Seven Days to Land Your Man

In the beginning, Ashley Fortune is furious Rodrigo Mendoza has been hired to consult on her new restaurant, Provisions. She vows to send him packing, but her resentment quickly turns to attraction…and then frustration when the upstanding Mr. Mendoza won’t mix business with pleasure. When her sister gives her a self-help book that promises to win him over in a week, Ashley goes all in to land Rodrigo’s heart…

National bestselling author NANCY ROBARDS THOMPSON holds a degree in journalism. She worked as a newspaper reporter until she realised reporting ‘just the facts’ bored her silly. Now that she has much more content to report to her muse, Nancy loves writing women’s fiction and romance full-time. Critics have deemed her work ‘funny, smart and observant.’ She resides in Florida with her husband and daughter. You can reach her at Facebook.com/nrobardsthompson

Also by Nancy Robards Thompson

Her Savannah Surprise

The Cowboy’s Runaway Bride

A Bride, a Barn, and a Baby

The Cowboy Who Got Away

A Fortunate Arrangement

Maddie Fortune’s Perfect Man

Fortune’s Surprise Engagement

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Betting on a Fortune

Nancy Robards Thompson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-0-008-90344-2

BETTING ON A FORTUNE

© 2020 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2020

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Note to Readers

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This book is dedicated to Susan Litman and Marcia

Book Adirim, our fearless Fortune leaders.

Also, to my sprinting buddies, Cindy Kirk, Katherine

Garbera and Renee Ryan. You’re wonder women.

Together, we can achieve mind-boggling feats of prose.

Or at least get those books done.

I don’t know what I’d do without you.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter One

“I’m here to see the owners.” The deep, masculine voice was attached to an equally sexy guy in a sport coat. “Ashley, Nicole and Megan Fortune? I have a ten o’clock appointment.”

Ashley let go of the high-top table she’d been moving and shoved a strand of blond hair out of her eyes. She hadn’t scheduled an appointment for this morning. She’d set aside the entire day to stage the dining room.

The soft opening of Provisions, the restaurant she owned with her triplet sisters, was set for next week. She was in the weeds. The furniture had arrived yesterday morning—two days late. After she’d spent several hours unwrapping and checking it in, she’d discovered they’d shorted her a table and four chairs. She had lost more valuable time resolving that problem, but by the end of the day, after a lot of sweet-talking, the owner of the Houston-based restaurant furnishings company had delivered the missing items himself.

She’d hired some of the staff to come in today to help her set up everything. They would be here within the half hour. It was the final step toward transforming the place from an old feed and grain mill to the restaurant of her dreams.

It was imperative that she work with the staff, showing them how she wanted everything arranged. She couldn’t be holed up in an office in appointments…even if the guy was tall, dark and jaw-droppingly handsome.

“I’m Ashley Fortune,” she said, offering him her hand.

He smiled and accepted it. “Rodrigo Mendoza.”

That smile. Those perfect white teeth. Ashley melted a little inside. Okay, maybe she could spare ten minutes—fifteen tops—for Mr. Perfect. Besides, she needed a break.

“Nice to meet you, Rodrigo. How may I help you?”

His smile faltered. “We have an appointment? I’m the restaurant consultant you hired.”

“Excuse me?”

For an awkward moment, they stood looking at each other—him in that expensive-looking sport coat, Ashley realizing she looked far too casual in her gray T-shirt and shorts. Even if they were 7 For All Mankind and they’d cost her an entire day’s pay, they suddenly felt a little ratty.

“Rodrigo Mendoza,” he repeated. “Vines Consulting Group? Ring a bell?”

Ring a bell? She narrowed her eyes at him. She and her sisters did not forget business appointments.

“No, I’m sorry, it doesn’t. Are you sure you’re in the right place?”

Maybe one of the nearby establishments had hired a consultant to help up its game since Provisions was sure to take a bite out of business. Granted, Rambling Rose wasn’t exactly known for its restaurant scene. They had a café-diner, Mexican and Italian restaurants and the food truck convoy stationed at Mariana’s Marketplace.

The lack of culinary offerings was one of the aspects that her brother Callum had recognized and labeled as untapped potential in Rambling Rose. The sleepy Texas town was a diamond in the rough. He and her brothers, Steven and Dillon, who made up Fortune Brothers Construction, had jumped at the chance to purchase the old downtown property. Callum was such a great big brother. He knew how much his baby sisters wanted to realize their dream of opening a restaurant and he’d found them the perfect location.

“You’re Ashley Fortune, right?” Rodrigo asked. “And this is Provisions? In Rambling Rose, Texas, right?”

“Yes to all three questions.”

“Then I’m in the right place.” He flashed that smile at her. Ooh, the guy is cuu-ute. For a split second, she felt herself slip under his spell.

Until she forced herself to snap out of it.

She was too busy for this nonsense.

Squaring her shoulders and pretending her hair and makeup were perfect, she channeled the power she’d feel if she were wearing that sleek, black double-breasted Alexander McQueen suit she’d spied at Neiman Marcus before she’d left Fort Lauderdale for Texas.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Mendoza.” Why did that name sound so familiar? “There has be some kind of mix-up. We didn’t hire a restaurant consultant. We have everything perfectly under control. Thanks for thinking of us, though.”

