, in his early thirties, clearly was in command of the business he had inherited from his uncle a few years earlier. He was tall and attractive and acted completely professional toward her. The meeting ran for over an hour, and then he gave her a brief tour of the construction site. She ended the meeting with his assurance that he was committed to working with Fortunado Real Estate and would give her exclusivity on both the residential and commercial properties.

  When Valene returned to her office, it was after four and she was humming and about to drop off her bag before she headed to see Zach when she noticed a cylindrical package on her desk. She recognized the name of the courier company and assumed it was something work related. But when she opened the package, she discovered a scrolled paper inside. She rolled it out and laughed delightedly. It was a sketch, intricately done, of a bulldog. Her bulldog, it seemed, one poking tooth and drool included. And written at the bottom in a dark and cursive scrawl were a few words.

  From the other man in your life...

  She knew instantly that it was from Jake. So, her sexy cowboy was talented as well as gorgeous. Valene remembered him telling her over dinner that he had liked to draw in high school, after he’d teased her about being on the math squad and the calculus team.

  She grabbed her cell and sent him a text.

  I love it. Bruce looks adorable. Thank you! V.

  She waited a few minutes and then read the reply message.

  My pleasure. Looking forward to seeing you again. J.

  Valene’s entire body thrummed. She texted back immediately.

  If you want to call me tonight, that would be okay. V.

  It took about two seconds to get a reply.

  It’s a date. Eight o’clock. J.

  “Why do you look so happy?”

  She turned to see both her sister and brother-in-law standing in the doorway. Valene rolled up the scroll and smiled. “I had a good meeting,” she said, deciding not to show them the picture Jake had sent her, because it felt personal and ridiculously intimate and she didn’t want to share her enjoyment with anyone.

  She spent the next five minutes outlining every detail of the meeting she had with Karl Messer and how he’d promised her exclusivity and, if the arrangement was successful, the same entitlement for his next high-rise project, as well. It was the biggest deal she had ever brokered, and she knew both Maddie and Zach would be proud of her. And they were.

  “How did you meet Mr. Messer?” her sister asked.

  Valene shrugged. “He called me. He said he’d heard good things about Fortunado.”

  Maddie nodded. “He’s got a good reputation as a builder. Good safety record. I think Gavin knows him,” she said of their recently engaged lawyer brother. “I’ll ask for a rundown next time I talk to him.”

  “I wonder if Gavin recommended us?” Val mused. “Well, if he did, Mr. Messer didn’t mention it. And it appears to be a genuine offer, so I’ll have the contracts started tomorrow.”

  Both Maddie and Zach nodded. “Good work,” Maddie said and smiled. “It will help ease the sting when I tell you that we lost the McGovern place this afternoon.”

  Valene’s stomach sank. “That’s not possible. Just last week I took—”

  “It’s possible,” Zach said gently. “I spoke to the owner myself.”

  “Was it something I did?” she asked.

  “No,” Zach promised her. “Just business. Don’t take this personally, Val.”

  But she did. Because it felt personal. It felt as though her career was slipping from her fingertips. Sure, the Messer deal was huge, but she’d worked hard to cultivate the other clients and couldn’t believe so many were dropping off the Fortunado books. Not only her clients, but two of the other agents in the office had lost clients in the last month.

  Which was what she told Jake when she spoke to him later that night. He’d called at exactly eight o’clock and Valene was eagerly waiting for his call, keen to hear his voice and listen to his words of encouragement and steady reasoning. Which she did. He was exactly the tonic she needed.

  “I’m sure you’ll work this out,” he said assuredly. “Every business goes through tough times, Valene.”

  “I know,” she sighed. “I just hate letting people down.”

  “Didn’t you say both your sister and brother-in-law told you not to take it to heart?”

  “Yes,” she replied. “But I always do. I always have. And I know Maddie is worried. With Dad retired and out of town, it just feels like we’re under attack. I know that sounds dramatic, and I know I probably sound like a spoiled little girl whose daddy isn’t around to pick up the pieces of the disaster she’s gotten herself into, but I can’t help how I feel.”

  “You’re not a little girl and you’re not spoiled,” Jake said evenly. “You’re an accomplished young woman with a great career. Did you know that your name means strong?”

 
She chuckled softly. “Yes, I know. Did you look that up?”

  “I was curious,” he replied. “It also means you are dynamic and visionary. Use that part of yourself to your advantage. Like you did today with the new client you got.”

