A SWEETHEART FOR JUDE FORTUNE Read online

  It’s love at first sight for one sexy cowboy—but has this Fortune met the only woman who just might slip through his grasp? Cindy Kirk weaves a sweet and sexy Valentine’s Day romance in this latest installment of the new Fortunes of Texas continuity!

  As Valentine’s Day approaches, playboy rancher Jude Fortune Jones is convinced he has met the Woman He Is Going to Marry. (Again, his brothers tease.) But it is no joke to Jude. When petite brunette beauty Gabriella Mendoza arrives in Horseback Hollow, Jude knows he will never be the same.

  Keep things light, Gabi tells herself. She is in no position to think about settling down, particularly with the hopeless-romantic cowboy. As a heart-transplant recipient, she has plenty of reasons to avoid getting too intimate with Jude—plenty of reasons to feel less than worthy of his love. How can she trust that the flirtatious Fortune is playing for keeps?

  MEET THE FORTUNES!

  Fortune of the Month: Jude Fortune Jones

  Age: 30

  Vital Statistics: Broad rancher’s shoulders, blue eyes and oh—those muscles!

  Claim to Fame: Falls in love as often as he changes his socks

  Romantic Prospects: Excellent. Who can resist his sexy drawl and heartfelt ways?

  “I know my reputation. But this time it’s different. From the moment I laid eyes on Gabi Mendoza, I knew I had found my One True Love. I guess it’s true that opposites attract. She’s Miami and I’m Texas. She’s all serious and I’m—well, I’m Jude. But you know what happens when a Fortune and a Mendoza get together? Magic! And I’m not about to let that kind of magic slip away without a fight!”

  * * *

  The Fortunes of Texas:

  Welcome to Horseback Hollow!

  Dear Reader,

  I’ll let you in on a little secret. The dogs in this book are mine!

  Our three “boys” came to us when their previous homes didn’t work out. We were a “dogless” home when Ernie arrived. The Shih Tzu had wanted to be the dominant dog in his prior home. The problem was, so did a West Highland white terrier. One of their many fights led to Ernie being seriously injured. We took him into our home and he flourished as our one-and-only.

  Shug, a blue heeler, came next. Someone dumped him into the country not far from where we live. Our neighbor down the road said he’d seen the dog about a mile from our house several days earlier. By the time Shug made it to our place, he was very hungry and thirsty. We knew immediately the temperamental Australian cattle dog wasn’t the kind who’d easily find a home. Since he got along well with Ernie, he became our second boy.

  Chico, a Dorkie (dachshund-Yorkie mix) came to us last year. A woman’s daughter had gotten him from an ex-boyfriend. The boyfriend was long gone and so was the daughter. The woman admitted she “couldn’t stand” Chico, a sweet dog desperate for love and attention. She rarely let him out of his cage. He joined our family and fit right in.

  As if I hadn’t already enjoyed writing this book (I LOVE anything to do with the Fortunes of Texas), including the dogs made this book extra special. I hope knowing some of the background makes the book extra special to you, as well.

  Happy Reading!

  Cindy Kirk

  A SWEETHEART FOR JUDE FORTUNE

  Cindy Kirk

  Books by Cindy Kirk

  Harlequin Special Edition

  ∆If the Ring Fits #2139

  ∆Jackson Hole Valentine #2169

  ∆The Doctor’s Not-So-Little Secret #2184

  ∆His Valentine Bride #2243

  ∆The Doctor and Mr. Right #2255

  **Expecting Fortune’s Heir #2258

  ∆A Jackson Hole Homecoming #2267

  ∆One Night with the Doctor #2291

  ΩA Sweetheart for Jude Fortune #2312

  Silhouette Special Edition

  Romancing the Nanny #1818

  *Claiming the Rancher’s Heart #1962

  *Your Ranch or Mine? #1986

  *Merry Christmas, Cowboy! #2009

  ∆The Doctor’s Baby #2040

  ∆In Love with John Doe #2051

  ∆The Christmas Proposition #2088

  Harlequin Books

  Special Edition Bonus Story: The Anniversary Party—Chapter Six

  *Meet Me in Montana

  ∆Rx for Love

  **The Fortunes of Texas: Southern Invasion

  ΩThe Fortunes of Texas: Welcome to Horseback Hollow!

  Other titles by this author available in ebook format.

  CINDY KIRK

  has loved to read for as long as she can remember. In first grade she received an award for reading one hundred books. As she grew up, summers were her favorite time of year. Nothing beat going to the library, then coming home and curling up in front of the window air conditioner with a good book. Often the novels she read would spur ideas, and she’d make up her own story (always with a happy ending). When she’d go to bed at night, instead of counting sheep she’d make up more stories in her head. Since selling her first story to Harlequin in 1999, Cindy has been forced to juggle her love of reading with her passion for creating stories of her own…but she doesn’t mind. Writing for the Harlequin Special Edition series is a dream come true. She only hopes you have as much fun reading her books as she has writing them!

  Cindy invites you to visit her website, www.cindykirk.com.

