Ellie, who almost never cried, had bawled her eyes out all the way home from the Fame and Fortune Ranch.
“I can’t believe how stupid I was,” she’d told Daria when she got home. “I actually thought I could practice on Steven before telling my parents.”
“How’d that work?” Daria asked.
Ellie pointed to her watery eyes, puffy from tears. “I couldn’t walk into their house looking like this. They’d never believe that I have things under control.”
“And what about the attraction? Did telling Steven stifle it?”
“You can say that again.” Ellie rolled her eyes and plopped down on the recliner. “It certainly dashed Steven’s feelings for me.”
“But not yours for him?”
“Oh snap, Daria. I have no idea how I feel.” She raked a hand through her hair. “I take that back. I feel stupid. It’s got to be the pregnancy hormones. They’ve completely chased off my common sense.”
“Did you kiss him?”
“Not really. I mean, he sort of kissed me. Briefly. It was sweet and tentative, but it wasn’t a real one.” Ellie let out whoosh of air and sat back in the chair.
“Ellie,” Daria said, “if his lips lingered on yours for a couple of heartbeats, it was a kiss. Maybe not a let’s-get-naked one. But he kissed you. And no matter how long it lasted, you liked it.”
Yes, that was true. It would have been an amazing kiss—if she hadn’t bolted. But she had. And she’d blasted him with the news of her pregnancy, shocking him senseless and chasing any and all lingering pheromones completely out of his breathing range.
And then she’d left in a rush, nearly tripping over her own feet.
For the rest of the weekend, guilt and embarrassment had hovered over her like a dark cloud ready to release a flood of rain on her at any moment.
Could she have botched things any worse?
Finally, on Monday, a bell-ringing thought struck. What about Steven? It’s not like he was a victim in all of this. Ellie’s revelation might have shocked him, but for a man who always had a charming smile and a ready response, he’d been dumbstruck. And when he did speak, he could have been a little more understanding and a lot kinder.
Even after shifting the blame onto Steven, she slept like crap again, and on Tuesday morning, she woke up tired and out of sorts. So she put off a visit to her mom and dad yet again. She’d made a mistake by dating Mike in the first place and would own up to it. But she wanted to assure her parents that she was happy about the baby and that she had a game plan for the future.
After she showered and blow-dried her hair, she used a little extra makeup, especially concealer under her eyes to hide the darkened, puffy bags. Then she dressed in a pair of black slacks, pulling the zipper up but leaving the top button undone. She chose a loose-fitting blouse and topped it off with a colorful scarf that would draw the eye to her face instead of her waistline.
She’d no more than entered the city hall lobby, her flats clicking against the Spanish tile flooring, when she spotted Steven standing near the water fountain holding a bouquet of yellow roses in one hand and a large pink box in the other. And wouldn’t you know it? He looked just as gorgeous as ever.
What was he doing here?
His sheepish gaze, which seemed to look into the heart of her, suggested he’d come to see her. As he crossed the floor to approach her, any doubt faded.
“I brought you something,” he said, handing her the flowers.
She raised the palm of her hand to stop him. “I’m not allowed to accept gifts from anyone.”
“Even flowers?”
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m taking a bribe.”
Steven’s lips quirked into a playful grin. “Do you always play that strictly by the rules?”
“Yes, I do. And apparently, you’re in the habit of bending them.”
“If I was trying to bribe you, I’d use more than flowers and sweets.” He lifted the lid on the pink box, revealing a variety of doughnuts—glazed, chocolate, twists and a pink cake one with colorful sprinkles.
“They look yummy,” she said, “but I take my job seriously. I also took an oath to uphold the law.”
Still, she peered into the box. She’d only had a light breakfast, and as she got a whiff of the sweet sugary smell, she was tempted.
She reached into her purse and pulled out one of the dollar bills she kept tucked in a small pouch inside. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy that one with the pink frosting and candy sprinkles.”
“Are you serious?” Steven laughed. “You think I’m a doughnut vendor now?”
“That’s the only way I’ll agree to take one.”
For a moment, she thought he might lower the lid, but he took the dollar and waited for her to snatch the one she wanted.
She didn’t wait to take a bite. “Hmm.”
“You realize this never was meant to be a bribe.”
