Fortune's Texas Surprise

Stephanie straightened away from him and the dog. “Is this his normal behavior?”

He looked up at her and grinned. “No. He’s just acting this way because he’s smitten with you and jealous of me. He doesn’t want me to get close to you or touch you. See, let me show you.”

He reached over and placed his hand on Stephanie’s arm, which promptly caused Seymour to erupt in a barking, teeth-gnashing fit.

She swiftly jerked away her arm and stepped back. “I really don’t have time for this sort of...demonstration. And I honestly think you ought to leave the room so I can give your dog the treatment he needs.”

Up until a few minutes ago, when Dayna had introduced the two of them, he’d never seen Stephanie Fortune. Not here in the clinic or anywhere around Rambling Rose. She didn’t exactly have a Texas drawl, nor did she have a Louisianan lilt to her voice. Which meant she’d migrated here from much farther away.

He’d heard about some rich folks by the name of Fortune moving into the huge mansion on the outskirts of town. He’d also read a few articles in the local paper about Fortune Brothers Construction building the pediatric clinic and this animal clinic, but he’d never met any of the family. Acton couldn’t imagine this woman being one of them, anyway. Why would someone who belonged to such a wealthy family be working in an animal clinic, handling mutts like Seymour? No, Stephanie must be from a different bunch of Fortunes, he decided.

“Okay, Miss Stephanie, no more demonstrations. I’ll be good.” To convince her, he moved a few feet away from Seymour and the examining table.

She darted him a wary glance, then let out a long breath and stepped tentatively back to the dog. “Just be sure you stay where you are.”

Acton tried not to grin at her, but she looked so darn pretty, with a bright shade of pink splashed across her cheeks and her blue eyes flashing, that he couldn’t help himself.

“I won’t move a muscle,” he promised. “Even if a honeybee flew in here right this minute and landed on my nose, I wouldn’t even swat it away. But then, if a honeybee really did fly in here it wouldn’t land on me, anyway. It would go straight to you.”

A suggestive line like that would normally catch any woman’s attention. Apparently Stephanie Fortune wasn’t just any woman. Instead of glancing at Acton, she kept her focus firmly on Seymour.

“That’s a bunch of nonsense,” she said as she continued to part Seymour’s long hair and examine his skin.

“Makes plenty of sense to me. Bees go straight to honey and I can tell by the way Seymour takes to you that you’re sweet.”

She shot him a droll look. “I’m sorry, Mr. Donovan, but this flattery you’re throwing at me won’t do a thing to lighten your vet bill.”

He let out a good-natured groan. “And here I was trying my best to get a free visit this morning. Oh, well, Seymour’s worth it.”

She stroked the dog’s head, then turned to the cabinet, where Seymour’s medical file was lying open. As she started writing on one of the pages, she said, “That’s good to hear. A loved pet is always a healthier pet.”

Acton could’ve told her that the same went for a man, too. But he kept the comment to himself. She didn’t appear to appreciate his brand of flirting. Which might mean she had a husband or a steady boyfriend.

He’d noticed her left hand was empty of a wedding ring or anything resembling one. But given the nature of her work, she might not wear one while she was dealing with animals. He hoped his assumption was wrong. There was something about the pretty redhead that made it impossible to tear his gaze away from her. Even if she wasn’t noticing a thing about him.

While Acton was carefully studying the graceful curve of her waist and hips, she suddenly walked over to the door and partially stepped into the hallway. She must have signaled for Dayna to join her because after a brief moment, Stephanie reentered the room with the other woman right behind her.

“It looks as though Seymour is suffering from allergies,” Stephanie explained to Dayna. “And from Dr. Neil’s notes, he’s treated the dog before with shots.”

“So what now?” Acton asked. “Can you give him the medicine he needs or do I need to wait around until Dr. Neil gets here?”

Stephanie looked at him. “I can give him what he’s been prescribed before. Or you can wait until Dr. Neil comes.”

“And at this point, we don’t know when that might be,” Dayna interjected.

“I’ll take my chances with you, Miss Fortune.” He winked at her. “Seymour obviously trusts you.”

The serious expression on her face never wavering, she turned to Dayna and instructed her as to what sort of medications she needed for the dog.

