Kane Fortune knew he was considered the go-to guy by his family and friends. Perhaps because he was single and generally accommodating of others without being a pushover.
Today was no exception. Picking up his nephew from day care hadn’t been on his agenda for the afternoon. But his sister-in-law had called, saying she was held up at a doctor’s appointment, and since his brother Adam was out of town, Kane was next on the list.
Besides, he adored his nephew, Larkin. The kid was cute and Kane really enjoyed his uncle duties. He eased his Ranger pickup into a space outside the day care center, got out and ignored the pain in his knee. The old football injury still gave him grief occasionally, but he pushed himself forward and headed through the gate and up the pathway and entered the building.
The center was typical of its kind, he figured, with its brightly painted walls and blue linoleum floor. Paintings dotted the hallway walls, many of them collages of dozens of tiny handprints, others of family scenes and an assortment of animals. The pictures made him smile as he made his way to the reception desk. A fiftysomething woman he didn’t recognize stood behind the desk and greeted him as he approached. He quickly explained who he was and that he was there to collect Larkin, and the woman gave him a curious look before clicking keys on the computer in front of her.
“Fortune, you said?” she queried, concentrating on the computer screen.
“Yes, Kane Fortune. I’m Larkin Fortune’s uncle.”
“I’ll just need to see some identification.”
Kane quickly took out his driver’s license and passed it over the countertop. The receptionist, obviously a temp, perused his license, still clicking keys on the computer, taking her time to confirm his place on the list of family members approved to pick up his nephew.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“This will just take a moment,” she replied. “It’s for safety. I’m sure you understand.”
Kane tapped fingers on the counter and heard the swoosh of the automatic doors and heels hurriedly tapping over the linoleum. A woman rushed toward the counter, a handbag over one shoulder, a diaper bag flung over the other. Late twenties, he figured, with long blond hair and brown eyes. He looked at her, trying to be discreet, noticing her curves and flawless skin. She was incredibly pretty, and the scent of her fragrance was quite distracting. He shook off the feeling and turned his attention back to the receptionist, who was still concentrating on the computer screen.
“I’m here to pick up my daughter, Erin. I got a call to say she was having separation issues again today,” the woman said hurriedly, and then stepped back a little to look at him, clearly realizing she’d cut in on his interaction with the woman behind the counter. “Oh, I’m so sorry... I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“No problem,” he said easily. “You look like you’re in a hurry.”
She nodded, obviously frazzled. “I had to leave work early. You know how it is with kids. Never enough time to get things done.”
Actually, he didn’t know, but he wasn’t about to correct her. He wasn’t about to admit that he mostly liked his single, commitment-free life. A life he wasn’t planning on changing any time soon. Kane didn’t do commitment. In fact, he really didn’t do relationships. He hadn’t had a serious girlfriend for over five years. Truth be told, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been on a date. Months. Maybe six or seven. Or the last time he’d met someone who piqued his interest.
But there was something about the woman in front of him that made him want to prolong their conversation. He glanced at her left hand. A platinum wedding band.
Of course she was married. He experienced a foolish rush of relief. Married meant off the market.
“No problem,” he said, and ushered her toward the counter. “Go ahead.”
Relief flooded her expression. “Thank you,” she said on a rush of breath. “That’s very kind of you.”
She quickly turned her attention to the woman behind the desk and spoke for several seconds about collecting her child. The temp asked for identification and she complied, pulling out a wallet from her handbag. Other things spilled out onto the floor—a hairbrush, a makeup compact, a small calendar with a pen attached by a string.
He bent down to pick them up and she followed quickly. Their heads collided and they pulled back, both rubbing their temples, laughing a little. His hand touched hers and he quickly snatched it back as a jolt of something that felt a lot like electricity coursed up his arm. Stupid, he thought, and gathered up her belongings, passing them to her. She struggled to hold the items in her small hands and fumbled as she stood.
“Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry. I’ve been dropping things all day,” she said, and pushed the belongings back into her bag. She stood up straight and turned her attention back to the receptionist, passing over her identification. “Ah... I’d like to get my daughter now, if that’s okay.”
“Just a moment,” the older woman said.
Kane tapped his fingers on the counter again, his impatience growing. Another staff member came out through a door to the left and moved behind the counter, a cell phone at her ear. After a brief conference, another worker finally brought Larkin out to him, and Kane was delighted that the little boy waved his arms frantically when he spotted him.