  To my longtime friend,

  author Nancy Robards Thompson.

  Here’s to many, many more years of friendship!!

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Standing on the sidewalk outside the Horseback Hollow Superette on a bright Friday morning, Gabriella Mendoza paused to read a text from her father, sent from his room in a rehabilitation center in Lubbock.

  Bath@9. DON’T come b4 10.

  Gabi sighed. Since it was barely eight-thirty, even if she chugged down the highway at the speed of a slug, she’d easily make the one-hour drive into the city before ten. This meant she needed to use this stop at the local convenience store to not only grab coffee, but kill time.

  OK C U after 10, she texted back, then started toward the store known for carrying a little bit of everything. She was mentally calculating how much time she needed to waste when her phone pinged.

  Gabi smiled. Though Orlando Mendoza had recently celebrated his sixtieth birthday, he texted with a fervor normally reserved for teenagers. She’d barely glanced at the incoming message when her forward progress came to a jarring halt.

  “Whoa.” The masculine voice held a hint of laughter. Large hands reached out to steady her when she stumbled.

  Startled, Gabi jerked her head up and the unsteadiness returned full force. Even if his eyes hadn’t been the color of the Texas sky, the blond-haired Adonis in worn Wranglers and a black Stetson would have caused any red-blooded woman’s heart to race.
>
  “Whoa,” Gabi repeated.

  He lifted his hands from her forearms, but the searing heat from his touch lingered. “Are you okay? I plowed right into you.”

  “Actually, I think it was me plowing into you.” She flashed a quick, apologetic smile. “I’m one of the rare few who can’t walk and read a text at the same time.”

  “Let’s call it a draw.” The cowboy offered up a lazy smile and rocked back on his heels. He made no move to step aside or walk away. It was as if he had all the time in the world to stand in the bright sunlight of this unseasonably warm day in late January and chat with a stranger.

  And Gabi was a stranger, not only to him but to most of the two thousand residents living in this small North Texas town. Though she’d been living in her father’s house in Horseback Hollow for the past couple weeks, she had yet to meet his neighbors. Since she’d arrived from her home in Miami, any free time had been spent at the hospital.

  When she’d been notified the small plane her father had been flying had crashed, Gabi had hopped the first flight to Texas. With her mother dead and her brothers unable to make the trip for various reasons, she’d come alone.

  Gabi hadn’t minded the sacrifice. Her father had always been there for her. All she wanted was him to be independent once again. His transfer from the hospital to rehab yesterday had been a positive first step.

  Hopefully with her father doing better, she’d have the opportunity to meet a few people in town. Like now, she could spend a few minutes flirting—er, becoming acquainted with—the handsome hunk who stood before her, without feeling she was neglecting her dad.

  Unfortunately, before Gabi could formulate something smart and witty to say, his phone rang. The cowboy glanced at the screen, grimaced and answered.

  “Have a fabulous day,” she said softly, regretfully, wiggling her fingers goodbye.

  He shot her a wink. Even as he listened intently, phone pressed to his ear, those clear blue eyes remained fixed on her. The scrutiny made her glad she’d taken a few extra minutes this morning to dab on some makeup and curl her hair instead of pulling it back like she’d been doing all week.

  As Gabi entered the Superette, she almost called back that it had been nice to meet him. She stopped herself just in time.

  They hadn’t met, not really. They’d merely run into each other—literally—and exchanged a handful of words. She didn’t even know his name. Of course, that didn’t mean she hadn’t liked what she’d seen, and it certainly didn’t stop her from hoping he’d be there when she came out.

  But, by the time she returned with a twenty-ounce cup of decaf in hand, he was gone. Heaving a sigh of regret, Gabi slid behind the wheel of her father’s boat-of-a-Buick and turned toward the highway leading to Lubbock.

  The car obediently settled into a smooth cruise, allowing her brain to shift to autopilot. She’d made this trip to see her father more times in the past few weeks than she could count.

  When the landing gear on the plane he’d been flying had failed to engage, the experienced aviator had been forced to belly-land. Most of his injuries had been incurred when the plane broke apart on impact. She’d seen pictures of what was left of the Cessna.

  What had the doctor said? It was a miracle he’d survived.

  Gabi rolled up the window all the way, suddenly chilled to the bone. But she reminded herself that was the past. Today was her father’s first full day in the rehabilitation center and a cause for celebration.

  By the time Gabi pulled into the parking lot of the facility, her mood was as sunny as the cloudless sky. She headed toward the front door of the facility with a bounce in her step.

  Once inside, she quickly located the stairs. Seizing opportunities to exercise came so naturally Gabi never considered taking an elevator. She jogged up the steps two at a time, pleased her heart rate remained steady and her breath even.

  Six years ago she hadn’t been able to make it across even the smallest room without needing to sit down. Now her heart beat strong in a body as toned as an athlete’s.

  The walls lining the hallway leading toward her father’s room were filled with pictures and inspiring stories of rehab center “alumni.” With splashes of bright colors throughout and rooms with state-of-the-art equipment discreetly out of sight, the facility had a cheerful feel.

