CINDERELLA 2.0
Zoe Robinson had never known true love—until Joaquin Mendoza rode into Austin and stole her innocent heart. The new guy at work is brilliant and aloof, but Zoe’s nursing a secret of her own: her dad might be connected to the famed Fortune clan! But the determined beauty has never backed down from a challenge—not when it comes to her family, and not when it comes to love.
Joaquin believes he’s all wrong for the wealthiest gal in Texas—he’s got one too many family issues keeping him from surrendering his heart to lovely, innocent Zoe. Until shocking allegations surface about her family drama and Joaquin realizes that he might be the ideal match for his Texas princess after all!
MEET THE FORTUNES
Fortune of the Month: Zoe (Fortune?) Robinson
Age: 25
Vital statistics: She is the beautiful, sheltered daughter of computer guru Gerald Robinson—who just might be Jerome Fortune.
Claim to Fame: Zoe handles marketing for Robinson Tech. She is also a pro at “handling” some challenging family members, including her dear old dad.
Romantic prospects: She’s the boss’s daughter, which some might find highly appealing. For Joaquin Mendoza, it means she’s wearing a big sign that says Keep Off.
“They say women of my generation don’t believe in fairy tales. We are not sitting around waiting to be rescued by a handsome prince—we take care of ourselves.
“That may be true, but I still believe in love at first sight. And in recognizing your One True Love when he comes along. For me, that’s Joaquin Mendoza. He’s gorgeous and sexy, but he’s so much more. I feel as if I can see straight into his soul. He wants me, too—I just know it—and I want him to be my first. My first, my last, my only. But my strong, silent hero is holding back. Joaquin has no idea how alike we really are...”
THE FORTUNES OF TEXAS: ALL FORTUNE’S CHILDREN—Money. Family. Cowboys. Meet the Austin Fortunes!
Dear Reader
When my parents moved our family to central Florida, Disney World was right in my backyard. Living so close to the Magic Kingdom fueled my love of fairy tales. There was nothing like gazing up at Cinderella’s castle or meeting Snow White in person. It’s no wonder that I grew up believing I would marry Prince Charming—and I did! See, fairy tales really do come true!
That’s why I related so well to Zoe Fortune Robinson, the heroine in Fortune’s Prince Charming. Zoe is fully prepared to keep kissing frogs until she finds her prince. Enter Joaquin Mendoza. It’s not just that he’s tall, dark and drop-dead gorgeous that makes Zoe believe he might be The One. There’s something about Joaquin that’s different from any guy she’s ever met. He just might be the man to help her glue her own family back together after devastating allegations surface about her father—her original knight in shining armor. But Joaquin is harboring a dark secret of his own, and he must come to terms with his own issues before he and Zoe can ride off into the sunset.
I hope you enjoy Joaquin and Zoe’s story as much as I loved writing it. Please look me up on Facebook at Facebook.com/nrobardsthompson or drop me a line at [email protected].
Warmly,
Nancy Robards Thompson
Fortune’s Prince Charming
Nancy Robards Thompson
National bestselling author Nancy Robards Thompson holds a degree in journalism. She worked as a newspaper reporter until she realized reporting “just the facts” bored her silly. Much more content to report to her muse, Nancy loves writing women’s fiction and romance full-time. Critics have deemed her work “funny, smart and observant.” She resides in Florida with her husband and daughter. You can reach her at nancyrobardsthompson.com and Facebook.com/nancyrobardsthompsonbooks.
Books by Nancy Robards Thompson
Harlequin Special Edition
Celebrations, Inc.
His Texas Christmas Bride
How to Marry a Doctor
A Celebration Christmas
Celebration’s Baby
Celebration’s Family
Celebration’s Bride
Texas Christmas
Texas Magic
Texas Wedding
The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country
My Fair Fortune
The Fortunes of Texas: Welcome to Horseback Hollow
Falling for Fortune
The Fortunes of Texas: Whirlwind Romance
Fortune’s Unexpected Groom
The Baby Chase
The Family They Chose
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
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This book is dedicated to Jennifer.
Never forget you’re a princess. All my love, always.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
Excerpt from James Bravo’s Shotgun Bride by Christine Rimmer
Chapter One
“Zoe Robinson, you could have your choice of any man in this restaurant. Why must you fixate on the one guy you can’t have?”
Zoe pursed her lips and tested her friend Veronica’s theory, letting her gaze do a quick sweep of the people in the Gilded Pig’s dining room. The rustic joint was jam-packed with its usual lunchtime clientele. Strains of a heartfelt country tune set the backdrop for the scene—mostly businessmen of varying ages, shapes and sizes who pushed up their shirtsleeves and tucked paper napkins into their collars to protect their white button-downs from what was arguably Austin’s finest barbecue. Even though the room contained an appetizing smorgasbord of men, not a single one in the large barn-turned-restaurant piqued her interest. Each and every one of them probably had fine qualities and was certainly worthy of someone’s love, but not a single one did anything for Zoe. Not even the cute guy who was grinning at her over his pulled pork sandwich.
