Fortune's Mergers. Bronwyn Jameson

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      “But I thought you said your parents just returned from Australia?”

      “My father and step-mother.”

      “Does that bother you?” she asked, unable to resist asking. “I mean, you obviously loved your mother very much. I would think it would be difficult for you to accept your father remarrying and bringing his new wife into the home he once shared with your mother.”

      “Yes and no,” he said. “Actually, my father has married twice since my mother’s death. I despised my first step-mother and still do. Trina Watters is a conniving witch, which my father finally realized and divorced her. They had two children together, Blake and Skylar. After he divorced Trina, he hired Patricia, my current step-mother, as a nanny and later married her.”

      He held up a hand. “I know what you’re probably thinking, and if you are, you’re wrong. Patricia isn’t a gold-digger like Trina. In fact, it took Dad a long time to convince Patricia to marry him.”

      Gina was blown-away by the twists and turns in Case’s family tree. “How on earth do you keep them all straight?”

      “Actually, there’s one more. Maya Blackstone. She’s Patricia’s daughter, which makes her my stepsister.” He nodded toward her drink. “Are you finished? If you are, I want to show you the solarium.”

      After putting away their glasses, Case guided her toward the door. “There’s a pond and fountain there,” he told her, then shot her a wink. “I’ll bet if you look closely enough, you might even find a toad or two hiding among the ferns.”

      Laughing, Gina walked with him down the stairs. As they reached the halfway point, Gina spotted a woman standing at the entry table in the hall below, thumbing through a stack of mail. The woman had a slender build and looked as if a strong wind could blow her over. As she watched, the woman suddenly froze, her eyes riveted on the envelope she held, then swayed slightly, as if she were about to faint.

      Case must have noticed the woman’s reaction, too, because he ran the rest of the way down the stairs and slid an arm around her to support her.

      “Are you all right, Patricia?” he asked in concern.

      She pressed a shaky hand to her forehead. “Just suffering a bit of jet lag, I guess.” Forcing a reassuring smile, she patted his hand. “I’m fine now.” She glanced at Gina and gave Case a chiding look. “Case Fortune,” she scolded. “Where are your manners? Introduce me to your friend.”

      “Patricia, I’d like you to meet Gina Reynolds. Gina, my step-mother Patricia Blackstone Fortune.”

      Smiling shyly, Gina took the hand the woman offered. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Fortune.”

      “Patricia,” his step-mother insisted, then looked up at Case in question. “The two of you are staying for dinner, I hope?”

      “Indeed we are,” he assured her. “We’re just making a quick trip to the solarium so that I can show Gina the pond and fountain.”

      “You might want to save that for after dinner,” Patricia warned. “The others are already gathering in the dining room.” She hugged the mail tighter against her chest. “I’ll join you there, as soon as I put this away.”

      Case watched his step-mother walk away, his forehead creased in a frown.

      “Is something wrong?” Gina asked in concern.

      “Did she seem upset to you?”

      “I don’t know that I would term it ‘upset,’ but she definitely appeared shaken.” She waved a dismissive hand. “It’s probably nothing more than jet lag, just as she said.”

      “Maybe,” he said doubtfully, then shrugged off his concern. “Well? Are you ready to meet the family?”

      “Do I have a choice?”

      Laughing, he looped her arm through his and guided her toward the dining room. “No. But don’t worry. I’ll stay right by your side all evening.”

      Four

      Gina felt as if she had been dropped down in the middle of a nest of magpies … or, worse, the eye of a tornado. Her head ached, her ears rang, and though the food looked and smelled delicious, she hadn’t managed so much as a bite. How could she, and hope to keep up with the conversations flying around her?

      There are so many of them, was all she could think as she stole a glance down the length of the table at Case’s family. Halves, wholes, steps. The one sibling of Case’s she was confident she could address correctly was Creed, and that was only because he favored Case so much. In fact, the two could be mistaken for twins!

      His parents were easily identified, as they were the oldest in the group. Nash, Case’s father, could easily have been Case’s brother, due to his youthful appearance and the features he shared with his sons. But the rest? Impossible! There were simply too many.

      The sound of Case’s voice forced her attention from her thoughts.

      “Any mobsters tried to take over your casino yet, Blake?” Case asked the man across the table.

      Everyone at the table howled with laughter—everyone, that is, except Blake. Gina watched his eyes narrow and his hands ball into fists, and thought for a moment he might leap across the table and grab Case by the throat.

      “Are you questioning my ability to manage my own business?” he challenged tersely.

      “Come on, Blake,” Creed chided. “Where’s your sense of humor? Case was only kidding.”

      “Yeah, Blake,” Case agreed. “Can’t you take a joke?”

      A woman from the opposite end of the table spoke up. “I think he lost that ability when Dad turned Dakota Fortunes over to you and Creed and left Blake hanging.”

      “That’s enough,” Nash said sternly, then offered Gina an apologetic smile. “You’ll have to forgive my children. It seems sibling rivalry persists, no matter what their ages.”

      With the attention now focused on her, Gina felt a blush warm her cheeks. “Uh … I wouldn’t know anything about sibling rivalry. I’m an only child.”

      “An only child?” Eliza repeated, then sighed enviously. “What I wouldn’t give to be an only child.”

      “And miss out on the pleasure of having me as an older brother?” Case teased.

      “Yeah, right,” Eliza returned wryly, then grinned and blew him an affectionate kiss.

      With that, the confrontation was forgotten and the earlier joviality returned, leaving Gina feeling like a ping pong ball as she tried to keep up with all the conversations around her.

      While Case dealt with the lock on the door to the loft, Gina thought back over the evening. Throughout dinner she had felt a distinct disadvantage, since everyone gathered for the welcome home celebration had known each other and she’d known only Case. Yet, she couldn’t help envying his family’s obvious closeness, СКАЧАТЬ