Lisa Jackson - A Fortunes Children Christmas

LISA JACKSON

Ms. Jacksons smart writing style ensures a great read.

Romantic Times

Lisa Jackson is a real talent. She writes the kind of books I like to read.

Bestselling author Kat Martin

BARBARA BOSWELL

Barbara Boswell keeps the chuckles rolling fast and furiously

Romantic Times

Ms. Boswell offers another classic duel of hearts full of the sizzling spark for which she is so justly famous.

Romantic Times

LINDA TURNER

Linda Turnerwill capture your heart.

Romantic Times

Ms. Turner makes a classic plot come alive with appealing characterization and sizzling sensuality.

Romantic Times

Lisa Jackson is a bestselling author who has written over forty love stories, both contemporary and historical, throughout her career. Lisa also contributed to the original Fortunes Children twelve-book continuity series with THE MILLIONAIRE AND THE COWBOY. She lives between the Cascade Mountains and the rugged Oregon coast and also writes mainstream romantic suspense novels.

Barbara Boswell is a bestselling author who has written over twenty category romances. She is also the author of a single title about the Fortune family, which came out in March 1999, and contributed to the original Fortunes Children continuity series with STAND-IN BRIDE. Barbara loves writing about families. I particularly enjoy writing about how my characters family relationships affect them, she says. When this Pennsylvania author isnt writing for Silhouette and reading, shes spending time with her own family or writing popular single-title romances.

Linda Turner is an award-winning author of over thirty category romances for Silhouette Books, including contributions to two twelve-book continuities, Fortunes Children and The Coltons, as well as her own popular miniseries in Silhouette Intimate Moments. Linda began reading romance novels in high school and began writing them one night when she had nothing to read. The Texas resident travels every chance she gets, scouting out locales for her books.

A FORTUNES CHILDREN CHRISTMAS

LISA JACKSON

BARBARA BOSWELL

LINDA TURNER

CONTENTS

Meet the Fortunesthree generations of a family with a legacy of wealth, influence and power. As they come together to celebrate the joys of the holiday season, three Fortune cousins are given exactly one year to fulfill the family traditions. And in the process, these bachelors receive a Christmas gift more precious than mere riches from three very special women.

Kate Fortune: When the Fortune clan gathers for their powerful matriarchs eightieth birthday, she surprises them all by giving three of her great-nephews the challenge of a lifetime.

Chase Fortune: The reclusive rancher. His fortitude and expertise save a pregnant widow and her unborn childs life on Christmas Eve. But can he put aside the pain of his past to begin a new life with Lesley and her infant daughter?

Ryder Fortune: The compassionate CEO. This hard-working executive has no time for romance, until his virginal assistant wreaks havoc in his carefully ordered life. And soon this thoroughly tempted tycoon has an entirely different type of merger on his mind!

Hunter Fortune: The tenacious tracker. When a single mom desperate to find the daughter her ex-husband abducted enlists Hunters help, he discovers that hes better at finding lost souls than searching his own. Will he follow his heart on the path to true love?

Kate Fortunes Journal Entry

Can you believe Ill be turning eighty in just a few days? Eighty! It seems like just yesterday that my plane crashed in the jungle, and I was forced to hide from my precious family until all the plots against the Fortunes were unearthed. How I hated seeing them suffer, thinking I was dead. I guess Ive just been too busy making up for lost time over the last eight years to notice the days pass. Its been such a joy to see all my children so happy now that theyve discovered lifes greatest giftslove and family. And who would have thought that Id get a second chance at love with my dear friend, Sterling? Maybe its because he still makes me feel like a June bride that Im not feeling my age.

Well, whatever it is, the surprise at this birthday celebration is going to be on my family. The last gifts I gave my children brought such joy that Ive decided to do it again. The recipients this time are my great-nephewsChase, Ryder and Hunter. I can hardly wait to see what the next year holds!

ANGEL BABY

Lisa Jackson

Prologue

December
Minneapolis, Minnesota

I m dreaming of a white Christmas

The soloists voice was hardly audible over the clinking of champagne glasses, chatter of conversation and bubbling laughter that permeated the celebration at the Fortune Corporation headquarters.

Chase Fortune watched the festivities with a jaundiced eye. He was as out of place as a range mustang at Churchill Downs, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

He took a swallow from his stemmed glass of champagne and wished he was anywhere but at his great-aunt-Kates eightieth birthday bash in the middle of the heartland.

A twenty-foot Christmas tree decorated with twinkling lights and festive red ribbons stood in the center of the room, while an ice sculpture in the shape of an angel, complete with harp, wings and halo, was beginning to melt near the door. Liveried attendants checked engraved invitations against the guest list.

What a joke.

Chase yanked at the collar of his too-tight tuxedo, then drained his glass. Relatives that had skimmed in and out of his life over the years filled the cavernous room. Dressed in holiday finery and bearing expensive gifts that were to be donated to charitable causes, they were here to pay tribute to Kate Fortune, the gutsy, elegant matriarch of his family.

What he wouldnt do for a cold bottle of beer, his dusty cowboy boots and a crowded, smoky tavern where you could watch a basketball game on the television mounted over the bar, grumble about the price of beef or hear the likes of Garth Brooks or Waylon Jennings from hidden speakers.

Instead he was here in the city, watching rain drizzle down the large windows, feeling his estranged sister, Delias, cold shoulder as she, dressed in shimmering red silk, made a point of avoiding him. Not that he really gave a damn.

The singer, a tall, willowy woman with dark hair, a skin-tight gold dress and a Santa cap stuck jauntily on her head caught the guests attention.

Happy Birthday to you The crowd joined in and Kate Fortune, whod been helped onto the slightly raised stage, smiled, her blue eyes sparkling youthfully despite the years that had propelled her into the category of elderly. Compact and aristocratic she laughed as the song was over, gave a short speech and began shaking hands and hugging her children, grandchildren and whatever other stragglers her huge family entailed.

Chase was in the last category. While the rest of the Fortune herd joined together, he was like the maverick calf, rough around the edges, wild at heart and not about to conform to whatever the rest of the Fortunes thought best. He had no use for the cosmetics company, stock options, business conglomerates or mergers.

So why the hell did you come here, if you didnt care?

Leaving his empty glass on a silver tray, he shouldered open French doors leading to a covered veranda. The air was clean and fresh, rain washed and ice-cold. Traffic rushed by on the street two stories below, tires spraying water from puddles, engines thrumming. The lights of the city glowed brightly, lending a festive air to the night, and on the street corners, bells were being rung by volunteers asking for donations.