Fortune's Faux Engagement
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Carrie Nichols
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"You couldn't possibly be engaged to someone like Heath Blackwood." Or could she? What in heaven's name had compelled Jade Fortune to pretend that Heath Blackwood, the most sought-after bachelor in Chatelaine, was her fiancé? Especially when Jade barely knew the start-up titan desperately seeking answers about his own past. But to Jade's surprise, Heath's happy to play along with her spur-of-the-moment ruse. This ersatz engagement's just a figment of Jade's imagination, though. Or could this be the stuff dreams are made of?
Chapter One
Jade Fortune’s feet skidded to a stop the moment she spotted the shiny black Mercedes G Wagon. She wouldn’t have been surprised if her favorite red Chuck Taylors had left skid marks on the pavement.
Heath Blackwood must be in town. Her heart began pumping faster.
It had to be him. Heath was the only one she knew in Chatelaine, Texas, who drove that particular color and model of SUV. Not only did he drive a G Wagon, but it had been showroom clean every time she’d seen it. Just like the one parked in front of the Daily Grind.
“I can barely manage dust-free for a day. And I’m not just talking about my truck,” Jade muttered, glancing down at her companion, who’d been forced to stop when she did. “How do you suppose he does it?”
The answer was a short, baying bark.
She nodded. “You’re right. It is a mystery.”
Charlie looked up at her with his soulful basset hound eyes as if wondering why she was carrying on this particular conversation with him. Considering it didn’t involve any of his favorite words—treat, walk, ride or nap—he wasn’t interested.
“Sorry, but this is what happens when you’re thirty-three, single and haven’t had a date in ages. You end up carrying on most conversations with your dog,” she told him.
He shook his head, his long ears flapping noisily. He’d also succeeded in scattering doggie drool everywhere.
“Ewww.” Jade pulled a paper napkin from the front pocket of her jeans. When you owned a basset, you learned to be prepared. She swiped at her pant leg. “Drool or no, we’ve been together longer than any of the guys I’ve dated, and you’ve been the most loyal, so you’re forgiven.”
Charlie wagged his tail and gave her a cheerful bark.
“You’re right, I have no business complaining. I’m in a good place in my life. I don’t need a man to prove that.”
After a dozen years of drifting through life and a series of dead-end jobs, she was settled. And content. Living on the Fortune family ranch and updating and expanding the petting zoo kept her busy. She also set up workshops and day camps to teach school children about animals and agriculture. Both were more rewarding and fulfilling than anything she’d ever done.
Sure, she had experts guiding her with the zoo part, but she was as hands-on as possible, even picking up a rake or shovel and cleaning up after the animals when necessary. She spent a lot of time studying so she could teach many of the offered workshops herself, depending on subject matter and the age of the students. Jade also tracked down and invited experts to come to lecture whenever possible. That approach worked best for older kids who might require more in-depth knowledge than she could provide.
Her work life might be stable, but she doubted her single status was about to change anytime soon. With Dahlia and Sabrina happily ensconced in loving relationships, her mother and, to a certain extent, her sisters were now trying their best to matchmake her. She’d gone on a couple of casual dates but wasn’t likely to become serious about anyone else while she had this pesky crush on the utterly gorgeous, utterly unobtainable Heath Blackwood.
Yes, she was happy and in a good place but...
Sometimes, late at night when she couldn’t sleep, the thought of Heath Blackwood’s broad shoulders and deep blue eyes gave her tingles and—
“Nope. I’ve got to cut that out. I’m sure he doesn’t even know I exist.” She tossed the napkin in the trash can in front of her original destination, Longhorn’s Farm & Feed.
Jingling the leash, she said, “C’mon, Charlie, let’s get this poster inside the store before you slobber all over it too.”
Standing in the entrance to the feed store, she allowed herself another glance across the street to the Mercedes parked in a prime spot at the coffee shop. Well, the Daily Grind was Chatelaine’s version of a coffee shop. Granted, it had a barista and sold a variety of coffee concoctions along with yummy pastries just like the iconic shops in Dallas or Houston, but that’s where the resemblance ended.