Kane took his nephew into his arms and a strong wave of affection washed over him as the little boy clung to his shoulder.
“He’s so adorable,” the blonde woman at his side said with a smile. “And he looks so much like you.”
Larkin actually looked like Adam—but since he and Adam were brothers, Kane could easily see why she’d pick up on the family resemblance. “I guess he does.”
A tiny frown suddenly marred her forehead, as if she was trying to figure out Larkin’s parentage, and then realized. “But you’re not his father?”
“No,” he said, and smiled. “Uncle. He’s my brother’s son.”
She nodded and dropped her gaze. The whole town knew the complicated story of Larkin’s paternity. He was about to make a casual comment when another child was brought out to the reception area. But this one wasn’t chuckling like Larkin—this child looked very unhappy, with tearstained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes. She was cute, though, and looked to be around two years old. Once she was in her mother’s arms, the crying stopped, and she hiccupped and buried her face in her mom’s shoulder.
“Thank you again,” she said to him as she carried her daughter past him. “Bye.”
Kane watched her leave the building and then grabbed Larkin’s backpack before heading off. He had a car seat in the back of his Ranger, compliments of Adam, who had also provided him with a crib and high chair for his home for those occasions when he watched his nephew. Adam was one of those over-organized parents and although Kane sometimes laughed at Adam’s compulsion to do the right thing, he also admired the way his brother had stepped up to fatherhood since finding out about Larkin.
It had been a hard road—since Adam had only found out that Larkin was his son after the child was left on the doorstep of the local pediatric center. When the presumed orphan needed a bone marrow transplant, the whole town had rallied and begun searching for a suitable donor. When Adam turned out to be a perfect match, it wasn’t long before the truth of Larkin’s paternity came out. The child was the result of his brother’s relationship with Laurel Hudson, his college girlfriend. Years after she’d ended it, they’d had one night together, a night that had resulted in Larkin. Unfortunately, Laurel had suffered an episode of postpartum panic and left her baby in Rambling Rose and had then been involved in a car wreck that left her comatose for months and, when she awoke, without memory of her life, Adam or their son. Thankfully, her memory had returned and they’d worked it out, and Kane was pleased his brother had found his happily-ever-after.
Once he’d settled Larkin in the back of the vehicle, Kane headed for Adam and Laurel’s home. His own place was in town, in the center of Rambling Rose, a small two-bedroom bungalow he’d shared with Adam until his brother had married Laurel and moved into the guesthouse on the Fame and Fortune Ranch, which was owned by their cousin Callum Fortune.
Sitting in between Houston and Austin, Rambling Rose had grown a lot in the last couple of years—new restaurants, a luxurious day spa, stores—businesses were popping up regularly, some courtesy of the Fortunes’ construction company. Their newest contribution was the Hotel Fortune, which was due to open on Valentine’s Day. Kane had been working at the hotel for the past six months, heading the construction team, a job he’d secured thanks to Callum and his other cousins who in their individual ways were turning Rambling Rose into a thriving township.
He liked his job and the people he worked with, even with the drama of the past month. A balcony collapse had nearly pushed back the opening, and the ensuing investigation into the incident was ongoing—because the authorities hadn’t exactly determined it to be an accident. Kane didn’t want to believe it was a deliberate act of sabotage, although like most of the Fortunes, Kane had his suspicions. After all, there were a lot of people who resented the name Fortune.
He knew where the spare key for the guesthouse was hidden and quickly got the baby inside. It was a quarter to four by the time he’d fed and changed Larkin and then put him down for a nap, and half past four when Laurel, who managed the art gallery in town, arrived home.
She looked frazzled and gave him a quick hug. “Thank you for saving the day,” she said when she returned from checking on her son and met him in the kitchen. “You know, you’ll make a good dad one day.”
Kane grinned. “I’m happy enough being a good uncle for the moment.”
Her brows came up. “Good enough to pick him up again on Thursday afternoon?” she asked sweetly. “I have a meeting at the main gallery in Austin and I’m not sure I’ll get back in time, and Adam’s flight doesn’t get in until after five. I could ask Brady,” she said, referring to his and Adam’s younger brother, “but he’s got his hands full with the twins and getting settled in to the new house. If it’s too much to ask, I can work something else out. I know the hotel opening is only a few days away, so you probably need to concentrate on that.”
Kane considered his plan for Thursday afternoon—which was just hitting the gym for an hour after work—and replied. “Of course, no problem. The plans for the opening are all set—nothing to worry about.”