  Doing her best to ignore the faint medicinal scent hanging in the air, Gabi stopped in front of room 325 and gently rapped her knuckles against the closed door.

  “Come in,” she heard her father say.

  She paused. Did he realize it was her and not a nurse or therapist? Pushing the door open only a couple of inches, she paused. “It’s Gabriella. Are you decent?”

  Orlando Mendoza’s deep, robust laugh was all the answer she needed. She pushed open the door and stepped inside.

  Her father sat in a chair by the window, wearing a blue shirt with thin silver stripes and the navy pants she’d altered a couple days ago to accommodate his left leg cast. While the past few weeks had added extra streaks of silver to his salt-and-pepper hair, Orlando Mendoza remained a strikingly handsome man.

  He lifted his right hand in greeting, drawing her attention to the cast that encased the arm. Seeing it brought back memories of the day in the intensive care waiting room when the doctor had sat down with her and detailed the injuries: fractured left leg and right arm, bruised kidneys, fractured rib, concussion.

  But her father was tough. And determined. Perhaps it was the sight of him dressed in street clothes or the bright smile of greeting on his lips, but for the first time since the accident, Gabi truly believed he’d make it all the way back.

  “Papi.” She crossed the room, placing her coffee cup on a tray table before leaning down and wrapping her arms around him. “You look like yourself.”

  “As opposed to looking like someone else?” he asked with a teasing smile.

  She laughed and pushed back to hold him at arm’s length. If not for the arm and leg cast, Gabi could believe her father was simply enjoying a cup of coffee before heading to the Redmond Flight School where he worked. As a retired former air force pilot, flying had been his life for too many years to count.

  When he’d gotten the opportunity two months ago to help run a flight school in Texas, he’d been as excited as a graduate landing his first job. While Gabi had been sad to see him leave Florida, she’d also been happy for him. The position was exactly what he’d been looking for since he’d retired from the air force.

  And since the crime rate in the area of Miami where he lived had skyrocketed in recent years, she’d found comfort in the knowledge he was now in a small rural community.

  “What are you thinking, mija?” her father probed, his tone gentle.

  Gabi expelled a heavy sigh. “I thought you’d be safe in Horseback Hollow.”

  “He should have been.”

  Gabi turned toward the masculine voice to see her father’s two bosses standing in the doorway. Sawyer Fortune had met her at the airport when she’d flown in from Miami after getting news of the accident. His new wife, Laurel, had remained by her father’s side at the hospital.

  In the difficult days that followed, they’d been her rock.

  “Are you feeling up to company?” Laurel asked Orlando. She was a tall, pretty blonde with long hair pulled back in a ponytail. “If not, Sawyer and I can stop back later.”

  “You’re not company.” Orlando motioned them into the room and gestured to the small sitting area near his bed. “Please, sit.”

  After exchanging greetings and hugs, Gabi also took a seat and let her father direct the conversation. She could tell it made him feel good to have Sawyer and Laurel stop by on a workday to see him.

  She sipped her coffee, offering a word now and then when appropriate. When the talk turned to sabotage, Gabi straightened in her seat.
She fixed her gaze on Sawyer. “Are you saying someone deliberately messed with the landing gear?”

  Sawyer raked a hand through his brown hair. Though it wasn’t even noon, weariness clouded his eyes. He expelled a harsh breath. “We don’t know for sure, not yet.”

  “Who would do such a thing?” Gabi’s voice rose and broke. An accident was one thing, but for someone to deliberately set out to hurt her father... “He just moved here. He doesn’t have enemies.”

  Laurel and Sawyer exchanged a glance.

  Gabi’s breath hitched. “Does he?”

  “We don’t think it’s about him,” Sawyer said finally. “The sheriff thinks someone may be out to get the Fortunes.”

  “Your family?” Gabi struggled to recall what she’d heard about the Fortunes. Wealthy and prominent were the only words that came to mind. “Why?”

  “Mija.” The endearment slid off Orlando’s lips as he reached over with his left hand and captured her fingers, giving them a squeeze. “The authorities are still investigating. All this is simply speculation.”

  The older man cast a sharp look in Sawyer’s direction as if telling him there would be no more upsetting talk in front of his daughter.

  Yet, it was Laurel, not Sawyer, who changed the subject. She shifted her attention to Gabi. “Now that you’ve had some time to settle in, what do you think of Horseback Hollow?”

  “It’s a nice town.” Out of the corner of her eye Gabi saw her father nod approval. Even if she hadn’t liked it here, she wouldn’t have said otherwise. But she’d spoken the truth. Though she’d never considered herself a small-town girl, so far she was enjoying her stay. “I find it very peaceful.”

  Laurel smiled encouragingly. “Tell me what you’ve been doing to keep yourself busy.”

  “Well, I spend most of my days with Papi.” Gabi slanted a glance and he smiled. “Since the weather has been unseasonably warm, I try to go for a run once I leave the hospital.”