“I’ll be right back with them,” Dayna said, then warned Stephanie, “But while I’m gone don’t listen to a word Acton says. He’s a wolf disguised in cowboy clothing.”

“Aww, Dayna, don’t be telling Miss Fortune scary stuff like that. I’ll never get her to like me.”

“Ha!” Dayna laughed and gave him a backward wave as she hurried out of the examining room.

With Dayna gone, Acton glanced at Stephanie, but her attention was riveted on Seymour. What did a man have to do to get a smile out of the woman? Stand on his head or walk on his hands? Maybe she just didn’t like cowboys. The thought bummed him out more than he cared to admit.

“Dayna is joking,” he said. “I’m not really a wolf. See? I don’t have fangs, at all.”

To his delight, she looked up at him and he gave her an extra wide smile to show his teeth.

“I’m quite certain you’re not a member of the Canis lupus family, Mr. Donovan,” she said primly.

He shook his head and wondered why he wanted Stephanie Fortune to notice him. Not as Seymour’s owner, but as a man. She wasn’t his type at all. He liked fun girls who naturally smiled and laughed. This woman was as serious as a judge.

“No one calls me Mr. Donovan. I’d be pleased if you’d just call me Acton. And if I knew what a Canis lupus was, then I might know what you’re really thinking about me, uh, being a wolf.”

To his surprise, the corners of her mouth lifted with something like amusement. “Canis lupus means dog wolf.”

“Oh. That’s good. Because I’m as gentle as a little pup.”

She looked as though she was about to reply to that when Dayna suddenly stepped back into the room carrying a needle, a syringe and a fat jar.

Before Seymour had a clue what was happening, Stephanie had already pulled up the skin on the back of his neck and injected him with the medicine.

“Amazing. Purely amazing,” he said with disbelief. “I’d have to chase Seymour all over the county to do that.” He looked at Dayna and winked. “Does she put spells on all the animals who come to the clinic?”

“Ninety percent of them,” Dayna agreed. “She has the touch.”

Stephanie opened the jar of ointment and began to swipe it on the worst of the raw spots on Seymour’s skin. “Do you think you can do this twice a day? It will help stop the itching and heal the skin.”

“We’ll probably end up in a wrestling match, but I’ll try.”

“Any amount you can manage to put on him will help.” She put the lid back on the jar and jumped the dog off the examining table. “Seymour is ready to go home. If he doesn’t seem to be improving in a couple of days, then we’ll need to see him again.”

She handed Seymour’s leash and the jar of ointment over to Acton, and with the dog walking alongside him, he followed the two women out of the examining room and back to the waiting area, where a payout counter was located next to the check-in desk.

“Don’t wait so long to come see us again, Acton,” Dayna said. “We can always use a smiling face around here.”

“I have a feeling I’ll be back soon.” He glanced around to see Stephanie squatted on her heels, giving Seymour a goodbye hug. Too bad he wasn’t a dog, Acton thought.

Leaving the dog, she stepped forward and handed an itemized bill to the young woman behind the counter, then turned and extended a hand to him.

He wrapped his hand around hers and was totally enchanted by the incredibly soft skin pressed against his, and the gaze of her deep blue eyes connecting with his. Acton could’ve stood there until the cows came home. Unfortunately, she had other ideas.

Easing her hand from his, she stepped back. “It was nice meeting you, Acton. I’m glad you brought Seymour to the clinic to be treated. He should feel better soon.”

Feeling unusually tongue-tied, he stuttered, “Uh, sure. It was nice meeting you. And thanks for taking care of my dog.”

She turned and walked away, but not before the tiny smile on her face smacked Acton right in the middle of his chest. What in heck was going on here? he wondered. First she had Seymour eating out of her hand and now he was feeling like a moonstruck teenager.

“Will that be cash or card, Acton?”

The question failed to register with him. He was too busy watching Stephanie leave the waiting area with an older woman toting a cat carrier.

“Acton! Do you think you can beam yourself back to earth?”

Forcing his attention back to the counter, he stared blankly at Sheri, a young woman he’d known since their kindergarten days.

“Sorry, Sheri. Did you say something?”

Sighing, she gave him a smile that would’ve melted a lesser man’s bones. “How do you want to pay your bill today? With cash or card?”

Mentally shaking himself, Acton dug his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. “Card. How much is it?”

