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  “He’s safe with me,” Nate told her, then closed his eyes for a moment as images of Eddie’s lifeless body pounded into his brain. Safe. His most despised four-letter word, since he no longer believed he had the power to keep anyone safe. “I mean—”

  “I know he is,” she said with a gentle smile. “I’ll be out to check on him in a bit.”

  She walked away before he could answer, and despite Jayden’s advice, Nate knew he’d never tell Bianca the details of Eddie’s death. He couldn’t stand the thought of hurting her and would do anything he could to make sure that didn’t happen.

  Anything.

  * * *

  “What inspired the idea for your book?” Bianca asked Ariana later that evening as they worked together in the kitchen. Nate and Jayden had taken EJ with them an hour earlier when they left to go check on the irrigation system in one of the fields at the far end of the property.

  Ariana had offered to help Bianca make dinner—homemade meatballs and spaghetti. Bianca was shocked to discover how easy and companionable it was to have a friend in the kitchen.

  “It was a local couple actually,” Ariana answered as she chopped tomatoes for the salad. “Paloma and Hector Ybarra. I got stuck on Jayden’s ranch last June when my car conked out just before a tornado touched down nearby. There was some minor damage to this ranch, but the Ybarras’ house was completely destroyed.”

  “That’s terrible,” Bianca whispered.

  “It was, but the community immediately pitched in to rebuild it. I went to their farm with Jayden and was shocked at how calm both of them seemed. Paloma told me how blessed they were to have each other and their friends even when they had nothing but the land beneath their feet. They had so much wisdom to offer, and their words really meant a lot. It was a time of transition in my life, and although I had a great job, I felt strangely at loose ends. I’d just met Jayden, and he changed everything for me. Does that make any sense?”

  Bianca sighed. “More than you know.”

  “Once I realized things were getting serious with Jayden—or at least that I wanted them to—I quit the magazine. The Fortunes were no longer simply a family I was reporting on. I was in love with one of Gerald Robinson’s sons. It no longer felt right making the family my business, and I’d always wanted to write a book.” She laughed softly. “When I first met Jayden after my car died, I accused him of being an ax murderer.”

  “I’m sure that went over well,” Bianca said with a smile.

  “He likes to joke that I should write a story about an ax murderer, but I like interviewing real people and learning their stories. The Ybarras inspired me, and I knew there must be more stories like theirs around the state, so I decided to write a book about people who embody the spirit of Texas.”

  Bianca dumped a box of dried spaghetti into the pot of boiling water on the stove. “It’s a great idea. How do you find your subjects?”

  “Articles in local papers, news stories, social media.”

  “Social media?”

  Ariana nodded. “I set up a Facebook page and Instagram account for the book. I posted about what I was doing and asked people to message me if they knew anyone who would be a good fit. The response was unbelievable. Then I sorted through the stories, contacted people for initial interviews and went from there. Jayden and I are visiting the dozen people I’m profiling.”

  “It’s nice of him to travel with you.”

  “I think he was nervous about letting me go alone, but it’s wonderful to have him on the road with me. I’ve got pages of notes and lots of recorded conversations. In fact, I only have three more people to interview and I’ll be ready to start compiling everything.”

  “Are any of them famous like the Fortunes?”

  Ariana shook her head. “A few are well-known in their communities, but very few people in Texas are as famous as the Fortunes.”

  “Nate told me the story of their mother and Gerald Robinson. Or I suppose she knew him as Jerome Fortune.”

  “He did?” Ariana paused with the knife in midair.

  “Was it a secret?”

  “No, of course not. It’s just that Nate doesn’t talk about his father much. He’s like Deborah in that way. Both of them like to pretend that discovering Gerald is alive hasn’t changed anything.”

  “That’s impossible.”

  “I know, but it’s a pretty overwhelming discovery. Having interviewed several of the Fortune kids, I’ve seen a span of different reactions. I’m glad Nate finally talked to someone. I’m glad he has you.”