Suddenly it hit her. This could be a scam. Or a new tactic for securing business. A consultant on the lookout for potential new clients reads the business pages and then walks into a place acting like their working relationship is already a done deal. While he’s there, he uses his million-dollar smile and smooth-operator tactics to seduce the woman setting up tables and pow! He’s in like Flynn.

Whoever Flynn is.

Maybe in like sin would be more apropos.

Rodrigo looked perplexed and she was tempted to say Sorry, dude, you’re not fooling me. Before she could, he said, “Excuse me. I’ll be right back.”

She watched him walk out the door, pausing a moment to appreciate the rear view, imagining that his backside, which was covered by the expensive jacket, was just as nice as the rest of him.

Ashley couldn’t blame him for being ambitious. In that regard, they spoke the same language. Who knew, maybe this Vines Consulting Group was legit, despite his dubious method of procuring new business.

The restaurant business wasn’t an easy game to win.

Her sister Megan was the financial brains of their operation. She had scrutinized every single expenditure, making sure they stayed on budget and set aside an emergency fund.

No matter how smooth and tempting Rodrigo Mendoza might be, he did not qualify as an emergency.

What a shame.

Right now, Ashley needed to give Provisions her complete and undivided focus. It was her and her sisters’ one shot at making their collective dream come true. They had invested every penny they’d been able to scrape together, adding it to the generous cash infusion their father had gifted them upon turning twenty-one—as he did for all of his children. If the restaurant tanked, they would lose everything.

But it wasn’t going to tank.

At twenty-three years old, she and her sisters might be young, but they had years of experience in the restaurant industry. Among the three of them, they’d worked in every role—from cleaning bathrooms and washing dishes to setting tables, pouring water and taking reservations to planning menus and cooking food. Granted, their experience wasn’t in fine dining, but their tastes were.

They’d been at this since they were sixteen years old. Not only were they good at what they did, they were hard workers.

There was still a lot to learn, but they had a solid handle on the industry, which was why her brothers and their father believed in them.

With one last wistful glance at the front door, Ashley figured that was the last she’d see of Rodrigo Mendoza.

He wasn’t coming back. When he’d realized he wasn’t fooling her, he’d known he needed an exit strategy. The guy was long gone.

Ashley turned her attention back to moving the high-top table.

She ran her hand over the glazed concrete tabletop. Everything about the furnishings was perfect—all copper-patinaed metal and neutral-toned upholstery. It flawlessly complemented the industrial décor of the converted warehouse, but still offered an inviting, come-hang-out vibe.

Ashley was proud of her findings. She and her sisters had chosen to furnish the place without the help of a commercial interior designer. It was one way to cut costs without having to scrimp on the quality of the furniture. They had worked together, choosing the color palate and furniture, but as front-of-the-house manager, Ashley had taken on the lion’s share of the decorating and sourcing.

Megan was busy with the budget. Nicole, who was Provisions’ sous chef, had been too busy working with the executive chef they’d hired, dreaming up potential menus and whipping up dishes for the staff to try.

Ashley was pushing the table into position when the door opened again. “Let me help you with that.”

Rodrigo Mendoza was back.

Really?

“No, I’m fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “But thanks.”

“Be careful,” he said as he lifted the opposite end of the table. “This is too heavy to move by yourself. Lift with your knees, not your back, or you’ll hurt yourself. Why isn’t anyone helping you with this?”

Was he trying to figure out if she was alone?

“My sisters are in the kitchen with some of the staff. I have people coming in to help. They’ll be here any minute.”

Why was she explaining?

“Mr. Mendoza, is there something I can help you with? If not, now really isn’t a good time. However, I’d like to invite you back to dine with us after we officially open.”

No sense in putting off a potential customer.

“Please, call me Rodrigo.” He set down the table and opened his folio. After thumbing through a stack of papers, he selected one.

“Do you know David Fortune?”

Ashley nodded. “I do.” He was her father.

And he will not be pleased when he finds out that you’re trying to worm your way into our business with sneaky tactics.

“Is he available?”

Ashley put her hands on her hips and frowned. “No. He’s in Fort Lauderdale.”

“Hey, Ash,” Megan called as she came into the dining room by way of the office, which was near the kitchen. She was carrying a stack of papers and catalogs. “Do you have the invoice for the throw pillows for the lounge sofas? Remember, we ordered them separately and I—”

She stopped and blinked as she looked at Rodrigo Mendoza, who was looking back and forth between Megan and Ashley, a bemused smile on his face.

“You two are twins?” he asked.

“No, we’re not twins,” Megan said. “Who are you?”

“I’m Rodrigo Mendoza of Vines Consulting Group. I’m here for our ten o’clock appointment.”

“Did you set this appointment?” Ashley asked her sister. “Because I didn’t.”

“Your father, David Fortune, is the one who hired me and scheduled the appointment,” Rodrigo interjected. “I have the contract right here. Did he not tell you?”

Ashley and Megan looked at each other.

“Contract?” Ashley said. “Did Dad say anything about this to you?”

Megan shook her head.

“May I see that piece of paper, please?” Ashley held out her hand and Rodrigo complied.

She glanced at the contract. It looked legitimate. And it was her father’s signature.

