and gruff tone had never bothered her much. So many of her good memories from childhood centered around life on the ranch. She knew that was part of the reason she felt so strongly about creating her own life in and around Horseback Hollow.
But as her gaze trailed across the crowd of family and friends gathered in the house and spilling out to the back porch and yard, her breath caught in her throat. There was no doubt she loved her large, boisterous family, and her brothers and sister had all made excellent matches in love. But the overabundance of couples and kids made her feel the tiniest bit wistful for a love of her own. It was silly, she knew. Delaney had always been the bubbly, happy-go-lucky kid in her family. She was in no hurry to settle down, but she’d always been a part of a group. As the youngest of seven, she’d never truly been alone. While her brothers and sister focused on their new families, she was suddenly left on her own and it didn’t sit well.
“Would you take this plate of fruit out to the tables?” her mother’s voice called from the kitchen.
Delaney made her smile especially bright, although she didn’t think for a moment that fooled Jeanne Marie and her laser-sharp instinct for her children’s moods.
“I remember the year Stacey finally went off to kindergarten and you were left alone here,” Jeanne Marie said as she handed Delaney the ceramic platter. “You got into more trouble that school year than all the other kids combined when they were little.”
“I’m not a little girl anymore,” Delaney offered. “I can handle this.”
“I know you can, sweetheart.” Her mother absently touched the turquoise pendant around her throat. “But you have a tendency to get reckless when you’re bored. I wouldn’t be doing my job as a mother if I didn’t worry over you.”
“I love you, Mom.” Delaney placed a light kiss on her mother’s cheek. “You go enjoy the party. I’ll take this plate out and make sure everything else is running smoothly.”
Jeanne Marie nodded and Delaney followed her into the backyard. She greeted her brothers and their wives and girlfriends, plus Stacey and her new husband, Colton, on the way. After she set down the fruit, several of her nieces and nephews came running up and she was once again lost in the happiness of her large family. She forgot about her restlessness and feeling alone in the midst of so much love and affection.
“These gatherings just keep getting bigger.”
She turned as her brother Liam walked up. He was followed by another brother, Toby, who handed her a glass of lemonade.
“It makes Mom and Dad happy to have all the kids running around again.”
“It makes me happy to have mine occupied by something other than making a mess for Angie and me to clean up.”
Delaney punched him lightly on the shoulder. “You’re not fooling me,” she said. “You’re the biggest softy in the world and those three kids are amazing.” Toby had taken in three foster children last year and then adopted Brian, Justin and Kylie, making a home for them along with his new bride, Angie. They were a wonderful family. Delaney loved seeing her brother so content.
“It’s a good life,” he agreed, grinning. “And between us, Angie left a special plate of brownies on the kitchen counter for you.”
“She’s the best sister-in-law ever.”
“Don’t let the others hear you say that,” Liam warned in a teasing tone.
Delaney laughed. “They’re all the best,” she amended quickly. “I’ll deny to my grave that I ever said anything else.”
It was a beautiful evening, the warmth of the day cooling to the perfect temperature as the sun began to set. The expansive Texas sky turned brilliant shades of orange and pink across the pasture behind her parents’ house. Once everyone ate and the food was cleared, her father turned on a movie for the kids and they snuggled up together on the comfy couches and chairs in the large family room. The adults drifted between the kitchen and the back patio, where the talk centered around calving season and the Texans’ chances in the upcoming baseball season.
Delaney grabbed a denim jacket off the hook near the kitchen door but found herself lingering at the edge of the gathering as she came back outside. For once, she was almost happy being alone, until a deep voice spoke at her shoulder.
“What’s a pretty lady like you doing out here by herself?”
She whirled around to find Cisco Mendoza staring down at her and fought the urge to fidget. Of course she recognized Cisco, since his sister, Gabriella, had married her brother Jude only a couple of months ago. Cisco had come to Horseback Hollow for the wedding and decided to stay in town. She’d met him briefly at the reception, making a complete fool of herself thanks to her body’s reaction to all that male perfection. But she couldn’t quite figure out why he was still here, since he clearly belonged in trendy South Beach more than her hometown. Even tonight he projected an air of cool sophistication at odds with his relaxed button-down shirt and dark designer jeans. No Wrangler jeans for this guy. It annoyed Delaney that her stomach did a tiny two-step at the way his lean shoulders filled out the expensive silk of his shirt. No one could deny Cisco was gorgeous, but Delaney wasn’t interested in a too-hot-for-words guy. She wanted someone strong and steady and doubted Cisco fit the bill.
“I’m not by myself,” she countered, trying not to sound breathless. “I’m surrounded by my entire family.”
His dark eyes flicked to the people gathered on the farside of the patio. “It was generous of your parents to include me in the party. My sister is lucky to have married into the Fortune family.”
“I’d think someone like you would find us a little country bumpkin.”
“Like me?”
She waved her hand in front of him. “You’re a sophisticated city slicker. All smooth angles and—” she leaned in to sniff him “—expensive cologne.”
“You think I smell good?” He gave her a cocky grin.
Delaney huffed out a breath. “Not. The. Point.”
“What makes you think I’m such a city slicker? My sister fits in here in Horseback Hollow just fine. My father loves it here.”
“You’re nothing like Orlando.” She touched the tip of one of her red cowboy boots to his. “Your boots aren’t even scuffed.”
“They’re new,” he argued.
“That’s the point,” she agreed.
Cisco rocked back on his heels. To Delaney’s surprise, instead of looking offended at her comments, he seemed to enjoy her remarks. “Are all the Fortunes as opinionated as you?” he asked, his smile now genuine.
“I’m sorry,” she said, surprised to realize she was. Delaney was a positive person, always wanting to see the best in people. She didn’t normally give grief to someone she’d just met. “I don’t mean to get all up in your face. My mom tells me I seem restless. Maybe that’s making me a little prickly.”
Cisco stifled a groan as he watched her take a sip of lemonade, her soft pink mouth pressing against the straw. Delaney Fortune Jones could get all up in his face anytime she wanted, he realized with a start. It was strange. Gabriella had been right—the