  “I happened to be here,” Bianca said with a shrug, unwilling to allow herself to believe Nate confiding in her meant what Ariana wanted it to.

  “It’s more than that,” the other woman insisted. “Nate is charming and funny, but Jayden said something changed in him when he returned from his last mission.”

  “The mission where my brother died.”

  “Right,” Ariana agreed, her gaze sympathetic. “Obviously that was a tragedy you can’t truly recover from, but I think it affected Nate more than even he realized. I’ve only known him a short time, but there’s a big difference in how he seems with you and EJ here. He’s lighter somehow.”

  “He takes on too much.”

  “Each of the Fortune brothers does.” Ariana dropped the tomatoes into the wooden salad bowl Bianca had placed on the counter. “I think it comes from being raised by a single mom. They’re protective of Deborah and feel responsible for anyone they care about.”

  “I wonder if that’s how EJ will be when he grows up.” Bianca stirred the tomato sauce simmering on the stove then turned to Ariana. “Nate told me he doesn’t care about a relationship with Gerald Robinson. Does Jayden feel the same way?”

  “Not exactly. I think Jayden is wary but curious. He’s met some of the Fortunes as well as Gerald. And I’m not sure Grayson has actually processed his feelings on having a father. He’s been busy with the rodeo circuit and his sponsorship responsibilities. I doubt Deborah’s fully dealt with it, either. She spends so much time with Grayson that it’s easy for her to lose herself in his life. She does that with all the boys. They’ve always been her whole world.”

  “Did you have a normal family growing up?” Bianca couldn’t help but ask.

  “I did. What about you?”

  Bianca shook her head, the familiar disappointment and regret burning a hole in her stomach. “I never knew my dad. According to Mom, he took off after Eddie was born but came back when he was around seven. He wanted another shot and to finally be a family. I guess life was pretty good until I came along. The baby thing just wasn’t our dad’s cup of tea so he left again—permanently. Mom blamed me, although Eddie never did. He always told me he didn’t remember much about those two years with our dad, but now I think he might have been lying. Eddie was a great big brother. I’m so lucky I had him because our mom didn’t have much use for me.”

  “That can’t be true,” Ariana said, sounding stunned. “You’re obviously a great mother. Where did you learn that if not—”

  “Maybe it’s natural instinct,” Bianca said with a tired laugh. “Or maybe I’m trying to make up for what I never had. Either way, I can appreciate how Nate must feel. It breaks my heart because my jerk of an ex-husband walked away two years ago and hasn’t contacted EJ since. I don’t care that he was done with me, but a boy needs a father.”

  “You’re doing a great job on your own.”

  Bianca shook her head. “I appreciate you saying that, but you have to understand what I’m talking about after profiling even a few of the Fortune kids.” She leveled a look at Ariana. “How many of them have daddy issues?”

  Ariana grimaced before quickly schooling her features. “Point taken, but they’re also a group of accomplished, smart, talented and generally fun-to-be-around people. They may have some issues to work through, but show
me one person who doesn’t. I had a great family, but that doesn’t make me perfect.” She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of white wine. “Besides,” she said, grabbing a corkscrew from a drawer, “perfect is boring.”

  Bianca smiled and took down two wineglasses from the cabinet next to the stove. “One thing you can say about the Paseo Fortunes is they are not boring.”

  Ariana filled each of the glasses and handed one to Bianca. “To not perfect.”

  They clinked glasses. “And not boring,” Bianca added and took a long sip.

  * * *

  Nate walked out of an empty horse stall, staring at his cell phone’s home screen, and almost plowed into Jayden.

  “Ariana and Bianca called us in to dinner,” his brother told him. “I sent EJ in to wash his hands and—” Jayden’s eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “Not a ghost,” Nate clarified. “But I did just get off the phone with Ben Fortune Robinson in Austin.”

  Jayden raised a brow.

