Jake knew he was in hot water the moment he entered his mom’s living room. He wasn’t sure how much his mother had told Valene—not too much, he hoped, because there were things he needed to tell her himself. Plus, he’d made it clear to his mom that he hadn’t mentioned his money or owning the ranch to the woman he was dating. And although Lynda had warned him about the perils of deception, Jake was determined to see how his relationship with Valene progressed before he told her everything about himself.
Valene was sitting on the sofa in the small living room, sipping tea, and shot him daggers when their gazes connected. Seeing her in her work garb, and her hair in a neat ponytail, he remembered she’d told him she was meeting up with a client who lived close by, which should have registered the possibility that she would drop in at the ranch. Jake knew Otis McAvoy very well, since the older man had been a good friend of his father’s. He noticed that his mother looked delighted that she was getting the opportunity to hang out with the woman who had taken up so much of his time and attention.
Jake kissed her cheek, saw his mother’s approval and then sat down.
“Sorry I missed your call, but the cell reception can be a little hit or miss at times.”
“I was in the neighborhood,” she said flatly. “So I thought I’d come and see you. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
They all chatted for a couple of minutes, about the weather and the cottage and Sheba, who had perched herself at his booted feet, and once Valene finished her tea, she thanked his mother and stood up.
“I have to go,” she said and collected her bag. “But thank you, Lynda. It was lovely to meet you.”
“Likewise. Please come and visit again.”
Once they were outside, she didn’t wait for him, but charged down the path and circumnavigated the ranch house. The contractors were done for the day, but when Jake reached her, one of the young ranch hands passed by and smiled at Jake.
“Afternoon, ma’am. Afternoon, boss.”
Jake saw her back stiffen, and when she reached the front of the house she turned, hands on hips. Her brown eyes were dark and her expression clearly unhappy.
“Your father’s boots?”
“What?”
“Exactly,” she shot back. “You told me someone had to fill your father’s boots. At the time I thought you meant because of your mom and your sister, but it was more than that. You meant his job. He was the ranch foreman. And now you are. You’re in charge here, right?”
Jake wasn’t sure how to answer. He was in charge, so technically her assumption was correct.
“Yes.”
“And you have an MBA?”
He nodded. “That’s correct.”
“And you didn’t say anything about it because you don’t like talking about yourself?”
“Something like that,” he replied, seeing the fire in her eyes and suddenly itching with the need to kiss her. She looked so beautiful and it had been days since they’d been so close.
“It’s really annoying how you do that, you know,” she said flatly.
“Do what?”
“Make everything seem so damned reasonable. Drives me crazy. I really want to be mad at you right now.”
Jake laughed softly. “Does that mean we get to make up and make out afterward?”
She crossed her arms. “Only if you show me inside this house,” she replied, nodding at the ranch house. “If that’s allowed.”
“Sure.”
He held out his hand and she took it, and a bolt of electricity raced up his arm. He wondered if he’d ever get used to that, or if the scent of her perfume would always stay with him for days after he’d held her in his arms.
Jake walked up the steps, crossed the wide veranda and opened the front door. Most of the furniture was covered in protective sheets, and any decorative items were safely stored in boxes. He’d started the renovation over two years ago and put a halt on it during the divorce. Since then, his mind had gotten clearer, and now he wanted the place finished so he could move back in and start his life over.
With someone like Valene...
It occurred to him that he’d never fallen so hard and so quickly before, and the realization made warning bells peal in his head. With Patrice, he’d spent high school desiring her, and when she had made her move, he had been flattered and a little relieved, thinking his search to find someone to share his life with was over. Of course, then she’d busted his heart into a thousand pieces and made a mockery of everything he’d believed they had.
“Wow,” Valene said as they entered the hallway, taking in the raked ceilings, polished floors and wood accents throughout the house. “This is incredible. Are you sure the owners won’t mind me looking?”
“Positive.”
“Are they here?”
“Not they. He,” Jake corrected. “And yeah, he’s around.”
“Well, if he ever wants to put this place on the market, let me know,” she said and grinned. “Not that I want to put you out of a job by selling the place. But it’s such a lovely home,” she said as she traced her fingertips along the edge of the walnut newel post at the bottom of the stairs. “How long before the renovations are finished?”
“Another month or so, I should think. Would you like to see the upstairs?”
She nodded. “Love to.”