The shop was located in a modest bungalow that had been converted into an eatery in the 1930s and hadn’t changed much since except for the wide porch that ran the length of the front of the building, which now acted as take out for coffee and pastries A few tables were scattered there for customers who preferred to sit outside to enjoy their coffee.
That parked Mercedes meant Heath Blackwood was probably in the shop. So close. She made an impatient sound with her tongue and turned away to continue into the feed store but paused in the doorway to adjust to the dimmer interior after being in the bright October sunshine.
Inside the store, Jade unrolled the poster and brought it to Phyllis Castleberry, who was manning the cash register today. Phyllis was reputed to be in her seventies, but her age was not a subject you discussed with her or with anyone else if you knew what was good for you. Same with her teased and sprayed bottle-blond helmet of hair.
“Hey, Phyllis, can I leave this with you? It’s all about Halloween Happenings at the petting zoo. Starting in the middle of the month, we’ll be offering hayrides, pumpkin decorating fun and a costume parade for kids and their pets.”
Phyllis raised one of her pencil-enhanced eyebrows. “Pets in costumes? I gotta see that. Are you dressing Charlie up?”
“Of course. It’s part of his duty as grand marshal of the parade,” Jade told her and glanced at her beloved pooch, who plopped his butt onto the floor with a long-suffering sigh. Jade would swear that Charlie’s canine brain understood a lot more of what was said than most people gave him credit for.
Phyllis put her arms on the counter and leaned over so she could get a look at Charlie. With her short stature, she needed the boost and to brace herself to see him on the floor. “Such a sweet thing. If a trifle slow.”
Yup, that’s what Jade was talking about. She glanced down at Charlie, who looked up at her with what Jade considered a dog version of an eye roll. She nodded in commiseration. If she thought it would do any good, she’d correct Phyllis, but in the short time she’d known the woman, Jade had learned nothing short of an act of God could get the older woman to change her opinion. On anything.
Best to change the subject. “So, about the poster. Can I leave one here?”
“Of course, dear.” Phyllis glanced at the poster, her lips moving as she read. “Ooh, that sounds like fun. I’ll be sure to bring my granddaughters on my day off. I hope you realize how much we appreciate all you’re doing for the young people in town.”
“Thanks,” Jade said, and she did mean it. She liked Phyllis, the other woman’s opinion of Charlie’s intelligence notwithstanding. “We really believe in giving back to the community and—”
“It’s such a shame,” Phyllis interjected with a sigh.
“What is?” Jade braced her hand on the counter and stood. Had something happened that she didn’t know about? News traveled at the speed of sound in Chatelaine, but Jade wasn’t always paying attention.
“You.” Phyllis hitched her chin toward Jade. “You’re obviously so good with kids, it’s too bad you don’t have a few of your own. You really ought to get married and start a family.”
The older woman reached under the counter and pulled out a roll of clear tape. She lined up the edges of the poster along the top of the counter and taped the poster to the glass countertop. “You should think seriously about starting a family. You’re not getting any younger, ya know. After all, the Good Lord gave us a finite number of childbearing years.”
“Thanks. I’ll be sure to give it some thought,” Jade said, working hard to keep her voice level. Thirty-three wasn’t ancient, she wanted to shout but didn’t. And she had to admit that every so often, she swore she heard a faint ticking and feared it might be her biological clock. Too bad she—
No. She wasn’t going to fall into that trap. There was nothing wrong with her or her life. She was content and fulfilled, and that was a lot more than some married people could say.
Phyllis made marriage and kids sound easy, but first Jade would have to find a guy who was interested in doing that with her. And they weren’t exactly coming out of the woodwork.
“There.” The other woman smoothed the tape over the poster. “I know Chatelaine isn’t like the big city, but we have our share of single men. Take Heath Blackwood, for instance...”
An image of broad shoulders and smoldering sex appeal sprang forth in Jade’s mind. Looks, money and success all in one package. Yeah, and for those reasons, he was on the radar for every single female within a 150-mile radius. Probably some married ones too. What sort of chance did she stand?
You can’t expect to attract a man if you don’t put forth some effort in your appearance.
Jade shoved her father’s caustic comments back into the box she kept them in and slammed the lid shut. She had never been able to compete in the looks or elegance department with her beauty queen mother or her two younger sisters. So she’d stopped trying ages ago.