  “I’m not sure I did much,” she said honestly. “He came to me. I didn’t have to pound the pavement to find him.”

  “Sometimes it’s not how you get opportunity that makes you successful. It’s what you do with it.”

  She took a breath and felt the air fill her lungs, calming her immediately. “Thank you. I always feel better when I talk to you.”

  He was silent, and she wondered if she’d gone too far, said too much, made him feel uncomfortable by intimating that there was more going on between them than there actually was. But oddly, it didn’t feel as though they had only known one another a week. It felt as though they had been friends for a long time.

  “Valentine’s Day is a little over a week away,” he reminded her. “Save the date, okay? I’d like to spend the day with you.”

  Valene’s heart skipped a beat. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she’d have a date for Valentine’s Day. “I’d love to spend the day with you. So, I’ll see you Friday night for the dinner.”

  “For sure. Sweet dreams, Valene.”

  She ended the call and spent the next hour or so thinking about him. For a man who made his living on the land, he was surprisingly insightful and philosophical.

  She dreamed about him that night, imagining his kiss and his touch, and when she awoke she was unusually fatigued. He texted her around nine to wish her a nice day, and it put her in a good mood all morning. Her day brightened around lunchtime when she took a call from another prospective client, a rancher about half an hour out of town who owned a few hundred acres he wanted to sell. He was a gruff kind of man who got straight to the point and said he wouldn’t be messing around with other agents as long as he had her word that she would give him one hundred percent loyalty. Valene liked him immediately and made arrangements to visit his place the following Monday.

  She spoke to her mother that afternoon, staying mute about the troubles the business was having, figuring it was Maddie and Zach’s place to talk to their father about it. Instead, she mentioned that she’d met someone and brushed over the details, just focusing on how nice he was and how much she liked him and how she looked forward to them meeting him when they returned from their vacation.

  On Friday afternoon she left work early and headed for the salon, getting her hair and makeup done. She’d bought a new gown for the event, a red halter that showed off way too much skin, so she paired it with a black organza wrap and matching shoes. The color was about as wild as she got and she twirled in front of the mirror a few times, under Bruce’s strict scrutiny, and then decided she looked nice enough. She slipped on her coat, grabbed her bag and headed outside, waiting for Jake by the front gate.

  He arrived exactly on time, pulling up in a huge, hulking and very new cherry-red SUV. It looked like they weren’t taking her Lexus, after all.

  When he got out of the vehicle, he looked so hot she almost fainted. He wore a black suit, white shirt, shiny black boots and a bolo tie. He was just about the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. Clean shaven, his jaw was smooth, and she itched with the need to feel his mouth pressed against hers. He kissed her cheek and opened the passenger door.

  “Nice rig,” she said and hauled herself up. When he came around to the driver’s side and got in, she asked, “Borrowed?”

  “It belongs on the ranch.”

  She nodded. “Well, it’s good you can borrow it for special occasions. Hey, I got another prospective client yesterday—someone who owns a ranch out near Fulshear. That’s your territory, isn’t it?”

  “Close enough,” he replied as he pulled onto the road. “So, where are we going?”

  She gave him the directions and they headed off.

  The hotel was one of the best in town, and she knew the ballroom would be transformed for the event. A jazz band was expected to perform, along with several well-known entertainers. The tables seated ten and had cost a fortune, so the attendees would be a who’s who of Houston society. The funds raised would go directly to the Fortunado Foundation and then be funneled out to several other charities that helped women and children.

  Jake helped her from the SUV, dropped the keys into the valet’s hand and then led her into the hotel.

  She checked in her coat and heard Jake’s breath suck in as he stared at her, wide-eyed.

  “You look incredible.”

  “Thank you,” she said and placed her hand on his lapel. “You look sharp yourself. Thank you for dressing up. I know you’re probably more comfortable in jeans and a Stetson. In fact, I prefer jeans and a T-shirt myself most of the time, but every now and then I have to dress up for one of Mom’s galas.”

  His gaze lingered on her bare shoulders. “I’m starting to like your mom more and more.”

  Valene grinned. “She’s disappointed she couldn’t be here tonight, but the dates conflicted with the vacation she and Dad had planned. I’m sure Maddie will be in charge in her usual way. Actually, I think Zach is doing the honors as MC.”

  He nodded. “So, jazz?” he queried close to her ear as they entered the ballroom and made their way to their table. “Is this payback for the cowboy dancing?”