She sighed with relief. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
His cheeks warmed. “I’m sure you’d manage.”
“It’s amazing how everything has come together, particularly since the balcony collapse. Adam insists you’re the voice of reason among all the chaos.”
“Someone needs to be,” he said, and grinned. “All those Fortune egos together can be dangerous.”
“I think it’s great that they listen, though,” Laurel said with a smile. “And it’s good to see you all getting along, like a real family.”
Family. Yeah. For most of his life, Kane’s family had been settled in upstate New York. His parents were still there, and most of his siblings, but since he and Adam and Brady had moved to Rambling Rose, they’d been welcomed by their cousins and created a strong family connection. And now that Adam was married to Laurel and had a family, and Brady was now legal guardian to orphaned twin boys, they all felt a deeper connection to one another and to Texas than any of them had originally imagined. Rambling Rose was a good town with good people. And he intended to stick around for a while.
He left a short while later, pleased he was able to pick Larkin up from day care on Thursday. Maybe, he thought as he got into his truck and headed back to the hotel for his meeting, he’d see the pretty blonde with the nice smile while he was there.
Layla McCarthy was having the week from hell. Admittedly, most of her weeks felt like that lately. The truth was, she couldn’t remember a time in the last year or so when she hadn’t felt as though her whole life was like some kind of ongoing improvisation. With work, studying, her aging grandparents and her two-year-old daughter, Erin, all she seemed to do was think about everyone else and give little heed to her own needs. She loved being Erin’s mom and adored her grandparents, but occasionally she wondered what it might be like to have a moment for herself.
But not tonight, she thought as she dished out pasta into containers and popped them into the freezer. Being organized was her salvation. She cooked up a storm every Wednesday night and filled the freezer with meals for the remainder of the week. And this week she needed to save as much time as she could so she could pick up more hours at Paz Spa, where she worked at reception. She’d been there for over four months and enjoyed the job. Her boss was great to work with and she genuinely liked all of her colleagues. While she didn’t have time to socialize with any of them outside of work, she did get the opportunity to share coffee and a chat in the lunchroom some days.
Once she’d cleaned up, Layla checked on Erin, saw that she was sleeping soundly, and grabbed the baby monitor and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Once she was in her pajamas, she sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at the small framed photograph on the bedside table. Frank’s smiling face beamed up at her and a familiar surge of sadness enveloped her like a cloak. Over eighteen months had passed since his death and she still felt his loss with the same intensity as she had from the moment he’d left her. Heartbreak didn’t ease. When love was as strong as theirs had been, it lingered in the mind like the lyrics of an old song.
They’d been married for four years, dated for seven months, been friends for a year before that. Marrying Frank had been a no-brainer. He was the best man she’d ever known—kind, considerate and gentle. Their relationship had been a happy one and she missed him down to the depths of her soul. She missed his friendship and his company. She missed sharing that first cup of coffee and conversation over breakfast. She missed lingering in bed on Sunday morning and then making love for a few hours. She missed the intimacy they’d shared every day. She missed his arms around her. And she mourned that he didn’t have the chance to watch his daughter grow up. Of course Erin didn’t really remember him. And now, all Layla had were photographs and the memories in her heart.
She let out a weary sigh, grabbed her laptop and slipped into bed. She opened the document of her current assignment and reread the passages she’d written early that morning. Taking online college courses had seemed like a good idea six months ago, but with the workload increasing and two assignments due, Layla wondered if she’d overcommitted herself. Getting her degree in marketing had been a goal since high school. College hadn’t been in her future then, since she had no father and her mother had left years earlier, and her grandparents weren’t in any kind of financial position to fund her education. Instead, Layla had started working full time at eighteen. Without a college degree her options were limited, so she worked mostly as a receptionist, changing jobs every twelve months or so.
She met Frank when she was working the front desk at a car dealership. He’d come in looking for a new car, and she’d supplied him with coffee while the paperwork was being done. By the end of the afternoon, he’d bought the car and she’d agreed to go out with him. As friends at first, because he’d just come out of a serious relationship and she wasn’t prepared to be anyone’s rebound girl. So they got to know each other as friends and when she finally agreed to a real date, Layla was already half in love with him.
Since his death, she’d remained resolutely single. She didn’t date. And no one had been so much as a blip on her radar.
Until yesterday.
