Fortune's Family Secrets

by Karen Rose Smith

  “I am. I’ll catch you then.”

  The man and woman went their separate ways.

  Yes, Cassie did know how to cook. He was trying to forget about that as well as her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she was excited and the sound of her laughter.

  As soon as he walked into the B&B, he sensed Cassie’s presence. She was cleaning up the kitchen.

  He couldn’t help but notice that she looked pale and there were blue half-moons under her eyes. Had she been up most of the night worrying about him? He felt guilty and, along with the love he knew he felt for her, he knew he never wanted to hurt her again. But what was she feeling right now?

  When her gaze met his, he approached the counter. Because of all the emotion he was feeling, his voice was gruff when he asked, “Did Dave text you?”

  “Yes, he did. Thank him for me, will you?”

  Nash gave her a nod before saying, “I came to retrieve my things.”

  Her eyes widened and glistened with sudden emotion. As she came from around the counter, he stepped back.

  “You’re being unfair,” she accused.

  Maybe he’d known that before he walked in the door. Still, he became defensive because she had lied to him. Because he hurt so badly thinking about going home, because he wanted to kiss her more than he wanted to breathe, he returned, “What kind of relationship could we have if you can’t be honest with me?” He held his breath while he waited for her answer.

  “Will you at least hear me out?” she pleaded.

  She looked so doggone pretty in a hot-pink T-shirt and some sort of shorts that looked like a skirt. She was even in her bare feet.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m listening.”

  She sat on one of the stools as if her legs were shaking and wouldn’t hold her up anymore. She faced him. “When I moved here and bought the B&B, I told people my mom had died and so had my dad. That was easier than trying to explain the situation and having to endure looks of pity or horror. Even worse than those was the judgment that went along with knowing my mom was in prison. That relationship I told you about that the guy broke off? He did that when I explained my mother was in prison.” She didn’t give him a chance to speak, drawing a breath and accusing, “You kept secrets, too. Why are mine so much worse than yours?”

  Secrets? Yes, he’d had secrets. But he’d told her all about them. Why couldn’t she have told him? The question ate at him. He skirted the issue and asked, “What did your mother want?”

  Tears came to Cassie’s eyes now and one rolled down her cheek. He felt his chest tighten and his fingers clench.

  “My mother was and is an alcoholic. In my last year of college, she was driving drunk and hit another car. The man died. She was charged with vehicular homicide.”

  “What did you do?” Nash asked.

  “I was on my own. My high school art teacher and I had stayed in touch. When she learned I had to move out of our rented apartment, she let me stay with her. Between my scholarship and jobs, I was able to make it. But my mom... When she went to prison, she didn’t want to see me or talk to me. She told me it was better for me that way. So in a way, it was like my mom had died. When she called yesterday...” Cassie’s voice broke. “That was the first I’ve talked to her in years.”

  Although Nash wanted to go to Cassie, he didn’t. “That whole experience had to be awful for you.” Silence lay between them until he asked, “Why did your mom call?”

  “She couldn’t talk long, but she told me she’s been getting counseling and she’s not having cravings.”

  “What about your dad?” he asked. “Is he really dead?”

  “I have no idea if he’s alive or dead. He left when I was a toddler, and my mom never heard from him again. That’s when she started drinking.”

  As he thought about everything Dave had said to him, he imagined himself in Cassie’s shoes. No communication with her mother and no dad. He understood the “no dad” part from personal experience. In his police work he’d seen families broken apart by alcoholism, and he could only imagine what Cassie had experienced. Did he want her to tell him? Would she?

  “I’m going to go upstairs,” he began.

  “You’re leaving?” She looked stricken.

  “No. I’m going to get a shower while you make another pot of coffee. Then I’ll be down and we can talk. Okay with you?”

  She was crying openly now and she nodded.

  Nash climbed the stairs, trying to figure out if following his heart was the foolish thing...or the smart thing to do.

  * * *

  When Cassie had received Dave’s text that Nash was okay, she’d practically collapsed with relief. And now? She didn’t know what was going to happen next. After they talked, Nash would probably leave. Maybe he just didn’t want to leave on a sour note.

  She’d just poured two mugs of coffee when Nash descended the stairs. He looked so good in a cream T-shirt and blue jeans. But she had to steel her heart against what he might say.

  She couldn’t read anything from his expression when he picked up both the mugs and nodded to the sofa. “Let’s go over there and talk.”

  She followed him and sat on the sofa first. To her surprise, he sat right beside her...so close that their legs were touching.

