“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.”
Shaking his head, Shawn snickered. “Acton, since when have you ridden your horse down Main Street? Not since us three brothers decided to ride in the rodeo parade and that was five years ago!”
Acton carried his empty plate over to the sink, then refilled his coffee cup. “I’m only using that as an example of how things are changing around here.”
“Well, if you want to get to first base with Stephanie Fortune, then I suggest you don’t bring up the subject of her brothers’ plans for a ritzy hotel.”
Acton glanced at his brother. “A ritzy hotel? For real?”
“That’s what I’m hearing. But you can hear anything at the Crockett Café.”
The old eating establishment had been a fixture in Rambling Rose for as long as Acton could remember. When he and Shawn and their brother Danny had been small boys, their father would take them to the café on the weekend as a special treat for doing their chores. All three would get milk shakes. The kind that was handmade with real ice cream and so thick you had to eat it with a spoon. The café still made handmade milk shakes, but now that Acton and his brothers were all grown men, it wasn’t the same.
“A ritzy hotel in Rambling Rose,” he murmured, thinking aloud. “Don’t reckon that will ever work. But you can bet I won’t tell Stephanie Fortune my opinion on the subject—if I ever get the chance.”
Finished with the pie, Shawn pushed aside his plate and cast a taunting grin at Acton. “How do you plan on seeing her again? You going to take Seymour back for a special checkup?”
“If he doesn’t improve I’m supposed to take him back. Damn dog, I don’t think he’s scratched once since I got him home. So I doubt I can use him for an excuse.”
Clearly amused, Shawn said, “You can always gather up the barn cats and take them in for their yearly shots.”
“Dad always takes care of that chore,” Acton said, then snapped his fingers with sudden dawning. “I know. I’ll take Elizabeth and Ryan by Paws and Claws. The clinic always has a few cats and dogs to be adopted and the kids love to look at them.”
Elizabeth, age seven, and nine-year-old Ryan were their older sister’s kids. On some evenings, after Acton was finished with his ranch chores, he’d drive over to Gina’s house and take the kids out for burgers or pizza. Gina often accused Acton of spoiling her children, but to tell the truth, he probably enjoyed the outings as much, or more, than the kids.
“Oh, how low can you stoop, Acton? Using your own niece and nephew to snag the attention of a woman,” Shawn taunted jokingly.
Frowning now, Acton walked back over to the table. “Look who’s talking. I don’t see you making any headway in the love department.”
Shawn’s eyebrows shot up. “Love? Don’t try to tell me that’s what you looking for.”
Acton could feel his face growing hot and he figured he looked like a sun-ripened tomato. Damn it, there were times Shawn could make him feel like he was sixteen years old again.
“Well, what if I am?” He tossed the question at his big brother. “Is there anything wrong with that?”
The goading look on Shawn’s face turned empathetic. “No. Nothing wrong at all. Except that maybe...”
His words trailed away and Acton couldn’t let it go at that. In spite of the teasing and bantering that went on between him and his brothers, Acton valued their thoughts and opinions.
“Except what?” Acton prodded him to answer.
Shawn shrugged. “That maybe when you really start looking for a woman to love, you should start with someone in your own social sphere. Just my opinion, little brother.”
If Acton was being totally honest, he’d probably admit that Shawn was right. Wanting to date someone out of his league was one thing, but getting serious about her would be downright stupid.
“Don’t worry. I’m not hearing wedding bells in my head. That’s not going to happen for another ten years, at least.”
Shawn chuckled. “I won’t tell Mom and Dad. They have the idea that you moved down here to Grandma’s house because you have marriage on your mind.”
Acton let out a loud burst of laughter. “Seriously? Who would I be marrying?”
Shawn pretended to think. “Well, you’ve been seeing the little blonde who works at Reddick’s Ranch Supply on a fairly regular basis.”
Acton’s laughter quieted to a chuckle. “Marietta? I’ve already put the brakes on dating her. She’s too much of a party girl.”
His