Layla couldn’t stop herself from remembering the tall, broad-shouldered, green-eyed, über-good-looking man she’d met at the day care center. Larkin Fortune’s uncle. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, she’d noticed. Which didn’t mean he wasn’t married or involved with someone. A man who looked like that was hardly going to be on the market. Still, it didn’t hurt to fantasize a little. It was a huge leap from believing she’d never feel anything again. Not that she was looking for a relationship. The idea of getting involved with someone else didn’t seem possible when her heart was still filled with the memory of Frank. But the thought lingered as she worked on her assignment. By ten o’clock the light was out and she spent an hour listening to relaxation music on her phone. It helped her drift off to sleep, until she woke up to the sound of Erin’s happy babbling through the baby monitor around six.
Layla headed for her daughter’s room. As always, her heart rolled over when she saw Erin standing in her crib, her blond curls bouncing, her big brown eyes wide and full of wonder.
“Momma.”
Layla still felt a thrill every time she heard the word. Erin didn’t talk much, but the few words she did say usually included the word momma. She was mostly a happy child, but the last few weeks she’d been unusually unsettled. She’d run a fever for a couple of days and, after a visit to the pediatrician, was diagnosed with a cold. Layla had taken a week off work and was still trying to make up the time by starting earlier. Of course, that meant leaving Erin longer in day care. But what choice did she have? Frank’s life insurance had covered their mortgage, but she still had a house to run and utilities to pay.
She hauled Erin into her arms and gave her a hug, then quickly changed her diaper before heading to the kitchen. She made breakfast and switched on the small television in the corner to keep her daughter entertained while she packed lunches for the day. With her routine set, she had everything organized and was out the door by eight. Forty-five minutes later Erin was in day care and Layla was at her desk at Paz Spa.
The appointment book was full for the day and clients began arriving just before nine. Several people were waiting in the reception area when Hailey Miller, the spa’s assistant manager, came out of her office and joined her behind the counter.
“Good morning,” Hailey said cheerfully. “How’s Erin doing? Over her cold?”
“Mostly,” Layla replied. “Looks like we’ve got a full day today.”
“Business is good. The Fortunes certainly know how to turn straw into gold,” Hailey said, and grinned. “And I say that with absolutely no agenda, since I’m engaged to one of them,” she added, and wriggled her left hand, showing off a perfectly beautiful diamond ring.
Hailey was engaged to Dillon, the younger brother of Callum Fortune who was the brains behind Paz Spa. Since its opening, business was booming, as it was in most of the Fortune-run enterprises. After the news reports about baby Larkin needing a bone marrow transplant last year, the town had not only become something of a tourist attraction but was now recognized as a great place to settle down. Of course, Layla had always known it. Her grandparents had settled in Rambling Rose years earlier, when it was a small blue-collar community. She’d gone to the local high school, moving in with her grandparents when she was fifteen after years bouncing around from one place to the next with her mother.
Rambling Rose was her home and she had no plans to live anywhere else. Even though there were times when the loneliness was acute and made her long for a simpler time—when Frank was alive and she had someone to share her life with.
By three o’clock on Thursday afternoon, after a day of answering phone calls and scheduling appointments, she was happy to hand over the reins to Hailey for the last two hours. She headed directly to the day care center and pulled up outside. There was a large, hulking Ranger pulling in the space next to her and she waited until its engine turned off before she stepped out onto the sidewalk. And stopped in her tracks.
The handsome, incredibly broad-shouldered man—her first “blip” since losing her husband—was getting out of the Ranger. He smiled when he spotted her and she colored down to the soles of her feet, resisting the urge to straighten out her ponytail.
“Hey there,” he said, his deep voice quickly running riot over her burgeoning awareness. He was so darn hot. Maybe the hottest man she’d ever seen up close. Ruggedly handsome with enough charm to raise her temperature a zillion degrees.
“Oh, hello, it’s nice to see you,” she managed to say without stuttering. “You’re picking up your nephew again?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “My brother’s out of town and my sister-in-law has an appointment. So I’m it.”
Layla’s hasn’t-been-used-for-anything-other-than-talking tongue almost stuck to the roof of her mouth as she looked at him. “That’s so good of you,” she somehow managed to say. “It’s nice to have a big family you can rely on.” Then she sighed a little as she shrugged. “Well, I imagine it would be.”
He looked at her, his mouth curling at the edges. “You don’t have family?” he asked, glancing at her left hand, and she followed the path of his gaze. “Husband?”
