Fortune Found by Victoria Pade

the attention of all four kids, who were sitting or lying on her bed to watch.
    â€œYou look good as Miss Osterman,” Bethany contributed, a compliment indeed because Miss Osterman had been the twins’ twenty-two-year-old drop-dead gorgeous swimming instructor and Bethany had already announced that she wanted to look just like that when she grew up. Who didn’t? had been what Kelsey and Jessie had answered with a laugh…
    â€œYou should stay home and eat with us,” Ella contributed morosely, frowning at Jessie in the mirror that Jessie was facing, the mirror that reflected the kids behind her as well. “Gramma is making us macaroni and cheese with the squiggly noodles.”
    Oh, Ella, I’m sorry, Jessie thought. But when this is over you’ll be able to relax…
    â€œI wanna go,” Adam lamented before Jessie could think of what to say to her oldest daughter. “I wanna eat with Fwint.”
    â€œNo one’s going but your mama,” Jessie’s mother said, apparently having overheard Adam as she’d approached the room because her response came at the same time she appeared in the doorway. “Tonight is for your mama and Flint—grown-ups only. Now let her get ready and come downstairs—supper’s ready.”
    All four kids hopped up and Jessie turned from her dresser mirror to give Ella a hug as her oldest slipped off the bed.
    â€œIt’ll be okay. You’ll see,” she whispered.
    Ella didn’t answer her, obviously not convinced.
    Jessie’s mother waved fluttering hands at her daughter. “Go on, get back to what you were doing. He’ll be here soon and I have a surprise dessert for Ella—her favorite.”
    â€œStrawberry ice cream?” Ella said, barely enthusiastic.
    â€œStrawberry ice cream with my special fresh strawberry sauce to put on top,” Jeannie Hunt said as she shooed the kids out and pulled Jessie’s bedroom door closed behind them all, leaving Jessie alone.
    And torn between hating Ella’s obvious displeasureabout her spending time with Flint Fortune and trying to figure out her own feelings.
    She shouldn’t feel anything about this date. Certainly not excitement. Or anticipation. Or eagerness. She definitely shouldn’t have butterflies in her stomach. And there was no way she should have needed to change her clothes three times before settling on the khaki slacks and red camp shirt that was very— very —fitted. No way she should have deep-conditioned her hair so it would have extra wave and shine when she wore it down.
    All for a date that wasn’t real. A date that was nothing but subterfuge, a ploy to get her family to stop pushing her and Flint Fortune together. Yet she was feeling excited and eager and there were butterflies in her stomach.
    As if this were a real date.
    And every bit of that also caused her guilt. Guilt for Ella’s confusion and anger. And guilt over Pete, too…
    She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and wished what she’d wished a million times since that day she’d lost her husband—that everything hadn’t gotten so complicated, so difficult.
    This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. She was supposed to be married to Pete, living her life and caring for the kids with him, looking forward to growing old together.
    She wasn’t supposed to be raising four kids alone. She wasn’t supposed to be dating —for real or not.
    And she wasn’t supposed to be feeling any kind of attraction for a man who wasn’t Pete…
    That was just so weird. And unsettling. It made Jessie feel as if she were being disloyal to Pete.
    â€œBut it’s not a real date,” she told her reflection inthe mirror as she finally got one small hoop earring in and began to work on the second.
    A fake date concocted to put an end to Kelsey’s matchmaking. And once that was accomplished, Jessie reminded herself, she would