“I know how to get to the bottom of this.” She pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket. “I’m calling my father.”

Luckily, David Fortune answered on the second ring. “Hello, sweetheart. How are you? Is everything coming together with the restaurant?”

“I’m fine, Dad. But I’m a little confused. Do you know a guy named Rodrigo Mendoza?”

“Of course,” he said as if Ashley had just asked him if he knew the sum of one plus one.

“Um—okay. Did you hire him as a consultant for Provisions?”

“I did. Hold on a second, sweetheart. I’m on the golf course. It’s my turn and I don’t want to hold up play.”

Ashley looked at Megan, shook her head and shrugged.

“What’s he saying?” Megan asked.

“He’s golfing. He’s taking his turn.”

Ashley felt Rodrigo watching her and she wondered if she and her sister should move the conversation into the office where they had more privacy. Because right now, being caught unaware and waiting for her father to play golf made her feel about as professional as she did when she and her sisters used to play restaurant with their Fisher Price appliances in the playroom of their parents’ Fort Lauderdale home.

“I’m back,” said David. “Are you there, Ashley?”

“I am. What’s going on, Dad? Did you hire a restaurant consultant without discussing it with us?”

“I did hire Mendoza.”

Wonderful. There goes the budget.

Ashley opened her mouth to object, but she realized Rodrigo was watching her. She and Megan really should finish the call privately. “Hold on a moment, Dad. Meg and I need to take the call in the office.”

She motioned with her head, indicating that her sister should follow her, but Megan wasn’t paying attention. She was chatting with Rodrigo Mendoza. The smile on her face hinted that she didn’t find him as off-putting as Ashley did.

“Megan,” Ashley commanded, “let’s go into the office, please.”

“Can y’all come in here and taste something?” Nicole walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron, wiping her hands on a white towel. “I can’t decide if I like the broccoli slaw with or without dill. I’m doing a taste test and—Oh!”

In much the same fashion as Megan, Nicole stopped when she saw Rodrigo standing in the dining room.

“All three of you look exactly alike.” Smiling as if he was the butt of a joke, Rodrigo looked back and forth between the trio.

“We’re triplets,” Megan said.

“Come on, let’s go into the office, please.” There was an edge to her voice. As she watched Megan flirt with him, pinpricks of irritation pierced her patience.

“I can’t say I’ve met a set of triplets before.” He smiled at Megan before turning to Nicole and offering his hand. He introduced himself again. Nicole hooked the towel she was carrying into the waistband of her apron.

“Nice to meet you,” she said as she shook his hand.

“Wow! It’s uncanny how much you look alike.”

“I know, right?” Ashley said. “And we have a situation. Nicole, please come into the office with Megan and me. We need to talk to Dad.”

“We’ll be right back,” Megan said. “Feel free to make yourself at home, Rodrigo. Sit wherever you’d like.”

Inwardly, Ashley rolled her eyes at her sister’s solicitous comment. Megan would change her tune as soon as she realized the hot guy in the suit had blown their budget. She started walking and her sisters followed, each of them casting a backward glance at Mendoza, as if to make sure he was really there and not just an apparition.

Oh, yes he was. Not only was his muscled bulk taking up space, but also the sheer beauty and presence of him seemed to be sucking all the air out of the room.

At least, that was the excuse Ashley made for the way her heart was thudding and why she found it increasingly difficult to take full, deep breaths.

That and the blown budget.

She had never been so happy in her life to shut herself inside her office.

“Okay, Dad, we’re back. What is going on here?”

She put the phone on speaker so her sisters could hear, too.

“Are you not familiar with the Mendozas?” David asked.

“Should we be?” Ashley’s tone was flat. She looked at her sisters and shrugged.

“Hold on,” Nicole said. “Are you taking about the same Mendozas who have the winery and restaurant just outside of Austin? I was reading about them the other night.”

“Then you should know the family has a long history of success in the restaurant business, going all the way back to Red and other establishments in Red Rock, Texas,” their father said.

Wonderful. If they were super successful, it probably meant Rodrigo Mendoza’s services were super expensive. It took every ounce of Ashley’s self-control to keep from stamping her foot, which would do no good because their father couldn’t see her.

He had to learn that he couldn’t do things like this. Not only would this move wreck their budget, it meant he didn’t believe they could handle the business without his help.

“I’m happy for the Mendozas and all their success,” Ashley said, “but we can’t afford to hire a restaurant consultant, much less someone like Rodrigo Mendoza.”

“Ashley—”

“Dad, it’s not in our budget. I wish you had asked us before you’d taken it upon yourself to hire him and—”

“Ashley, take a breath. I’m paying for this. Think of it as a business-warming present.”

He just didn’t get it, did he? “So, you think we can’t do this on our own?”

“That’s not what I think. Not at all. It’s just that—”

“We may be twenty-three years old, but we’ve been working in restaurants since we were teenagers. That’s a collective twenty-one years of experience among the three of us. Besides, Dad, we’re Fortunes. If you don’t think we’re capable of running a restaurant, we’ll prove you wrong.”

He was quiet for a long moment. Ashley’s ire stoked once more as she wondered if he’d put down the phone again so he could take his turn at golfing, but then he said, “I don’t know if I’d fly the Fortune flag so proudly. They’re not exactly role models.”

