The Taming of Delaney Fortune (The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country)

by Michelle Major

  He took a deep breath, the vise that had gripped his chest for the past several days slowly loosening. “I’m pretty sure I do, Dad. Thank you.”

  Orlando smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but Matteo grabbed the back of the empty seat and slid into it before he could. “Are we talking more about how royally my perfect brother has messed up his perfect life?” he said, cuffing Cisco gently on the shoulder before picking up the burger from Cisco’s plate and taking a large bite. “Because I want in on that.”

  “Give it your best shot,” Cisco answered, his mind already spinning as he tried to come up with a plan for how to win Delaney back once and for all. “I’m an idiot.”

  Matteo crumpled up his napkin and threw it on the table. “It kind of ruins the fun when you admit it.”

  “Ease up,” Orlando said in his father-knows-best tone.

  “I’m only joking,” Matteo answered. “Believe it or not, I like having you around, even though you can be a smug, pompous jack—”

  “Matteo,” their father growled.

  Cisco barked out a laugh. “He’s right, Dad.”

  “I like you even better with Delaney.” Matteo waved the waitress away when she came toward the table, then helped himself to a long drink of Cisco’s iced tea. “She makes you almost human.”

  Cisco glanced at his father, who gave him an approving nod. “She won’t speak to me or take my calls,” he told his brother. “It makes it difficult to grovel.”

  “Don’t give up,” Orlando told him, his voice gentle and serious at the same time. “If you really love her, don’t ever give up. Whatever it takes.”

  “Do you love her enough?” Matteo asked.

  Cisco met his brother’s dark eyes, so similar to his own, and nodded. “But I don’t know how to make her believe me. I’m pretty sure her whole family hates me, which doesn’t help matters. Hell, Gabi will barely speak to me.”

  “The Fortunes will come around,” Matteo said, his certainty at odds with Cisco’s worry. “They’re a...complicated family. They’ve been through a lot and have overcome it. You have to make Delaney understand that you’re in this for the right reasons and the long haul. I’d bet her family will support whatever she decides.”

  “Then I have to find a way to convince her,” Cisco agreed. He pressed his palms on the worn table as an idea occurred to him. “And I think you and Rachel can help me. Can I count on you, bro?”

  “A chance to bail you out of trouble for once?” Matteo picked up the burger again. “Count me in. Mendoza to the rescue.”

  Cisco felt adrenaline course through him. Not the kind he’d experienced as he worked a real estate deal. This was bigger, deeper, and he welcomed the intensity, let it soak into his bones. He wouldn’t have ever guessed his life would end up on its current course, but nothing was going to stop him from getting what he wanted.

  * * *

  “This was a mistake,” Delaney said on a moan, splashing water across her face in the restroom at the Hollows Cantina two nights later.

  “You can’t hide in here all night.” Stacey handed her a paper towel, then leaned a hip against the granite counter. “The food is probably getting cold and the guys are going to wonder where we went.”

  “Weren’t you the one who told me to give Cisco a second chance?” Delaney dried her cheeks and hands, turning to her sister. “I thought we were having a casual dinner, meeting Colton for Mexican and margaritas. I wanted you to take my mind off Cisco. Instead you’ve dragged me out on a double date.”

  “It’s not exactly a double date,” Stacey said patiently. “Jon is an old friend of Colton’s and he’s passing through town just for the night, so we invited him along with us.”

  “He brought me flowers.” Delaney threw up her hands in frustration. “That feels an awful lot like a date.”

  Stacey looked a tiny bit abashed. “Colton mentioned to him that you just went through a tough breakup. He wanted to make you feel better.”

  “I want Cisco to make me feel better,” Delaney answered, trying not to sound as desperate as she felt. After she’d seen him at the Grill, Cisco had stopped calling and texting her. Forty-eight full hours had gone by without a single word from him. Then this afternoon a package had arrived at the ranch. She’d opened the box to find a pair of the most perfect red cowboy boots made from soft, thick leather and exactly her size. There was no card included, but they were expensive, definitely custom-made, and she knew without a doubt that Cisco had sent them. She couldn’t imagine how much he’d spent to have a pair of boots made and shipped so quickly, but what touched her was that in the midst of everything going on, he remembered how upset she’d been about losing her favorite pair of boots when she’d hurt her ankle.

