HAPPY NEW YEAR, BABY FORTUNE! Read online

  Lullabies…and cowboys? USA TODAY bestselling author Leanne Banks kicks off the new Fortunes of Texas continuity with a story of a single mom and the sexy rancher who sweeps her off her feet!

  As she rings in the new year in Horseback Hollow, Texas, single mom Stacey Fortune Jones tries to count her blessings. She has an adorable baby girl, Piper; supportive parents; good friends. Best of them all is Colton Foster, her longtime neighbor from the ranch next door. He always seems to be around when she needs him. Trouble is, she may be starting to need him a bit too much.…

  She’s off-limits, Colton keeps telling himself. The tall, muscular rancher turns to mush every time he sees Stacey. But falling for his little sister’s best friend seems wrong on so many levels. She’s on the rebound. She’s got a baby. She’s…complicated. What’s a big-hearted cowboy to do?

  MEET THE FORTUNES!

  Fortune of the Month: Stacey Fortune Jones

  Age: 24

  Vital Statistics: Blond hair, green eyes, stretch marks (sigh)

  Claim to Fame: Raising bubbly baby girl all on her own

  Romantic Prospects: None, or so she thinks. Romance and diapers just don’t mix.

  “I’m sure you’ve heard all the rumors. Folks are saying that Colton is interested in me. Colton Foster? Don’t be ridiculous! He’s known me since I was born! He’s seen me with skinned knees and braces and all sorts of teenage awkwardness. And I just gave birth six months ago. Sexy, huh?

  “The only trouble is, I’ve started having these, uh, feelings for him. And I have no idea what to do about them. It’s so inappropriate—not to mention embarrassing! And I have a sinking suspicion that—yikes!—Colton has figured it all out!”

  * * *

  The Fortunes of Texas:

  Welcome to Horseback Hollow!

  Dear Reader,

  I’m crazy for the Horseback Hollow Fortunes! I love my parents, but after spending some time with these new Fortunes, I also want to be an honorary member of the Fortune family. Jeanne Marie Fortune Jones is such a nurturing mama, and the rest of this group of Fortunes know the true meaning of love and family…or are learning the true meaning of love. They’re good people. They step up and help each other and their community. Doesn’t that sound like a family you would like to have?

  In my book, Stacey Fortune Jones has had some struggles during the past year and a half. Her fiancé dumped her via a note after he learned she was pregnant, and Stacey is now a single mom temporarily living with her parents while she gets back on her feet. Now that she has a baby daughter, Piper, her focus is motherhood and helping around her parents’ house. Stacey tries not to think about the fact that she may never find a man who will love her and her daughter.

  But could Mr. Forever live only five minutes away? Colton Foster, whose ranch borders Stacey’s parents’, has always viewed Stacey as a little sister. After all, Stacey and his younger sister are best friends. When he sees Stacey at a New Year’s Eve wedding celebration, she seems more grown-up, more womanly. Colton can’t get the new Stacey out of his mind, but the tough rancher finds her baby daughter “scary.” Complications abound. Can these two forever friends become forever lovers?

  I hope you’ll enjoy this chance to join the Horseback Hollow Fortune family. There are five more exciting stories by fabulous authors to come!

  Happy reading,

  Leanne Banks

  HAPPY NEW YEAR, BABY FORTUNE!

  Leanne Banks

  Books by Leanne Banks

  Harlequin Special Edition

  The Prince’s Texas Bride #2115

  The Doctor Takes a Princess #2127

  §A Maverick for Christmas #2151

  ΩThe Princess and the Outlaw #2198

  ΩA Home for Nobody’s Princess #2216

  §§A Maverick for the Holidays #2222

  ΩHow to Catch a Prince #2247

  ¤The Maverick & The Manhattanite #2281

  ***Happy New Year, Baby Fortune! #2305

  Silhouette Special Edition

  Royal Holiday Baby #2075

  Silhouette Desire

  *His Majesty, M.D. #1435

  The Playboy & Plain Jane #1483

  *Princess in His Bed #1515

  Between Duty and Desire #1599

  Shocking the Senator #1621

  Billionaire’s Proposition #1699

  ΔBedded by the Billionaire #1863

  ΔBillionaire’s Marriage Bargain #1886

  Blackmailed into a Fake Engagement #1916

  ΔBillionaire Extraordinaire #1939

  From Playboy to Papa! #1987

  **The Playboy’s Proposition #1995

  **Secrets of the Playboy’s Bride #2002

  CEO’s Expectant Secretary #2018

  *The Royal Dumonts

  ΔThe Billionaires Club

  **The Medici Men

  §Montana Mavericks: The Texans Are Coming!

  ΩRoyal Babies

  §§Montana Mavericks: Back in the Saddle

  ¤Montana Mavericks: Rust Creek Cowboys

  ***The Fortunes of Texas: Welcome to Horseback Hollow

  Other titles by Leanne Banks available in ebook format.