Her father had only recently discovered that he was related to the Texas Fortunes. Along with that birthright came a rich and complicated history. Thanks to patriarch Julius Fortune’s numerous affairs, the Fortunes were an ever-expanding family. Each year they seemed to grow even larger. Branches of the Fortunes family tree had sprouted in Houston, Austin, and Horseback Hollow, Texas; Atlanta; New Orleans; New York; Ft. Lauderdale; among other places. They’d even discovered a royal branch in England.

Her father had recently learned that Julius Fortune, his biological father, had refused to acknowledge him. His mother, Penny, had gone to great lengths to protect David from that rejection.

But that didn’t matter. David was very proud to be a self-made man. He’d said time and again that he didn’t need or want the Fortunes’ money and all the baggage that came with it.

However, Ashley and her siblings thought discovering new and vast branches of their family tree was kind of cool.

In the past, before it was confirmed that they were indeed related to the infamous Fortunes, people would ask if they were related to those Fortunes, as if they were American royalty. Until just recently, when they’d learned the truth, they’d had to say no, no relation. It was disheartening to see the way some people dismissed them, as if they were less-thans or somehow didn’t measure up. Even though their father had made a name for himself—and his own fortune—in the gaming industry. People, especially Texans, seemed to revere the Texas Fortunes as celebrities.

Now it was fun using their birthright to their advantage. It wasn’t hurting anyone or costing anyone anything. So why not use the name to its fullest advantage?

After all, they were legitimate Fortunes, even if ol’ Julius had rejected their father.

Ashley knew better than to rehash that argument with her dad. It was one area where they would have to agree to disagree. Besides, her father was still talking.

“The first step in operating a successful business is to be open to help, girls. The fact that you’re balking at listening to Mendoza shows your inexperience and naïveté.”

Ashley gave an incredulous snort. Her face went hot. She looked at Nicole and Megan, silently telegraphing that they were free to jump in at any time. Nicole was staring at her with her mouth agape. Megan had crossed her arms and was frowning.

“Our father is calling us inexperienced and naïve,” she said, fully intending for David to hear the hurt in her voice. “And I thought he believed in us.”

“I do believe in you,” David said. “I also want to equip you with every possible tool for success. We’ve already talked about the restaurant failure rate. I want Provisions to be a success story and I know you can do it. But you don’t have to learn lessons through the school of hard knocks. Learn from someone who has been there. Getting help is simply smart business.”

As much as his interfering went against her grain, their father was a smart, creative, self-made businessman. He’d taken his love of video games and parlayed it into a multibillion-dollar business. He had a proven business track record. She and her sisters hadn’t even gotten out of the starting gate yet.

It rankled her, but he might have a point—even if she didn’t agree with the way he’d gone about hiring Rodrigo.

“Dad, we appreciate your concern,” Megan said. “And we do appreciate your help.”

Nicole wasn’t so quick to see his point. She huffed and rolled her eyes as she mumbled something under her breath that sounded like, “Mendoza had better not think he can step one foot in my kitchen and tell us how to run it. Nuh-uh. He’s got another thing coming.”

Megan swatted away Nicole’s words.

“Listen, girls, don’t mistake my intentions. I guess it’s the father in me coming out. I know the three of you are smart, strong, talented young women who are perfectly capable of handling whatever challenge is thrown at you. But you’ll always be my little girls. My babies. You can’t blame a dad for that. Ash, you there? Do you forgive me?”

“Oh, Dad. Of course, I do. Actually, there’s nothing to forgive. I’m just stressed. I have a million things to do and the soft opening is next week. I guess my gut reaction was fear that Rodrigo Mendoza would try to undo everything we’ve already done. But you know what? I’ll consider his suggestions and if he makes some good ones, I’ll take them into consideration.”

“That’s my girl,” David said. “Look, it’s my turn and I’m holding up play. The foursome behind us is shooting daggers at us, so I’m going to run. Let me know how things go with Mendoza after you’ve worked with him awhile.”

Ashley’s stomach did an unexpected twist at the thought of working with Rodrigo Mendoza.

Why was she suddenly all jumpy at the mention of the guy’s name? Because Rodrigo Mendoza and his handsome face with that million-dollar smile was a distraction she didn’t need.

Even so, she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that she felt a little breathy at the thought of working closely with him, but she’d get ahold of herself.

“All right, I’ve got to run. It’s my turn to putt again.”

“’Bye, Dad,” they said in unison.

Trying to quell the sensation of butterflies, Ashley placed her free hand over her abdomen as her father disconnected the call.

“Well, the upside is that Rodrigo Mendoza is hot,” said Nicole, as if reading Ashley’s mind. “It could be much worse.”

“I know, right?” said Megan.

“Yeah, he’s definitely a good-looking guy, and I’m pretty sure he knows it. But we need to focus here.” Ashley clapped her hands. Right now, focus was more important than ever. In a sense, the restaurant was an extension of them. Since they were each in charge of a very specific cog of the business, if one of them stopped turning—because she’d gotten tangled up in a hot dude—then they were destined to fail.

“We need to keep our eyes on the prize, which is making Provisions successful. Are we all on the same page?” Ashley held out her hand, palm up.