“Then what is it?” she asked.
“A peace offering. I handled things badly on Saturday night, and I’m sorry.”
She scanned the nearly empty lobby. “I’d rather not talk about that here.”
“I realize that. Can we go for a walk?”
She lifted her arm to glance at her wristwatch, a college graduation gift from her parents. She had a meeting scheduled at ten, but she supposed it wouldn’t hurt to take a few minutes to talk to him.
Steven nodded toward the glass door that led to the rose garden, a memorial for one of the beloved town founders, the first of many mayors who’d preceded her in office.
As they strolled toward a cement bench, Steven said, “I’m sorry for being a jerk the other night. You opened your heart to me, and I was so taken by surprise that I didn’t offer you the support you deserved.”
“I should have said something earlier, before…” She glanced at him, and when he nodded, she knew finishing her sentence wasn’t necessary.
“Have you told anyone else yet?” he asked.
“I was going to talk to my parents, but I…haven’t gotten around to it.” Again, she glanced at Steven, and he nodded.
“Would you mind telling me more about the baby’s father?” he asked.
“Why? I told you he’s completely out of the picture.”
“Yes, I know. But I’d like to be a better friend, a better listener.”
So he wasn’t going to run for the hills? They’d still be friends?
Ellie took a quick scan of the garden to assure herself no one was lurking nearby, that she was free to speak. “Mike and I had been dating for a while, and things got serious. But we’d been on different paths for months. He was doing a lot of traveling for work, and I was involved with local politics. We might have stuck it out, more as a habit. But…” She shook her head and continued. “One night, he told he me didn’t want kids—ever. And that was a game changer for me. I mean, it’s not like motherhood was at the top of my priority list, but eventually I would have wanted to have at least one child. So we broke up.”
“When was that?”
“Four months ago. And I didn’t even shed a tear. He flew to South America for an extended photo shoot, and I focused on Rambling Rose, as usual. But before long, I began counting the days and realized I’d gotten pregnant. He’d been downright adamant about not wanting a kid to screw up his life, so I knew he wouldn’t be happy about it, but I figured I’d better tell him.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me to get rid of it. I refused, and he said he was out, that I couldn’t expect anything from him.”
“Wow. What an ass.”
“I realize that now. And I’m embarrassed by it. I mean, I should have picked up on his character flaws sooner than I did.”
“Don’t beat yourself up,” Steven said. “We’ve all misjudged people. It happens.”
“I know. I guess you could call it a lesson learned.”
“Are you happy?” he asked. “I mean, about the baby?”
“Actually, I am. Some days I still can’t believe it. By the middle of August, I’ll be a mother.”
“And a good one.” Steven blessed her with a wink. “There’s no doubt in my mind.”
At times, she had a few doubts herself, even though her adoptive mom had set an amazing example, the best ever. Yet in spite of the outward sign of confidence Ellie had mastered years ago, she always felt as if she struggled between the past and the present.
It didn’t happen very often these days, but occasionally a memory, a conversation, a voice would creep up on her and cause her to remember that her biological mom was a druggie who hadn’t been married to her dad. And not just because he was serving a life sentence.
Thankfully, she’d been rescued from that dark world, but every now and then her adoptive father’s question would come back to haunt her, to make her wonder if she’d ever be able to put it all behind her.
Honey, Ellie’s a sweet kid. But do you think she inherited any bad genes from her biological parents?
From day one, Ellie had done her best to prove that she hadn’t. Instead, she’d tried to be a reflection of the loving couple who’d adopted her—George Hernandez, a hardworking mechanic, and his wife, Alma, a devoted schoolteacher.
“Earth to Ellie.”
She turned to Steven, who’d called her back to reality with a teasing grin.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked. “I hope you’re not struggling about whether you should forgive me or not.”
“I’m sorry. My mind drifted off, but don’t worry. You’re forgiven.”
“Good.” He studied her for a moment with eyes the color of the Texas sky. “Do you know whether it’s a boy or a girl?”
Warmth filled her heart, and she placed her hand on her baby bump. “It’s a boy.”
“That’s cool. Does he have a name?”
“Not yet. Daria, my friend, and I have been calling him Peanut ever since my first ultrasound, because that’s what he looked like on the screen. But I’ll probably name him George, after my dad.”
