MEET THE FORTUNES!
Fortune of the Month: Delaney Fortune Jones
Age: 24
Vital Statistics: A petite and perky spitfire.
Youâll never see her without her cowboy boots.
Claim to Fame: The youngest of Jeanne Marie Fortune Jonesâs children, Delaney always calls âem as she sees âem.
Romantic prospects: She is currently being courted by Miami native Cisco Mendoza. But she is doing her best to resist â¦
âMaybe every girl in town has had her head turned by Cisco Mendoza. But I refuse to be swayed by his city-slicker swagger and his sophisticated ways. Iâm in search of a solid cowboy, not a tourist. So what if he makes my stomach do a two-step? Iâm not going to be roped in by chocolate-brown eyes and sweet nothings. But what if ⦠what if I could wrangle Ciscoâs heart for real?â
The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country: Lassoing hearts from across the pond!
Prologue
Delaney Fortune Jones was a romantic at heart. She loved Valentineâs Day as much as she loved weddings. But it took a bit of work to convince herself that the tears sheâd shed today, watching four of her siblings get married, were only the joyful kind.
Of course she was happy for Jude, Liam, Christopher and Stacey. Theyâd each found the love of their lives, and Delaney had been thrilled and honored to stand up as a bridesmaid while they said their vows. The ceremony had taken place earlier on the beautiful Parthenon-inspired stage that had been built next to the barn on her parentsâ ranch. Each coupleâs vows had been personal to their relationship, but when the ball of emotion wedged in Delaneyâs throat as she listened, there was a wistful edge to it.
Only she and her brother Galen were single now. Delaney would be the last of Deke and Jeanne Marieâs children still living on the ranch after today. Her world had shifted, and she knew it would never be the same.
But Delaney was a romantic and an optimist. She believed sheâd find true love someday. It was only a matter of time until the right cowboy came along to share the small-town life she treasured. Horseback Hollow, Texas, wasnât big or fancy, but it was the only home sheâd ever need.
Shaking her head, she took a breath and then a deeper breath. Her parents had transformed the barn for the reception, but underneath the flowers and candles, Delaney could still smell the comforting scent of hay and horses. The barn was her happy place, and looking around at all of the people she loved gathered together tonight chased away her brooding thoughts.
She tapped her cowboy boot along with the rhythm to a popular song, watching her family and friends on the dance floor. Sheâd changed from heels after the ceremony, but the pink shell inlay of the boots still matched her silk bridesmaidâs gown. Her young nieces and nephews ran around the edge of the dance floor, stopping to wiggle their hips as the tempo increased. Delaney laughed out loud but didnât move to join them. She was good at a lot of things. Dancing wasnât one of them.
However, the bar was set up on the far side of the barn, so she made her way through the crowd as the music ended. A woman turned as Delaney went to slide past her, and Delaney blinked several times. Shannon Singleton, who Delaney had known since they were girls, looked stunning in her black lace dress. The light in her eyes made her even more gorgeous.
âDelaney,â Shannon said as she gave her a quick hug, âWasnât it a beautiful ceremony?â
âThe most beautiful,â Delaney agreed, but Shannon had already turned away, pulling a man forward.
âDelaney, have you met Cisco Mendoza?â Shannon asked. âHeâs one of Gabiâs handsome brothers.â
âThe most handsome,â the man murmured with a deep chuckle.
âAbsolutely,â Shannon agreed with a bright laugh. âBut donât tell the rest of them I said so. Cisco, this is Delaney Fortune, the baby of the family.â
âNot quite a baby,â Delaney muttered, feeling her cheeks flame.
Handsome was an understatement for Cisco Mendoza. He was several inches taller than Delaney, with broad shoulders under his dark jacket and crisp white shirt that tapered to a lean waist. His eyes were the richest brown sheâd ever seen, and his thick dark hair looked like it had been styled for a photo shoot. She tugged at her bouncy blond curls, which had taken an hour in hot rollers to create but suddenly felt too girlish.