Without hesitation, Megan and Nicole put their hands in, too.

“Sisters before misters,” they said in unison.

That had always been their mantra and Ashley intended to show this mister—and her father, for that matter—that she and her sisters knew their stuff.

Chapter Two

As Rodrigo sat at one of the tables waiting for the sisters to finish their conference call, he surveyed the restaurant. Granted, everything was in a state of disarray, but he could see the vision.

He had to give the Fortune triplets credit. They had done an admirable job with the renovation and the décor looked top-of-the-line.

Someone had good taste.

Of course, it was easier to have good taste when you had a lot of cash to spend.

Based on the research Rodrigo had done before making the trip to Rambling Rose, the triplets were from yet another branch of the extended Fortune family tree. They’d never opened a restaurant, but they had a lot of cash, compliments of their father.

Rodrigo tilted his head back and took in the restaurant’s slanted corrugated-metal roof with its exposed beams and ductwork. In between the beams, skylights gave the place a light and airy atmosphere. The polished concrete of the high-top tables in the bar area complemented the metal-and-blond-wood stools. A grouping of couches, love seats and overstuffed chairs commandeered the center of the room. Cocktail and end tables completed the grouping. A set of glazed concrete steps led to a second level, which, he imagined, was the dining room.

It looked cohesive, but it didn’t look too matchy-matchy—as if they’d ordered the furniture from one of those stores that marketed predesigned rooms.

If the upstairs dining area was even half as inviting as the lower level bar area, he could see this as a place where he would meet up with friends. They could grab a cocktail and catch up while they waited to move upstairs for dinner.

The triplets were definitely on the right track. With his guidance, they could make this place a success. But it would take some finessing.

His research had told him there wasn’t anything like Provisions in Rambling Rose. No fine dining establishments. Only casual places to eat: La Ventana, a Mexican restaurant located on Main Street down the street from Provisions, and Osteria Oliva, a new Italian restaurant that local Carla Vicente had opened at The Shoppes, the new shopping center in Rambling Rose that Callum and his brothers had developed.

There was also the Crockett Café, a casual place where people could get inexpensive comfort food like eggs and pancakes, grilled-cheese sandwiches, burgers, fries and milkshakes. Also, there was a fleet of food trucks parked at Mariana’s Marketplace. While they were the most casual of all the offerings, they provided variety and were still an option that would compete for the locals’ food budget. He made a mental note to check them out some time next week.

The one challenge Provisions faced was making sure the locals bought into the upscale casual farm-to-table concept and the slightly higher price point that came with it.

To make Provisions Rambling Rose’s new hot spot, the Fortune sisters had certainly nailed the ambience. However, once patrons got past the wow factor, would the restaurant’s menu deliver on its promise? He had yet to find that out.

He regretted that he hadn’t gotten off to a smoother start with the sisters, no doubt due to the confusion about his arrival. He’d never had someone set an appointment and not tell everyone involved about it. But his motto—especially in this business—was Expect the Unexpected. When you owned a winery, you never knew what each new season would bring. The best way to not only survive, but to flourish, was to learn how to navigate the twists and turns along the way.

The Fortune triplets were young. He’d venture to guess that they hadn’t been out of college very long. All three of them were invested in the restaurant but there was something about Ashley…

In many ways, she reminded him of his sister-in-law, Schuyler, who had married his brother Carlo. Both women were forces to be reckoned with.

Maybe it was because Rodrigo had interacted with Ashley the most, but he could already discern differences between Ashley and her sisters. She was feisty and smart, as well as being gorgeous. But something else beyond her beauty and her quick wit drew his gaze to her over her sisters. It was something he couldn’t quite define—yet.

Rodrigo smiled at the thought.

Then he reminded himself that now was the time for business, not for pursuing this infatuation.

After he’d taken the job, Schuyler had mentioned that the bunch in Rambling Rose were newfound cousins of hers. These days, the Fortune family seemed to be expanding exponentially, especially in Texas. He wasn’t surprised that a branch had taken root in the up-and-coming community of Rambling Rose.

Carlo and Schuyler had met David Fortune and his son Callum last year in Paseo at the wedding of David’s half-brother Gerald Robinson, who was also known as Jerome Fortune. Learning about Callum’s and Fortune Brothers Construction’s plans to develop Rambling Rose, Carlo had given David his card and told him to call if he needed help. When David had called asking about restaurant advice, Carlo had referred him to Rodrigo, who had a restaurant consulting business.

Though David was himself an astute businessman, his roots were in the gaming and technology industry. Without any experience in restaurants, he’d been wise to seek the help of Vines Consulting Group. And Rodrigo was eager to provide his assistance to Ashley and her sisters.

“We’re sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Mendoza.”

As if his thoughts of the women had conjured them, he looked up.

Ashley shot him a dazzling smile. “I apologize for the confusion,” she added.

He stood. “Please call me Rodrigo. I insist. Did you get everything straightened out?”

“We did, Rod,” Ashley said. “My father does love to surprise us.”

“Actually, it’s not Rod. It’s Rodrigo.” He smiled to soften the words. He hated to correct her, but better now than letting it go on too long. “The mix-up was a surprise for both of us. Why don’t we start over and reintroduce ourselves?”

