by Cindy Kirk
He experienced that same urge now.
“Perhaps they were lucky and got a table.” Without another word she started toward the back of the bar, leaving him to follow.
On the way to Pappacito’s, Lia had informed him they were meeting her friends Selina and Doriann, whom everyone called Dori. There would be another guy there, as well—Dori’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Jax.
Shane had a pile of work on his desk but when Lia had invited him to go out with her friends to a place that “wasn’t very nice,” he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
Hadn’t someone once said you could be judged by the company you kept? And who knew when he’d have another chance to meet her friends?
At least that was why Shane told himself he was here. To continue to gather information that might come in handy later. It didn’t have a thing to do with wanting to spend time with Lia.
“There they are.” Lia’s voice rose. A big smile crossed her face. She waved wildly.
The three sat around a table for four, bottles of Corona in front of them, along with a huge plate of nachos. Shane could tell by the looks on their faces they were shocked. He assumed it was because she’d brought a “date.”
“Natalia, you look radiant,” a thin woman with masses of dark curly hair said in lieu of a proper greeting. “But I’d never guess you were pregnant if Selina hadn’t told me.”
By the process of elimination Shane figured she must be Dori and the other woman Selina. “You’re pregnant?” Jax glanced at Dori. “Nobody tells me anything.”
“Who’s this with you?” Selina asked in a sultry voice, gazing at Shane through lowered lashes.
“This is my friend Shane,” Lia said carelessly and Shane wasn’t sure if her omission of his last name was deliberate or accidental.
Lia went to grab a chair from a nearby table but Shane took it from her hands then waited for her to take a seat before he sat. She quickly performed the introductions.
“Where have you been keeping him?” Selina asked Lia.
When she hesitated, Shane smiled. “I’ve been out of town since the first of the year.”
“Oh.” Selina raised a brow. “Doing what?”
“Working,” Lia said before he could answer. “Now, will you quit interrogating him and tell me what’s been going on with you guys? It seems like forever since we’ve talked.”
While the server brought Lia a virgin margarita and him a beer, Lia’s friends updated her on their activities over the past few months. From how far back they went, it was obvious it had been quite some time since Lia had seen them.
“The last time Natalia and I really went out was New Year’s Eve,” Selina told Jax. “Isn’t that unbelievable?”
“The party at the hotel.” A dreamy look filled Dori’s eyes. “Jax and I had the best time. We danced and drank too much... It was one of the best New Year’s Eves ever.”
Jax nodded his agreement and leaned back in his seat, seemingly content to let the women talk.
Shane decided it was a good strategy to follow.
“It was fun, until mi amiga decided to ditch me.” Selina slanted a speculative gaze in Shane’s direction. “You wouldn’t have had anything to do with her disappearance, would you?”
“Selina, you were so into Jorge that night that you didn’t know if I was there or not.” Lia’s tone started out serious but quickly turned teasing. “We both know you bailed on me.”
“What can I say?” Selina’s lips curved up in a Cheshire cat smile. “Men see me. They want me. It’s a curse.”
Shane took a sip of beer and glanced at the menu.
“They have the best chiles rellenos.” Lia leaned close to share her menu. The familiar scent of Chanel teased his nostrils. “Would you split an order with me?”
“Sure.” Shane wasn’t really here to eat—more to observe—but the smells in the air made him hungry. For food. For her.
Conversation flowed easily around the table, with topics ranging from sports—they were all San Antonio Spurs fans—to the economy.
Apparently Jax had been recently laid off from his job as a programmer.
“You’ll find another job,” Lia said encouragingly. “And it will be better than the last one. Look at me. I like the job I have now so much more than the one I lost.”
“That’s what I told him,” Dori said. “And if he can’t find something here, there are lots of jobs in San Antonio.”
“What do you do, Shane?” Selina asked.
Lia opened her mouth but Shane refused to have her answer for him again.
“Right now I’m involved with a family business, but I’m contemplating making a change.” Leaving JMF Financial wouldn’t be easy, not after all the work he’d put into the company. But if it came down to working with his dad’s mistress, he’d walk away in a heartbeat.
“Is your current job stable?” Jax asked.
Shane nodded.
“I’d think long and hard about making a move in today’s economy,” Jax warned. Selina and Dori nodded their agreement. “Ask Natalia how scary it can be without any money coming in.”
“I did okay.” Lia shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I had my beading money to tide me over.”
“You ate at the Kitchen,” Selina reminded her.
“Just once.”
Dori pinned Lia with her gaze.
“Okay,” Lia admitted. “Maybe three times.”
“The Kitchen?” Shane asked, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.
“The Red Rock Kitchen,” Jax explained. “It’s not far from here. It’s a hunger-relief program. They serve two hot meals daily to the destitute.”
Shane settled his gaze on Lia, more disturbed than he was letting on. “You had to go to The Red Rock Kitchen so you could eat?”
Lia lifted her chin. “I’ve volunteered there for years. Pastor Tom—he’s in charge of the operation—said there’s no shame in accepting help when you need it.”