  “Why is it that I can have no service at the house but somehow I get three bars in the back of that stall?”

  “Ariana would tell you it’s luck.”

  “Bad luck,” Nate muttered.

  “Was Ben giving you trouble?”

  Nate shook his head. “On the contrary, he was ten kinds of friendly.”

  “All of Gerald’s kids I’ve met have been. The Robinson brood—Ben, Wes, Kieran, Graham, Rachel, Zoe, Sophie and Olivia—had just as much of a shock as the rest of us.”

  “I can’t believe you can rattle off their names.”

  “We now have a lot of family around Texas,” Jayden said with a shrug. “But I think there are actually more.”

  “We know there’s more,” Nate countered. “Keaton for one.” He began to tick names off on his fingers. “Then Chloe and—”

  “I’m not talking about the kids from Gerald’s affairs. Ariana uncovered information while she was doing research last year. It seems Gerald got his wandering eye honestly. His father, Julius, had secrets of his own. And quite possibly Fortune offspring that even Charlotte Robinson isn’t aware of. I was thinking—”

  “Stop thinking.” Nate held up a hand. “Stop talking. Whatever you and Ariana believe you know, I don’t want to hear about it. Gerald Robinson was a sperm donor as far as I’m concerned. Leave me out of any sort of search for more Fortunes.”

  “You know Ben was the one who first reached out to his—I guess our—father’s illegitimate kids. He believed everyone had a right to know their roots.”

  “Yeah. He told me as much during our conversation.” Nate blew out a breath. “He also invited me to the Mendoza Winery in Austin for some big Valentine’s Day bash. According to Ben, it would be a perfect occasion for me to meet some of the other Fortunes.”

  “And the Mendozas,” Jayden added. “The two families are pretty intertwined at this point. There’s a lot of history there, and now Rachel and Olivia—”

  “Two of Gerald’s legitimate daughters, right?”

  Jayden nodded. “They’re both married to Mendozas.”

  “Sounds complicated.” Nate gave Jayden a pointed look. “I don’t do complicated anymore.”

  Jayden tipped back his head and laughed. “Right. I’m going to ignore the fact that you’ve got it bad for your best friend’s little sister, who happens to be a single mom and also happens to be living under the same roof as you. Hate to break it to you, bro, but that’s kind of the definition of complicated.”

  “It’s not the same thing.”

  “Right,” Jayden repeated with a smirk.

  “I’m heading to dinner. This conversation is going nowhere.” Nate didn’t wait for an answer but started walking toward the barn door.

  “So are you going to do it?” Jayden asked, catching up to him in a few strides.

  Bianca’s beautiful face filled Nate’s mind but he shook off the image. “Do what?”

  “Make an appearance at the Mendoza Winery party?”

  Nathan shrugged. “It’s a busy time around here.”

  “It’s always busy at the ranch,” Jayden countered. “Make time, Nate. I think it would be good for you.”

  “I’ll take that under consideration,” Nate answered, unwilling to admit how curious he was becoming about his extended Fortune family.

  Chapter Nine

  Jayden and Ariana stayed for two more days. The house was crowded in the best way possible with all of them together. When Eddie had joined the navy, Bianca had dreamed of a big family with lots of brothers and sisters instead of the cramped apartment where she could feel the weight of her mother’s silence like a boulder balanced on her shoulders. Being on the ranch with the Fortunes was a dream come true.

  During the day, she organized her inventory, taking photographs and cataloging everything for her website and Etsy shop. She also spent time with EJ, working with him on letter recognition and writing his name. He’d been in a prekindergarten program at his daycare, and she didn’t want him to be behind when they returned to San Antonio.

  Although the thought of going back held no appeal.

  They couldn’t stay in Paseo forever, even though watching the love between Jayden and Ariana made her long for her own happily-ever-after. She and Nate had little time alone with his brother in residence, and she supposed that was a good thing.

