CADE HADN’T KNOWN what to expect from Rida’s handler. He’d never bought a horse before that he hadn’t simply gone and picked up. Beth was competent, professional and obviously knew her way around horses. He would simply have to pretend she wasn’t a stunning, curvy, blue-eyed blonde.
Close to six thirty he carried the back patio table and two chairs to the barn, then brought dinner, along with flatware, plates, glasses and napkins. When everything was set up, he walked to the last stall on the right.
Rida and Beth were in the paddock outside Rida’s stall. She sat on the fence, the horse standing close to her. There was a young marmalade barn cat perched on a fence post nearby. Beth was speaking to Rida in a low voice, but Cade couldn’t make out her words. They were a contrast in sizes, but looked perfectly comfortable together.
He cleared his throat to get their attention. Beth turned and smiled.
“Hi. We were discussing the weather.”
Her smile hit him like a kick in the gut. Not good, he told himself. Not good at all.
“I have dinner ready, if you’re hungry.”
“I’m starving.” She jumped down and petted Rida. “I’ll be close by. If you need me, just give a shout.”
“Does he answer?” Cade asked, holding the stall door open for her.
“Sometimes.”
They walked to the middle of the barn. Beth shook her head. “This is very nice, thank you.” She studied the set table, the bowl with salad and the hot chicken and pasta casserole. “Should I be impressed with your cooking skills?”
“Not based on this. I have a housekeeper who comes in two days a week. She cleans, does laundry and leaves things like this in the freezer. A housekeeper comes with the job.”
Beth excused herself to wash her hands. Cade poured iced tea for both of them, then waited until she returned to take his seat.
“How long have you worked here?” she asked as she served herself salad.
“I moved back to Happily Inc a few months ago.” He took the salad bowl she passed him. “My grandfather owns the ranch. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. He taught me to ride and by the time I was six, I knew I wanted to be a cowboy.”
She smiled. “It’s nice to have direction. You never strayed from your original goal?”
“Nope. I didn’t even have a firefighter phase.” He thought about his past. “My family has lived in the area for a few generations. Grandpa Frank also owns the biggest bank in town. It’s the family business. My mom wanted me to go to work with her, but that was never going to happen. My grandfather had made it clear I wasn’t going to get a job on the ranch just because I was his grandson, so when I was eighteen, I left home to learn the trade.”
He glanced at her. “You sure you want to hear this?”
“Yes. I love origination stories. Where did you go?”
“Kentucky.”
She sighed. “I’ve been a couple of times with my, ah, some friends. It’s beautiful.”
“It is and it’s horse country. I started out doing the dirty work and learned everything I could. After a few years, I moved to a ranch in Texas.”
What he didn’t bother sharing was the reason for his move. Not only was it private, it was humiliating. He’d been played by a woman in Kentucky—he’d learned his lesson and had vowed never to repeat it.
“You met the king in Texas, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Yes. I was invited to a dinner he attended. I have no idea why I was allowed to tag along, but it was a great experience. We ended up debating horses and when I heard about Rida I took a chance on him remembering me.”
She studied him for a second before looking away. “I’m glad it worked out.”
“Me, too. Rida’s amazing.”
“He is. When will you have him checked out by your vet?”
“Tomorrow, then again in a couple of weeks.” He picked up his water glass. “How did you come to work in the royal stables of El Bahar?”
Her blue eyes danced with amusement. “It is unexpected, isn’t it? My parents divorced when I was little. My dad was into car racing, a lot more than he was into paying his child support, so money was tight for my mom. She was a teacher and found out about a job at the American School in El Bahar. The pay was generous and an apartment was provided, so five years there would have given her enough for a down payment on a house and a good start on a college fund.”
She leaned toward him, her thick blond braid falling over her shoulder. “She met someone and fell madly in love. We were living, um, close to the royal stables, so I started taking riding lessons. I never outgrew my love of horses and when I was old enough, I got a job there.”
Her smile faded. “I love what I do, but it’s hard when I have to give up one of my babies. I was there when Rida was born and I’m going to miss him.”
“Trying to make me feel guilty?” he asked.
She laughed. “Maybe a little. Is it working?”
“Sorry, no. He’s going to put our little ranch on the map. I have big plans for him. All good, I promise.”
Her gaze locked with his. He felt something pass between them, although he couldn’t say what it was. The beginning of trust, maybe? Or something more?
Not more, he told himself firmly. He didn’t want more. Rida was plenty. Beth’s appeal was not part of his plan.
RIDA SETTLED IN much more quickly than Bethany would have expected. He started eating right away and seemed to like spending his day out in the sun. He’d even made friends with the small marmalade barn cat.
“You won’t miss me at all,” Bethany complained as she trotted him in a circle in the exercise ring. “You’ll forget me as soon as I’m gone.”
Rida looked at her, his expression both chiding and intelligent, as if pointing out he would miss her, but he knew that he had to be here now.
“You’re trying to act like the mature one in the relationship,” she complained. “How do you think that makes me feel?”
