Leanne Banks - Flirting with Fortune

“It’s okay.” Jude shifted his gaze away, knowing his mother would be able to read the truth in his eyes. “For now.”

There was no way he was telling his mother that Gabi thought he was sexy. That while all signs indicated she’d be amenable to a friends-with-benefits arrangement, she didn’t appear to want more. At least not from him.

The bottom line—she’d sleep with him, but not love him. That was a kick in the ass.

“She’s being smart.” Jeanne Marie punctuated the words with a decisive nod. “The best relationships are built on a firm foundation of friendship and mutual respect. Love won’t survive the ups and downs of life without a sturdy base.”

Jude took a bite of bread, chewed, considered.

“You thought you were in love before,” his mother gently pointed out. “Those relationships didn’t last.”

“This is different,” he insisted. “Gabi is different.”

“She very well may be.” The matter-of-fact manner was as much a part of Jeanne Marie as her wide-brimmed summer gardening hats. “If she is, if what you feel for her is the real thing, becoming friends will only strengthen the bond between you. That’s a good thing.”

Jude took a drink of his rapidly cooling coffee, considered what he’d do if Gabi refused to move past the friendship stage. There was no alternative. If that happened, he’d simply find a way to change her mind.

“Honey, if the two of you are meant to be together, it will happen,” his mother assured him, her voice softening. “In the meantime, inviting her to your home tonight was a smart move.”

Startled, Jude inclined his head.

Jeanne Marie’s smile widened. “Believe me. How a woman plays poker can tell you a lot about her.”

* * *

During the drive back from Lubbock, Gabi had come to a decision. While in Horseback Hollow she’d accept Jude’s friendship. “Benefits” might eventually be part of that friendship, but not until she knew Jude better and he knew her.

While a serious relationship with marriage in mind might not be possible, that didn’t mean she’d cast aside her moral compass and sleep with someone she didn’t know and trust. Easy-breezy, yes. But only with a healthy dose of true friendship and mutual respect tossed into the mix.

The niggling thought that Jude couldn’t truly know her until she told him about the transplant was shoved aside as she considered what to wear for an evening of poker. When she played with her brothers, it was comfort clothes; yoga pants and a T-shirt. But then, she’d never cared about impressing them.

By the time the pile of clothes on her bed outnumbered those in her closet, Gabi had settled on tan pants and a royal-blue cotton sweater. Dangly earrings with brightly colored stones added a festive touch.

Since the other players were men, Gabi figured the refreshments would be salty snacks and beer. Before she left the house, she stashed a couple of bottles of water and a bag of baby carrots into her favorite grocery bag.

If the guys commented on her healthy snacks or the fact she wasn’t drinking alcohol, she’d tell them she was staying sharp so she could take their money.

Her painted lips curved. The men would soon discover that wasn’t far from the truth. From the time she’d been little more than a child, her analytical mind had embraced numbers and probabilities. When she reached middle school, her father reluctantly admitted he had nothing more to teach her about the game of poker. It was around that same time that her brothers began to refuse to play cards with her if money was involved.

Gabi wondered how Jude would react when he lost. Her father said you could learn a lot about a man playing cards with him, especially if you beat him. Which meant she was going to know Jude Fortune Jones a whole lot better by the end of the evening.

After parking in front of his home, Gabi sat for a minute. She let her gaze linger on the old farmhouse that Jude called home. The one-and-a-half-story white clapboard structure had a fresh coat of paint, a new green roof and a gorgeous wraparound porch. Half-moon pieces of stained glass over the front windows gleamed in the yard light’s glow.

The warm, friendly aura emanating from the structure enveloped her when she finally stepped onto the porch and rang the bell.

When the door opened, Gabi’s smile froze. Instead of Jude, his father stood in the doorway, tall and broad-shouldered in a Western shirt and jeans.

“The token female has arrived,” Deke called over his shoulder, then flashed Gabi a grin and motioned her inside. “I bet you’ve come hoping to clean the boys and me out of our hard-earned cash.”

“Ah, I guess that’s the plan.” Gabi roused herself from her stunned stupor. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Fortune Jones.”

A pained expression skittered across his face. It was gone so quickly, Gabi wondered if she’d imagined it.

“Deke, please.” He reached around her and pulled the door shut. “If you’re going to make a valiant attempt to take my money, we might as well be on a first name basis.”

Gabi had liked Jude’s father from the moment she met him. There was no subterfuge in the man, none of the posturing so prevalent in South Beach men. Just like his son, what you saw in the rugged rancher was what you got.

“I thought I heard the door.” Jude appeared in the doorway, looking positively delectable in worn jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt the color of oatmeal. “Hey.”

“Hey back at you.” Gabi glanced around, taking in the ceilings with rough-sawn cedar beams, the cream-colored plastered walls and the textured rag rug on the shiny hardwood floor. On one side of the living room, plaid fabrics on wing chairs and an old deacon’s bench added color and warmth. The other side of the room held a table surrounded by Windsor chairs. “You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you.” Jude took Gabi’s hands and gave them a squeeze. His eyes never left her face. “It’s good to see you.”

The warmth of his gaze chased away the last remnants of the chill from the outside wind. “I’m happy to fill in.”

“I was looking forward to winning some money this evening.” Deke’s deep voice pulled Gabi’s attention back to him. “Until my son told me you’re a cardsharp and I’ll be lucky to have my pants when I walk out the door.”

Gabi felt her cheeks pink. She shot Jude a censuring look. “I don’t know where he got that idea.”

“I recognized the gleam in your eyes.” Jude’s teasing tone made it hard for her to hold on to her irritation. “But win or lose, you’re still my girl.”

Jude moved to her side, and for a second Gabi feared he meant to kiss her, right in front of his father. Instead he extended his hand. “May I take your coat?”

Feeling foolish, Gabi shrugged off the jacket. She glanced around. “Have the other players arrived?”

“Dustin and Rowdy showed up about ten minutes ago.” Deke’s easy manner reminded her of his son. “They’re in the kitchen trying to wheedle Jeanne Marie out of another brownie.”

“Your mother is here?” Gabi glanced at Jude. She thought she’d known what to expect this evening. Now she was thoroughly confused. “Is she filling in, too?”

“My parents came for dinner.” Jude paused. “I’d have asked you to join us but you mentioned you had plans with your father.”

“You fixed dinner for them.” Gabi widened her eyes. “I’m impressed.”

Deke gave a snort of laughter.

Jude shot a quick glance at his father, whose grin only widened. After placing her coat in the closet, he ushered Gabi into the living room. “My mother likes to make sure my kitchen gets some use.”

Deke nudged Jude with his elbow. “What the boy is trying to say is Jeanne Marie made the meal.”