“Well, you just told us your name is Not Rod,” Ashley said. “It’s nice to meet you, Not Rod Mendoza.”

Not Rod?

He frowned, not quite understanding what she meant.

After a couple of beats of awkward silence, Ashley said, “I was joking. And obviously very badly since it fell flat on its face. You said, I’m not Rod… So, I said, It’s nice to meet you, Not Rod. Okay, never mind. That’s why I chose the restaurant business and not standup comedy.”

“No, I get it.” Rodrigo laughed, feeling like a dolt and hating the way she could throw him off his game. “I do. It just took me a minute. I guess it’s a day of misunderstandings. But you’re funny. You are.”

As they laughed together, Rodrigo felt something electric zing between them, an invisible connection that felt both thrilling and completely off limits.

“Anyway, we were starting over?” Ashley stuck out her hand. “I’m Ashley Fortune.”

Rodrigo accepted it and there it was again. That zip of electricity that confirmed that he needed to watch himself or—Or what?

Yeah, he wasn’t exploring the or-whats right now.

Instead he withdrew his hand and reclaimed his personal space.

“I’m Rodrigo Mendoza. I started at the Mendoza Winery and La Viña Restaurant. I helped my family open the place and mold it into what it is today. After working there for a couple of years, I decided to venture out on my own and help other restaurants achieve the success and buzz we’ve built at La Viña. Since then, I’ve been booked solid and I’m happy to have built a good portfolio of success stories. I’m excited to look over your business plan and lend my expertise to Provisions. You won’t have to make the mistakes some new restaurants make learning by trial and error. So think of me as your knight in shining armor, here to save you.”

He was trying to be funny, match her joke for joke—bad joke for bad joke.

“For the record, we’re not damsels in distress,” Ashley said. “We don’t need to be saved, but thanks anyway.”

Somehow, he’d known Ashley was going to say that as soon as the words had fallen out of his mouth.

He figured the Fortune sisters had probably heard their share of quips about them being Daddy’s little princesses. Even if they were, it wasn’t his place to judge. Everyone’s circumstances were different.

He had his brothers and cousins. They had worked hard, saving and pooling their resources to make Mendoza Winery and La Viña a success. Would they have liked family money to get them off the ground? Certainly. They wouldn’t have turned it down. But a cash infusion wasn’t an option.

If not for the winery and La Viña, he might not be in the position he was in right now. Was that not family help of a different kind? It had given him the option to break away from the confines of the family business, which had started to feel claustrophobic. He needed something that was all his. Hence, Vines Consulting Group.

Now the Fortunes were his clients. That meant no matter where or how the triplets got their money for the restaurant, he would treat them with the same respect he afforded all his clients. He would help them turn Provisions into a successful moneymaker.

“Of course you don’t need saving,” he told her. “I’m not Rod and you’re not damsels in distress. We’re off to a brilliant start.”

She nodded, as if saying she was accepting his unspoken apology, then continued introducing herself, finishing with her role in Provisions. “I handle the front of the house, social media and publicity.”

Rodrigo’s brows shot up. “You have your hands full, Ashley Fortune.”

She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “I’m not afraid of hard work.”

“Then you’re in the right business.”

“Yes,” Ashley said. “My sisters and I have a lot of experience in the restaurant industry. We didn’t just decide to open this place on a whim.”

“Good. I’m glad you know what you’re getting yourselves into. That’s half the battle. A lot of people think owning a restaurant means it’ll be a party every night. They don’t realize they’re going to work harder than they’ve ever worked in their lives. You’ll be working when everyone else is playing, celebrating and relaxing.”

Ashley met his gaze with an indulgent smile. “Been there. Done that. And our father already grilled us on the ins and outs of owning a business.”

“I didn’t mean to lecture. I’m just telling you how it is.”

She said, “Okay,” but the implied meaning seemed to be Tell me something I don’t know.

Rodrigo hoped he wouldn’t be met with resistance the entire month he was scheduled to be there. His consulting services didn’t come cheap and the people on the receiving end had to be open to constructive criticism and willing to make changes. Otherwise it was a waste of money.

Megan explained her duties as chief of finances and how she was keeping them on budget.

“Hi, Rodrigo. I’m Nicole. I cook.”

“Nice to meet you, chef,” he said.

A sheepish smile turned up the corners of Nicole’s mouth. “Actually, I’m the sous chef. Rosemary Allen is our executive chef.”

Hiring Rosemary Allen was a good move. She was making a name for herself in the industry after winning a prestigious award for young chefs.

It was curious that he hadn’t heard the news that Rosemary had agreed to run their kitchen.

“She’s a good addition to the Provisions’ family,” Rodrigo said. “Have you sent out a press release about her joining the staff?”

The sisters looked at each other.

“Not yet,” said Ashley. “But I’ll handle it.”

She pulled out her phone and began typing what he presumed was a reminder.

She was organized.

Of the triplets, Ashley seemed to be the queen bee, which made her a natural to handle the front of the house. She ran the show, but her sisters didn’t seem to mind. She was assertive, but she wasn’t bossy. And she had tact. Even though she hadn’t been expecting him, she’d managed to recover and invite him back when the restaurant opened rather than just turn him away.