The amount Sheri quoted caused him to whistle under his breath and he glanced wryly down at Seymour. The dog was grinning happily and thumping his bushy tail. Yep, Acton thought, the dog was still under Stephanie Fortune’s spell.

“Seymour, I’m not so sure you’re worth this,” he said. “But I guess I’ll keep you.”

He swiped the debit card, then punched in his PIN. After he’d placed it back in his wallet, he leaned casually against the counter.

With gamine features and short black hair, Sheri was cute, but in his opinion, not anywhere near as pretty or classy as Stephanie.

“So when did Miss Fortune come to work for Paws and Claws?”

Sheri handed him a receipt. “Before our new clinic opened. She had lots of experience back in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, working with animals, so Dr. Neil hired her right off.”

“Hmm, Florida,” he mused aloud. “Wonder how she happened to come to Texas?”

Surprised, Sheri asked, “Are you saying you don’t know who she is?”

Acton frowned. “Am I supposed to know her?”

She rolled her eyes. “Acton, you really ought to get out of the barn more often. It means Stephanie is one of the Fortunes. It also means that she’s way out of your league, cowboy.”

“Maybe in your mind, Sheri. But I might have other ideas about that.”

Grinning at the shocked look on Sheri’s face, Acton stuffed the receipt in his shirt pocket and led Seymour out of the clinic.

Chapter Two

“It was more than obvious the cowboy liked you. The way he was looking at you...” Dayna’s words ended on a wistful sigh. “If only he would look at me that way, I’d be walking around on a cloud.”

Stephanie glanced at her coworker as the two women moved from one kennel to the next, checking on the cats that had been spayed and neutered earlier in the day.

“He? Who are you talking about?”

Dayna rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Oh, come on, Stephanie. There’s only been one hunk of a man stroll into the clinic today. I’m talking about Acton—the dreamy cowboy. You know! Blond hair, sparkling blue eyes and a grin that turns my knees to mush.”

“Oh, him.” Shaking her head, Stephanie turned her attention back to the cats. “If you think the man had any interest in me personally, you’re totally confused. Anyway, he’s obviously a flirt. And I seriously doubt he discriminates by age or looks. He wouldn’t have acted any differently if I’d been an eighty-year-old grandmother.”

“Oh, puh-leeze! If you believe that nonsense, then you’re thinking has gone haywire.” Dayna frowned in disbelief. “Didn’t you think he was cute and sexy? The whole staff is still going gaga over him.”

Stephanie reached into the kennel and rubbed a finger gently down the middle of the head of a calico cat. She loved animals and had ever since she’d been old enough to know what they were. The job she’d held back in Fort Lauderdale had been at an animal clinic such as this one, only larger. She’d enjoyed working there and had been hesitant about giving it up to move here to Texas. But her three brothers had assured her she wouldn’t have any trouble finding an equally worthwhile job. And they’d been right. So far, working for Dr. Neil had been a real pleasure.

As for having a man in her life, that was an entirely different matter. She’d been burned too many times to let a young hunk like Acton Donovan turn her head.

“Okay, I’ll admit the guy was super cute and sexy—in a boyish way. Rather young, though,” Stephanie told her, then cast a curious glance at the other woman. “Does he, uh, have a steady girlfriend?”

Dayna laughed as though her question was the funniest thing she’d heard in a long time. “Let me put it this way—Acton has a steady stream of girlfriends. In the plural sense.” She named several different young women who’d recently brought their pets to the clinic. “Those are a few of his castoffs.”

Somehow that tidbit of information didn’t surprise Stephanie. The man had reeked of charm and sexiness. He probably had a bevy of women knocking on his door. Which made the idea of him being interested in Stephanie even more ridiculous and her more determined to forget him. Her last boyfriend, the one she thought she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, had been a playboy. Only Stephanie hadn’t known it until her heart had become involved. Then she’d found out the hard way that he was seeing other women on the side.

“I see,” she said thoughtfully. “So I guess you’d say he’s a playboy in boots and hat.”

“That’s one way of putting it. But I’m sure every woman who goes out with him likes to believe she’s the one who can settle him down—turn him into a husband and daddy,” Dayna told her.

Stephanie couldn’t picture Acton Donovan settling down in the near future or even years from now. And she figured any woman who tried to transform him would only be asking for heartache.

