Her Secret Texas Valentine. Helen Lacey

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      She’d always had gumption, according to her family. Now was the time to show some. And if it didn’t work out, so be it.

      Valene pushed back her shoulders and walked through the coffeehouse.

      * * *

       Dating apps.

      Jake Brockton figured that signing on to one was up there as one of the stupidest things he’d ever done. But he’d promised his sister he’d try it, and he was a man of his word. And it was just coffee. Not a date. Nothing that required too much time or attention. And he could bail as soon as felt the interaction going south.

      He glanced at his watch. She was late. He hated that.

      Jake had no tolerance for tardiness. He hadn’t gotten to where he was by being lazy or disorganized. It had been through grit and a steely determination to be the best version of himself he could possibly be.

      Too bad his ex-wife hadn’t thought so.

      He pushed the memory from his mind and tapped his fingers on the table. He really didn’t have time to waste on romantic entanglements. The ranch kept him busy 24/7 and he wasn’t about to get seriously involved with anyone. Still, he’d promised Cassidy, and he always kept his promises to his baby sister.

      Conscious that someone was standing by the booth seat, Jake turned his head and quickly sucked in a sharp breath.

      A woman stood barely two feet away. She was petite but surprisingly curvy, with long blond hair and brown eyes the color of Belgian chocolate. His gut recognized an instant reaction, and he swallowed hard, taking in her perfectly aligned features and lovely curves. She smiled, and her mouth curled at the corners.

      His date.

      They’d shared a few text messages the day before. Nothing too personal. Just their first names, interests and a time and place to meet. She’d seemed friendly and had added humorous emojis to her texts.

      He got to his feet in a microsecond and held out his hand.

      “Hi,” he said quietly. “I’m Jake Brockton.”

      She stepped a little closer and took his hand, and he experienced an inexplicable tightening in his chest as their skin connected. Her eyes widened fractionally, as though she was experiencing the same reaction and then she quickly withdrew her hand.

      “Valene Fortunado,” she said, her voice huskier than he’d expected. “But everyone calls me Val.”

      Fortunado? He’d heard the name but wasn’t sure where. Jake nodded and signaled to the waitress. “Coffee?”

      “That would be nice,” she said as she placed her small bag on the seat. “I’ve been here before. You?”

      Jake shook his head. “But my sister told me the coffee is good.”

      As small talk went, it was pretty benign, and he ignored the way his insides twitched. She was very attractive...more than he’d expected. More than he wanted. In his experience, beautiful women were nothing but trouble and potential heartache.

      The waitress arrived and he listened, amused, as his date ordered a single-shot, low-fat, vanilla soy latte with extra cinnamon. He asked for a tall black and waited until the waitress disappeared before he spoke again.

      “You’re very pretty.”

      She raised one brow, clearly not expecting the compliment. “Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself.”

      Jake laughed softly. “Can I ask you something?”

      She nodded. “Sure.”

      “Why are you using a dating app?”

      “Why are you?” she shot back, smiling.

      “My sister made me do it,” he admitted. “She thinks I spend too much time alone.”

      Her lovely brow arched higher. “And do you?”

      “Probably. Occupational habit.”

      “What do you do?” she asked.

      Jake expelled an even breath. “I work on a ranch.”

      She sat back in her seat, her head tilted at a gentle angle. “Doing what?”

      “Ranching stuff.”

      She smiled slightly. “I’m a city girl, so I’ll need a little more information.”

      “Ranching,” he replied. “Mustering cattle. Horse breaking.”

      Her brows came together. “Like...a cowboy?”

      He nodded. “Exactly.”

      “I’ve never been on a date with a cowboy before.”

      “Really?” He grinned. “Then you’ve led a sheltered life. This is Texas—cowboy capital of the nation.”

      She laughed, and the sound reverberated in his chest. “I know that, too. I was born and raised in Houston. What about you?”

      “I was raised in San Antonio until I was twelve, but I was born in Stafford, just outside Houston,” he said.

      “That’s a nice spot. I sold a dude ranch there once,” she said idly. “Property values hold steady.”

      Jake rested his elbows on the table. “You owned a dude ranch?”

      She shook her head and grinned, waiting while the waitress approached with their order before speaking again. “No, it’s what I do for a living.”

      “Selling dude ranches?”

      “Selling real estate,” she corrected. “I work in my family’s business.”

      He recalled seeing that she was self-employed on her profile. And now he knew why her surname seemed familiar. He knew of Fortunado Real Estate. They were one of the biggest in the city, and her family was connected to the famous Fortunes of Texas. “Do you enjoy it?”

      “Mostly,” she replied. “I split my time between both the Austin and Houston offices and like any business, it has its ups and downs. It’s a little more down than up at the moment, but I always look on the bright side.”

      Jake stirred a little sugar into his coffee. “I’m glad to hear it. So, you didn’t answer my question.”

      “Which one?”

      He met her gaze. “Why the dating app?”

      She shrugged fractionally. “It’s simply a way to meet people.”

      “People?”

      Her cheeks spotted with color. “Guys. Or a guy. You know, Mr. Wonderful and all that.” She spooned the froth off her beverage. “But the truth is, if you’d turned out to be a cardboard cutout or one СКАЧАТЬ