The Mayor's Secret Fortune
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Judy Duarte
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HarlequinChapter One
Rain splattered the windshield as Ellie Hernandez maneuvered her recently detailed red Honda through the wet city streets, trying to get to the ribbon-cutting ceremony on time. She was the mayor of Rambling Rose, for goodness’ sake. And she always made it a point to arrive at a meeting or an event early. Hopefully, today wasn’t the exception.
She glanced at the clock on the dash and rolled her eyes. In fifteen minutes she was supposed to be on hand for the grand opening of the Shoppes, a collection of high-end stores that would cater to the wealthy, a swarm of which had been moving to Rambling Rose in recent months. They’d begun to infiltrate the small town she loved, threatening to make the community in which she’d been raised unrecognizable. And she found the whole thing unsettling.
Not that she didn’t want the community to grow and prosper. She believed that growth should be organic, the result of Rambling Rose’s quaint, small-town appeal, and not fabricated commercialism.
As the wipers swished and swooshed across the windshield, a big black Dodge Ram passed her on the left, its right rear tire hitting a puddle and splashing a wave of muddy water at the side of her car so high that it struck the windshield with a vengeance.
“Hey, jerk! Watch where you’re going.” She didn’t recognize the fancy, late-model vehicle, so she assumed it was one of the rich newcomers, no doubt in a hurry to join in the excitement of yet another one of Fortune Brothers Construction’s grand openings.
Callum, Steven and Dillon Fortune had come to Texas eager to make their mark in real estate renovation. Sure, Ellie could appreciate them renovating the old foundling hospital, which was now the Rambling Rose Pediatric Center. And the new veterinary clinic they’d opened last month would benefit the community, too. But the locals, the people who’d made their homes here long before the big real estate boom, weren’t into wearing designer clothing. Nor were the small-town masses interested in dining in a five-star restaurant, another of the Fortune Brothers Construction projects.
The rain had stopped, so she shut off her windshield wipers. Moments later, she pulled into the parking lot, just behind the guy driving the black pickup. After finding a spot and shutting off the ignition, she reached for her purse and grabbed her compact red umbrella. Earlier, on the morning news, the weatherman had said the storm was moving south today, but Ellie wasn’t going to take any chances.
She climbed out of the car just as the pickup driver—a corporate cowboy, if that fancy black hat was a clue—got out of his vehicle, too. She paid him little mind. Being on time, to her, meant arriving at least fifteen minutes early, and the clock was ticking relentlessly.
Still, her late arrival couldn’t be helped. She’d had a doctor’s appointment at ten o’clock, but he was running behind. And now she was, too. Running, that is.
As she hurried toward the entrance, making her way around a couple of puddles, she wished she’d worn something more sensible than heels, like the pair of sneakers packed in the gym bag she always kept in her trunk. But she favored business attire while working on behalf of city hall, and even when she’d had to squeeze in a visit to the doctor, she hadn’t wanted to take the extra time to change shoes.
In her peripheral vision, she spotted the approaching cowboy, all tall and lean and...
Fortune.
Steven, to be exact.
She’d known that he and his brothers, Callum and Dillon, would be here today. The Florida developers had moved to Rambling Rose last fall with visions of grandeur that had already begun to change the once blue-collar town for good. And the Shoppes was another one of their fixer-upper projects.
She couldn’t help but glance to her right, and when she did, Steven tipped the brim of his black Stetson and tossed a dazzling smile her way.
She offered him a polite but forced smile of her own and picked up her pace, her heels clicking on the newly paved blacktop in a don’t-be-late cadence. But she couldn’t seem to shake him.
“Good afternoon, Mayor,” he said, his voice deep and almost booming. “What’s your hurry? We’re nearly ten minutes early.”
“I know, but that feels late to me.” She tried to ignore his tall, dark and handsome presence, but that was nearly impossible to do, especially when it seemed that those big blue eyes of his had a permanent spark in them.
In the five or six months since Steven had moved to town, he seemed to always stand out in the crowd. He’d also acquired a sexy cowboy swagger. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he’d been born and bred in Texas rather than in Florida.
Now, as he moved beside her, close enough for her to catch a whiff of his musky aftershave, one of his long strides matching two of hers, people were going to think they’d arrived together. Maybe even in the same vehicle.