  He took both of her hands in his. “I have been unfair to you, Cassie. None of what happened to you was your fault. You had to cope with it as best you could. I think we both have some trust issues to work through. I’ve done a lot of thinking in the last twelve hours since Dave called me. He helped me look at your story differently. Can you forgive me for saying what I did...for leaving like that and not taking your calls?”

  Obviously, Nash wanted the truth so she had to tell him the truth. “Yes, I can forgive you. But I have to ask—will you bolt again at the first sign of trouble between us?”

  Gazing directly into her eyes now, he revealed, “No, I won’t bolt. Because I realized last night that I love you. I fell hard and fast, though I couldn’t admit it to myself, let alone you. That’s why it hurt so bad when you didn’t tell me about your parents. But I won’t deny my feelings again, because they’re too important. Love doesn’t come around every day. I believe in vows and getting married in a church and swearing before God and everyone that we’ll be committed to each other for a lifetime. Will you marry me?”

  Cassie was shocked and surprised at Nash’s question. Relief poured through her. She gazed at him with all the love she was feeling. “I promise I’ll never keep anything from you again. Yes, I’ll marry you. Would you want me to move to Biloxi? Do you want me to sell the B&B?”

  He was shaking his head. “I don’t want you to sell the B&B. You love it here. And Biloxi? Biloxi was just a stopping-over point for me. I’m going to look into jobs in Austin, either with the police force or with a private security company. But I do think we’ll have to buy a double bed for your suite. We’ll take our time. We’ll get engaged. We’ll really get to know each other.”

  “Will my mother be a stumbling block for you when she gets out of prison?”

  “Your mom gave you the gift of life. You’ve turned out to be a wonderful person, so she can’t be all bad, right? I know you think I see things in black-and-white, and that’s why you couldn’t tell me. But the truth is, since I met you, I see a whole spectrum of colors. We’ll deal with your mom and anything else we have to deal with. I love you that much, Cassie.”

  Cassie took Nash’s face between her hands. “I love you, Nash Tremont.” Her voice was so joyous and her smile so radiant she knew Nash couldn’t have a doubt about her feelings.

  When he took her into his arms to kiss her, a kiss that spoke of love and forgiveness and promise, she knew she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

  After they were both breathless from the kiss, he scooped her up in his arms to carry her to her bedr
oom. “Do you think you can get away for a few days?” he asked her.

  “I suppose I can,” she answered. “Reservations are spotty. I can easily block out a few days. Why?”

  “Because I want to take you to Oklahoma to meet my mother.”

  Cassie had never been this happy, not in her entire life. She kissed Nash’s neck and held on to him tighter. Then he carried her into her suite—their suite now—and closed the door.

  Epilogue

  It was late morning a few days later when Cassie looked around her suite to see what she could do to make it suitable for her and Nash. She’d jotted down a few ideas and she was adding to those when she heard the front door to the B&B open and close...and the sound of boots.

  Nash was back.

  She stuck her head outside the doorway and called to him. “In here.”

  She couldn’t tell anything from his expression as he met her in the doorway.

  He saw the clipboard in her hands and raised his brows. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m redecorating. But I can tell you that later. How did it go with your appointments this morning?”

  “There’s a good chance that I’ll be part of the Austin PD. I’m set up for an interview tomorrow. Of course, they’ll have to do all the background paperwork. One of their homicide detectives retired and they need somebody to fill the spot.”

  “Homicide?” Cassie asked.

  “Does it scare you if I quit white-collar crimes and become a homicide detective? I can probably find a job in private security if it does. I sent a few résumés last night to companies in Austin. We could see which job pans out first.”

  Cassie knew what had happened in Nash’s last relationship...why he would do what she wanted, rather than what he wanted. But that wasn’t the way they were going to live their lives.

  She took his face between her hands and looked straight into his eyes. “I want you to do the work that will fulfill you and satisfy you. That’s what matters to me. If you’re a homicide detective, I’ll trust you to make the right decisions to keep yourself safe. If you want to work for private security, that’s fine with me, too.”

  He gathered her into his arms and gave her a long, deep kiss.

  When she broke away, she told him, “Besides painting the room a color you’d like, I thought we could get rid of the love seat and chair and put in a double bed. We might still have room for the chair.”

  “A double bed, huh?” he asked with a sexy grin. I don’t think we’ll need the chair as long as we have the bed.”

  She laughed, stepped away and then became serious again. “I have a question to ask you.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “My mother said she’d call again soon. When she does, I’m going to ask her if she’ll let me visit her.”

  “All right,” Nash said.

  “I’d like to ask her to put your name on the visitors list, too. I want to tell her about us and I’d like you to meet her.” Cassie studied Nash’s face—the lines she was beginning to know so well, the jut sometimes of his stubborn jaw. Still, she couldn’t tell exactly what he was thinking.