The conversation was cut short when the waiter brought out the food. The deep-fried chili peppers stuffed with cheese were huge. He could see why Lia thought she couldn’t handle a full order. But even though her share was small, she barely touched the food. It was as if the discussion about the hunger-relief program had stolen her appetite.
The truth was, visualizing the proud young woman sitting beside him standing in line for free food had stolen his appetite, as well. It was difficult for him to wrap his mind around the thought.
The woman who might be carrying his child had been in the position of relying on the generosity of strangers in order to have enough to eat. The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Lia deserved better. And he was going to see that she got it.
Chapter Ten
Never in her wildest dreams had Lia thought she’d be spending Saturday afternoon serving lunch to the needy with Shane Fortune. She glanced to her side and realized, even dressed very casually in jeans and a polo shirt, he stood out.
He had left his expensive watch at home but everything from his haircut to his leather loafers screamed, I have money.
But she had to admit, he’d been amazingly kind and solicitous to the people who’d come to The Red Rock Kitchen for a hot meal. He was dishing up whipped potatoes while she was in charge of the creamed corn.
The cavernous hall had the AC blasting and large commercial fans but Lia was still hot.
“Are you okay?” Shane asked, his concerned gaze focused on the droplets of sweat on her face.
“It’s a little warm in here.” She wiped the perspiration off onto her sleeve.
“Cooler in here than it is out there,” a man going through the line commented.
“You’re right.” Lia gave the man, a biker dude wearing a blue bandanna, a warm smile. “It’s good to be out of the sun.”
“Going to be another hot one today.” An older woman, in line behind the man, held out her plate. She wore a thin gray housedress that appeared to have once been a bright blu
e.
Lia added a large spoonful of creamed corn to her plate and realized they’d reached the end of the line.
“That’s it for today,” the pastor told the volunteers. “There’s enough food here for all of you, so we hope you’ll stay and socialize.”
Pastor Tom was in his early fifties with wiry gray hair and a smile that never seemed to leave his lips. He had abundant energy and a passion for ministering to those in need.
When Lia had told him that Shane wanted to volunteer with her today, he’d welcomed him warmly, but hadn’t fawned over him because of his family connections.
“Where do you want to go for lunch?” Shane asked.
Lia looked at him in surprise. “I thought we’d eat here.”
“You’re hot. I thought you’d want to go someplace where you could relax.”
“All the volunteers stay and eat,” Lia said slowly. “It’s a way of saying to the people who come here that we’re all one. I’m probably not explaining it well but...”
“You’re doing a good job. I understand.” He took her hand then laughed as he realized they both had on the plastic gloves. He gently stripped hers off her hands. “Turkey. Whipped potatoes. Who could ask for more?”
“Don’t forget the creamed corn.”
“I could never forget that,” he said teasingly as they went to get their plates and rolled-up silverware.
By the time they sat down and got their glasses of iced tea, Lia’s dress was plastered to her back. But the table where they sat got a good breeze from the fan and she quickly cooled off.
It wasn’t long until Pastor Tom, who’d been making his way around the room with a tall glass of iced tea in one hand, stopped at their table and took a seat. “How did you like volunteering, Mr. Fortune?”
“Please call me Shane.”
“Okay, Shane. Was it how you thought it would be?”
“I’d say it was an eye-opening experience.” Shane idly stabbed a piece of turkey but didn’t raise his fork. “It made me realize just how many people in Red Rock are struggling.”
“This is a prosperous community.” Pastor Tom’s expression turned serious. “But we also have many who fit the definition of the working poor. They barely get by. If one thing goes wrong, it can send them into a tailspin. They simply don’t have the resources to weather a crisis.”
“Like losing a job,” Lia added.
Pastor Tom nodded but didn’t say anything more. He didn’t gossip about the people who came for services.
“I told Shane that I came here several times after I lost my job,” Lia said to the pastor then shifted her gaze to Shane. “Pastor Tom helped me see things in a new light. It was very profound.”
“I remember a discussion.” Pastor Tom took a long sip of tea. “But not anything particularly profound.”
Curiosity filled Shane’s blue eyes. “What did he say that you found so insightful?”
“He told me that by not availing myself of the services offered here when I needed them, I was saying to those who did come here that they shouldn’t, either.” Lia smiled at Pastor Tom. “Using the services also gave me a greater appreciation for how hard it is for people to walk through those doors the first time. Now I really go out of my way to make everyone, especially the first-timers, feel welcome.”
“It’s often through adversity that we learn our greatest lessons.” The pastor patted Lia’s hand. “How you’ve dealt with this latest challenge in your life shows me you’re made of strong stuff. You’ll do just fine.”
“Pastor Tom.” A tall, thin woman wearing a stained white apron appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. “The dishwasher is on the fritz again.”
“Just needs a good strong whack on the side.” Pastor Tom grinned. “Luckily, I have the magic touch.”
He rose to his feet and Shane stood, as well.
“You’ve got a great operation here, Pastor.” Shane glanced around, his eyes thoughtful. “You’re doing a lot of good for a lot of people.”
“If everyone gives a little, we gain a lot. Thanks for helping today. We always need volunteers.” The pastor’s gaze slid to Lia. “See you next Saturday?”
“Count on it,” she said with a smile.