Her mother, Wendy, maintained that Casper, her father, had loved his children and only ever wanted the best for them and that’s why he could be harsh. Whether that was true or not, Jade would never know now that he was gone. She tried not to dwell on the past and the regrets she had when it came to her relationship with her dad.
“Or there’s always Carl Evens, the greens keeper at the country club. No, wait. Shari at GreatStore says he started dating someone. Ooh, speaking of which, I think there’s a new assistant manager working there. Maybe—”
Charlie chose that moment to bark. Standing, he tugged on the leash, his nails clicking on the cement as he headed toward the exit.
Thank you, Charlie. Who says you’re not the smartest dog ever? “Well, I guess we’d better get going. Thanks for your help with the poster.”
“Of course, dear, anytime.”
Once outside, Jade blinked against the bright sunshine and glanced across the street before she could think better of it.
The luxury SUV was still parked in front of the Daily Grind.
“That must be some sort of sign. Right?” Jade mumbled. “Quick change of plans, Charlie.”
The dog woofed as if he didn’t like the sound of that.
“I think I could go for a latte,” she told him. He whined but fell into step beside her as they crossed the street. Latte. Yup, that’s the only reason she was heading to the coffee shop. And maybe a pastry. Nothing at all to do with the man who was inside.
The walk-up window on the porch was Chatelaine’s version of a drive-through.
“You wait right here.” She tied Charlie to the post in the small area out front that the owner of the shop had made for dogs. There were several filled water bowls. Charlie began to snuffle as she turned away, but Jade was ready for him and handed him an emergency dog bone she kept in her purse before he could let out an embarrassing full-blown basset howl at the indignity of being left behind.
She had just reached the top step when she spotted Heath sitting at one of the tables on the porch. She quickly and, she hoped, smoothly did a course correction toward the walk-up window at the far end of the porch, getting in line behind several people. No sense going inside if Heath was out here, right? And besides, if she stayed outside, she could keep an eye on Charlie.
Her gaze went back to Heath. He wore a pair of black-framed glasses as he sat hunched over his open laptop. She’d never considered glasses sexy...until now.
He seemed to be absorbed in whatever was on his laptop, a coffee cup and an untouched Boston crème donut perched beside him. Maybe after getting her latte, she’d say hello and tell him about her workshops. She’d been at the table when he’d been introduced to his triplet sisters, but they hadn’t spoken. She liked to think he’d been so caught up in meeting the Perry triplets that he hadn’t acknowledged her. For sure she’d taken notice of him. To think he had noticed and immediately dismissed her was too depressing.
Either way, she could ask him if he’d be interested in giving a lecture to her kids at one of the ranch’s day camps. She knew his tech company worked with farmers and ranchers. Yeah, that sounded like a good reason to approach him.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” a woman who’d gotten in line behind Jade asked.
“The sign said the Daily Grind,” answered another woman. “That’s what they told us back at the spa.”
“It doesn’t look like any coffee shop I’ve ever seen,” the first one scoffed.
Jade couldn’t help grinning at their conversation. She had to agree that the Daily Grind was unique, but so was Chatelaine. And that was fine with her.
“Remember, we’re not in Dallas anymore,” the other woman pointed out.
The line advanced, and Jade shuffled forward as the two women’s conversation flowed behind her. Something about them reminded her of the snobbish girls from her high school days. Her family’s money had not spared her from the castigating tongues of those girls. So, she had spent her high school years trying to blend into the background, to avoid detection. Getting noticed for any reason meant becoming a target.
But, considering she’d reached her full adult height of five foot nine by the time she’d even started high school, it hadn’t been easy. Making it worse was the fact most of the boys had not yet grown to their full height, so she towered over many of them, including her twin, Nash. He eventually flew past her and now loved patting her on the head and calling her a good little sister to make up for those early days.
“How do people stand it? How do you live in a place with no Nordstrom? It’s practically barbaric,” said one of the women with a condescending snort.
