Fortune's Fresh Start

“I know you, Callum. All I’m saying is don’t shut the door on a possibility before you’ve given it a chance.”

He paused with his hand on the coffeepot’s handle. His sister was right, of course. He’d decided after his divorce that he valued his independence too much to make a committed relationship work. The decision hadn’t been a problem because no one he’d met had made him question it.

Until Becky.

“When did you get too smart for your own good?” he asked.

Stephanie grinned. “I’ve always been brilliant. You’re just realizing it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a laugh. They talked some more about possibilities for an upscale restaurant in Rambling Rose, and then Callum headed out to start his morning.

He appreciated the pace of life in Texas. He could move quickly, but things also seemed to adjust to fit the wide-open spaces and the sense of community pride that felt uniquely Texan. This was a setting that made a man earn his place. The residents of Rambling Rose might be curious about his ties to the famous Fortune family, but people seemed more concerned with his dedication to the town.

Callum felt at home here in a way he hadn’t during any of the other projects he’d taken on over the years. It made his desire to succeed burn even brighter and caused the future to beckon in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

Later that week, Becky looked up from the lunch she’d packed to see Callum walking toward her across the pediatric center’s sunny courtyard. A slow smile spread across her lips as awareness tingled along her spine. This was the third day Callum had appeared during her lunch break.

Maybe she shouldn’t read too much into it. He’d explained he had business at the pediatric center. She had no reason not to believe him.

“What’s on the menu today?” he asked as he slid into the seat across from her. Becky always took her lunch early since most mornings she didn’t have time for breakfast.

“Turkey and cheese,” she said, then pulled out the extra sandwich she’d made. “I have one for you if you’re hungry.”

He stared at the plastic baggie for so long she wasn’t sure if he was going to take it or get up from the table and run the other direction. When he finally reached for the sandwich, it embarrassed her that she’d even made the effort to bring something extra for him. “Thank you,” he said. “That’s thoughtful.”

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