“Well, the guy seemed nice enough. But I’m not interested. Not only is he too young and too much of a flirt for my taste, but there’s only one man I’m interested in. My little man, Linus. He’s my main focus right now.”

“That’s well and good. But you might not always have Linus in your life. Even if his mother never comes back, there’s a dad out there somewhere.”

That thought was something Stephanie tried not to dwell on. “That’s the reality I live with every day, Dayna. Although, Laurel told my sister-in-law, Becky, that the baby’s father was totally out of the picture.”

“Yes, that’s what this Laurel woman said. But can anyone really believe her? What kind of woman gives birth to a baby and only days later, leaves it at the front desk of the Rambling Rose Pediatric Center?”

Stephanie moved on to another kennel with Dayna following close behind her. “From what everyone who was at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the center says, Laurel seemed perfectly fine when she went into labor. But who knows? She was just a stranger passing through. She could’ve made up the part about the father. All I know is that I love the little guy like he’s my own. And right now I’m concentrating on him. I’m just not interested in dating anyone.”

“Well, I’ll say one thing,” Dayna replied. “If you can resist Acton, then I’m going to start calling you Lady of Steel.”

Stephanie laughed. “Come on, it’s almost closing time. We’d better make sure everything is ready to shut down before Dr. Neil locks the doors for the night.”

Later that evening, Acton was cleaning up the mess he’d made cooking his supper when he heard a knock on the front door.

After drying his hands on a dish towel, he walked through the small house where his grandparents used to live and peeked through the curtain covering the paned window on the door.

Seeing his oldest brother, Shawn, standing on the porch, Acton pulled open the door.

“What the heck are you doing knocking?” Acton asked him. “You know you can just open the door and come on in.”

Shawn, who was similar to Acton in coloring, but a bit taller, cast his brother a droll look. “And walk in on you and some lady in a lip-lock or something worse? No thanks. I’ll keep knocking.”

Up until a couple of months ago, Acton had lived in the big ranch house with his parents and two brothers. But then his father, Ramsey, had decided that his own mother, Hatti, no longer needed to be living here alone and had practically ordered her to move into the big house. Seeing the chance to have a place of his own, Acton had promptly made the move.

Stepping into the living room, Shawn gestured to the apron tied around Acton’s waist. “What are you doing, anyway? Don’t tell me you’re trying to cook.”

Acton closed the door behind him. “I’m cleaning up my mess. And who are you kidding? You know I’m a pretty darn good cook. When it comes to making great dishes, Grandma Hatti is a good teacher. I made spaghetti. Want some?”

“No thanks. I had a burger in town. But I will take some coffee. Got any made?”

“No. But it’ll just take a minute to get some brewing.”

The two men passed through the living room, down a short hallway, then into a small kitchen decorated in red, green and white.

Shawn pulled out a chair at a round pine table and sank into it. “Actually, I didn’t come by to beg for a cup of coffee. I came by to tell you that Dad has decided to work the herd in the northwest corner in the morning. He wants to be loading the portable pens by daybreak.”

“I hope he doesn’t plan on doing all three hundred head in one day,” Acton said. “Has he hired any day help?”

Shawn shook his head. “He said if four grown men can’t handle the job, then he needs to get rid of some cattle.”

Acton groaned as he spooned coffee grounds into a filtered basket. “Sounds like we’re in for a long day tomorrow.”

“That’s why I stopped by. To make sure you didn’t have something else planned.”

“Like what?” Acton took a seat at the opposite end of the table. “I show up every day for work, don’t I?”

“Well, you’ve been known to get distracted by a pretty face.” He eyed Acton’s ragged blue jeans and old gray T-shirt. “You’re not going out tonight?”

Acton frowned. “On a date, you mean?”

“Yes. Like you and a girl,” Shawn said drily.

“No. I wished I was,” Acton admitted. “But I wasn’t sure the girl would agree to going out with me. So I didn’t ask.”

Shawn’s eyebrows piqued with curiosity. “Don’t tell me you ran in to a woman who actually resisted your charm.”

Acton grunted with wry humor. “She resisted me, all right. To be honest, I don’t even think she liked me. She was polite enough. But I think that’s because it was her job.”

“Hmm. Do I know this lady?”

