Giving her his best smile, he said, “Not at all. It’s a warm, gorgeous day. I have a beautiful woman to enjoy it with. What could possibly be wrong?”
Leaning forward, she kissed his cheek and in that moment, Mason realized his heart was lying right in the palm of her hand. No matter how hopeless it all seemed, he had to stick it out to the bitter end.
“You don’t want fried chicken for lunch. That’s it, isn’t it?” she teased.
He grunted with amusement. “Fried chicken? Who said anything about that?”
She snuggled closer and Mason’s gaze focused on her soft lips. If the two of them weren’t sitting on a public bench, he’d kiss her until his mind was blank of worries. Until nothing mattered except making love to her.
She said, “I did. It’s my favorite meal. Do you think we could find any around here?”
On this perfect Sunday the heiress wanted fried chicken. Maybe there was still hope for a future with her, he thought wryly. Could it be that deep down she was just a regular girl looking for a regular guy? For today he was going to let himself believe just that.
*
“This is the best news I’ve heard since my daughter and her husband decided to call off the divorce.” Dennis grinned happily at Sophie, who was standing in front of his desk. “And this is all your doing, Sophie. I’m proud of you.”
Any other time Sophie would’ve felt like dancing around her boss’s office. But not today. The satisfaction she felt over her worthy accomplishment was dimmed by the reality that she’d be going to the Fortune Ranch tonight instead of spending it making love to Mason.
“I really didn’t do anything special, Dennis. Once I pointed out all the gaps in the new insurance coverage, Ben was in agreement to come up with an improved plan. That’s why he’s a sharp businessman. He realizes happy employees are much more productive.”
“Well, I only hope that your family and everyone in this building can see what a conscientious person you are. How hard you work for everyone’s benefit, not just your own.”
Yes, Dennis would praise her. As for her family, she wasn’t sure any of them took that much notice of her work or what she hoped to do with her life. Her mother considered her flighty and Olivia thought she was foolish. No telling what the others were thinking, especially now that gossip about her ditching Thom and picking up Mason was circulating around the building.
“Thanks, Dennis. Coming from you that means a lot.”
He started to say something else when the phone on his desk rang. “Excuse me, Sophie. I’d better get this. It’s a call I’ve been waiting on.”
Once she left Dennis’s office, she spotted Olivia waving an arm to catch her attention.
The two women met near the alcove where Mason had comforted her the day she’d overheard the nasty talk in the restroom. He’d made her feel special and given her the extra strength she’d needed to keep her chin up. Had she been falling in love with him then? Or had the love she felt for him as a friend suddenly blossomed like a seed in springtime? She didn’t know. She only knew that her feelings for Mason were growing so big they were scaring her.
“What’s up?” Sophie asked her sister.
“I wanted to see what you’re wearing to the dinner party tonight. I went out on my lunch hour today and bought a new gown. I hope it’ll be okay.”
Sophie shrugged. “I haven’t thought about it. I’m sure I can find something in my closet to impress the Fortunes.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Sophie, we are the Fortunes, too.”
“How could I forget?” Sophie asked sardonically. “We’re getting new Fortune relatives every day.”
Olivia regarded her skeptically. “Is that what’s eating at you? You’re afraid Ben is going to use the setting tonight to announce another one of Dad’s illegitimate children? Forget it. He wouldn’t do anything that crass. Not in front of Mother.”
Sophie hoped not.
Sighing, she said, “I really don’t want to go to this party tonight.”
Olivia frowned at her. “Why? It will be fun to go to the Fortune Ranch. Maybe Kate will give us some of her fabulous cosmetics. Especially her famous Youth Serum. And it will give you an opportunity to show Mason our side of the family. You have invited him, haven’t you?”
Olivia’s question caught her by complete surprise. “No. I haven’t invited him. I’m going alone.”
Olivia’s big brown eyes grew even wider. “Alone! But why? I understand that things ended rather quickly with Thom and developed even faster with Mason, but that’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I’m just happy that you came to your senses and latched on to a nice man. And tonight would give you a chance to show Mother and Dad that you’re serious about Mason. You are, aren’t you?”
Sophie’s mind was suddenly whirling. Not only with thoughts of Mason, but also about Olivia, and how her sister appeared to know so much about Sophie’s personal life. She hadn’t told anyone in her family about Mason yet. She’d been waiting for the right time. And waiting, too, for Mason to show some sign that he wanted their relationship to be the permanent kind. But so far he hadn’t mentioned anything about love, much less forever.
“How did you know about Mason?”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Sophie, I’m not blind. I’ve seen the two of you at Bernie’s with your heads together. And Mother tells me you’ve been staying out late every night. It’s not hard to put two and two together.”
Sophie felt her cheeks turning red. “Mother has noticed me being gone? That’s surprising. She hasn’t mentioned it to me. I wonder why she said something about it to you.”
Olivia shrugged. “Who knows? She probably thinks you’ll get defensive and clam up.”
The same way that she did? The suspicious thought raced through Sophie’s mind, but she kept it to herself. Just as she’d kept to herself the image of Charlotte sitting at Gerald’s desk in the wee hours of the morning.