“I’m happy to help you with that,” said Rodrigo.

Ashley smiled. “Thanks. I’ll take you up on that offer.”

Their gazes lingered and, again, he felt that zing hit him in the gut.

Come on, man. This is business. Get your act together,

It would be a challenge, but Rodrigo was going to enjoy this change of pace, this fresh challenge that Ashley Fortune promised to be. She was gorgeous and sassy and everything he didn’t need in his life right now. Not only was she was too young for him, there was the lingering Bonniefactor.

A few years ago, Rodrigo had ended a relationship he’d thought might be the real deal. He had even been looking at rings and getting ready to propose. Thank God, he’d found out Bonnie wasn’t who she’d claimed to be before he’d irretrievably linked his life to hers. It was the first time he had even considered marriage.

Even though he’d been single for a while, and the pain had dulled to a blunt ache, not a day went by that he didn’t remind himself that ending the relationship had been the best thing that could’ve happened to him.

He’d dodged a bullet.

He certainly wasn’t going to open himself up for that kind of hurt again.

“Thanks for coming in today, everyone,” Ashley said to the seven workers who had arrived to help her wrangle the bar furniture into place. “Hang out for a minute. I just need to take care of something and then we’ll roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

She made her way back to Rodrigo, who was still seated at the high-top table with Nicole and Megan. “As soon as I get the dining room set up, we can work on the Rosemary Allen press release.”

“I’m happy to do it for you,” he said. “It would be one more thing to check off your list.”

“No. I’m good. Thank you.”

There was no way she was going to let him do it when she should’ve sent it out the minute Rosemary had agreed to come on board at Provisions. She’d meant to. In fact, it was even on her extended to-do list. She had to fight the urge to pull it up and show it to Rodrigo. But with all the other things that had come up since then, the press release had gotten pushed farther and farther down her list.

The truth was she hadn’t written many press releases. Okay, she’d never written one, but he didn’t need to know that. She was a quick study, and how hard could it be?

If he knew she’d never written one, it would make her look like an amateur. She would prove she wasn’t, but right now she needed to put the waitstaff to work and get the furniture in place. By doing this now, she would have time to correct any potential mishaps before opening night.

Her stomach jumped in anticipation. This was really real. For so long Provisions had been just a dream. Something she and her sisters had talked about and longed for. A someday that at one point seemed as if it would never arrive. Now, it was about to become a reality.

Press release aside, she was willing to bet that Rodrigo would be very pleased with how well she had everything under control. Even though she didn’t really care what he thought.

She was just about ready to instruct the workers when Rodrigo said, “I think the best way to start is for me to tour the place. Which one of you would like to do the honors?”

Nicole frowned. “I have to get back to the kitchen. I’m up to my elbows in coleslaw.”

Megan was just opening her mouth to volunteer—Ashley could read her sister like a book—when Ashley cut her off at the pass.

“Actually, if you want to make yourself useful, I could use some extra help arranging the lounge and bar furniture. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of opinions on how we should do it. You might as well help us with the grunt work rather than just bossing us around.” She showed him she was kidding—sort of—by flashing her most dazzling smile.

Megan shot her a strange, almost wounded look.

“Meg, I know you’re busy. After we’re done, I’ll give him a tour. By the way, the pillow invoices you asked about are in the folder on my desk. Feel free to get them. I know you need them. While you’re at it, would you tell me how much money we have left in the budget for furnishings? I’m still debating whether we should get those blown-glass salt and pepper shakers for the bar tables.”

Maybe this was case in point of how she was the bossy, micromanager to Megan’s quieter, more laid-back personality and Nicole’s creative, bohemian vibe, which could fluctuate between moody and dreamy.

Still, she couldn’t ignore the weird feeling that had been hanging over her like a storm cloud since Rodrigo Mendoza had walked in the door. For some reason even she didn’t understand, she did not want Megan to be the one to show Rodrigo around the place. She wanted to do the honors. Really, it was just as much Megan’s place as it was hers, but Megan owned the budget and Nicole had made it clear that she and Rosemary owned the kitchen, so that made Ashley take even more ownership of the front of the house.

If anyone was best equipped to make sure Rodrigo didn’t step over the line, it was she. Maybe a tiny part of her didn’t want Megan to be alone with him but, really, this was about business.

It was only logical that she should be the one to conduct Rodrigo’s tour.

But first, furniture.

Ashley clapped her hands. “Good morning, everyone. Thanks again for coming in to help. Did everyone clock in?”

There was murmur and a couple of people raised their hands to indicate they hadn’t.

“Okay, go do it. You know where the time clock is. This is good practice. If you don’t clock in, you won’t get paid. After you’re done, come back. In the meantime, I’ll talk about the master plan I’ve created.”

She held up the floor plan that she’d hand drawn on graph paper. As soon as she set the drawing down on the high-top, Rodrigo picked it up.

She’d expected as much.

“Donny and Sam, will you please start moving the four-top tables over along the wall? There are six of them. They should be equally spaced and have four of the barrel chairs at each table. While they’re doing that—”

“Actually, have you thought about arranging them in two rows of three?” Rodrigo asked.