Acton shrugged. “I doubt it. She’s moved here from Florida and works for Dr. Neil at Paws and Claws as a vet assistant. I took Seymour there this morning to get something done about his scratching.”

“From Florida...” Shawn mused. “What’s her name?”

“Fortune. Stephanie Fortune.”

Shawn let out a disbelieving groan. “Oh, dear brother, now I understand why you didn’t get to first base with her. She’s probably one of the Fortunes that moved here a few months ago. You know, the ones who moved into that mansion on the outskirts of town. I think they call it the Fame and Fortune Ranch or something. Other than a few horses, I don’t believe there are actually any livestock on the place. But you know how city folks are. They own a few acres in the country and get the idea that entitles them to call it a ranch.”

“Oh, so that’s what Sheri meant when she said Stephanie was one of ‘the’ Fortunes,” he remarked. “Obviously these people are rich.”

Shawn shrugged one of his broad shoulders. “Well, it appears so. Fortune Brothers Construction is the company that finished the pediatric center and the animal clinic. Now they’re working on some other properties in town. So apparently, they have money. And I heard tell that they’re related to the famous Fortune family in Austin.”

Seeing the coffee had finished dripping, Acton rose from his seat and poured two cups.

“I have some pecan pie. Want a piece?”

“Don’t tell me you baked a pie,” Shawn told him. “I won’t believe it.”

“Ha! Grandma was pretty good at teaching me how to cook, but she wasn’t that good. The pie came straight out of the bakery in the grocery store.”

“In that case, I’ll eat some.”

Acton cut two pieces of the dessert and carried everything over to the table.

Once they were both eating, Acton said, “Dr. Neil wasn’t at the clinic this morning so Stephanie treated Seymour.”

“Bet that was a wrestling match. No wonder she wasn’t interested in you, after she had to deal with that rowdy dog of yours.”

“Wrong, brother. Seymour was a perfect gentleman. He took to Stephanie like...well, I never saw anything like it. She could have told him to walk across the exam room on his hind feet and he would’ve done it for her.”

“Hmm. That’s a first. Frankly, it surprises me that this Fortune woman was working in a place like Paws and Claws. Dealing with sick and wounded animals all day isn’t exactly what I’d consider a glamorous job.”

“Stephanie doesn’t seem like the glamorous sort. But she sure is pretty. And she didn’t act uppity. Just a bit disinterested—in me.”

“Aww, my poor little brother. He finally met a female he couldn’t charm out of her shoes,” Shawn teased. “Sounds like trouble ahead for you.”

Acton frowned at his brother. “Trouble? A sweet little thing like Stephanie couldn’t cause trouble. Not with me.”

Shawn snorted. “Maybe in another five years you’ll learn about women.”

Acton let out a short laugh. “Like you’re an expert on females? Cows, maybe. But not pretty women.”

“Well, I have sense enough to know that a woman, pretty or homely, isn’t going to ever be serious about a simple cowboy. Men like us can’t offer a woman riches.”

“Not all women want riches,” he retorted.

Shawn’s response to that was a dry laugh. “Dream on, brother.”

Acton thought as he sliced off a bite of pie. “I guess this Fortune family must have tons of money. From a distance, that house of theirs looks impressive.”

“I wouldn’t call it a house. It’s a mansion.”

“Well, by Texas standards, it’s not the biggest or the best. But it’s hardly a shack,” Acton joked.

“I can bet you one thing,” Shawn said. “Stephanie Fortune’s kitchen doesn’t look like this one. I doubt she’s ever so much as cooked herself an egg.”

Acton could’ve told his brother he wasn’t looking for a cook, but he kept the remark to himself. He didn’t want Shawn or any of his family to get the idea that he was looking for one special woman. Their parents had already been hounding their three sons to settle down and give them more grandchildren.

Acton said, “I think I recall reading an opinion piece in the paper about Fortune Brothers Construction. Some of the folks in Rambling Rose aren’t too happy about these fancy new buildings and shops they’re planning for the town.”

Shawn shrugged. “You know how some of the older townsfolk are. They’re not keen on change. Especially the progressive kind. Frankly, I think it’s good to make improvements.”

“I get that part of it,” Acton acknowledged. “But I agree with the old folks about not wanting to turn Rambling Rose into some sort of tourist attraction. Hell, pretty soon it will be against the law to ride our horses down Main Street.”