Chatelaine might not be as large or upscale as Dallas or Houston, but it was now Jade’s hometown, and she was proud of it. The people here had welcomed her and her family. She’d never seen her mother so excited or happy as she had been since moving here. In fact, the last time Jade had been with her mother, the woman had been positively glowing. Jade never remembered her being like that in the past. Of course, times had not always been easy during Wendy’s marriage to Casper Windham, but she’d made the best of it. Yet this...this was different. Wendy’s happiness wasn’t just her putting on a good face. You couldn’t fake radiant.
“Well, I’m going to blame you if this coffee is crap,” one of the women griped to her companion. “Why couldn’t you have waited until we got somewhere decent to feed your caffeine habit?”
That’s it! She’d heard enough out of these women. Chatelaine may not have a Nordstrom, but they had damn fine coffee.
Plastering on a smile, Jade turned around. “You don’t have to worry about the coffee here, ladies. I’ve had coffee in Dallas and Houston, and I’d put the Daily Grind’s coffee up against those bougie shops any day.”
Now, standing face-to-face with the women, Jade regretted her outburst. Heat rose to her cheeks from the uncharacteristic tirade as she tried to figure out why they looked familiar. One was a blonde with hair cascading down around her shoulders, the other a brunette, her shiny hair cut in a symmetrical bob.
The blonde, dressed in a couture designer outfit, looked trim and elegant despite the warm sun and her advanced state of pregnancy. The diamonds in the rings on her left hand sparkled in the sunlight, and Jade was tempted to caution her not to blind anyone. Also dressed in a chic outfit, the brunette carried a large, brightly patterned Dolce & Gabbana tote bag.
Jade did a double take when the head of a tiny dog popped over the top of the designer bag. The red toy poodle blinked at Jade. She’d bet that dog didn’t drool all over everything and silently apologized to Charlie for even thinking it. She vowed to give him an extra dog treat when they got home. “Cute dog.”
The brunette patted the poodle’s head but pulled her hand away when the dog began kissing her fingers. “This is Zaza.”
Jade nodded, but before she could say anything more the blonde was saying, “Jade? Jade Windham, is that you?”
Pocket-size dog forgotten, the hair on the back of Jade’s neck stood up. How did...? Oh God, it was Alexis Baker and Nina Carpenter. No wonder they looked familiar. They were her high school nemeses, but she hadn’t seen them since graduation. And she could have gone happily for the rest of her life without crossing paths with them ever again. They’d been just as snobbish back then. Not to mention, they’d made Jade’s life miserable with their cutting comments disguised as helpful advice if others were present and just plain mean digs if they managed to get her alone.
“I’m not surprised you ended up in the back of beyond,” Nina, the brunette, said with a brittle smile.
Jade’s cheeks flushed. What was wrong with her? She was a grown woman. High school was fifteen years ago, middle school over twenty. So why did she feel like she’d been thrown back into second period biology with the school’s ultimate mean girls?
“Actually, it’s Jade Fortune now.” Oh no. Why did she have to say that? She didn’t want to get into that and not with Alexis and Nina of all people.
Jade had, along with her brothers and sisters, changed her last name to Fortune when their mother learned she was related to the well-known Texas family. They’d done it mostly to please Wendy. And it wasn’t as if Jade had been close to Casper Windham and would miss using his name.
“Oh, that’s right. I heard something about all that. Y’all found out you were Fortunes. May as well take advantage of the situation, right?” Alexis tossed her long blond hair over her shoulder, ignoring the woman behind her, who sputtered when that hair slapped her in the face.
Yeah, not much had changed.
“We decided to embrace our family connection,” Jade answered, keeping her voice as even as possible. Why hadn’t she minded her own business? They might not have noticed her. But, no, she had to stick up for her new home. Now she’d called attention to herself and had to suffer the consequences. Felt like high school all over again.
Remembering their snide comments about the town, she asked, “What are you both doing in Chatelaine?”
“We were invited to enjoy the spa at Fortune’s Castle,” Nina told her.
Jade did her best to hide her surprise. Her mother was redoing Fortune’s Castle, turning her inheritance into an exclusive resort and spa. Last time she’d spoken with her, Wendy had mentioned that she’d invited Heath to stay at the hotel in one of the finished penthouse suites. She’d also invited some women to come for a day to sample the services of the spa. Too bad her mother included these two in her invitation.