  LEANNE BANKS

  is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who is surprised every time she realizes how many books she has written. Leanne loves chocolate, the beach and new adventures. To name a few, Leanne has ridden an elephant, stood on an ostrich egg (no, it didn’t break), gone parasailing and indoor skydiving. Leanne loves writing romance, because she believes in the power and magic of love. She lives in Virginia with her family and a four-and-a-half-pound Pomeranian named Bijou. Visit her website, www.leannebanks.com.

  This book is dedicated to my husband, Tony,

  for takeout and tolerance, super editors

  Gail Chasan and Susan Litman,

  and genius plotter Marcia Book Adirim.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Stacey Fortune Jones was sure she had the cutest date at the New Year’s Eve wedding reception for her cousin Sawyer Fortune and his bride, Laurel Redmond.

  “Your baby is just gorgeous,” Sherry James, one of her neighbors, said as she patted Stacey’s six-month-old daughter’s arm. “She has the best smile.”

  “Thank you,” Stacey said. Clothed in a red velvet dress with a lace headband, white tights and red shoes, her little Piper was a true head turner. Stacey had enjoyed getting Piper ready for her first big night out, and it seemed her daughter was having fun. Her big green gaze took in all the sights and sounds of the celebration, and she smiled easily with everyone who approached. “She’s a sweet baby now that she’s gotten through her colic.”

  Sherry made a sympathetic clucking noise. “Colic can be hard on both the baby and the parents.”

  Stacey gave a vague nod. “So true,” she said. In Stacey’s case, there was no need for the plural. There was no dad to help. He’d abandoned Stacey before Piper h
ad even been born. Thank goodness her parents had let her move back in with them.

  “Well, you’ve obviously done a great job with her. She’s the belle of the ball tonight,” Sherry said.

  “Thank you,” Stacey said again.

  “Oh, my husband’s calling me,” Sherry said. “You take care, now.”

  Jiggling her daughter Piper on her hip, Stacey headed for an empty seat at a table to give her feet a rest. Looking around, she couldn’t believe that an airplane hangar could be transformed into such a beautiful reception site. Miles of tulle and lights decorated the space, and buffet tables groaned with delicious food. The sounds of a great band and happy voices echoed throughout the building. The guests, dressed in their finest, added to a celebratory mood. This wedding was the event of the season for the citizens of the small town of Horseback Hollow, Texas. People would be talking about it for years to come.

  Although some might consider the choice of an airplane hangar a strange place to hold a wedding, it suited the groom and bride, since this was where the two were running a flight school together. No one had thought Sawyer or Laurel would ever settle down, let alone with each other. But the two stubborn yet free-spirited people had come to the conclusion that they were perfect for each other.

  Stacey watched the newly married couple dance together and couldn’t help thinking about the wedding she had been planning with her ex, Joe. Sometimes she wondered if she had ever really known Joe at all, or if she had been in love with an illusion of the man she’d wanted him to be. Now she didn’t know if she’d ever find the love she saw on the faces of the bride and groom. Even though the hangar was filled with family and friends, and her little Piper was in her arms, Stacey suddenly felt alone.

  “Hey,” a male voice said. “How’s it going?”

  Stacey blinked to find her longtime neighbor, Colton Foster, sitting beside her. She gave herself a mental shake and tried to pull herself out of her blue moment. Colton’s sister, Rachel, was Stacey’s best friend; but Stacey had been overwhelmed with taking care of Piper, so she hadn’t seen him except in passing since the baby had been born.

  She’d known the Foster family forever. Colton had graduated several years earlier from the same high school she’d attended. He’d always been quiet and hardworking. He was the firstborn and only son of the Fosters and had taken his responsibilities seriously.

  Tonight he wore a dark suit along with a Stetson, but he usually dressed his tall, athletic body in jeans and work boots. He had brown eyes that seemed to see beneath the surface, brown wavy hair and a strong jaw. Stacey knew of several women who’d had crushes on him, but to Stacey, he would always be Rachel’s older brother.

  “Great,” she said. “I’m doing great. Piper doesn’t have colic anymore, so I’ve actually gotten a few nights of sleep. My parents adore her. My brothers and sister adore her. She’s healthy and happy. Life couldn’t be better,” she insisted, willing herself to believe it.

  Stacey searched Colton’s face. She couldn’t help wondering if he’d heard anything from Joe since he and her ex had been good friends. Colton had even been asked to be one of the groomsmen for Stacey and Joe’s wedding. The question was on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it without asking. Did she really want to know? It wasn’t as if she wanted him back. Still, Piper deserved to know her father, she thought. Stacey’s stomach twisted as she met the gaze of her quiet neighbor. Maybe Stacey just wanted to hear that Joe was miserable without her.

  The silence between them stretched. “She’s a cute baby,” Colton finally said.

  Stacey smiled at her daughter. “Yes, she is. Someone even called her the belle of the ball,” she said. “How are things with you?”

  “Same as always,” he said with a shrug. “Working a lot of hours to keep the ranch going.”

  Stacey searched for something else to say. The gap in conversation between her and Colton felt so awkward. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this uncomfortable with him. “I haven’t gotten out very much since Piper was born, so it’s been a while since I’ve seen a lot of people or been to such a big party.”