Great. Just great. Not that any of the Fortune brothers was her nemesis. It’s just that they didn’t see eye to eye with her on much of anything, and she had a responsibility to the people who’d voted her into office—the hardworking citizens who’d lived here for years and weren’t comfortable with the influx of wealthy newcomers. So, needless to say, arriving with Steven at her side made it look as if she and Fortune Brothers Construction were in cahoots. And that wasn’t the case.
Still as much as she hated to admit it, rich or poor, Steven was far more attractive than a man had a right to be. And a misplaced attraction like that was the last thing she needed today.
No, there were more important things to think about than the sexy man sauntering next to her—like the short speech she had to make in a few minutes. On top of that, she had a lot to ponder after today’s exam at the doctor’s office. As a result, she wasn’t paying attention to the rain-slicked ground, and her foot slipped on something wet and hard—a small rock or stone? She let out a little shriek as she lost her balance.
Steven reached out to catch her. Before the wannabe hero could save the day—or prevent her from making a clumsy fool of herself—she landed on her backside with a wet, muddy thud that sent her hair clip flying across the ground as cold, dirty water soaked through her slacks to her panties.
“Are you okay?” Steven asked.
“I’m fine.” She brushed a loose strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. For a moment, her tummy flip-flopped, and she feared she’d be sick. But she sucked in a breath of fresh air, and the feeling soon passed.
Steven reached down to take her hand, his brow furrowed, his eyes...
Dammit. The sympathetic gaze and the sky-blue color were almost enough to chase the clouds away. Almost.
In spite of her reluctance to accept his help, she took his hand, feeling the warmth as it embraced hers. Work roughened, yet soft and gentle at the same time.
From her position on the ground, he appeared much taller than six foot something. The moment he pulled her to a stand, her legs wobbled, and her heart rate, already escalated, skipped to a zippity-do-dah beat.
“There you go,” he said, his smile as nice as it could be—yet, under the circumstances, annoying all the same.
She drew her hand from his and cleared her throat. “Thank you.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.
Ellie blew out a sigh. “I’m actually more humiliated than hurt.”
Could anything else go wrong today? It didn’t seem likely.
She brushed her wet derriere and realized she couldn’t get on a stage looking like a drowned rat—and no doubt, one of the last to leave a sinking ship. Her town was a-changin’, and there wasn’t one darn thing she could do about it.
As she turned to head back to her car, where she kept her handy-dandy Ellie Hernandez Emergency Preparedness Kit, a sharp twinge shot through her ankle. Her steps faltered, and she swore under her breath.
“Let me help.” Steven took her by the arm, his grip strong and steady, yet tender.
Another woman might appreciate the gallant gesture—or be flattered by it—but Ellie pulled away and waved him off. “Thanks, but I’ve got this.”
All she had to do was figure out where the nearest bathroom was so she could change into one of the two spare outfits she always had with her. As she limped back toward her car, past the vehicles that had arrived earlier, she reached into her purse, pulled out her key fob and, using the remote, popped open her trunk.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Getting something to change into.” She removed a neatly folded pair of slacks and a matching blouse she kept in the car for spur-of-the-moment business meetings or unscheduled events, then grabbed her gym bag.
Steven let out a slow whistle. “Would you look at that? You keep a traveling wardrobe on hand. I’m impressed.”
“I like being prepared.” The irony, though, struck her with a low blow. She could count a handful of times in recent months that she hadn’t been the least bit prepared for the unexpected.
“Where do you plan to change clothes?” he asked.
She shot him an incredulous look. “In a bathroom. Why?”
“I have a much better idea—and one that’s quicker. Our construction trailer is about fifty yards from here. Think you can make it?”
She paused only a moment before nodding and falling into step beside him.
As much as she hated to accept any help from one of the Fortune brothers, she’d much rather change in a trailer than one of the nearby porta-potties, which would be her only alternative if she didn’t want to do so in her car or, God forbid, trek through the gathering crowd with wet pants and dirty hands to search for a restroom inside the Shoppes.
She glanced at her bangle wristwatch. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m never late.”
“Relax,” he said. “They’re not going to start the grand opening without either one of us.”
He was right, of course. But all Ellie needed was for someone to see them enter that blasted trailer together and think the worst. Talk about sleeping with the enemy. How was she going to spin her way out of this?
After Steven unlocked the door to the trailer to let Ellie inside, she turned to him and scrunched her pretty face.
“You’re going to wait out here, right?”
“Of course. If you feel more comfortable, use the lock.”