  Valene chuckled. Gosh, he was sexy. The feel of his breath so close to her skin heated her blood, and she swayed toward him. The place was buzzing with people and she noticed that their table was already filling with couples. Jake pulled out her seat politely, and as she sat down it occurred to her that he was incredibly well mannered.

  Before she had a chance to look around the table, he introduced himself, and Valene recognized two of the other couples sitting there. They were business associates of Zach’s, nice enough people, but rich and often acting just a little too entitled for her taste. Perhaps that’s why Val didn’t have a lot of friends in her circle. She had two close friends from college who still regularly kept in contact with her, and her friend Adele, but most of her socializing was done with her work colleagues or her sisters when they were in town. Friday nights were often download time at the Thirsty Ox, an English-style pub just down the street from the office, but Val hadn’t been for a few weeks. And since meeting Jake, most of her spare time had been filled with seeing him or thinking about him.

  For a moment she worried he might be out of his depth with their tablemates. But no, he was clearly at ease and making conversation. Then she felt small-minded for thinking such a thing. Jake Brockton was no small-town hick. Lack of college education aside, he was smart and articulate and obviously at home in any scenario. She was about to join the conversation when her sister and brother-in-law appeared.

  Jake was on his feet in a microsecond and took Maddie’s hand, then he shook Zach’s. Val quickly noticed Maddie’s surprise and the gathering approval once her sister looked him over. Val felt vindicated, and also a little resentful. She hadn’t brought Jake to the gala so he could be on show: she’d brought him because she wanted to be with him. Her sister’s reaction simply proved what Val had suspected, that everyone stood in judgment.

  And she realized that she’d been like that herself. Asking him to wear a suit. Suggesting they arrive in her car. Intimating that he had to be someone other than who he was to be acceptable company. Everything about those comments screamed entitled, spoiled, snobby, and she was deeply ashamed of herself.

  “Are you okay, Valene?”

  Jake’s voice, close and whisper soft, brought her out of her thoughts. He was back in his seat and regarding her with concern.

  “I’m fine,” she assured him quietly, discreetly touching his arm. “I just wanted to say I’m glad you’re here with me tonight and I like you...just as you are. I like your integrity and your honesty.”

&
nbsp; His gaze narrowed. “Valene...we need to talk about some things.”

  “What things?”

  He was about to reply when the band played an introduction number, indicating the show was about to commence. “Later,” he said and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Nothing will change between us, I promise.”

  Oddly, she was put instantly at ease. Because Jake could do that. His deep voice and quiet confidence made her believe that anything was possible...including a real future with him...a man she was falling for. Big time.

  * * *

  Jake shifted in his seat as Valene’s brother-in-law took to the stage. He’d never met the man before tonight, but he was well acquainted with several other people he’d spotted in the room. The irony of the situation was not lost on him. Last year he’d bought a table for the event for several of his customers. He hadn’t attended himself, since he was neck-deep in divorcing Patrice at the time, but he felt foolish for not remembering why the Fortunado name was so familiar to him when he’d first met Valene.

  He listened to the MC, conscious that Valene’s fingers were resting on his arm, curling around his bicep. After the first speech, a comedian took to the stage, a well-known performer who cleverly dissed politics and social media and several self-obsessed celebrities. Beside him, Valene’s soft laughter filled his chest with a heady kind of happiness. He enjoyed her company a lot. Too much, probably. And they were getting closer every time they were together. Becoming lovers was inevitable and he didn’t want there to be any secrets between them, but... A warning voice lingered in his head. Something wasn’t right with the Fortunado family. Something he suspected had everything to do with their link to the Fortunes and Robinsons. He wasn’t sure why he felt there was a connection—instinct perhaps, or the street smarts he’d picked up over the years. They rarely failed him.

  The band started shortly afterward, and they were entertained by a jazz singer. Sure, jazz wasn’t his thing, but Jake could appreciate talent. As he listened, he thought of Valene’s sister. Maddie had spoken to him a little, her curious expression making it plain that she was keeping a watchful eye on her little sister. She was a very beautiful woman and was clearly besotted with her husband and business partner. Jake admired the way they had made both their personal and professional relationships work. In a way, he envied them, since it looked so easy. But he knew from experience that it wasn’t. Patrice had done a great job at convincing him that marriage was hard work. Still, he had good memories of his parents’ marriage, and Valene often talked about how much in love her mother and father still were. And he was pleased that Valene was well loved and that her family was watching out for her.