  Her mother had been shocked when she’d burst into fat, drippy tears as she’d tried them on. Delaney had retreated to her room, only to have Stacey appear an hour later, insisting on going out to dinner. It was clear Jeanne Marie had made the suggestion, so Delaney couldn’t say no.

  Now she was at the Cantina, with a very kind, handsome stranger waiting at the table. She was wearing boots given to her by a man who confused and infuriated her even as he made her love him even more with his thoughtful gesture. Colton’s friend Jon owned a ranch in southwest Oklahoma. He was clear-eyed and uncomplicated, just the sort of guy Delaney had always imagined herself settling down with. Until Cisco. The only man who made her feel things—want things—she hadn’t even known existed in life.

  “I’m not telling you to forget about Cisco and move on with Jon.” Stacey smoothed a loose strand of hair away from Delaney’s face. “But have fun tonight. If things are meant to be with Cisco, they will work themselves out. You hiding away at the ranch crying your eyes out all day isn’t going to help.”

  “I haven’t been crying all day.” That part was true. There might be a hole in her heart, but working on a ranch didn’t leave time for hours of self-reflection. She’d gone back to work, keeping busy so she wouldn’t be tempted to sink into more melancholy. But the boots... Stacey couldn’t possibly blame her for reacting to the boots.

  Her sister leaned forward for a quick hug. “Come on, Delaney. Let’s go back to the table and have a nice dinner. Jon doesn’t have expectations. Just enjoy tonight.”

  “I’ll try.” Delaney followed her sister through the restaurant, waving to Wendy Fortune Mendoza as she went.

  “Thank you again for the flowers,” she said to Jon when she got to the table. “It was really nice of you.”

  “My pleasure,” the handsome cowboy told her. He gave her a friendly smile that just made her heart hurt more.

  No expectations. Enjoy tonight, she reminded herself. He stood as she sat next to him, adjusting the small bouquet at the edge of the table. Her eyes tracked to the front of the restaurant and she was suddenly grateful for the chair underneath her. Her legs turned to rubber and she landed with a plop, her fingers still holding on to the flowers, lifting them as if they were a shield. Cisco had walked into the restaurant with Rachel Robinson.

  Fresh pain washed over Delaney again. From everything Rachel had told her and Delaney had witnessed, her friend was deeply in love with Matteo Mendoza. Then why was she here with Cisco? Why was his hand on her back as Wendy walked them through the restaurant?

  He glanced toward her table and she registered shock and something else on his face.

  “The yellow ones match your hair,” a voice whispered near her ear.

  She turned to Jon, who smiled at her, unaware of the scene playing out in the restaurant. Delaney forced a smile, glancing over her shoulder to see Cisco scowling in her direction.

  “Oh, no,” Stacey muttered, her eyes following Delaney’s. “This could be a problem.”

  “No trouble tonight,” Delaney said, turning back to the table and swallowing down tears. “Maybe I neede
d to see that, Stacey. It just proves I should be out having fun.” She smiled again, surprised when her cheeks didn’t crack from the effort. She felt wooden and empty, but she wasn’t going to let Cisco see that. Obviously it hadn’t taken him long to bounce back. It still shocked her to see him with Rachel, and she wondered if Matteo knew about this dinner. The cowboy boots were suddenly heavy on her feet, a fresh reminder of how naive she was. Part of her wanted to take them off and hurl the boots at Cisco’s handsome head.

  But Delaney wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much seeing him with Rachel affected her. Instead she straightened her spine, gritted her teeth and proceeded to laugh and flirt with the man next to her, even as fresh heartbreak threatened to drown her in misery.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “You should go over there and explain that this isn’t how it looks,” Rachel told Cisco for the third time since they’d been seated in the Cantina.