As the music—Tim McGraw maybe?—asserted something about being a real bad boy who at the same time was a real good man—she flashed a noncommittal smile at the guy and turned back to Ronnie.
“Why fixate on Joaquin Mendoza? Because I can’t get him out of my mind. That’s why.”
Ronnie scrunched up her face the way she always did before she stuck a big fat reality-check pin in Zoe’s balloon of possibility. “That would be very romantic, Zoe, if only he would ask you out. Or even better, if he would talk to you about something other than business.”
Okay. So, maybe Ronnie had a point.
Still, Joaquin Mendoza had swept her off her feet from the moment he’d first walked into Robinson Tech several months ago. Actually he’d captivated her the first time she’d met him when her sister Rachel married his brother Matteo, last year. They’d been paired as maid of honor and best man, but the focus of the weekend had been on the bride and groom and, at the time, Zoe had no
idea her father would end up hiring him as a programmer at Robinson Tech to work on a special project.
It wasn’t simply that he was older and tall and good-looking—no, scratch that—the guy was gorgeous. There was something about the cool way he held himself, and he had the strangest ability to put all of her senses on high alert the minute he ventured within five yards of her. It was like his superpower. Zoe had been ruined for other men since Joaquin Mendoza had walked back into her life three months ago. It was too bad he seemed more interested in work than in getting to know her better.
He hadn’t messed with her equilibrium on purpose, of course. In fact, even after all this time, he didn’t seem to recognize she was a woman who was interested in a man.
A very specific man.
“Okay, if you’re going to be stubborn, maybe you need to take things into your own hands. Who says you have to wait for him to ask you out?” Ronnie continued, straining so that her voice was heard above the music. “I mean, if you like him, maybe you’re the one who needs to break the ice—make sure he knows you’re interested in him. In the past, you’ve never had a problem with making your intentions known.”
Zoe sucked in a long, calming breath, blew it out in a measured gust and took in the Gilded Pig’s decor. A decade ago the space had housed an antiques market. Keeping true to its roots, the Pig was decorated with vintage pieces such as the ornately carved church pews that served as seats for the booths, mirrors with light-reflecting mercury glass that seemed to double the already expansive space, and old wooden chests of drawers and sideboards that held napkins, silverware, condiments, steaming coffeemakers and sweating pitchers of iced tea.
“I don’t know, Ronnie. This feels different.”
“How so?” Ronnie asked.
Zoe thought about it for a moment, but she couldn’t really put it into words. She knew Ronnie thought it was because Joaquin hadn’t pursued her like the other guys. But putting that aside, he wasn’t like anyone else she’d ever known. This was different. Even if she couldn’t define it, she could feel it in her bones.
“Trust me. With him, I think the old-fashioned approach will work better than coming on like gangbusters. He’s a little older than I am and I get the vibe that he likes to be the pursuer. So that’s the new preamble to my Husband List. Let the guy be the hunter and stake his claim.”
“You have a new preamble to the list?” Ronnie asked flatly.
Zoe lifted her chin. “Yes.”
For as far back as Zoe could remember she’d had a list of deal-breaker qualities she wanted in a boyfriend. Over the years the Boyfriend List had morphed into the Husband List. It included things such as must love animals; must make me laugh; must be passionate about his work but must not let work come before me.
“Girl, you are no wallflower. You’ve never had any qualms about making the first move. I would so not sit at home and wait around for a man who can’t seem to catch a clue.”
“Who says I’m sitting around at home?”
“Didn’t you just say you’re waiting for Prince Charming to make the first move?”
“Just because I’m holding out for Prince Charming to ask me out doesn’t mean I’m sitting around.”
“All I’m saying is even Cinderella had to put herself out there to get what she wanted.”
Zoe smiled and sat a little straighter. “I do feel like Cinderella. Only in reverse. Because I’m the one searching for the perfect fit. I’m the new-millennium Cinderella.”
Yeah. She liked that.
Ronnie took a long sip of her sweet tea and then set it down and gave Zoe one of her looks.
“In my book, the new-millennium Cinderella doesn’t even need a prince. She’s her own woman and all she wants is a fun night out and a great outfit.”
The two girlfriends laughed. But Zoe found nothing funny about the way Joaquin looked right past her unless she spoke first. When she spoke, he was always charming and amiable. So at least he didn’t hate her. But there had to be a way to get through to him. Because these dead ends made her feel as though she was losing her mojo. She wasn’t about to toss in the towel without a good try. Well, a try that involved getting him to make the first move.
The server refilled their iced tea and set a mountain of red-velvet cake and ice cream between them. The dessert was so big it could’ve easily fed four hungry adults. But in anticipation of a treat, Zoe had kept lunch light, ordering a salad with grilled chicken. She fully intended to do her fair share of damage to the Pig’s signature dessert.