“I’m sure that would make him proud.”
“That’s the plan.” Her parents were pretty conservative. Still, she suspected their shock and disappointment wouldn’t last very long. Daria was right. They’d be good grandparents.
“By the way,” Steven said, “I gave away all but two of the tickets to the talent show at the high school on Thursday night. I thought you might want one.”
“Actually, I would. Thanks.”
“We could go together,” he said.
Like a date? Probably not, but she’d better make it clear that she hadn’t made that jump. “Can I meet you there?”
He seemed to ponder the question a little too long, then shrugged and said, “Sure. Why not?”
She glanced at her wristwatch, then at the glass door that led inside city hall. She needed to check in with Iris, the newly hired receptionist, and make sure that her ten o’clock meeting was still on.
“I’ll let you go,” Steven said. “Take the doughnuts. They’re not what you’d call a personal gift. They’re for you to share with the office staff. You can do whatever you want with the roses, although I hope you’ll keep them for yourself.”
She glanced at the bouquet she still held, lifted them to her nose and took a sniff, relishing the strong fragrance. “They’re beautiful. And they smell amazingly good.”
They were also yellow, the color that signified friendship. A peace offering, he’d called them. She supposed she could live with that.
She and Steven were still friends. But for some reason, knowing that’s all they’d ever be left her a little uneasy. And a wee bit sad.
* * *
At a quarter to seven on Thursday night, Steven waited for Ellie in front of the high school auditorium. He’d been tempted to ask her to get a bite to eat with him before the talent show started, but that would have made the evening seem more like a date. And it wasn’t.
It did kind of feel like one, though. As he stood outside the open double doors, scanning the families and friends who were arriving to support the kids, his pulse kicked up a notch in anticipation. And the minute he spotted her approach, his heart damn near battered his chest.
As she hurried toward him, her cheeks flushed, he couldn’t help but grin. She certainly had a thing about being on time, if not early. She also had a way of lighting up a room, no matter what she wore, be it a business suit or something more casual, like the black jeans and the long-sleeved pink blouse she had on tonight.
She might be pregnant, but he still found her attractive as hell. And while they weren’t actually dating, that didn’t mean they couldn’t be friends. Right?
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said.
“You’re ten minutes early,” he argued, but he knew it was pointless.
“Daria’s car wouldn’t start. Her boss scheduled an unexpected meeting, so I had to drop her off first.”
“No problem.” Did that mean Ellie would have to cut their evening short to pick up her friend? “How’s she going to get home?”
“She told me she’d catch a ride.”
“Then let’s go inside.” Steven placed his hand on the small of Ellie’s back to guide her toward the entrance. But touching her seemed a little too date-like, a little too intimate. So as she moved ahead of him, he let his fingers trail away.
Moments later, they were sitting in the two seats closest to the aisle, about six or seven rows from the stage.
Ellie leaned toward him, giving him an alluring whiff of her citrusy scent, and whispered, “I know this is a far cry from a Broadway show, but I had a good time last year. And I think you’ll enjoy it.”
She was right. Each performance was unique and entertaining.
A red-haired ventriloquist was a big hit, and so was a gymnast dressed in a clown costume who did flips and cartwheels across the stage. A couple of singers did a great job. Another tried hard but needed more practice. Several musicians played a variety of instruments, including the piano, a guitar, a trumpet and even a set of drums.
A barefoot girl wearing a white karate gi and a black belt showed off her martial arts skill. And a kid dressed in full cowboy garb, including chaps, carried a lariat onstage and performed rope tricks. But it was the last act that Steven liked best. A teenage boy and girl sang a duet from the Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun that was worthy of a standing ovation. Their interaction on stage reminded him of the verbal banter he and Ellie often had. Not that either of them was all that competitive with the other, but he could imagine them singing “Anything you can do, I can do better.”
As the oldest of the eight Fortune siblings, Steven was used to being the boss. And Ellie took her role as mayor seriously. She was tough and often underestimated, something he’d come to admire. It seemed only natural that two leaders like them often felt compelled to try and top each other.
The audience clapped and cheered at the end, then they all began to file out of the school auditorium. Steven figured he ought to offer to walk Ellie to her car, but he wasn’t ready to say goodbye and send her off.