“You were invited?” Jade asked and winced. Did that make her sound pathetic?
“Of course, we were on the list.” Alexis said with a sniff. “Nina is a major social media influencer, so she was invited. And she asked me to come along as her guest.”
“I wouldn’t have wanted to come way out here by myself,” Nina said with a shudder.
Jade ground her back teeth but ignored the biting comment.
“A last girls’ trip before Junior is born,” Alexis said and patted her stomach.
It wasn’t easy, but Jade smiled and found her manners. “Looks like it won’t be too long. Congratulations. A boy, you say?”
“Thanks.” Alexis waved her hand, holding it so the diamond-studded engagement and wedding bands were on display. “Yes, Conrad and the whole family are thrilled to death. I’m carrying the first grandson.”
“How wonderful.” Jade nodded. Why had she given in to temptation and come over here? Oh yeah, in hopes of running into Heath Blackwood. And here he was, sitting right over there and could probably hear everything these catty women were saying to her. Would he agree with them? Was it her imagination, or had the place descended into silence?
“Is it true what we heard today? You’re running some sort of animal thing?” Nina asked.
“A petting zoo,” Jade clarified.
“Who would have thought you’d end up running a zoo of all things? But I’m sure there’s a lot more to it than cleaning up animal dung all day.” Nina giggled. “At least you’re wearing the right footwear for the job—”
“Jade?” Candace, the barista manning the window, leaned out. “You’re next. What can I get you?”
The ability to click my heels and be home at the ranch would be nice.
Jade managed to smile. “A Royal English Breakfast latte, please. Oh, and I’d love a Boston crème.”
“Sorry. Out of those donuts. How about a double chocolate chip muffin instead.”
“No, that’s okay. But thanks, Candace.”
Maybe if she didn’t turn back around, Nina and Alexis would leave her be and go about their own business. And maybe pigs would fly.
Nina snapped her fingers. “That reminds me, I assume we’ll be seeing you again next weekend.”
“Next weekend?” Jade racked her brain trying to figure out what they could be talking about. Her mother hadn’t mentioned anything else going on at Fortune’s Castle.
Alexis nodded. “Our fifteenth high school class reunion. You are planning to attend, aren’t you? You can tell everyone the exciting ins and outs of running a petting zoo. I’m sure everyone will be fascinated to learn what it’s like to scoop poop all day.”
The two women giggled, and Jade clenched her hands. She loved her job, and they were making fun of it. “My boyfriend wasn’t sure if he could get away to come with me, so I hadn’t made plans yet.”
Oh no. Where had that come from?
“You have a boyfriend?” Nina gave her a critical once over.
Jade wiped at the damp spot on her jeans from Charlie’s drool. “My fiancé actually.”
Oh, Jade, where is your head at? When you’re in a hole you are supposed to stop digging, not get a bulldozer.
“Fiancé? Really?” Alexis giggled.
“That’s him right over there,” Jade said and made a vague motion with her head in the general direction of Heath’s table. What were the odds that they’d know him?
“Say what? You can’t mean him. That’s Heath Blackwood,” Nina squeaked.
So much for not knowing him.
Alexis tsked her tongue. “You couldn’t possibly be engaged to someone like Heath Blackwood.”
“Oh, it’s not official yet or anything, but he asked me, and I said yes. So...” Had she taken leave of her senses?
Nina gave someone a saccharine sweet smile. Jade turned her head to see who she was looking at.
Heath, no longer hunched over his laptop and intent on his screen, was watching them. His forehead wrinkled in a frown. Had he overheard the conversation?
Shoot me now.
Or worse. Maybe he knew Nina and Alexis. Perhaps he was business associates or golfing partners with their husbands, and he was coming over to say hi to them. And they would rat her out.
She groaned inwardly. Why oh why had she opened her big mouth and let all those stupid lies spew forth? Maybe her dad was right. There was something seriously wrong with her.
Where were the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse heralding the end of the world? She’d just claimed to be Heath Blackwood’s fiancée. That surely was the end of her world. Because if anyone had overheard her, her life in Chatelaine was over. She’d be laughed out of town if anyone got wind of this.
And it would be her own damn fault.