She stepped inside, and the door snapped shut. The sound of the dead bolt followed.
“Seriously?” Steven muttered.
“I heard that!”
Steven slowly shook his head as he stood on the wooden porch steps, holding the company keys and waiting for the pretty but disheveled mayor to change. He sucked in a deep breath of the rain-scented air and scanned the sky. Storm clouds, once dark and threatening, had lightened and begun to move on, giving way to small patches of blue. Thank goodness the people who’d shown up for today’s ceremony wouldn’t get drenched.
He’d been looking forward to the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Shoppes at Rambling Rose for months. It was the third grand opening Fortune Brothers Construction had held this year. And with each one, their reputation back in Florida, as well as in Texas, grew stronger and more impressive.
Too bad that wasn’t the case here, in Rambling Rose. You’d think the town council and Mayor Ellie Hernandez would be happy that Steven and his brothers had remodeled the old five-and-dime. Once an eyesore that had been abandoned and neglected for more than twenty years, it was now an elegant two-story building that housed a variety of upscale boutiques. But for some damned reason, she didn’t consider their contribution to the community.
Last month, at the fund-raiser for the new Paws and Claws Animal Clinic, Ellie had made it clear that she wasn’t impressed with the progressive changes he and his brothers had made, or were making, to the town.
Steven lifted his left wrist and glanced at his Rolex, a birthday gift from his father. It was nearly time to get the show on the road, although he’d meant what he’d told Ellie when they arrived—the ribbon cutting wouldn’t take place without them. Still, her little misstep was bound to be a setback.
She might keep spare clothing packed neatly in her trunk, but that didn’t mean she’d change faster than any other woman who made it a point to have every hair in place. And as far as Steven was concerned, the tall, willowy brunette looked damn near perfect each time he saw her.
A slow grin stretched across his face. Seeing Ms. Perfection seated in a mud puddle, her hair hanging wild and loose instead of contained in a neat twist, her sable eyes wide and lips parted in disbelief, was a pretty sight to behold. And a far cry from the image the good folks of Rambling Rose had come to know and love.
From what he’d gathered, Ellie had been an only child, her mama and daddy’s pride and joy. She’d sold more cookies than any of the others in her Girl Scout troop, sung solos in the church choir and helped the women’s club serve meals at the homeless shelter. She’d gone on to become the valedictorian of her senior class before earning a master’s in public policy. So it wasn’t just her pretty face that was impressive.
Still, she seemed a little too good to be true, too damn perfect. He wondered what flaws might be lurking beneath the surface. There had to be something, if only he could find it. He also needed to get on her good side, but so far, he hadn’t had any luck with either of those tasks.
Steven leaned against the wooden porch railing, prepared to wait it out. When the door squeaked open, taking him a bit by surprise, Ellie breezed out of the trailer, smiling as if she’d never suffered a setback. The only sign of being flustered was her flushed cheeks, which merely added a rosy tint to her olive complexion and made her brown eyes pop.
“Thank you,” she said. “Changing in the Fortune Brothers Construction man cave was a lot nicer than using one of the porta-potties.”
“You’re welcome.” He tossed her a disarming smile, which seemed to escape her notice. On the other hand, her appearance didn’t escape his.
She’d come outside different—not just from when she went in, but from when she’d arrived. She’d combed her hair, leaving it down instead of in her customary updo, and she’d changed out of the dressy black pants she’d had on, trading them for khaki slacks. She’d shed her tailored jacket and the crisply pressed white blouse, too. Instead she wore a cream-colored sweater accessorized with a red plaid scarf.
“Just look at you,” he said. “A little more casual and down-to-earth than when you arrived, but as professionally dressed as ever.”
He’d meant it as a compliment, but she never seemed to be sure about him or his true intentions, so it didn’t surprise him when she rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. “Under the circumstances, it’s the best I could do.”
“Nicely done, then.”
“Thank you,” she said, “but let’s go.”
At that, she took off, walking past him while he locked up and leaving him to catch an intriguing hint of her citrus-blossom scent.
After slipping the keys into his jeans pocket, he followed her, enjoying the sway of her hips and the way her long, dark hair swished across her back—a very nice change. She really ought to wear it down more often.
He shook off his thoughts and caught up with her.
In spite of a slight limp the pair of gym shoes couldn’t mask, she never broke stride.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Like I said, they’ll wait.”
She let out a huff. “That’s not the point.”