“I’m a widow,” she said quietly, the words making her heart ache as it always did. “I do have grandparents, but they’re elderly.”
He took a second to reply. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“You weren’t,” she assured him, feeling the mood become awkward.
“After you,” he said, and motioned toward the pathway as a couple of other parents walked by them.
She clutched her tote and walked on ahead, through the doors and into the reception area. There was a line of people at the desk and she stood in turn, conscious that he was beside her.
“I’m Layla, by the way,” she said, and held out her hand. “Layla McCarthy.”
He took her hand and she felt the burn of his touch like it was poker hot. It was unexpected. And on some base level, unwanted. It was silly, of course. She didn’t know him. She’d never know him. He was just some random hot guy who had turned her head for a few minutes.
“Kane Fortune,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”
She smiled. “Of course, one of the Fortunes.”
His mouth twisted a fraction. “One of the lesser ones,” he replied.
His words made her laugh softly. “I’m sure that’s not true. I work with Hailey Miller at Paz Spa—she’s engaged to Dillon. And I’ve met Callum a number of times.”
“Cousins,” he supplied. “My brother Adam and I moved to Rambling Rose from New York last year. And one of my younger brothers just moved here, too.”
“Adam is your nephew’s father, correct?” she asked, conscious that they were next in line. “He’s the baby who needed a transplant?”
He nodded. “Yes,” he said as they approached the counter. “Larkin.”
Layla nodded, but she didn’t comment. Instead, she greeted the regular receptionist behind the counter who was back and clearly recognized them both. The children were brought out a couple of minutes later and Erin’s arms were outstretched the moment she saw her mother.
“She had a much better day today,” the aide said as she passed Erin’s backpack to her.
Layla grabbed the bag and her child and hugged Erin close. “Oh, great. Thank you.”
She turned on her heel and saw Kane was holding his nephew. It was a good look on him, she thought, and then figured he probably had a girlfriend or significant other waiting for him at home. He might even have kids. Sure, he’d said he was an uncle, but maybe he was one of those all-around great guys who were great dads and uncles. And he hadn’t said anything about being single. Not that she cared, Layla reminded herself.
With Erin’s backpack in one hand, she pushed her tote over one shoulder and walked outside. He was close behind and they reached their vehicles at the same time. Once she secured Erin in the car seat, she turned and saw that Kane was behind her, strapping his nephew into his Ranger. The boy was chuckling delightedly and it made Layla smile.
“He’s such a happy child,” she remarked. “And he obviously adores you.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Kane replied, and grinned. “Your daughter’s cute.”
Layla nodded. “Yes, I know. Takes after her mom.”
His grin turned into a soft chuckle. “Obviously. Do you have any more children?”
“Just Erin,” she replied. “Do you have kids?”
“No,” he said, and hooked a thumb backward. “I’m just an uncle to Larkin. I’m not married,” he added, and smiled again.
Layla realized she had a serious case of Captain Obvious. Gawd...she needed to get a grip. “Oh...well...”
“I was wondering, are you busy on Saturday?” he asked unexpectedly.
She sucked in a sharp breath. “Saturday?”
He nodded. “There’s a grand opening celebration at the Hotel Fortune on Saturday afternoon. It’s going to be like a big party—kids are welcome, so you can bring your daughter. I’m pretty sure Hailey will be there, and it should be a fun afternoon.”
Was he asking her on a date? She wasn’t sure. She’d had so little interaction with men in the last year or so, she was inept at reading signals.
“It’s Valentine’s Day on Saturday,” she reminded him.
“I know,” he said and met her gaze straight on. “So...is that a yes?”
Layla’s first thought was to refuse. She didn’t need anything derailing her at the moment. And the man in front of her was pure distraction. But still...he hadn’t indicated it was anything other than an afternoon at a party and Erin might enjoy it. And she had no real reason to refuse. In fact, getting out and socializing would probably be good for herself and her daughter.
“Ah...okay. What time?”
He ducked into the Ranger for a second and returned holding a small business card. “My cell number is on there. Send me a text message and I’ll let you know the time and address.”
“I know where the hotel is,” she said. “But I’ll send you a text anyway.”
He grinned. “Great. See you Saturday.”
Layla got into her car and waited until he pulled out of the parking space before she started the ignition. Somehow, she thought as she drove home, she’d agreed to a pseudo date with Kane Fortune.
Now all she had to do was decide if she had the courage to actually go.
Copyright © 2021 by Harlequin Books S.A.