“Maybe so,” Sophie murmured. “And considering everything, she does have a lot on her mind.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Olivia said. “Well, I need to get back to my desk. I’ll see you tonight. Since you’re not taking Mason, are you riding out to the ranch with Mother and Dad?”
Cooped up for miles in the frozen atmosphere of her parents’ car would be more than Sophie could endure for one evening. “No. I’ll be taking my car. Why don’t you ride with me?”
“Thanks, Sophie. I’ll come out early. We’ll get ready together and make it a real sister night.” Olivia dropped a swift kiss on her cheek, then walked away.
Tonight would give you a chance to show Mother and Dad that you’re serious about Mason.
Olivia’s words continued to nag at Sophie and by the time she passed the entrance to R&D, she was very nearly ready to walk straight to his desk and beg him to go with her to the Fortune bash.
But then she remembered how forward she’d been with Thom and how quickly it had all blown up in her face. No, she wasn’t going to press Mason into attending the family outing with her. If he ever decided he was ready to take that serious step, she wanted him to do it on his own. Not because she was pushing and prodding him toward a proposal of marriage.
But would he ever want to take such a step with her?
Her throat aching with raw emotions, she hurried down the corridor and wondered why love had to surround itself with so much pain and worry.
Love? Is that the reason she felt so melancholy? Because she was finally and truly in love?
She was going to have to answer that question and soon. Because something was telling her that Mason was about to demand the truth of her feelings. About him and her, and what she wanted for the future.
Chapter Thirteen
Her petite curves draped with an organza gown of pale peach, and her long hair twisted into an elaborate chignon, Sophie glanced over the rim of her cocktail glass at the guests gathered in the grand room of the Fortune Ranch house.
The
men were all dressed in dark, elegant suits, while the women wore long, bejeweled gowns, the cost of which would’ve fed a family of four for months.
“I used to think our home was elaborate, but this place is unbelievable.” Olivia shook her head with awe. “Makes me wonder how long it took Kate to put her stamp on the place. I doubt it looked like this when it was the Silver Spur Ranch. Look at those drapes. There’s enough material there to open a fabric store. And every room seems to have a bar. I suppose Kate wants to make sure she keeps her guests relaxed.”
The place was more than elaborate, Sophie agreed. It was like stepping into a fairy tale where everything was too beautiful and lavish to be real. Wide archways on three sides of the room made the area appear even more spacious. Instead of artificial lighting, the middle of the incredibly tall ceiling was lit by the stars shining through an enormous skylight. To the right, several feet away from Sophie and Olivia was a marble fireplace with an elevated hearth. Presently, mesquite logs crackled and simmered, throwing off enough heat to make the room comfortable for the women with bared shoulders.
“Well, I’ll say one thing, everything is done tastefully. The western accents are just enough to let a person know they’re in Texas. But not enough to be ostentatious.”
A young male server paused in front of the two women. Sophie chose a canapé made with gulf shrimp and cream cheese. Olivia placed her empty cocktail glass on the man’s tray and picked up a fresh one.
Maybe that was what she needed, Sophie thought ruefully. A bit of alcohol to numb the raw edges of her nerves. But she’d never much cared for the stuff. Besides, a cocktail wasn’t going to make her forget about her parents’ sham of a marriage, or the real idea that Mason only wanted her for a lover.
“Mother looks especially nice tonight,” Olivia commented as she sipped her drink. “That pale blue dress flatters her.”
“She’d look even better if she would smile,” Sophie said dully. “But in her situation I suppose she’s forgotten how.”
Olivia slanted her a disappointed look. “Sophie, what in the world is coming over you? I’m the cynical one. Not you. Where’s that cheerful attitude of yours?”
Sophie let out a long sigh. “You’re right. I’m going to go mix and mingle and try to lift my spirits.”
For the next hour, she moved around the crowd, greeting other family members, including her new stepbrother, Keaton Fortune Whitfield. Eventually she found herself face-to-face with Kate Fortune and her husband, Sterling Foster. Expecting the woman to be austere, Sophie was pleasantly surprised when Kate greeted her with sincere warmth.
By the time their short chat had ended, Sophie had to admit that Kate Fortune was an incredible woman. At ninety-one she looked years younger. Her slim figure remained straight and spry and her skin as dewy and fresh as a first rose in spring. No doubt a result of using her famous Youth Serum cream.
However, Kate’s appearance was only a part of her dynamic presence. She had a razor-sharp mind, especially concerning business. The billionaire matriarch obviously had the knack to accurately gauge the needs of the consumer and to come up with the perfect product.
Yet as impressed as she was with Kate Fortune, it was her husband that touched Sophie in an emotional way. The suave, elderly gentleman was clearly very much in love with his wife. Each time he looked at her or lightly touched her hand, it was like he was touching an angel.
Was it crazy for Sophie to want that same thing for herself?
Sophie was standing at the back of the room, mulling over the question as she watched her mother and father interact with the other guests. So far tonight, the only time she’d seen them together was when they’d first arrived.