Jake grasped her hand and led her up the stairway and down the hall. There were three bedrooms, one of which was a master suite with its own bathroom and small living area, and there was another bathroom that serviced both the other bedrooms. There was a balcony off the main bedroom that offered a fabulous view of the rear of the ranch, including the creek and the undulating pasture. The furniture was covered in sheets, and she lingered for a moment at the foot of the large four-poster bed. Jake stared at the intricately carved piece Patrice had insisted he pay a fortune for. He’d never liked it, thinking it too old-fashioned and heavy for his taste. Jake intended to ditch the bed, particularly since he’d discovered his ex-wife between the sheets with another man.
“This room doesn’t look like it’s been used in a while,” she said.
“It hasn’t,” he replied.
She glanced around the room. “I’m guessing there hasn’t been a whole lot of happiness in this house.”
“Not especially,” he replied. “Ugly divorce.”
“That’s sad,” she said and walked out onto the balcony. “You know, I can’t tell how many of those ugly divorces I’ve used to my advantage in the last year or so...you know, to get a client motivated for a quick sale. Sometimes I feel like a used furniture salesman scouring the death notices in the newspaper. What an amazing view,” Valene remarked as she wandered around the perimeter of the balcony. “Is that an orchard?” she asked, pointing to the left.
“Pecans,” he replied. “And not exactly an orchard, but there’s potential, I guess.”
When the cows began to bellow, she smiled. “It’s so peaceful here. I’m not sure I would ever sell this place if it was mine. You’re lucky to have spent so many years in such a beautiful spot. It must have been a wonderful experience to be raised here.”
“It was. That’s why I—”
“It’s why you quit school,” she said and turned to face him. “So that your mom and Cassidy could stay here. You did the job your dad used to do, so they wouldn’t have to leave.”
He shrugged. “This is home.”
She moved in front of him and settled her hands at his waist, linking her thumbs through the loops on his jeans. It was an incredibly intimate gesture and one that had the temperature of his blood skyrocketing. Jake kept his arms at his sides, even though all he wanted to do was haul her close and kiss her.
“And then you went back to college and your mom said you graduated with honors,” she said and sighed. “Jake, I’m sorry if I ever inferred that you were—”
“An uneducated hick more interested in peanut shells and beer than anything else?” he said, cutting her off. “No,” he assured her. “You haven’t. But I appreciate your apology.”
She pressed closer. “Sometimes I put my foot in my mouth and say inappropriate things.”
Jake wound his arms around her. “But I’ll bet you have pretty feet.”
She chuckled. “Actually, I do have nice feet. I’ll have to show you sometime.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
He kissed her and felt the breath sucked from his lungs like a vacuum. The moment her tongue wound around his, Jake was lost. She was like tonic, like air and food and everything he needed for sustenance.
“Jake,” she whispered against his mouth. “Would you like to make love to me?”
It was a sweet, tempting invitation. One he fully intended accepting. “Absolutely.”
“When?”
“Soon,” he promised. “But first, I need to tell you—”
His words were interrupted by the sound of a cell phone ringing. She sighed and stepped back, removing her hands from his belt before diving into her handbag for her phone. The call lasted less than a minute and then she slipped the cell back into her bag.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I have to go.”
“Everything okay?” he asked, seeing the furrow between her brows.
“A family thing,” she explained. “That was Maddie. She wants me to come to the office right away. Trouble at work.”
Jake nodded, understanding immediately. “If there’s anything I can do, let me know.”
“I will,” she assured him.
“And I’ll see you Saturday?”
“Yes,” she replied and kissed him softly on the mouth. “Thanks for the tour. And the kiss.”
“I’ll call you tonight,” he said once they were back at her car. “Take care.”
Jake watched her drive off, his heart unusually heavy. He hated seeing her out of sorts, and the phone call had definitely not been a good one. He was just about to turn on his heels when his mother stepped up beside him.
“She’s a nice girl.”
“I know,” he remarked.
“But you don’t trust her?”
Guilt hit him between the shoulder blades. “I’m not sure what I feel.”
“She’s not Patrice,” his mother reminded him. “And I don’t think she’s the mercenary type. She comes from a wealthy family, so I’m pretty sure she isn’t after your money.”
“It’s not that, Mom.”
“I know,” his mother said. “But you need to tell her the truth, before someone else does.”