Rida tossed his head, snorted and continued his morning exercise. Tomorrow she would ride him, but for today this was enough.
Thirty minutes later, she walked him back to the barn for his grooming session. She’d just secured him when she heard a woman calling, “Hello? Is it all right to come into the barn?”
Bethany waited for someone else to answer. When no one did, she said, “It’s okay with me, if that’s what you’re asking.”
A pretty brown-haired woman who looked oddly familiar walked over and smiled. “Hi. You must be Beth. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Pallas Saunders, Cade’s sister.”
“Hello.”
Pallas eyed Rida warily. “Wow. He’s really handsome. And big.” She kept her distance. “Doesn’t he scare you?”
“No. He’s a good guy.”
Pallas didn’t seem convinced. “If you say so.” She looked back at Bethany. “I wanted to meet you and see how you’re settling in. You really came all the way from El Bahar to get your horse settled? Is he afraid to fly?”
Bethany laughed. “He did really well.” She rubbed Rida’s neck. “He’s special. Horses of his caliber rarely get sold. My job is to make sure he’s going to be comfortable here and well cared for. Once he’s acclimated, I’ll head home.”
“To El Bahar?”
Bethany nodded.
“Wow. I’ve barely traveled,” Pallas admitted. “It sounds so exotic. I’ve never been a horse person but Cade has been crazy about them his whole life. We’re twins. Fraternal, obviously. Is he making you feel at home? Oh, do you like the room? He asked me to help with a few touches. I hope you’re okay with them.”
Bethany had no idea what she was talking about. What room—“Oh, the bedroom in the house.” She tried to remember what it looked like. “I’m sorry. I’ve been sleeping in the barn. I’ve only run inside to use the shower. But I’m sure it’s lovely and very comfortable,” she added, feeling awkward. One would think being a princess would help her be less of a dweeb socially, but one would be wrong.
Pallas’s hazel eyes widened. “You’re sleeping in the barn?”
“To keep Rida comfortable. Just the first couple of nights.”
“In the barn. On the hay.”
Bethany did her best not to laugh. “Technically people put straw in stalls. Hay is what horses eat. Here, Cade uses bedding pellets. It’s a wood product that produces less dust and is easier to maintain. But you’re probably not concerned about that.”
Pallas started laughing and Bethany joined in.
“Now I know where the old saying ‘hay is for horses’ comes from,” Pallas said, shaking her head. “All right, this hasn’t gone like I expected. Let’s start over. Hi, I’m Pallas, Cade’s sister. I know nothing about horses. It’s nice to meet you.”
Bethany grinned. “Now you know a little something about horses. You should spring it on Cade the next time you see him. He’ll be shocked.”
“Good idea.”
“I have three younger brothers. I get the dynamic and the importance of always having the upper hand.” That was even more critical in her family what with the oldest of her younger brothers being the Crown Prince, a title he loved to flaunt.
“How long have you lived in El Bahar?” Pallas asked.
“We moved there when I was nine, but I was born in Riverside, so I’m right at home here.”
“Good. Want to come to Thanksgiving with Cade and me?”
The invitation was unexpected. While the holiday wasn’t a big deal in El Bahar and could occasionally be forgotten, it was still part of her life. Spending it by herself would be lonely. Rida wasn’t much for celebrating with turkey and dressing.
“Before you answer,” Pallas said, “I should warn you. We have a huge family. My grandfather had seven daughters and they all come home for the holiday. Cade and I have over a dozen cousins. There’s no telling who will show up or what will happen. It’s loud and crazy with plenty of drama, but the food’s good and you could sit by me. I’d protect you from the worst of it.”
Her words made Bethany miss her own family. “I’d love to if you’re sure it’s all right.”
Pallas waved her hand. “Trust me, no one’ll even notice and if they do, you’ll be a much-needed distraction. Although my second warning is my mother can be relentless with the questions.”
“I’m pretty good with answers.” Even if, in this case, they would have to be lies.
“Then it’s settled. Do you have a cell phone here? Let me give you my number.”
Pallas fished her phone out of her handbag. Bethany pulled hers from her jeans pocket. They exchanged numbers.
“Dinner’s usually around three, which is a stupid time to eat. I mean seriously, lunch or dinner, pick one. But noooo. It has to be three.” She sighed. “I’ll let Cade know to give you a ride. He shows up about one, which is really smart. I’ll be stuck with kitchen duty starting at eight.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Thank you for inviting me.”
“It’s going to be fun.” Pallas laughed. “Or at the very least, you’ll have a heck of a story to tell when you get home. See you on Thursday.”
“See you then.”
Bethany finished grooming Rida, then led him back to his stall. The barn cat was waiting on the pole by the gate. Rida walked over and raised his head. The cat rubbed his face against the horse’s nose.
“All right, little guy, you’re going to need a name.” She smiled. “How about Harry, after England’s ginger-haired prince? Like you, he’s friendly and very sweet. It will be our little joke.”