They stopped by her car long enough for her to toss her gym bag into the back seat, the hasty effort a sign of her inner frustration.
“Why do I get the distinct feeling you don’t like me?” he asked.
At that, her movements finally stilled. “I don’t have any reason to dislike you. It’s just that the changes you and your brothers have been making in Rambling Rose aren’t helping the community at large. And it’s clear that you don’t know the townspeople well enough to give a damn what they want.”
“You’re wrong. My brothers and I care about the residents of Rambling Rose.”
Ellie chuffed. “You only care about the newcomers. Now that the homes in Rambling Rose Estates have gone on the market, we’ve had an influx of millionaires move in. And the longtime residents feel pushed out. Unappreciated.”
“The locals might not like the idea of new residents moving in—wealthy or not. But you can’t blame Fortune Brothers Construction for the hard feelings.”
She didn’t respond in words, but her arched brow clearly said, Oh no? Who else is to blame?
“When Bradley Industries came in with big dreams and then went belly-up, my brother and I picked up the pieces and finished projects in record time. I’d think you’d be happy that someone was able to complete them.”
She didn’t comment. But what could she say?
The way Steven saw it, Fortune Brothers Construction had stepped in and made the community a better place. “You have to admit that our recent renovations of the pediatric center and the animal clinic will benefit everyone in Rambling Rose.”
“Maybe so.” She nodded toward the elegant, two-story glass-front entrance to the Shoppes. “But what about this? Just look at this place.”
“What’s wrong with it? It looks great.” And hell, why wouldn’t he think that? He’d helped design it.
She slapped her hands on her hips. “The people who live in Rambling Rose, the ones who were born and raised here, aren’t that fancy. They don’t shop in stores like this. Nor do they appreciate the fact that, thanks to all the wealthy newcomers, the owners stand to turn a big enough profit to allow them to afford the rent in a luxurious setting. And that will create larger social and economic divisions in our communities, something we’ve never had before, which is my point.”
“I appreciate your loyalty to your constituents and your desire to keep things the way they’ve always been, but the world is changing, Ellie. The technology-savvy millennials prefer specialty shops over department stores—or else they’re shopping online.”
The attractive mayor, Ms. Perfection, practically snorted. “I’m a millennial, Steven. And I’m not impressed by fancy buildings and expensive specialty shops.”
He merely studied her. He admired her passion for the town as it used to be. And he found her more than a little intriguing. He wasn’t exactly sure how old she was—late twenties, he assumed. Either way, she seemed too young to be a mayor, even of a small town like Rambling Rose.
When he didn’t respond right away, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put us at odds before the ceremony.”
“No worries. I’m not the least bit offended.” In spite of their difference of opinion, he actually enjoyed their banter.
He’d grown up as the oldest son of a very wealthy man, and while he and his siblings were all accomplished, the brothers had built the construction company to the point that they’d each become financially successful in their own rights. So Steven was used to being catered to, flirted with and pursued by attractive women.
But that wasn’t the case with Ellie, and he found that refreshing. She intrigued him. Yet it was more than her spunky attitude he found appealing. He’d always been attracted to brunettes, and this one had caught his interest the very first time he’d laid eyes her.
“We can talk later,” she said. “We need to climb up on that stage and get this event over with.” And with that, she was off once again.
A car door slammed shut, and Steven glanced across the parking lot, where several men and women had gathered around a white SUV, its rear door lifted high. There didn’t seem to be anything unusual about the vehicle, but there was something out of sync about the people.
When one guy reached into the back and began to hand out signs, Steven realized why.
Protesters. That’s all they needed.
Had Ellie spotted them? Apparently not, since she continued toward the makeshift dais, where a red ribbon stretched across the front of the glass doors.
Then again, maybe she had inside information and had known they’d be here. If she didn’t have to attend the grand opening in an official capacity, she might have held one of the protest signs herself. She clearly shared their sentiments. But if there was one thing Steven had come to know about Ellie Hernandez, it was that she took her job as mayor seriously.
That being the case, would she go so far as to shut down the protesters or call in law enforcement?
Another car door slammed, and three more people joined the first group. He suspected all hell was about to break loose. Steven and his brothers could handle anything they might throw their way. But how was the pretty young mayor of Rambling Rose going to respond, especially if things were to blow sky-high and a fight broke out?
Steven hated to admit it, but he couldn’t wait to find out.