“I mean it—you’re welcome anytime.” The pastor took Shane’s hand, cupping it between his. “God bless you.”
After Pastor Tom left for the kitchen, Shane sat down in the chair next to Lia and shook his head. “I had no idea any of this existed in Red Rock.”
“Cut yourself some slack.” Lia appeared more amused than condemning. “You’re new to the community. And this isn’t exactly your social circle.”
“You work all week and then volunteer here on Saturdays?”
He made it sound as if she did so much, when in fact she felt as if she was doing the bare minimum.
“I enjoy it.” Lia speared a piece of turkey with her fork and brought it to her lips. “Didn’t it make you feel good to help someone else?”
“It made me feel as if I’m not doing enough to help.”
“That’s the way it should be.” Lia smiled. “We should always challenge ourselves to do more, to give more.”
“You’re an amazing woman, Natalia Serrano.”
Lia brushed a damp strand of hair back from her cheek and shot him an impish smile. “Don’t tell me you’re just figuring that out?”
* * *
The large table positioned next to the wall of windows overlooking the golf course afforded the diners a good view of the deepening twilight.
When Shane had learned his brothers were bringing their significant others, he’d asked Lia to join his family for dinner Tuesday night at the country club. Not that Lia was his significant other.
He had to keep reminding himself that she could be a grifter playing a really good con. But if all she wanted was to pin this baby on someone, why didn’t she simply tell her ex it was his?
Granted, from what she’d told him, it was apparent the car salesman didn’t have either money or position. Yet Lia had to know any Fortune facing this situation would demand a paternity test, while Doug would probably take her word. It just didn’t add up.
She laughed at something Wyatt said and Shane shifted his gaze to her. With her butterscotch-colored skin tone and all that long, dark hair, from his perspective there wasn’t a more beautiful woman in the room. The short-sleeved red dress she had on today left no doubt that she was expecting. The stretchy fabric clung to her ever-increasing midsection and even the brightly colored stones around the neckline weren’t enough to draw his attention from her belly.
Lia had quickly established a rapport with Marnie McCafferty, who’d come with Asher and Jace. A riding instructor and former nanny, Marnie had made his brother believe there could be happiness after a bitter divorce. The two had recently announced their engagement.
Sarah-Jane Early, his brother Wyatt’s fiancée, was the assistant manager of The Stocking Stitch, a local yarn and knitting store. Shane couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his brother so happy.
“What’s this I hear about you serving in some soup kitchen?” Sawyer asked, his gaze focused on Shane.
“I read about it in the newspaper,” Sarah-Jane piped up. “There was a picture of you and Lia.”
Lia’s grimace told him she’d seen the photo. “I shouldn’t have pulled my hair back in a ponytail. It doesn’t translate well in pictures.”
“You looked darling.” Marnie leaned over and placed a reassuring hand on Lia’s arm. “Supercute.”
“Victoria showed me the article.” Marnie turned to Shane. “She’d have been here but she had a previous function scheduled and couldn’t get it switched.”
“There was an article in the paper?” Shane asked, confused.
“The article’s focus was on all the ways you can volunteer in the community,” Sarah-Jane informed him. “I never realized there were so many opportunities.”
“It’s rewarding to volunteer,” Marnie added
.
“That was my first time.” Shane found himself embarrassed by the admission. “But I’m considering doing it on a regular basis. As well as giving financially to some of the organizations in this community which are on the front lines of helping the disadvantaged.”
Lia smiled. “I’m really pleased to hear you say that. You’ll be doing so much good.”
Shane basked in the warmth of her approval.
“Since when did you decide to become such a big humanitarian?” Sawyer asked, no condemnation in his tone, only curiosity.
“Since I moved to Red Rock.” It was the simplest answer. Shane wasn’t about to get into the whole adversity-bringing-change-and-character-growth thing he’d discussed with Pastor Tom.
Frankly, he wasn’t sure he believed it himself. All he knew was everything that had happened with his father and with Lia was causing him to take a step back and look at life differently.
“Did I tell you that Lia and I are going to a fundraiser for The Red Rock Kitchen at the La Casa Paloma Hotel this Saturday night?” Shane interjected when there was a lull in the conversation.
Marnie’s eyes lit up. “Is that the one where they have different kinds of soups in hand-turned pottery bowls made for the event? And, at the end of the evening, you get to keep the bowl?”
“That’s the one,” Lia said. “It raises a lot of money for good causes.”
Marnie glanced at Asher. “We should think about going. I like supporting the community.”
Asher glanced at Jace. “We promised Jace we’d take him camping next weekend, remember?”
“That’s right. It’s going to be fun.” Marnie tousled the four-year-old’s hair. “Just wait, Lia. It won’t be long until your baby is as big as this boy.”
Lia patted her stomach, a Madonna-like smile on her lips. “I still can’t believe there’s a baby in here.”
Sarah-Jane took a sip of wine. “When are you due?”
“September 23.”
“Do you know what you’re having?” Marnie asked.
“Not for sure.” Lia stroked the fabric covering her belly. “The doctor thought maybe a girl but she said the baby didn’t give them the best view.”