  “And interrupt her date?” Cisco shook his head, his jaw so tight it ached. “No way.”

  “She probably thinks we’re on a date,” Rachel argued.

  “That’s ridiculous. You’re with Matteo—”

  “Who’s running late.” Rachel moved in her seat, looking toward the front of the restaurant. “I wish he would just get here already.”

  “I’m not going to make a scene and if I tried to talk to Delaney with that cowboy hanging all over her, there would definitely be a scene.”

  “It doesn’t seem like he’s hanging on her,” Rachel told him, shifting her gaze. “They are sitting next to each other. No touching.”

  “She has flowers,” Cisco bit out. “And stop staring.”

  Rachel ignored him. “She’s also wearing the cowboy boots you described. That’s a good sign.”

  “Not as good as if she were having dinner with me instead of him.”

  “You said yourself you need to earn a place in her life.” Rachel flipped open her menu. “Isn’t that what this night’s about? Are you having second thoughts? Because love in real life isn’t easy, Cisco. You’ll have to stick by her side whether things are good or bad. Delaney is a bit of a firecracker...”

  “I love that about her,” he said, and didn’t bother to hide the emotion in his voice. He trusted Rachel.

  “Then you’ll have to fight for her no matter what. Even when it would be easier to walk away.”

  “I plan to,” he agreed.

  “And no more secrets,” Rachel continued. “For love to work, you have to be willing to lay it all on the line. I know it isn’t easy—trust me.”

  He saw a shadow cross her eyes and wondered for a moment what put it there. He was certain it wasn’t his brother, who was so madly in love he could barely see straight. “I’m glad things worked out with you and Matteo. You make him happy, Rachel.”

  She grinned and he was happy to see it reached her eyes. “It goes both ways. I hope you can find that same happiness with Delaney.”

  “Me, too.” A waitress approached the table and Cisco ordered a beer and Rachel a margarita plus nachos to share. They’d wait for the rest of their group before getting food. As he looked up, he saw Delaney, Stacey, Colton and the cowboy walking toward the front entrance. Delaney kept her gaze straight ahead, but Stacey turned and gave him a small wave and apologetic smile. For some reason that gesture made him feel a little better.

  He knew it didn’t truly matter who Delaney was out with tonight. There could be a mile-long line of cowboys in front of her door and he’d fight his way through all of them to get to her. As far as Cisco was concerned, Delaney was his. He just needed to prove it to her in a way she couldn’t ignore.

  Matteo and Christopher Fortune walked into the Cantina a few minutes later, both looking a little dazed.

  “You ran into Stacey and Delaney, I take it,” Rachel said with a laugh as Matteo took the seat next to her and leaned in for a kiss.

  Matteo nodded, swallowing visibly. “I thought Gabi was scary when she was mad, but those two...”

  “My sisters are a force to be reckoned with,” Christopher said, “especially when they’re together. It’s probably good that Kinsley had another meeting tonight she couldn’t cancel. She’d love the chance to tell you what she thinks of how you’ve handled this.” He turned to Cisco as he sank into the last empty chair at the table. “You’ve got to make things better with Delaney, man. You picked the wrong cowgirl to cross.”

  “I’m trying,” Cisco said for what felt like the tenth time in the past few days. “She’s not making it easy.”

  “Things that are worth having aren’t always easy,” Christopher told him, and ordered a beer when the waitress came back to the table. He took one of the cheese-covered chips from the plate of nachos she set in front of them.

  “That’s why I wanted to talk to you.” Cisco scrubbed his hand across his face, trying to settle his emotions. He had one shot with Christopher Fortune and he didn’t want to mess this up, too. “I appreciate you meeting me here. I know I’m not the most popular man in the Fortune Jones family right now.”

  “Understatement,” Christopher said with a short laugh. “I like it. You’re lucky I think so highly of Rachel and your brother. They’ve assured me you’re not quite the rat bastard everyone around here assumes.”

