“Whoa,” Colton said.
Stacey nodded. “Her brother James wanted to give her a lot of money. But she felt that money rightfully should go to his children. Mama doesn’t want her relationship with James and the rest of the Fortunes tainted by her taking money from him.”
Colton shook his head. “Your mama is an amazing woman. That was an honorable thing to do.”
“I think so, too, but not everyone agrees with her decision,” Stacey said. “For Mama’s sake, I hope everything will turn out okay.”
* * *
At that moment, Jeanne Fortune Jones was in heaven. Sharing her grandbaby with her newly discovered brother and sister, with family all around, Jeanne felt complete. Jeanne had always known she was adopted. Her parents had loved her as if they’d given birth to her, perhaps more. Yet even with all that love and adoration, something had been missing. Now she knew what it was—her brother and sister. Joined together in the womb as triplets, separated for most of their lives, the three of them were back together again. To Jeanne, it all seemed a beautiful circle of life.
Her often-stern-faced brother James cleared his throat. “Jeanne, I still wish you would accept the money I tried to give you earlier. It feels wrong. Won’t you reconsider?”
Jeanne immediately shook her head. Her conviction was clear as crystal on this matter. Jeanne knew that James’s children had turned their backs on him because they’d misunderstood James’s attempted generosity toward Jeanne. Now, after months of an angry, silent divide, James and his family were being reunited. “Absolutely not. I refuse to be the cause of a rift between you and your children. Besides, you earned that money. I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
James sighed. “But I feel guilty that I have so much and you have so little.”
Jeanne shook her head and smiled as she looked down at her sweet granddaughter. “I’ve been around long enough to know that there are all kinds of riches. I have a wonderful husband, loving children and this beautiful grandchild. And now I have the two of you. My life couldn’t be happier. I feel like I’m the lucky one.”
“Do the rest of your family members feel that way?” James asked doubtfully.
Jeanne thought of her son Christopher and his resentment. Chris just had some growing up to do. He would realize what was truly important in due time. At least, she hoped he would. “Mostly,” she said. “Look at how most of my kids have accepted the Fortune name. They know I would do anything for them, and they would do anything for me.”
Jeanne noticed her sister seemed quieter than usual. “Are you okay, Josephine? Is this party too much for you?”
Josephine shook her head. “No. It’s a grand party. You Texans know how to pull out all the stops,” she said in her lovely British accent.
Jeanne Marie studied her refined sister in her luxury designer clothing. Who would have ever thought that she, Jeanne Jones, could be related to a woman who had married into the British royal family?
The thought made her laugh. She and James and Josephine had been joined in the womb. That was the ultimate equality. But more important than that, Jeanne knew herself, her heart and her family. She was beyond happy with her life. She sensed, however, that James and Josephine might not be so happy with theirs, but she hoped she was wrong....
“All of my children are single. I hope they will find love someday,” Josephine murmured under her breath.
“Of course they will,” Jeanne said, patting her sister’s hand. “It just takes some time.”
Josephine looked at Jeanne with a soft gaze. “I’m so glad we found each other.”
Jeanne squeezed her sister’s hand. “I am, too.”
* * *
From across the room, Stacey enjoyed watching her mother with her siblings, but then she caught sight of her brother Chris striding toward her. His face looked like a thundercloud. “Uh-oh.”
“I need to talk to you for a moment,” Chris said, and gave Colton a short nod. “Excuse us.”
Stacey lifted her lips in a smile that she suspected resembled more of a wince. “Excuse me,” she said, and followed Christopher to a semiquiet corner of the airplane hangar.
“Do you see how chummy Mama Jeanne is being with James and Josephine? It makes me sick to my stomach to see her being so nice to them,” he said.
“Well, of course she’s being nice to them. She’s thrilled she finally found out that she has brothers and a sister. You know Mama has always wondered about her birth family.”
“That’s not the point,” Christopher said. “I don’t understand how she is all right with the fact that her brothers James and John grew up with boatloads of money. And her sister, Josephine, was married to British royalty, for Pete’s sake. It’s not fair that they’re so wealthy and she’s had to watch every dime.”
Chris had always been ambitious, pretty much since birth. The status quo wasn’t going to be enough for him. Stacey had long known he wanted more for himself and the whole family. Chris and their father, Deke, had rubbed each other wrong on this subject on more than one occasion.
Stacey hated to see her brother so upset when she knew her mother was thrilled with the recent discovery of her siblings. “Mama’s life hasn’t been so bad. She has all of us kids and a great husband. They both have good health and would support each other through thick and thin.” She couldn’t help thinking about how Joe had left her high and dry once he’d learned she was pregnant. Her father wouldn’t dream of doing anything like that to her mother.
Chris’s eye twitched, and Stacey could tell he wasn’t the least bit appeased. “It’s still not fair. Tell the truth. Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to worry about money? Think about Piper. Wouldn’t you like to know she would have everything she needs?”
“Piper will have everything she needs. Her life may not be filled with luxury, but she will get what she needs,” Stacey insisted, feeling defensive because she wasn’t making any money right now.
“Yeah, but you gotta admit things could be easier,” he said.
Stacey sighed. “They could be,” she admitted, but shook her head. “But I can’t let myself go there. I’m going to have to make my own way. There’s no fairy tale happening for me.”
“I’m not asking for a fairy tale. I’m just thinking Mom should at least get a piece of the pie,” he said. “Seems to me that Mom’s new brother and sister are greedy and selfish.”
“It’s not James Fortune’s fault that we aren’t getting any Fortune money. James gave her money, and Mama chose to give the money back. James may be a little stiff, but he seems nice enough. He really didn’t even have to offer the money to Mama in the first place, but he did. I bet if any of us really needed financial help that he would be glad to help.”
Chris tilted his head to one side in a thoughtful way, and Stacey could practically see the wheels turning in his mind. “You may have a point. I think I’ll have a word with Uncle James.”
Stacey opened her mouth to tell him to think it over before he approached their new relative, but he was gone before she could say a word. Stacey twisted her fingers together. She wished Chris wouldn’t get so worked up about this, but she feared her discussion with him hadn’t helped one bit.
Sighing, she glanced away and caught sight of the bride and groom, Laurel and Sawyer, snuggling in a corner, feeding each other bites of wedding cake. The sight was so romantic. She could tell by the expressions on their faces that they clearly adored each other. Her heart twisted. She wondered if anyone would ever look at her that way.
Stacey gave herself