  Not until he said, “I’d like to meet your mother...without judgment. Just face value. Then we’ll go from there.”

  She threw her arms around him again. “Thank you!”

  “I have a question for you, too.”

  “Ask,” she said, ready to tell him anything he wanted to know.

  Before she could realize what he was doing, he’d stepped away and he’d gotten down on one knee. Out of his pocket, he pulled a little black velvet box. When he opened it, she saw a beautiful antique ring of diamonds in white gold. She was speechless.

  “I went to a jeweler who sells estate jewelry. I wanted something unique for you,” Nash explained. “So I’m going to ask you again to make our engagement official. Will you marry me, Cassie Calloway, and spend the rest of your life with me? We can have a short engagement or a long engagement. But I want to know we’re committed to each other.”

  “I’m committed to you,” Cassie said seriously. “And, yes, I’ll marry you...any time, any place...any how.”

  Nash took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger. Then he rose to his feet.

  After he kissed her again, he murmured close to her ear, “I kind of like your single bed. Maybe we should use it as much as we can before we get the double.” With his booted foot, he pushed the door closed, then scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.

  Cassie had no doubt that their trust would grow each day...just as would their commitment and their love.

  * * * * *

  Don’t miss the next installment of the new Harlequin Special Edition continuity THE FORTUNES OF TEXAS: THE RULEBREAKERS

  When Maddie Fortunado’s secret crush, Zach McCarter, becomes the obstacle standing between her and her professional dreams, she knows she has to step up her game. Her first step? A makeover guaranteed to change the girl next door into a heartbreaker...but will love complicate her plans?

  Look for MADDIE FORTUNE’S PERFECT MAN by Nancy Robards Thompson

  And catch up with the Fortune family by reading HER SOLDIER OF FORTUNE by Michelle Major

  NO ORDINARY FORTUNE by USA TODAY bestselling author Judy Duarte

  THE FORTUNE MOST LIKELY TO... by USA TODAY bestselling author Marie Ferrarella

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  From Best Friend to Daddy

  by Jules Bennett

  Chapter One

  “It’s just one glass.”

  Kate McCoy stared at the champagne flute the best man held. He’d flirted with her all night during the wedding rehearsal dinner—and by her estimate in smelling his overwhelming breath, he’d had more than enough for both of them. Thankfully he was just Noah’s cousin and visiting from out of town. As in, he’d be leaving after the nuptials tomorrow afternoon.

  One of Kate’s three best friends, Lucy, was marrying her very own cowboy, and Kate couldn’t be happier. She could, however, do without Noah’s cousin all up in her face.

  “She doesn’t drink.”

  That low, growly tone belonged to Gray Gallagher, her only male best friend and the man who always came to her rescue whether she neede
d him to or not. She could’ve handled herself, but she wasn’t about to turn away backup since Bryan with a Y wasn’t taking her subtle hints.

  Kate glanced over her shoulder and smiled, but Gray’s eyes weren’t on her. That dark, narrowed gaze was focused downward at the best man. Which wasn’t difficult. Gray easily had five inches and an exorbitant amount of muscle tone on Best Man Bryan.

  “Oh, well.” Bryan awkwardly held two flutes in his hand, tossing one back with a shrug. “Perhaps I could get you a soda or some water.”

  “We were just leaving,” Gray growled.

  He slid his arm around her waist and escorted her from the dining area of the country club. Apparently they were indeed leaving because he kept heading toward the exit.

  “I need to at least get my purse before you manhandle me out the door,” she said, swiping her clutch off the table closest to the door, where she’d been chatting with some guests. “And for your information, I was going to have a glass.”

  Gray stopped short in the hallway and turned to her. “You wanted to have a drink with that lame guy? You’ve never drank in your life.”

  Kate shrugged. “It’s my thirtieth birthday.”

  “I’m aware of that.” Eyes as dark as midnight narrowed. “You’re not drinking with him.”

  Should she clue Gray in on her reasoning for wanting to have her first drink on her birthday and at her friend’s wedding?

  True, Kate hadn’t so much as tried a drop of alcohol since her parents had been tragically killed in an accident. Her father had been thirty-five, her mother only thirty-two.

  Now that Kate had hit the big 3-0, she’d started reevaluating everything about her carefully detailed life.

  “C’mon.” Gray slid his hand around her arm and escorted her out the door into the humid Tennessee heat. “If you’re going to have a drink, it’s not going to be with someone who can’t handle champagne at a damn formal dinner.”

  Kate couldn’t help but laugh. “That wasn’t nice.”

  “Wasn’t meant to be. I don’t like how he looked at you.”