The first thing that Valene noticed when she returned to the office was the fact that the secretary at reception looked frazzled and barely acknowledged her. Maddie’s earlier phone call had been fraught with tension and urgency, demanding her presence. She headed straight for the conference room and was stunned to see Schuyler standing by the window.
And her parents!
They weren’t due back for another week, and Val immediately wondered what had happened to make them abort their vacation so abruptly.
“Mom! Dad!” she exclaimed and rushed directly toward them, delighted to see them both.
They embraced her affectionately, and she was certain her father clung to her longer than usual. When she stepped back, she noticed that Maddie and Zach were also in the room, along with her brother-in-law Carlo and her brother Everett, who looked particularly grim.
“What’s going on?” she demanded.
“Trouble,” Maddie said and sighed. “We lost the Butterworth account.”
Val knew what that meant. Fortunado had been selling Butterworth property for close to two decades. Laurence Butterworth had been a family friend for just as long. Butterworth Industries was responsible for most of the residential development on the outskirts of the city—affordable, middle-class real estate that turned over quickly and was highly profitable for both the developer and Fortunado—as well as the commercially zoned development in the heart of town, which included Fortunado’s exclusive listing for most of the shopping malls.
It was a huge blow. Butterworth was Fortunado Real Estate’s most important client.
And the loss was one they might not recover from.
Val winced when her father thumped his fist on the conference table. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to let decades of work go down the drain overnight. Someone is responsible for this.”
“But who?” It was Schuyler who voiced what they were all thinking.
“I don’t know,” Kenneth replied, red faced. “But I’m sure as hell going to find out.”
“We’ve hired a private detective to do some digging,” Zach said and dropped a stack of files on the table. “These are the clients we’ve lost in the last three months. These,” he said, dropping another stack of files, “are all the clients we think might be at risk. And this,” he said for dramatic effect as he held up a piece of paper, “is a list of anyone we think might be worth investigating. Feel free to add names to it. The more people we look at, the better chance we have of finding out who is responsible.”
Val wasn’t interested in any cloak-and-dagger subterfuge, but she did want to know who was trying to ruin the family business. She also wanted to remain positive. “We’ve signed on a few new clients in the past couple weeks, like the Messer Group account, so surely that will help with the loss of Butterworth.”
“Of course,” Zach said. “But I don’t think we can ignore the fact that someone is deliberately doing damage to this company. Which is why everyone we know needs to be put under the microscope.”
“Like who?” Val asked.
“Like your new boyfriend.”
Maddie’s voice was filled with suspicion, and Val saw that her father was frowning. “Jake has nothing to do with this. We were losing clients a long time before I even met Jake. He works on a ranch, for goodness’ sake, and he’s certainly no threat to Fortunado Real Estate.”
“You can’t know that, Val,” Zach said gently. “We can’t leave anything or anyone to chance.”
“Maybe he sought you out because he wants to get close to the family,” Everett suggested. “You know, to get information.”
Val was shocked by the intimation. The very idea that her family believed Jake might be using her for information about her family or be responsible for any of the disasters that had landed in the company’s lap lately made her seethe. They didn’t know Jake and they had no right to make assumptions.
“Please don’t do this,” she implored and then looked at her father. “Daddy, I’m asking you to respect his privacy and believe me when I say there is no way he is involved in this.”
“Sorry, Val, everyone is a suspect,” her father said calmly. “With everything that has been happening with us and with the Fortunes, we need to investigate everyone. Particularly after the fire at the Robinson estate and the fact that Ben Robinson was nearly killed. This is serious...too serious to waste time worrying about what your new beau might think is his right to privacy. I’m not taking any chances when it comes to my family.”
Val’s heart sank. She knew her father was relentless when it came to family matters. And since the business was part of the family, it became very clear that he believed they were in the middle of a full-on attack. It was made worse by the fact that she was still reeling from what she’d learned about Jake that afternoon, and she certainly didn’t want her family poking around in his business. Jake was a private man and would not appreciate being investigated. On the other hand, there was no way she could tell him what was happening without being disloyal to her family.
She was at an impasse.
Which was exactly what she told her brother Connor when she called him at his home in Denver later that evening.
Out of all her siblings, Connor was the one she always leaned on for advice. He was a straight-talking, no-nonsense kind of man, and one who could be trusted implicitly.
“I don’t know what to tell you, kid. You know how complicated this family is now,” Connor said and laughed a little. “With the Fortune connection, we’re bound to be a target for some unscrupulous characters. And if you think this new guy of yours has nothing to hide, what are you worrying about?”