That sad fact shouldn’t be bothering Sophie so much. It wasn’t like her parents had been all lovey-dovey and then, all at once, everything had gone cold. But since she and Mason had become intimate, Sophie had started to look at everything differently. And she was seeing more and more how love, and nothing else, mattered in this world.
“It’s a nice party, don’t you think?”
The soft, feminine voice had Sophie turning to see a petite woman with wavy blonde hair that barely touched her shoulders. Her dress was a romantic floral with a delicate ruffle edging the neckline.
Until this moment, Sophie hadn’t spotted this pretty young woman in the crowd of guests. And though she didn’t immediately recognize her, something about her face seemed vaguely familiar.
Sophie said, “Yes. Ms. Fortune and her husband have certainly gone all out.”
The woman, who appeared to be around Sophie’s age, moved closer and thrust out her hand in greeting. “I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Chloe Elliott. And you are?”
Even though the woman was smiling warmly, the only thing Sophie could feel was icy shock. This was her father’s illegitimate daughter! What was she doing here? Why did she think she could come here and mingle with Sophie and her brothers and sisters as though she were one of them?
Ignoring her outstretched hand, Sophie’s expression turned as cold as the sick feeling inside her. “I’m Sophie Fortune Robinson. And don’t ever think of calling me sister! Because you’re not my sister! And you never will be!”
Chloe Elliott appeared totally stunned, but not nearly as much as Sophie. Horrified by the words that had come out of her mouth, she hurried across the enormous room and snatched up a glass from a tray full of drinks.
Not bothering to determine what the amber tinged drink might be, she took a giant swig and instantly choked on the fire sliding down her throat.
“Sophie! Are you all right?”
Glancing up, Sophie saw her mother frowning at her with a mixture of concern and admonition.
Careful to keep her voice hushed, Sophie answered, “No! I am not all right! I really want to leave!”
Thankfully, Charlotte didn’t ask her why. Instead, she took a firm hold on Sophie’s shoulder. “Leaving is out of the question. You’re not going to embarrass yourself or your family. There are times, Sophie, when we women have to be strong and plaster a happy smile on our faces. This is one of those times. So don’t disappoint me—or your father.”
Sophie looked at her in amazement, while fighting the urge to laugh hysterically. Disappoint her father? Hadn’t Charlotte already noticed her husband’s illegitimate daughter walking among the guests? Didn’t she care?
After downing a second, more careful sip of her drink, Sophie said, “All right, Mother. I’ll pretend—for tonight. But don’t expect me to keep pretending. I simply can’t be like you.”
*
By the next afternoon, Mason was more than smarting over Sophie’s decision to go to the Fortune party without him. It wasn’t that he was all that keen to rub elbows with wealthy society. To be honest, he would have probably felt uncomfortable during the whole affair. No, his feelings went deeper than that. Sophie had dismissed him as though he was the last person she would consider good enough to mix and mingle with her family.
All last night, he’d sat in his apartment alone, brooding and calling himself all sorts of a fool. It was plain he was headed down a dead-end path with Sophie. The two of them came from entirely different worlds. Just the thought of asking her to marry him, to live with him in a home he provided her, was laughable. And in the end, that was most likely what he’d get from her. A laugh. The sort of home he could give Sophie would never measure up. The sort of life he could afford to give her would always fall short. It would never work. No matter how much he dreamed and hoped and tried.
“Hey, handsome. Ready for a coffee break?”
The sound of Sophie’s sweet voice shot right through his churning thoughts as she walked into his cubicle.
A red knit dress clung to her perfect little curves while her long hair was swept behind her ear on one side. She looked good enough to eat and it was all Mason could do to keep from pulling her into his arms.
Steeling himself against her charming smile, he raised his brows with faint surprise. “A coffee break? Aren’t you worried that someone will see us talking, or God forbid, touching one another?”
His sarcasm clearly stunned her. Well, it had stunned Mason, too. He didn’t want to be mean. Nor did he want to hurt her. But he was tired of giving in to her without getting any sort of reassurances that their relationship meant more to her than jumping into bed together.
Her smile faded as she walked over and leaned a hip against the edge of his desk.
“Actually, I’m not worried. I don’t give a damn about gossipers anymore.”
“Really? You couldn’t prove it by me.”
She frowned at him in confusion. “Mason, what’s wrong?”
You’re breaking my heart and you don’t even know it. That’s what’s wrong.
The words were silently screaming inside him as he turned the chair so that he was facing his computer screen instead of her.
“Nothing. I’m way behind on my work.”
A long stretch of silence passed till she asked, “What about tonight? Maybe we could go to Pedro’s.”
A few days ago, he’d have felt like she’d handed him the moon. Now her offer felt like too little, too late.
“Sorry. I’ve promised my brothers to go with them to a Spurs game. So I’m going to San Antonio tonight. I won’t be home.”
She let out a groan of disgust. “Basketball,” she muttered. “I’ve never been so sick of hearing about sports events in my entire life!”
Anger had him whirling the chair so that he was facing her once again. “And I’m sick of hearing how hard it is for you to be a Fortune!”
Her Sweetest Fortune Page 17