She petted Harry, who purred loudly.
After making sure Rida was secure in his stall, she went to the house. As she’d told Pallas, she really hadn’t paid attention beyond running upstairs to shower. Now she took her time to explore the main level before heading upstairs.
The house was older, but well cared for. Like much of the barn, it had been lived in. She liked the old-fashioned kitchen. The microwave looked incongruous next to the stove from the 1940s or 1950s. The windows were clean, the pantry well-stocked. She went upstairs and paused on the landing. There were two guest rooms at this end of the hall, which meant the master was in the other direction.
For a second she thought about checking out Cade’s room, then told herself there was no way she could be that rude and intrusive. Still, she was curious about him. From what she’d discovered in the past couple of days, he was good with horses and ran his ranch efficiently. The animals were healthy and his employees seemed happy. Which made him a really nice guy. And handsome. And funny.
But not for her, she told herself firmly. She was a disaster in the romance department. Even if she wasn’t, she was only going to be here for a few weeks, and she was hardly the fling type. Besides, the fact that there wasn’t another woman living at the house didn’t mean anything. For all she knew, Cade had a girlfriend in town.
The thought was too depressing to consider for long, so she pushed it out of her head and retreated to her room. She paused to notice all the things she hadn’t bothered to see until now. The bedding was new and pretty. There were lots of pillows and blankets. A TV sat on the dresser; there was a desk with a card that gave her the house’s Wi-Fi password. In the bathroom there was a basket of lotions and hair care items, along with fluffy towels.
When she saw Pallas at Thanksgiving, she would be sure to thank her for all her thoughtful touches. Cade’s sister was nice and Bethany wanted to get to know her better. Making friends was on her life’s to-do list. She’d become too isolated at the palace. If she wanted to find where she belonged in the world, she needed to get out in it and experience things. Starting with a big American Thanksgiving.
CADE HAD SEEN videos of Rida in action but watching him in person was a whole different experience. The horse was that perfect combination of strength and agility. The same could be said of his rider. Beth and Rida were a well-matched team—anticipating, respecting each other. Seeing them together was a hell of a show.
One of the barn cats leaped up on the railing post and meowed at him. Cade scratched the side of its face. Beth slowed Rida and urged him closer.
“I named that one Harry,” she said with a grin. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Did you make sure he was a boy first?”
“I didn’t. It seemed rude. If he turns out to be a she, we’ll say it’s short for Harriet.”
“I like that you’re a problem solver,” he teased.
She laughed. “Thanks. I try.”
She swung her right leg off the saddle and jumped to the ground, then reached for the gate. Cade opened it first and they walked to the barn, Rida trailing behind.
“I met your sister yesterday,” Beth told him as they stopped in front of the tack room.
“Pallas couldn’t believe the El Baharian royal stables were sending a woman, so she had to come check you out for herself.”
“El Bahar is a great advocate of women’s rights both at home and abroad,” Beth told him. “Girls have been educated alongside boys for over fifty years. University is free to all. While we still value our traditions and culture, women aren’t second-class citizens.”
Before Cade could react, Beth groaned. “Sorry. That came out way more like a lecture than I’d intended.”
“Still, good information,” he teased. “I can probably use it on Jeopardy.”
“Is that game show still on?”
“It is. Are you a fan?”
“The theme gets in my head for days at a time,” she admitted. “Anyway, back to your sister. She seems really nice.”
“She is.”
Beth hesitated for a second. “She invited me to Thanksgiving dinner. Is that okay?”
“That depends. I have a big, loud family and my mother is weird. If you can handle it, you’re more than welcome.”
“Will I be in the way?”
“Do you plan to eat over six pounds of turkey, because unless it’s that, you’ll be fine.”
She unfastened Rida’s saddle and lifted it off him as if it weighed nothing. “I am unlikely to eat more than five pounds of turkey. I was thinking more about your personal life. Will your girlfriend mind me tagging along?”
He reached for the saddle, but she shook her head. “I’m good. I do this all the time.” She carried it into the tack room, leaving him to ponder the girlfriend question.
For a second he allowed himself to pretend she was fishing for information rather than being polite. Then he reminded himself his luck wasn’t that good. He’d had his share of women, but very few of them had been as beautiful as the curvy horsewoman walking Rida’s saddle blanket into the tack room.
“No girlfriend,” he said when she returned. “No wife, either.”
“I kind of assumed that last one,” she admitted, setting several brushes on the table by the door. “Seeing as I haven’t seen one lurking around the house.”
“Why would I marry someone who lurks? What are you saying?”
She grinned. “I take that back. You would never marry a lurker.”
As they spoke, she patted Rida’s front shoulder, then gently nudged him. The huge stallion politely shifted his weight to his other three legs, then raised his front hoof for her to inspect. Beth used a small brush to clean the outside of his hoof, then pulled a hoof pick out of her back pocket.
It was the kind of grunt work they all did every day, but he had to admit on Beth it look sexy as hell. Which made him an idiot. Or possibly something worse.