“I’ve got a real hankering for a hot fudge sundae,” Steven said.
“A hankering, huh? I don’t know, Mr. Fortune. You’re starting to sound like a real Texan.”
“Well, thank you, ma’am.” He nodded toward the sidewalk that led to the shopping district. “The ice cream shop is just a couple of blocks down the street. Are you up for a short walk?”
Ellie brightened. “That actually sounds good to me. I have a real sweet tooth.”
“You don’t say.” He laughed. “I guessed as much on Tuesday morning, when you zeroed in on that pink doughnut with candy sprinkles.”
They moved through the throng of people and made their way across the street, which was unusually busy, thanks to the departing cars.
“By the way,” Steven said, as they walked, “I’ve been thinking about all the people I met at Mariana’s Market, and you’re right. The longtime residents of Rambling Rose should be proud of the Fortune Brothers’ development projects, and I want them to feel as if their voices have been heard.” He glanced at Ellie, eager to see her reaction.
“Really?” Her eyes widened as if she could hardly believe the sudden turnaround. “You’re going to alter your plans for the hotel?”
“Not exactly. I’m still one hundred percent behind the project. And I’ve heard nothing but positive reactions from the people who live in Rambling Rose Estates, but I really need to expand our support base. The way I see it, all I have to do is convince Mariana’s crew that it’s a good idea. Then it’s only a matter of time before the planning commission gives us the green light.”
Ellie grabbed him by the arm, pulled him to a halt, then circled in front of him and frowned. “Are you kidding me? You’re more interested in persuading the people at Mariana’s Market that you’re right. I can’t believe you’re not going to consider their point of view at all.”
Damn, she was pretty when she was worked up like that. But he wasn’t going to bend to her—or to anyone—when it came to his personal project.
Steven sighed. “Have you even considered that I could be right?”
“No.” She crossed her arms. “Not even once.”
They stood like that for a moment, clearly at an impasse. Just like the song that had wrapped up the talent show. He almost made a joke of it. Any stance you can take, I can take better.
Something told him she wouldn’t find it funny, though. And since they’d just become friends again, it wouldn’t be wise to rock the boat.
He cast what he hoped was a disarming smile. “Like we’ve said before, Ellie. Maybe we should just agree to disagree.”
Her expression softened, then she uncrossed her arms and returned to her place at his side. As he moved forward, she fell into step and they continued to walk along the sidewalk.
His arm brushed her shoulder a couple of times. If they’d been on an actual date, he would have reached for her hand.
Hell, he was tempted to do it anyway.
But he wouldn’t.
“Will you meet me at Mariana’s Market again this weekend?” he asked. “I’d like to set up a table where I can sit down with the locals and help them understand what the Fortune family has in mind for the project.”
“I’ll probably be there on Saturday. I like hanging out and talking to people. But I’m not going to sit at that table with you. I need to remain neutral, and I can’t have even the appearance of favoritism where you and Fortune Brothers Construction are concerned. After all, optics are everything.”
At that, he chuckled. “May I remind you that you’re not the least bit neutral, and just about everyone in town knows how you really feel about the construction company and the hotel?”
“You do have a point there.”
As they reached the Sweet Freeze, he opened the door for her, and she stepped inside. They weren’t the only ones who’d had the idea of wrapping up their evening with an ice cream.
Moments later, Steven had ordered a triple fudge sundae, and Ellie chose a strawberry cone.
“And give her two scoops,” he told the clerk.
They carried their desserts to a table at the rear of the shop and took a seat.
“Okay,” Ellie said. “I’ll stop by your display at Mariana’s on Saturday.”
He blinked in mock surprise. “All it took was a strawberry cone to convince you? I wish I would have known that sooner.”
“I do love strawberries.”
A grin tugged at his lips. “Does that mean you’re going to be open-minded for a change?”
“What do you mean for a change? I’m always willing to look at both sides of a problem.” She took a taste of her cone and then closed her eyes. A rapturous expression crossed her face as she relished the taste, drawing his attention away from his own frozen chocolate concoction.
As he watched her lick that cone, his senses reeled, triggering thoughts of sex. If she continued to eat like that, as if she were making soft, breathless mewling sounds, he would end up watching her until his sundae melted into a soupy mess.
