Fortune's Unexpected Groom

For the first time in her life, Jordana knew what it was like to see stars after being verbally sucker punched. It was the strangest sensation, and once she got her bearings, she wanted to kick Tanner Redmond. She wanted to scream at him until he admitted that everything he’d just told her was a cruel joke, that he’d never play so dirty he would force her into marriage by going over her head to her father.

But when she opened her mouth to tell him this, all that came out was a giant sob. Because despite the fact that she was twenty-nine years old, financially secure and fiercely independent, her father’s word was still law. It was that way for all her brothers and sisters, too. No matter how old the Fortune siblings got, John Michael Fortune still ruled the clan with an iron fist.

“Aww, no, Jordana. No, please don’t cry,” Tanner pleaded.

His words made everything worse.

“How dare you—” She choked on another sob and turned toward the exit, walking as fast as she could to get away from him. Breathe, she reminded herself. She drew in a few gulps of air, trying to stop the deluge of tears.

Just because her father thought it was the bestidea he’d heard in ages didn’t mean the marriage was inevitable.

Yeah, keep telling yourself that.

“Please, wait,” Tanner called, trailing after her.

When he caught up to her, she hissed, “How could you? Going to my father behind my back was just … dirty pool.”

He matched her step for step. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t tell him everything. You know …” He gestured toward her belly.

“You didn’t? Why not? Were you afraid that he might tell you exactly what I’ve been saying all along—that a loveless marriage is doomed from the start? That it’s the worst possible thing to do to a child? You know he would never support such a farce.” Jordana stopped suddenly in front of the exit. “So, what did you say to him? Did you lie and tell him you were in love with me?”

The words spilled out of Jordana’s mouth before she could stop them. Along with them was the most peculiar sense of … hope. For a split second she wanted him to say … yes. She wanted to hear him profess his love because maybe then, just maybe, there would be a chance for them. The moment seemed to be isolated in a bubble where she saw her life flash before her eyes: he loved her, she loved him, they were a happy couple … a family. And for a millisecond she wanted nothing more.

But then Tanner shrugged and the bubble burst, revealing what Jordana thought was a hint of panic in his dark eyes.

“Not exactly.” A note of defensiveness colored his voice.

She felt her cheeks flame with resentment and humiliation. Her guard slammed back into place like a steel door.

What had she expected him to say? That he’d fallen madly, deeply in love with her over the months they hadn’t even spoken? Of course not, hence the loveless marriage part to which she objected so vehemently. The very odd thing she found almost as unsettling as his rejection was the fact that during that perfect bubble moment, she’d hoped he would say he loved her.

How ridiculous was that?

They were back to square one.

“Goodbye, Tanner.”

She stepped into the vestibule of the rotating glass door, and Tanner grabbed her hand as he entered the carousel, and despite how she tried to shake him off, he stuck close behind her. That’s when Jordana noticed two women who worked on the same floor as her entering the building on the other side of the revolving door. She tried to keep her head down, but not before she saw them look at her, then at each other, concerned, as if they were trying to decide whether or not she needed help.