Ashley gave him the side-eye but didn’t answer. “As I was saying, while Donny and Sam are arranging the four-tops along the wall as I have laid out here on the chart—” she plucked the paper out of Rodrigo’s hand—“Mike, Tom, Doug and Bobby, will you please move the couches and love seats up here?”

After the crew started moving furniture, Rodrigo said, “I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

“Yes, that was rude,” Ashley said.

“But think about it,” he continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “If you put the tables in a row down the wall, the last two are going to be off in a corner by themselves and there won’t be much room for the chairs. People are going to be on top of each other. You won’t be able to scoot the chairs in and out without bumping the person behind you.”

“Have you ever considered that maybe some people might like the thought of having an intimate table in a corner by themselves? Not everyone needs to be the center of attention.”

Rodrigo shrugged. “Fine. Do it however you want, but I’m speaking from experience when I say that most people who come to the lounge are either waiting for their tables and want to be within eyeshot of the hostess or they’re meeting people for drinks and they want to be in the center of the action. If people want a quiet, intimate table, they’ll get that with the dining experience. But we can do it your way.”

“Of course we will do it my way.” Ashley smiled. “You’re a smart man, Not Rod.”

She winked at him.

“Look, if you don’t want my help, I can go.” His voice was low and his gaze held hers, but he didn’t seem amused by her nickname. She made a snap decision to retire the endearment.

“Your dad has already paid me,” Rodrigo said as he began to turn to leave. “It’s a shame that you’re not willing to at least keep an open mind. This is a tough business. But you seem to know what you’re doing.”

“What? You’re just going to walk away because I’m not jumping at your every directive?”

“I have other things I could be doing rather than standing around watching you.”

Ashley’s stomach performed the oddest little two-step at the thought of him watching her. She knew he didn’t mean anything by it. He meant he didn’t want to waste his time standing around waiting for her to finish what she was doing. But even rationalizing it like that didn’t slow her pounding heart or make her feel any less…less what?

Like she and all of her decisions were under a microscope.

“Did you stop to consider it from my perspective?” she said. “Until about twenty minutes ago, I had no idea that my father had hired a consultant. Had hired…you.” She thrust a finger at him. She hadn’t meant to touch him, but she accidentally poked him in the pec, and damn, if it wasn’t rock-hard. It made her traitorous mind start wondering if there was an equally rock-hard six-pack a little bit lower. She reined in that thought and continued. “Then you waltz in here and expect me to rearrange my floor plan because you say so?”

Rodrigo blinked then he held up his hands. He cleared his throat before he said, “We’ve gotten off to a bad start today. I apologize for that. I didn’t know your father would forget to tell you about our appointment. This has never happened before. I think it threw everything off. Would it work better for you if I came back another time?” He paused, his look suggesting he expected her to acquiesce.

“I think that would be for the best. I’m sorry, I’ve got the guys here this morning to help me and I’ve spent a lot of time laying out that floorplan and I want to see how it looks.”

“Okay, and I’m happy to roll up my sleeves and pitch in,” he said.

“As long as we do things your way, right?”

A smile tipped up the corners of his mouth. She couldn’t help but notice his strong jawline and perfectly formed lips, which were on the generous side but not so full that they looked feminine. No, they looked perfect. Perfectly kissable. She blinked away the thought.

“Since you feel so strongly about it, we’ll do it your way,” he said. “It’s easy to change if discover another way.”

“Hey, Ashley,” one of the guys called from the far corner of the bar. “Can you come and look at this? There’s not room to fit four chairs around this last table, and even with two, it’s almost jammed up against the table next to it.”

Ashley craned her neck to look at what Sam was talking about. Then she grabbed her diagram off the high-top.

Had she miscalculated? The reason she’d used graph paper was to draw the furniture to scale. One square equaled one foot… Maybe she’d measured wrong?

“Did you allow room for the chairs and room for the people to scoot back?” Rodrigo asked, looking over her shoulder at the plan. He was standing so close she could smell his cologne. Something grassy and masculine.

She felt her face heat. That’s exactly what she hadn’t done. She’d measured for the tables and chairs, but she hadn’t allowed for adequate clearance.

“You’re right,” she said, bracing herself for the inevitable I told you so.

But Rodrigo didn’t say anything. He just stood there smelling good.

She swallowed hard. “Go ahead and say it. I know you want to.”

“Say what?” he asked.

She steeled herself and finally met his gaze. But instead of the smugness she’d expected, his look was direct but neutral.

“I told you so,” she said.

“You told me what?” he asked.

She blinked. Coming from most people, those words would’ve sounded like he was being a smartass. But he didn’t seem that way.

“You were right about the table placement. Aren’t you just dying to say, ‘I told you so’?”

“No, I’m not. Ashley, I’m on your side. I didn’t come here to tear down everything you’ve worked so hard to set up. I’m just offering suggestions to make Provisions as successful as it can be,” He said. “You and I are a team. I want you to start thinking of us that way, okay?”

A team.

It was not hard at all for her to think of them that way. The only problem, she wasn’t thinking of team in the platonic sense of the word. Rodrigo Mendoza had already proven he could get under her skin, in the steamiest sense.

Yeah, that was more like it. Instead of team it was more like steam, because he had her so hot and bothered. And she didn’t quite know what to do about it.

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