Bronwyn Jameson - Fortune's Mergers

“I don’t know, Case,” she said doubtfully. “I’m an only child. I don’t have much experience with big families.”

“Tell you what,” he offered. “Dinner isn’t scheduled until seven. I’ll pick you up at six. Give you the grand tour of the estate. That way you can meet some of the family prior to dinner and won’t feel so overwhelmed.”

Despite Case’s assurance, Gina was overwhelmed. From the moment he’d turned onto the drive that wound its way through the Fortunes’ one-hundred and seventy-five acre estate until he came to a stop in front of his family’s home, she was struck dumb by the majesty of it all. Gothic in design, the mansion stood like a fortress against a gun-metal gray sky. Three stories of dark gray stone and scrolled ironwork made up the center portion of the house, with one-story wings jutting left and right. Gina counted a minimum of four chimneys rising from the black roof before she gave up and simply stared.

Case covered her hand with his. “Don’t worry,” he teased. “It may look haunted, but no ghosts live within those walls.”

She released an uneasy breath. “That’s good to know.”

He climbed out and circled the hood to open her door.

“We’ll save the outdoor tour for a warmer day,” he told her, leading the way to the front door.

One step inside and Gina released the breath she’d been holding, as well as her fears of bumping into a ghost. While the outside of the mansion appeared cold and gloomy, the inside was filled with warmth and color.

Before she could take it all in, Case caught her hand and tugged her toward the split staircase, taking the set of stairs to the right. “First stop, my bedroom.”

She jerked to a halt, pulling him to a standstill, as well. “You live here?” she asked in amazement.

“Along with my parents, brother Creed, half-brother Blake, and sister Eliza. Skylar, my half-sister, has a cottage on the estate, so I guess you’d say she lives here, too.”

“Doesn’t it get a little crowded? I mean, it’s a huge house, but I’d think you’d want some privacy once in a while.”

“When I do, I head for my penthouse on the top floor of the Dakota Fortunes’ building. Creed has a penthouse there, too, but the units are totally separate. Even when we’re there at the same time, we seldom see each other, unless we make a point to do so.”

He gave her hand a tug. “Come on. There’s lots to show you.”

When they reached the second floor, he opened a door and bowed slightly. “My humble abode, madame.”

Amused by his butler-like manner, she stepped inside and looked around, her eyes rounding, as her amusement gave way to shock. “Holy cow. You could drop my entire loft in here and have room left over.”

He shrugged off his coat and draped it over a chair, then helped Gina remove hers. “It serves its purpose.” He headed for the wet bar built into a corner of the room. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Just water for me, thanks.”

While he poured their drinks, she looked around. Though beautifully decorated, it was obvious the suite belonged to a bachelor. A king-size platform bed dominated one wall. Draped neatly over it’s top was a navy velvet duvet with a burned-out F monogrammed in its center. A sitting area held two overstuffed chairs upholstered in burgundy arranged for easy viewing of the plasma TV on the opposite wall. Framed paintings were arranged gallery-style to the left of the TV. Gina moved closer to study them.

“Here you go.”

She accepted the glass Case offered her, then turned to peer at the portraits again. “Who is this?” she asked curiously, pointing to an oil of a woman dressed in a long evening gown and posed in a garden.

“My mother.”

“She’s beautiful.”

“Yes, she was.”

Puzzled by his use of past tense, she glanced at him in confusion. “Was?”

“She died when I was about six,” he explained.

“But I thought you said your parents just returned from Australia?”

“My father and step- mother.”

“Does that bother you?” she asked, unable to resist asking. “I mean, you obviously loved your mother very much. I would think it would be difficult for you to accept your father remarrying and bringing his new wife into the home he once shared with your mother.”

“Yes and no,” he said. “Actually, my father has married twice since my mother’s death. I despised my first step-mother and still do. Trina Watters is a conniving witch, which my father finally realized and divorced her. They had two children together, Blake and Skylar. After he divorced Trina, he hired Patricia, my current step-mother, as a nanny and later married her.”

He held up a hand. “I know what you’re probably thinking, and if you are, you’re wrong. Patricia isn’t a gold-digger like Trina. In fact, it took Dad a long time to convince Patricia to marry him.”

Gina was blown-away by the twists and turns in Case’s family tree. “How on earth do you keep them all straight?”

“Actually, there’s one more. Maya Blackstone. She’s Patricia’s daughter, which makes her my stepsister.” He nodded toward her drink. “Are you finished? If you are, I want to show you the solarium.”

After putting away their glasses, Case guided her toward the door. “There’s a pond and fountain there,” he told her, then shot her a wink. “I’ll bet if you look closely enough, you might even find a toad or two hiding among the ferns.”

Laughing, Gina walked with him down the stairs. As they reached the halfway point, Gina spotted a woman standing at the entry table in the hall below, thumbing through a stack of mail. The woman had a slender build and looked as if a strong wind could blow her over. As she watched, the woman suddenly froze, her eyes riveted on the envelope she held, then swayed slightly, as if she were about to faint.

Case must have noticed the woman’s reaction, too, because he ran the rest of the way down the stairs and slid an arm around her to support her.

“Are you all right, Patricia?” he asked in concern.

She pressed a shaky hand to her forehead. “Just suffering a bit of jet lag, I guess.” Forcing a reassuring smile, she patted his hand. “I’m fine now.” She glanced at Gina and gave Case a chiding look. “Case Fortune,” she scolded. “Where are your manners? Introduce me to your friend.”

“Patricia, I’d like you to meet Gina Reynolds. Gina, my step-mother Patricia Blackstone Fortune.”

Smiling shyly, Gina took the hand the woman offered. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Fortune.”

“Patricia,” his step-mother insisted, then looked up at Case in question. “The two of you are staying for dinner, I hope?”

“Indeed we are,” he assured her. “We’re just making a quick trip to the solarium so that I can show Gina the pond and fountain.”

“You might want to save that for after dinner,” Patricia warned. “The others are already gathering in the dining room.” She hugged the mail tighter against her chest. “I’ll join you there, as soon as I put this away.”

Case watched his step-mother walk away, his forehead creased in a frown.

“Is something wrong?” Gina asked in concern.

“Did she seem upset to you?”

“I don’t know that I would term it ‘upset,’ but she definitely appeared shaken.” She waved a dismissive hand. “It’s probably nothing more than jet lag, just as she said.”

“Maybe,” he said doubtfully, then shrugged off his concern. “Well? Are you ready to meet the family?”

“Do I have a choice?”

Laughing, he looped her arm through his and guided her toward the dining room. “No. But don’t worry. I’ll stay right by your side all evening.”