  He nodded. “Yeah. Rachel tells me she drops by your house every now and then. She’s been keeping us updated on how you’re doing.”

  “Rachel has always been a good friend. I don’t know what I would have done without her when—” Stacey broke off, determined not to mention Joe’s name aloud. She cleared her throat and decided to change the direction of the conversation. “Well, I’m glad you’re doing well,” she said, almost wishing he would leave. Maybe then she wouldn’t feel so awkward.

  Another silence stretched between them, and Stacey almost decided to leave despite the fact that Piper was half-asleep in her arms.

  “It’s a new year,” Colton finally said. “A new year is always a good time for a fresh start. Are you planning to go back to work soon?”

  Stacey sighed. “I’m not sure what to do now. I loved my job. I was a nurse at the hospital in Lubbock, but the idea of leaving Piper just tears me up. Even though my mother would babysit for me, it wouldn’t be fair. My mother is busy enough without taking on the full care of a baby. Plus, I hate the idea of being so far away if Piper should need me.”

  “Is there anywhere else closer you could work?” he asked.

  “I’ve thought about that, but as you know, the employment opportunities here in Horseback Hollow aren’t great. There’s no hospital here. It’s frustrating because I don’t want to be dependent on my parents. At the same time, I’m Piper’s one and only parent, and I’m determined that she gets all the love she needs and deserves.”

  * * *

  Colton studied Stacey for a long moment and realized that something about his younger sister’s friend had changed. She used to be so happy and carefree. Now it seemed as if there was a shadow clouding the sunny optimism she’d always exhibited. He couldn’t help feeling a hard stab of guilt. He wondered if the conversation he’d had with Joe over a year ago had influenced the man to propose to Stacey. Maybe he shouldn’t have warned Joe that he might lose Stacey to someone else if he didn’t put a ring on her finger. If they hadn’t gotten engaged, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten pregnant and Joe wouldn’t have left her. After Joe had left Stacey pregnant with his child, Colton’s opinion of his friend had plummeted. Now he wondered if Joe had just felt possessive about Stacey. He obviously hadn’t loved her the way she deserved to be loved. Colton had always known Joe’s home life hadn’t been the best when he was growing up, but in Colton’s mind, that was no excuse for how Joe had treated Stacey.

  More than Stacey’s outlook had changed, Colton noticed. She just seemed more grown-up. His gaze dipped to her body, and he couldn’t help noticing she was curvier than she used to be. She’d filled out in all the right places. He glanced at her face and saw that her eyes seemed to contain a newfound knowledge.

  Stacey had become a woman, he concluded. She was no longer the young girl who’d giggled constantly with his younger sister Rachel. He watched her lift a glass to her lips and take a sip of champagne, then slide her tongue over her lips.

  The motion made his gut clench in an odd way. He wondered how her lips would feel against his. He wondered how her body would feel....

  Shocked at the direction his mind was headed, Colton reined in his thoughts. This was Stacey, for Pete’s sake. Not some random girl at a bar. He cleared his throat.

  Stacey glanced around the room. “There are a lot of Fortunes. I’m still trying to keep
all the names straight.”

  “That’s for sure. Do you know all of them?” he asked.

  Stacey shot him a sideways glance. “I’ve been introduced to all of them. I’m trying my best to remember their names. Between my mother, her brother James and her sister, Josephine, they have thirteen children.”

  Colton gave a low whistle. “That’s a lot.”

  “And that doesn’t include the wives. Just about all of James Fortune’s children have gotten married within the last year,” she said.

  “I’m curious. What made all of you take on the Fortune name?”

  She shrugged. “We did it for Mom. I know it sounds weird, but for Mama, finding her birth family has been a big deal. Even though her adoptive parents loved and adored her, there were things about her past that seemed a big mystery because she knew she was adopted. I think that meeting her brother James and her sister, Josephine, makes her feel more complete. For my mom, taking on the Fortune name is a symbolic way of declaring her connection to the Fortune family. Most of us have added the Fortune name out of respect to her. My brother Liam is holding out, though.”

  “How does your father feel about it?”

  “That’s a good question,” she said. “My father is very stoic. He hasn’t said anything aloud, and he has loved my mother pretty much since the dawn of time, but I have a feeling he may not like the name change. I’m not sure he would ever say it, because he’s supportive of my mom. He would always have her back, but I wouldn’t blame him if this pinched his ego a little bit.”

  “Speaking of your Mama Jeanne,” Colton said. “She’s coming this way.”

  Stacey smiled. “Betcha she wants to show off her grandbaby. Watch and see.”

  Stacey’s mother wore her snowy white hair on the back of her head, and she sported a nice but not fancy dress. Jeanne Marie Fortune Jones was one of the most welcoming women Colton had ever met. Everyone in Horseback Hollow loved the nurturing woman. Jeanne extended her arms as she got close to Stacey and the baby. “Give me that little peanut,” Mrs. Jones said. “It’s time for me to give you a little break.”