  Or at least an excuse as to why he hadn’t tried to touch her again. She knew he wanted her. Sometimes when no one was looking, she’d meet his gaze and the intensity in his eyes made her feel like she might spontaneously combust.

  But he’d stayed up with his brother both nights, although it was clear Jayden would have rather gone out to the tiny guest cottage situated to the west of the house he was sharing with his wife. Bianca didn’t understand why Nate insisted on the late-night bonding sessions, and she didn’t like not knowing.

  Now she stood at the front porch rail, a cool breeze whipping between the house and the barn, as Jayden loaded duffel bags into the cargo bed of his truck, then opened the back door so Sugar could hop in.

  EJ was next to Nate a few feet from the car, and she watched her son wipe his eyes on the back of his shirtsleeve. He’d miss that sweet dog. The stray he’d named Otis had indeed been more visible with Sugar at the ranch. The dog still wouldn’t let anyone near enough to touch him, but if they let Sugar out on her own, Otis would soon enough be hanging out at her side.

  Sugar seemed to take the stray dog’s devotion as her due. She was like a queen with one of her loyal subjects. EJ remained determined to tame Otis and had convinced Ariana to help him bake dog treats to lure the animal closer.

  Bianca worried about his attachment to a dog whose history they didn’t know, but both Jayden and Nate assured her that if Sugar was comfortable with Otis, he must have a decent temperament.

  Ariana waved from the passenger-side window. They’d said their official goodbyes after lunch, and Bianca was only a little embarrassed that she didn’t walk all the way to the car to see them off. She was afraid she might lose it in a far more embarrassing way than EJ. In such a short time, Ariana had come to feel like a true friend, and she appreciated the calming effect Jayden had on Nate, who seemed more relaxed at his brother’s side.

  Jayden said something to Nate and held up a finger toward Ariana, then jogged toward the house and up the porch steps.

  “Forget something?” Bianca asked lightly, relieved her voice didn’t crack.

  “Take care of him,” Jayden said quietly, coming to stand in front of her. “He pretends to be stronger than he is.”

  “I know,” she said with a slight nod. “But Nate can take care of himself. He doesn’t need me.”

  “Yes.” Jayden crouched down so they were at eye level. “He does.”

  She blew out a breath, un
sure how to answer. What she wanted most in life at the moment was to be needed by Nate Fortune.

  “Losing Eddie was a blow to both of you,” he continued, “but it isn’t the only thing that holds you together. You make him remember what it’s like to feel happy. That’s special, Bianca.”

  “I think he’s pretty special,” she whispered with a shaky smile.

  Jayden frowned slightly. “He also doesn’t believe he deserves that happiness.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s his story to tell, but I’m asking you not to give up on him. Me, Nate and Grayson aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer when it comes to women.”

  “You were pretty smart choosing Ariana.”

  His gaze softened. “I almost messed it up, but I loved her too much to let her go.”

  “It was so nice to meet you both.”

  “You, too.” He reached forward and gave her a friendly hug. For as much as the two brothers—and she guessed Grayson, as well—looked alike, her body didn’t react at all to Jayden. It was as if she’d been specifically calibrated to respond to Nate. All she had to do was feel his gaze on her and she’d start to tremble. “I’m guessing we’ll be seeing more of you.”

  She lifted one shoulder. “I’m not sure how long we’ll be staying. I don’t want to take advantage of Nate’s hospitality.”

  Jayden laughed at that. “No one takes advantage of Nate. Stay as long as you like. You’re good for him. EJ is good for him.”

  “Are you going to talk all afternoon?” Nate called, impatience clear in his tone.

  “He’s jealous,” Jayden said with an eye roll, and he gave Bianca another hug. “I’ll see you next time.”

  “Bye, Jayden.”

  She waved as the truck pulled away, then a movement on the side of the house drew her attention. Otis cocked his ears and glanced at her, his black eyes strangely expressive. The dog was a mystery to her, always hanging around like he was tied to the ranch and this family, but never coming close enough to truly belong.