“Because it’s invasive and completely unnecessary.” She sighed heavily. “I wish you were here to help sort this mess out.”
“I will be,” he assured her. “I’ll be back in Houston in a few weeks.”
Val made an excited sound. “Wonderful. I miss you. Mom and Dad miss you. But what brought on this upcoming visit?”
“I just need to talk to everyone in person about something.”
“What?” Val asked, instantly suspicious. “Is something wrong? Are you okay? Should I be worried?”
“No, yes and no,” he replied, answering her three questions. “You see, that’s why I don’t tell you and Maddie and Schuyler anything. You all jump to conclusions. I’m perfectly fine.”
“I thought you might be getting married or something,” she teased.
“Not a chance,” he flipped back. “You know I’m not the marrying kind.”
“You might be,” she ventured, “if you meet the right girl.”
“You’re the one all caught up in this romance thing,” he shot back and laughed. “Not me. This cowboy of yours has got you all hot and bothered.”
“You’re making fun of me.”
“A little. Good night, kid. See you soon.”
She ended the call, took a shower, fed Bruce and then heated up soup for herself. She played with the dog for a while, thinking that she had been ignoring him too much lately and hadn’t been as strict about his walking and grooming. The truth was, she was out all day, every day, and she knew he must be lonely. Maybe he needed a friend. She had the room, and the yard was certainly large enough for another pet. She hopped onto her laptop and sent an inquiry email to the breeder she’d purchased Bruce from, and by eight o’clock, Jake called. They talked for about twenty minutes, about everything and anything and nothing in particular, and Val avoided saying anything about Fortunado Real Estate. He seemed unusually distant, and she wondered if he was annoyed that she’d dropped in unexpectedly at the ranch but was too polite to say anything. But when she asked him, he quickly brushed off her concerns. And when she reminded him that he’d said he wanted to tell her something before they were interrupted by Maddie’s phone call earlier that day, he said they’d talk on the weekend.
As she drifted off to sleep later that night, Val tried not to make a big deal out of his evasiveness, or the guilt pressing down between her shoulders because she knew her father and Zach were about to start snooping into his life.
On Friday morning, the day before Valentine’s Day, she received a box of heart-shaped cookies from the local bakery and knew immediately they were from Jake even though there was no note attached. An hour later, a bouquet of flowers arrived for her via a delivery service. They were cottage-garden flowers, the kind you would find in an English garden and not the kind ordered from a florist. The fact that he’d picked them himself and arranged for a courier to drop them off filled her heart with happiness. Again, there was no note or card, but she knew they were from Jake and she couldn’t have imagined a more romantic gesture even if she’d tried. Realizing he knew she would prefer the wildflowers to something flashy and store bought, like roses or oriental lilies, amplified every feeling she had for him. It was turning out to be the perfect Valentine’s Day weekend.
She stepped out of the office at midday, at Schuyler’s insistence. After her sister had snooped around and noticed the flowers and cookies, she insisted Valene reciprocate and get Jake the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. She loved spending time with her sister and was touched to know Schuyler always made time for her when she was in town.
“It’s cute that he’s sending you gifts today,” her sister said. “I’ll have to get Carlo to up his game. So, what do you think of this?” Schuyler queried, holding up a dark Aran sweater. “For my handsome husband? Or your hot cowboy?”
“Nice,” Val said as she wandered around the small and exclusive men’s boutique. “But it doesn’t help me. I can’t buy Jake a sweater. It’s too soon for that. Besides, I don’t know his size.”
Schuyler raised her brows provocatively. “You will once you get his clothes off.”
Val waved a hand, walked around the leather goods cabinet and spotted a tray of tie pins and slides. One of the slides caught her attention, and she asked the sales clerk if she could take a closer look. It was perfect, fine platinum edged in gold and engraved with a horse standing on its hind legs. She purchased the item immediately and had it gift wrapped while Schuyler went on behind her about how boring she was.
“So, where is soon-to-be lover boy taking you tomorrow?” Schuyler asked once she’d paid for the sweater.
“I have no idea,” Val replied as they left the store. “He just said we’d be spending the day together.”
“He certainly is romantic.”
Val’s skin warmed. “I know.”
“Have you told him about the private investigator?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Divided loyalties, huh?”
She sighed. “It’s difficult.”