  “Great,” Cisco muttered. Then he took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to give up on Delaney and his chance with her. It was scary and harder than the most complicated deal he’d ever brokered. But she was worth every change he was making in his life. She was the reason for every change.

  “So you’re working with Alden Moore?” Christopher asked, unknowingly giving Cisco the perfect way to broach the subject that had made him set up this meeting in the first place.

  He glanced at Matteo, who gave him an encouraging nod. Funny, that. He’d always been the one to lead and push his siblings. Surprisingly, it felt good to rely on his family’s support after so long on his own.

  “Not anymore,” he answered, meeting Christopher’s gaze. “We couldn’t come to an agreement about the plans for the condo development, so I resigned from Cowboy Country earlier today.”

  Christopher’s brows rose. “Is that so? I did a little digging on you, Mendoza. From what I heard, Moore Entertainment had big plans for you on their executive team.”

  “I don’t care about their plans.” Cisco tipped back his beer bottle, taking a long swallow. “I still hope Cowboy Country succeeds. If they change focus and incorporate some of the things that make Horseback Hollow special into the theme park, it could be good for the town. But I won’t be involved going forward.”

  “Where does that leave you?” Christopher bit into another chip. “Are you heading back to Miami? Because Delaney—”

  “I’m not going back to Florida,” Cisco interrupted. “I’m staying in Horseback Hollow. My future is here, with Delaney if I can convince her of that. You might have heard I was investing a decent chunk of my own money in the Cowboy Country venture. That’s not going to happen at this point. I want a clean break with Moore Entertainment.” He shifted in his seat so he more fully faced Christopher. “I want to make a donation—a significant donation—to the local branch of the Fortune Foundation.”

  He wasn’t looking for a ticker-tape parade at the announcement, but he also hadn’t expected the way Christopher’s eyes narrowed on him.

  “It’s true,” Rachel said quickly, filling the awkward silence. “I’ve told Cisco about the foundation’s plans for the community and he wants to be a part of that. He’s committed to Horseback Hollow.”

  “Or he’s trying to buy his way into the family,” Christopher offered. His tone held no temper, but it was clear he doubted Cisco’s motivations.

  Things worth having aren’t always easy, Cisco repeated in his head. “I understand why you might think that,” he answered, sti
ll holding Christopher’s gaze. “I haven’t given you a reason not to, but I’m doing this because I believe in the work you have planned here. The time I spent on your family’s ranch meant a lot to me, and not just because of Delaney. There are strong values in that way of life, deep traditions and roots. I’d never experienced anything like it.”

  “So you’re turning into an overnight cowboy?”

  Cisco shook his head. “I wouldn’t go that far. I respect your father, but not everyone is cut out for ranching.”

  “Amen to that,” Christopher muttered.

  “This place is special,” Cisco continued. “My family might have seen that before I did...”

  “He was always slow on the uptake,” Matteo offered.

  Christopher flashed a grin. “You two remind me of my brothers.”

  Cisco figured that was a good start since Christopher said it with a smile. “Even if Delaney won’t take me back, that doesn’t change my decision about giving the money to the foundation. I want to make a contribution to this town. Give me a chance to do that?”

  “What will you do if she won’t have you again? What happens then?”

  “I keep fighting for her,” Cisco answered without hesitation. “For as long as it takes.”

  “That’s what I wanted to hear.” Christopher clinked his beer bottle against Cisco’s. “Delaney deserves a man who won’t give up on her.”

  “I’m that man, Christopher. That much I promise.”

  * * *

  The sky was vast and robin’s-egg blue as Cisco turned down the long driveway that led to the Fortune Jones ranch the next afternoon. The days were becoming increasingly warmer as they got closer to Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer. The holiday weekend would also mark the planned opening of the Cowboy Country theme park, but Cisco didn’t miss being a part of the planning and preparations. A bead of sweat trickled down his neck under his shirt collar, less a result of the heat than his nerves.