Jade Fortune.
Heath had spotted her as soon as she came out of the feed store and crossed the street. Dressed in worn jeans, a T-shirt and red sneakers, Jade was long and lithe but round in all the right places. Seeing her made him catch his breath.
He’d been mentally kicking himself for not introducing himself since seeing her that day in the coffee shop. But he’d been caught up with meeting his sisters. Digging into his mother’s past and meeting his sisters had been the reason he’d come to Chatelaine.
But not speaking to Jade that day didn’t mean he hadn’t noticed her so now he felt like doing a fist bump when she got in line for the takeout window. At first it appeared she’d been planning to go inside but changed her mind at the last minute to stay outside. Had she noticed him? Is that why she’d decided to line up at the window?
Ego much, Blackwood?
Maybe he should go up and actually introduce himself this time. Then they could talk. He huffed out a short laugh. This wasn’t one of those Jane Austen type movies his mom had watched all the time. No need these days for a formal introduction in order to speak to her. Except the thought of talking to her made his mouth go dry. Made him feel like he was in his youth. When the girls hadn’t paid any attention to the gangly, fatherless boy from the wrong side of the tracks.
But, man, they’d sure noticed once he’d achieved success with his start-up tech company and he’d shot up into the tax bracket he now occupied. Except all the females who threw themselves at him now left him cold. Probably had something to do with the fact that his success is what drew them.
He came to the decision to suck it up—hey, he was a grown man, not a tongue-tied teen—and go over there. Damn. Now she was talking with those two women, so he stayed seated. He didn’t want an audience in case he stumbled over his words. Why did Jade make him feel so awkward?
Truth was, she was the only one he was interested in talking to, so he may as well wait. From the first moment he’d laid eyes on her in town, he’d been fascinated. She could only be described as authentic. Each time he’d seen her, she’d been wearing jeans and a T-shirt or flannel, depending on the weather. Her long shiny hair had been tied back in a no-nonsense style instead of puffed out and sprayed, like so many of the socialites at the country club. Jade didn’t seem interested in putting up a front, not like the two women behind her. He’d swear those two were all show and no substance.
He admired what Jade was doing for the children of the community. As a boy, he’d attended the sort of workshops she provided. They were free or very little cost, so his mom could afford it, and they satisfied his thirst for knowledge. Those workshops had also fueled his imagination, and he credited them with helping him, a fatherless boy, reach his potential, fulfill his dreams and beyond. He’d created his own innovative company to help farmers and ranchers. His first idea had made him millions. It had been a special weather forecast application useful for both farmers and ranchers.
Moving on from weather apps, he’d been researching drones and lasers, wanting to take his company in a new direction. He liked the idea of using drones, along with artificial intelligence, to target and kill invasive weeds with lasers. This was an up-and-coming technology for farmers, and he wanted in on the ground floor, dumping his profits back into research for this technology—
Hang on. Did someone just mention his name? Glancing around, he brought his thoughts back to the present and the coffee shop.
The blonde who was carrying a purse that looked large enough to stock a small country was staring intently at him. A tiny red curly-haired creature popped its head out of the large tote. Was that a dog?
The two uppity women glanced his way, and Jade was looking increasingly uncomfortable. Was something wrong? It might not be any of his business, but he decided to pay closer attention to the conversation because it was affecting Jade.
From what he could gather, the ladies were acquainted with Jade, but he’d never seen them around town until today.
He caught enough of the conversation to be angry on Jade’s behalf. Running the petting zoo was not something to be denigrated. It wasn’t just the kids who benefited but the entire town. In the short time he’d been part of it, he’d come to like the people who lived here.
What the...?
Intent on preventing those women from humiliating Jade, he pushed his chair back so quickly it fell over with a clatter. All three women turned at the sound.
He tossed his glasses onto the table and stalked across the porch, coming to Jade’s rescue his only goal.
“Sweetheart, I’ve been waiting for you,” he declared as he approached.
Jade’s eyes widened. “Well, I—”
He threw his arms around her, cutting off what she’d been about to say and pulling her close.
Leaning down, he whispered in her ear. “Play along.”
She parted her lips as if to speak but his mouth claimed hers before any words came out.