“Is there anything else I can get for you girls?” the server asked.
Yes, please. One surefire plan for how to get the guy?
“We’re fine, thanks,” said Zoe.
The server smiled. “Just holler if you need me.”
She left them and went to a table across the way where a man was flagging her down.
Zoe settled back into the red-checked cushion that lined the booth’s stark, hard wood.
“Okay, we are not leaving this restaurant until we come up with a foolproof plan to get Joaquin Mendoza to ask me out.”
Veronica sighed and propped her elbow on the table, resting her chin on her left hand and forking up a healthy bite of the cake with her other hand. “Why are you asking me? This is so not my department, Zoe. You’ve always been the one who gets the guys.”
“You’re only as good as your last victory,” Zoe said. “Joaquin is always working, rarely looks up from his computer.”
“Isn’t that why your dad hired him?”
Yes, but...wait a minute...
“I think you’re on to something, Ronnie.”
“I am? Okay.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of this myself.”
“Um. You lost me somewhere between the first bite and the bit about Joaquin’s computer obsession?”
“My dad. He mentioned that he loves Joaquin’s work ethic, but he also said he wished he would get more involved around the office.”
“Did he really say that?”
Zoe nodded.
“In so many words.” She shrugged. “Actually, it was more like he thought Joaquin was sharp and hoped he could find a permanent position for him after he finished the consulting job. So you could interpret that to mean he should get involved.”
Zoe shrugged again as she scooped up a forkful of cake. “Well, he should get involved. With me.” She nodded resolutely and put the bite into her mouth.
“I don’t know, Zoe. Don’t you think you should be careful?”
Zoe swallowed. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, is this going to turn out like all the others?”
Zoe poked at the cake’s white icing with her fork, leaving tine marks that looked like tiny bird footprints on a snowy lawn.
“The others?”
“Come on, Zoe, don’t be coy. You know you love the thrill of the chase. Once you get the guy, you lose interest, you move on.”
That was partially true, but not simply because she had a short attention span. She believed in happily-ever-after. She knew exactly what she was looking for in a man and she didn’t intend to settle. What was the use of hanging on to a guy who was wrong for her? If she knew the relationship wasn’t going anywhere, wasn’t it better to not lead on a guy? So, when the relationship had run its course, it was time to move on. It wouldn’t do anyone any favors, prolonging the inevitable.
“It may seem that way, but it’s not what it seems like. I have my reasons.”
Ronnie arched an eyebrow over a knowing smile.
It wasn’t as everyone thought. She had her reasons for moving on. Reasons she didn’t care to discuss with anyone—not even Ronnie—because it was a little too personal.
Why did everyone have to be so judgmental, anyway? Especially w
hen they didn’t know the full story. Even if she did like to flirt, she was young and free and she had high standards.
She wasn’t sorry about that.
How would she ever meet her prince if she didn’t do a little kissing? She was down with meeting her fair share of frogs to find Prince Charming.
And speaking of kissing— “I have a plan. I’m going to ask Joaquin to help me put together a new website for the launch of the new FX350 Tablet.”
Ronnie frowned. “Doesn’t Phil in design handle things like that?”
“Maybe, but not this time. Plus, Phil is swamped with other projects. He will probably welcome the help. Since Joaquin is such a computer geek, he has to know how to do a simple website. He can help out a damsel in distress.”
She batted her eyes and fanned herself with her napkin. “What gentleman doesn’t like coming to a lady’s rescue?”
* * *
The project meeting lasted much longer than Joaquin expected, and he was behind schedule with his report. That meant he’d have to burn the midnight oil. But what was new? Late nights in the office had become a way of life since he’d come to Austin. In the three months since he’d moved from Miami, he’d traded dinners at South Beach restaurants for microwaved frozen meals eaten at his desk.
The sound of a knock on his open office door jolted him from memories of the Miami club scene back to his office at Robinson Tech.
Joaquin looked up at the sound of a knock on his open office door.
Zoe Robinson stood there like a vision in black and pink. Damn, she was a stunning woman.
“Are you busy?” she asked.
“I’m always busy.” He minimized his computer screen, more out of habit than for privacy. “But come on in.”
He could’ve set his watch by her visit. She seemed to find her way by his office most afternoons around this time. He really didn’t mind, even if her reasons for stopping by were usually thinly veiled. He’d been around the block enough to know when a woman was flirting with him.
He had to admit he was flattered by her attention, but that was as far as it would go. She was a nice kid. And she was exceptionally easy on the eyes. Hell, she was innocently sexy with that long, honey-brown hair that hung midway down her back. Don’t even get him started on those big gold-flecked chocolate eyes of hers that seemed to change colors with her moods and tempted him to stare a little too long.
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