Schuyler nodded. “I imagine it would be. I remember when I was falling for Carlo, I was so wrapped up in him, so completely in lust, I don’t think I would have been able to keep that kind of secret. But then, you’ve always been better at keeping your feelings under wraps than I have.”
“You mean I don’t wear my heart on my sleeve. I know, I’m uptight like Maddie.”
Schuyler sighed. “No one is as uptight as Maddie, although she has mellowed some since marrying Zach. And you’ve always been the most considerate one out of all of us. You’ve never liked hurting people. Or keeping secrets. It’s why we all love you so much.”
Val’s eyes burned. “I don’t know what to do.”
“What does your heart tell you?”
“That Jake is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
“Even though he doesn’t tick all those boxes you were so hung up about a few weeks ago?” her sister asked as they walked through the door of the Fortunado building.
Valene shrugged. “You mean the money and the sophistication? I think those qualities are overrated. And actually, he’s highly intelligent and articulate and—”
“I get the picture,” Schuyler said, waving a hand. “But you must know that regardless of all the drama that’s happening in the business right now, Dad would always want to check out anyone you started dating that he hasn’t handpicked. When he called two days ago and said he and Mom were coming home early from their vacation and that he wanted me here, he also asked me if I’d met your new boyfriend.”
“Jake’s not my boyfriend,” she corrected. “We hardly know one another.”
“I think I knew Carlo about three days when I realized how much I liked him. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve known him. Look at Maddie and Zach. It took them five years to admit how they felt about one another. But you and I aren’t as cautious as that, Val. We’re a little more free-spirited and less afraid than Maddie. Go with that. If you like him, then like him. You don’t need anyone’s permission other than your own.”
Val was still thinking about her sister’s words when she left the building for the afternoon. Jake called at eight and they made arrangements for him to pick her up at nine the following morning. He instructed her to wear jeans and boots and, as expected, announced they were going horseback riding the next day.
“You know I can’t ride a horse,” she warned him as they headed to the ranch on Valentine’s Day.
“I know, but you’ll be perfectly safe,” he said and grinned, looking gorgeous in worn jeans and a blue chambray shirt—the same shirt he’d worn on their first date at the coffeehouse.
“I like that shirt on you,” she remarked and reached across to touch the soft fabric for a moment.
“This old thing.” He smiled. “It’s my lucky shirt.”
“So, you’re planning on getting lucky?”
He laughed. “I meant it brings me luck.”
Val smiled. “Does it?”
“Well, I’m here with you, so I’d say it’s working just fine.”
Her heart rolled over. “You’re very sweet.”
“Sweet?” he echoed. “I’m not sure I’ve been called that before.”
She laughed and then sighed. “It’s so nice to relax and not think about work or anything else.”
“Like what?”
“Fortunes or Robinsons,” she replied and then gave a brittle laugh. “I don’t want to bore you with the details.”
“Nothing about you bores me, Valene.”
Her heart rolled over, but she still didn’t feel right about saying too much about what was going on with her family.
She shrugged lightly. “We’ve lost a few more clients, and it’s at critical mass. My folks came home early from their vacation to try to sort things out.”
He glanced sideways and she saw the concern in his expression. And something else. Wariness. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Besides exactly what we’re doing now?” She shook her head. “Not a thing. I’d just like to forget everything today.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said quietly. “And I’ll cook you breakfast in the morning.”
Val was about to respond when she got the real meaning behind his words. “Oh...okay. My place or yours?”
“Yours,” he replied. “Unless you want to spend the night in the bunkhouse. It can get a little crowded.”
She chuckled. “My place it is, then. Besides, I’m sure Bruce is keen to see you again. I’ve been thinking of getting him a companion.”
“Good idea. Puppy or rescue dog?”
“Puppy,” she replied and then saw his brows shoot up. “Okay...rescue dog. See what a good influence you are?”
“I’m not sure you’d agree if you knew what I was thinking right now.”
Val’s skin warmed. “Then tell me.”
“I want to turn this truck around, take you home and make love to you all day long.”
She turned in her seat, noticing that his hands were tightly gripping the steering wheel. “Then turn the truck around, take me home and make love to me all day long.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he said and cast her a long and sexy look.
Val laughed freely, feeling so completely at ease, so completely in like with him that she could barely contain her happiness. “I’m glad you wore that shirt today.”
His brows rose. “Why?”
“Because it means we’re both going to get lucky.”