Fortune's June Bride (Mills & Boon Cherish) (The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country, Book 6) by Allison Leigh
Authors: Allison Leigh
Ads: Link
joyful occasion. “And I saw Delaney in the general store a few weeks ago. She’s engaged now, too?”
“To Cisco Mendoza.”
“Of the Mendozas who opened the Hollows Cantina?” Marcos and Wendy Fortune Mendoza had established the upscale Mexican restaurant the year before.
“He and his brother Matteo are cousins of some sort to Marcos. Julia—Liam’s wife—is assistant manager there. She told me once, but can’t say I paid much attention. Wendy, though, is
my
cousin.”
Aurora was genuinely surprised. “Good grief. You have cousins
everywhere
, don’t you?”
He smiled wryly. “Ever heard of FortuneSouth?”
“Telecommunications or something, aren’t they?”
He nodded. “My mom’s oldest brother, John Michael Fortune, founded it. He’s Wendy’s father.” He toyed with the plastic number. “Everywhere we turn, there’s a Fortune.”
She studied him for a moment. “It’s not just more people around the Sunday dinner table, is it?”
She wasn’t sure at first he’d answer. But then he shook his head. “It’s an adjustment.” His lips twisted a little. “A big one. Particularly for my old man.”
And of all Deke Jones’s sons, Galen was most like him. She’d heard it time and time again. From Jeanne Marie. From Mark. “Families aren’t always what we expect,” she murmured.
He smiled wryly. “No. They’re not.”
She propped her chin on her hand, absently watching the fortune-teller who worked the entire park make her way among the tables on the main floor, offering up entertainment before the saloon girls started their show. “I had my doubts when the Mendozas opened the Cantina. I mean, we’re Horseback Hollow. What did we need with such a fancy restaurant? But they said the place would draw business from all around, and they were right.”
“Evidently they had plenty of experience from the restaurant Marcos ran in Red Rock.
Red
. My mom brought back some tamales from the place after one of her visits there. Better than any I’ve ever had, even at the Cantina.”
Mention of Red Rock made Aurora think again of Anthony. Which made her think about Roselyn, which made her mood want to swing sideways all over again. “What about you?” She sat up again. “When was
your
last date?”
He raised a brow. “Pardon?”
“Well,” she gave him a quick, cross-eyed look, “you know my dirty secret. Least you can do is even things up.”
“Couple months ago, I guess.”
“Naturally,” she drawled, though she was a little relieved that it hadn’t been just a few days ago or something. Not that she could imagine when he’d have time to be out dating considering how busy he was these days. But she also didn’t want to know she was fantasizing about a kiss—a real kiss—from him when he was out kissing someone else. It just made her feel that much worse. “Anything serious?” She was a little proud of her flawlessly casual tone.
He snorted. “Rusty and Lila’s fictional hitchin’ is as serious as I get. I’m happy to leave the weddin’ and beddin’ to my brothers and sisters.” He gave her a devilish grin. “I’ll just stick to the beddin’.”
Something else she didn’t want to think about.
She looked back down again at the fortune-teller. The woman was reading a little girl’s palm. “You’d think after ten years I wouldn’t let Roselyn still get to me.”
“Everybody’s got their Kryptonite.”
She glanced at him again. “And do you have something that renders you helpless?”
He shrugged. “Thinking about anything bad happening to my family.” His gaze flickered beyond her. “Hallelujah. Lunch is here.”
Aurora sat back while the server—dressed in a slightly less sassy costume than those the dancers wore—delivered their tray of sandwiches and soft drinks, collected the sheriff’s star number and left again.
On cue, her stomach rumbled again and she eagerly unwrapped her BLT. “Yum,” she breathed. “Now I really owe you. Wings and
“To Cisco Mendoza.”
“Of the Mendozas who opened the Hollows Cantina?” Marcos and Wendy Fortune Mendoza had established the upscale Mexican restaurant the year before.
“He and his brother Matteo are cousins of some sort to Marcos. Julia—Liam’s wife—is assistant manager there. She told me once, but can’t say I paid much attention. Wendy, though, is
my
cousin.”
Aurora was genuinely surprised. “Good grief. You have cousins
everywhere
, don’t you?”
He smiled wryly. “Ever heard of FortuneSouth?”
“Telecommunications or something, aren’t they?”
He nodded. “My mom’s oldest brother, John Michael Fortune, founded it. He’s Wendy’s father.” He toyed with the plastic number. “Everywhere we turn, there’s a Fortune.”
She studied him for a moment. “It’s not just more people around the Sunday dinner table, is it?”
She wasn’t sure at first he’d answer. But then he shook his head. “It’s an adjustment.” His lips twisted a little. “A big one. Particularly for my old man.”
And of all Deke Jones’s sons, Galen was most like him. She’d heard it time and time again. From Jeanne Marie. From Mark. “Families aren’t always what we expect,” she murmured.
He smiled wryly. “No. They’re not.”
She propped her chin on her hand, absently watching the fortune-teller who worked the entire park make her way among the tables on the main floor, offering up entertainment before the saloon girls started their show. “I had my doubts when the Mendozas opened the Cantina. I mean, we’re Horseback Hollow. What did we need with such a fancy restaurant? But they said the place would draw business from all around, and they were right.”
“Evidently they had plenty of experience from the restaurant Marcos ran in Red Rock.
Red
. My mom brought back some tamales from the place after one of her visits there. Better than any I’ve ever had, even at the Cantina.”
Mention of Red Rock made Aurora think again of Anthony. Which made her think about Roselyn, which made her mood want to swing sideways all over again. “What about you?” She sat up again. “When was
your
last date?”
He raised a brow. “Pardon?”
“Well,” she gave him a quick, cross-eyed look, “you know my dirty secret. Least you can do is even things up.”
“Couple months ago, I guess.”
“Naturally,” she drawled, though she was a little relieved that it hadn’t been just a few days ago or something. Not that she could imagine when he’d have time to be out dating considering how busy he was these days. But she also didn’t want to know she was fantasizing about a kiss—a real kiss—from him when he was out kissing someone else. It just made her feel that much worse. “Anything serious?” She was a little proud of her flawlessly casual tone.
He snorted. “Rusty and Lila’s fictional hitchin’ is as serious as I get. I’m happy to leave the weddin’ and beddin’ to my brothers and sisters.” He gave her a devilish grin. “I’ll just stick to the beddin’.”
Something else she didn’t want to think about.
She looked back down again at the fortune-teller. The woman was reading a little girl’s palm. “You’d think after ten years I wouldn’t let Roselyn still get to me.”
“Everybody’s got their Kryptonite.”
She glanced at him again. “And do you have something that renders you helpless?”
He shrugged. “Thinking about anything bad happening to my family.” His gaze flickered beyond her. “Hallelujah. Lunch is here.”
Aurora sat back while the server—dressed in a slightly less sassy costume than those the dancers wore—delivered their tray of sandwiches and soft drinks, collected the sheriff’s star number and left again.
On cue, her stomach rumbled again and she eagerly unwrapped her BLT. “Yum,” she breathed. “Now I really owe you. Wings and
Similar Books
