Fortune Found by Victoria Pade Read Free Book Online Page B

them now that the Mendozas’ son, Marcos, was engaged to Wendy Fortune—a member of the Atlanta branch of the Fortune family who had only recently come to Red Rock.
    â€œAll eyes would definitely be on us at Red,” Jessie agreed.
    â€œSo we’ll go somewhere else. How about that barbecue place outside of Austin that Coop and Kelsey were talking about tonight?”
    â€œThey seemed to like it.”
    â€œThen we’ll come home, I’ll say you’re great but there just weren’t any sparks. You can say I’m a big jerk if you want—”
    Jessie laughed but didn’t think it was wise to say that she already knew he wasn’t a big jerk, so instead said, “I’ll probably stick with the just-no-sparks thing, too.”
    â€œAnd then they’ll all have to give it a rest.”
    Jessie considered the ruse. “I suppose you do have a point. If they think we gave it a try and it just didn’t go anywhere, they’ll have to accept it and back off.”
    â€œNot that I don’t enjoy working with you and talking to you…” Flint added with a small but genuine smile that convinced her that he actually did. Even if they didn’t click .
    â€œBut that roof is in bad shape,” Flint went on, “and even with two of us it’s going to be a big job. Unless you want to volunteer to work up there, then we can keep this going…”
    â€œMid-June Texas heat on a rooftop? I don’t think so.”
    â€œWe do a date, then?”
    â€œI guess we could give it a try,” Jessie agreed. “When?”
    â€œTomorrow night?”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œI’ll tell Coop and Kelsey as soon as I get inside. Hopefully they’ll figure if we’re seeing each other socially tomorrow night, they don’t need to push things in the day and Coop and I can get started on the roof.”
    â€œI’ll keep my fingers crossed,” Jessie promised.
    â€œAnd then we’ll have our fake date—at seven?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œElla’s really going be mad at me after that, isn’t she?” Flint asked.
    â€œIt’s probably going to keep you blacklisted,” she confirmed.
    â€œI’ll have to get you home early to convince everyone that the date is a flop—maybe that’ll help.”
    And somehow the thought of making sure the date didn’t last too long was also a bit of a downer.
    But Jessie shooed that away. Flint was right, a short date was more likely to look like a failure. And that was what they were going for.
    â€œOkay, then,” Jessie said. “We have a pretend date tomorrow night at seven.”
    â€œFor barbecue. And we’ll just hope our plan works.”
    Jessie nodded her agreement, and in the process her gaze caught on his face once more. On his smoldering eyes. On lips that were so, so supple…
    And why she should suddenly wonder if pretend dates ended with good-night kisses, she had no idea. But that was exactly what she was wondering. Along with what it might be like to be kissed by Flint.
    But the moment she realized that was what was going through her mind, she jolted herself out of it, telling herself that of course there wouldn’t be a good-night kiss. The whole point of the fake date was to convince their families that they didn’t click.
    â€œGuess I’ll see you tomorrow for work first, though,” Flint said then.
    Which seemed like her cue to leave, so she said she would see him the next day and headed to her back door, pondering why she was looking forward to a date that was only for show.

Chapter Four
    â€œM ama, you’re so pretty!”
    â€œThank you, Braden,” Jessie said to her four-year-old son.
    She was putting on the finishing touches for her pretend date with Flint on Wednesday evening by trying to force earrings into pierced lobes that hadn’t been used since Pete’s funeral. It had somehow drawn