She drew the cone away from her mouth, then pointed the pink scoops at him. “Just for the record, you haven’t swayed me in the least. But I’m curious about how you’re going to reach out to the community—and how they’ll take it. So count me in.”
Oddly enough, he hadn’t wanted to count her out. Even when they didn’t see eye to eye, he was drawn to her. Under the circumstances, he ought to run like hell.
But he wasn’t about to go anywhere, especially while she licked that blasted strawberry cone.
* * *
Ellie hadn’t been to the Sweet Freeze in years, but she had a lot of nice memories here. Her mom used to teach school in Greenly, which was about twenty miles away, and she did a lot of tutoring after class and on Saturdays. So Ellie and her dad had spent a lot of time here—usually after a day at the playground, an afternoon matinee or following a softball game at the park.
She’d always had a fondness for ice cream, especially strawberry, but she couldn’t remember it ever tasting this good. The sweet, cool treat really hit the spot. And it seemed to make her worries feel more like a couple of dust bunnies under the bed—still there but out of sight.
Steven leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I’d like to do something like this with you again.”
Her lips parted, and she nearly dropped her cone onto the table. What was he suggesting?
“You want to meet at the Sweet Freeze?” she asked.
“Yes. I guess so. Or whatever.”
She still wasn’t sure what he meant. She had an idea, though. But she sure as heck wasn’t going to make a guess, one that was more likely to be wrong.
So she skirted the question and delayed a response. “It’s been a nice evening, hasn’t it?”
Surely he didn’t take the women he usually dated to high school talent shows and ice cream shops. She had to have connected the wrong dots. And, she admitted, that was actually a relief. A romantic liaison was out of the question, but the friend thing she could do.
“I had fun tonight,” she added, against her better judgment.
He leaned back in his seat and smiled. “Surprisingly, I did, too.”
The way he looked at her prickled her nerves and sent her blood racing. Was her deduction wrong? Was he actually talking about them going out, publicly? Okay, she was back to square one. And she wasn’t sure what to say.
I’m pregnant. Remember?
And I’ll soon look like I swallowed a basketball.
“So maybe we could go to a movie and have dinner?” he asked. “What do you think?”
“I think we should enjoy our ice cream.” She scanned the immediate area, spotted a family placing their order up front, then lowered her voice. “It’s one thing for us to be seen at community events, but I don’t want people thinking we’re…getting too chummy.”
“Why should anyone care?”
She arched a brow. “Because I’m the mayor. And you and your family are at odds with the town.”
“We’re only at odds with some of the townspeople, although we’re working on that.”
“I hope so.” She again scanned the ice cream shop, which was now close to empty. She doubted anyone could hear their conversation, but she didn’t want to risk it and lowered her voice as a precaution. “There’s one other reason. And when word…” She let her voice trail off, but he knew what she meant.
“You know,” he said, his voice soft, low and barely discernible, “the sooner you make the announcement, the better you’ll feel.”
He was right, she supposed. The pressure would be off, but she wasn’t so sure she’d actually feel better. Not right away.
“So what did your parents say when you told them?” he asked. When she hesitated and looked down, he said, “You didn’t tell them, did you?”
“Not yet.”
“You do realize the cat will be out of the bag soon?”
“I know.”
“Then you’re better off telling them before they hear it from someone else.”
Her eyes opened wide, and her heart raced. “Are you going to tell them?”
“No. Of course not. I gave you my word. What kind of guy do you think I am?”
In truth, she really had no idea. But she knew what kind of man he wasn’t. One she should get involved with. Yet when he smiled at her like that, when he offered her friendship and support, not to mention his promise to keep her secret, her better judgment went up in smoke.
“On Saturday evening, after we spend the day at Mariana’s Market, I’d like to take you out to dinner,” he said. “Nothing fancy. Some place low-key and quiet. What do you think?”
That it was a crazy idea. Yet she was tempted beyond measure. She might be sorry for this later, but she gave a little shrug and said, “Sure. Why not?”
But after they left the Sweet Freeze and he walked her back to her car, after she turned on the ignition and headed home, she hoped she hadn’t made another big mistake.