The tree frogs chirped their melody with the orchestra of wild birds on her walk of guilt down to the Royal Stables.
The meeting with Alanna had been a disaster, and remorse took its toll on Gemma’s conscience. She didn’t regret marrying André; on the contrary. They hadn’t considered his sister’s reaction at being absent from the blessed event.
Which she did regret.
So much for the throes of romance. They needed to make amends. Alanna deserved a major recompense, a sacrifice of some kind. Maybe a public reception, as grand as she’d envisioned. Anxiety attacks be damned.
The familiar scent of fresh hay and horse feed filled the air the closer she came to the stables.
Where another extremely uncomfortable conversation awaited her.
With Rico.
The barns weren’t as busy as a normal Friday. Some folks must be out sick or on vacation. Her feet shuffled along the wood planks toward the manager’s office.
Rico could be out in the paddock training a horse, or a dozen other places as part of his job. One he loved.
She’d never seen anyone handle a yearling better than him.
Gemma rounded the corner of another wide hallway lined with feed and other tack supplies. Through the opened door at the end, she spotted Rico brushing a painted mare.
When he looked up and scowled, she sighed.
He knew what was coming.
“You’re not split up, I see,” he announced.
“Nope.” She strolled closer, keeping her hands in her jeans pockets. “Which means you know why I’m here.”
“Yes. You lied to me. Have you come to apologize?”
She scoffed. “Quite the opposite. Do you have any idea how big the shit storm is from you? You’re the leak. My best friend.”
His glare was hard to identify. Anger, blame, guilt…resentment.
That’s what it is.
He resented something.
“You’ve never lied to me before,” he said. “How can I trust anything you say?”
“Oh, that’s rich. I’m the liar? Since when are you one for gossip, let alone spreading it? What is going through your head?” Gemma demanded.
“I don’t know you anymore.”
“But I know you. There’s another side to this story I haven’t heard. With you, there’s always a reason. So, out with it.”
Rico shook his head, and continued brushing the horse’s mane. “Are you going to be beat it out of me if I don’t?”
“Why not? We haven’t had a decent sparring session in almost a year.” She put her hands on her hips. “I’d say you deserve one right now.”
“You don’t think I feel bad enough already?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?”
“Que te den…siempre peleando.”
She pursed her lips. “Grow up. You screwed up, just own it. Tell me what happened.”
His brush strokes turned angrier, and the horse nipped at him for being too rough. He finally gave up, and tossed the brush in the bucket, and guided the mare back into her stall.
When he closed the latch, he stood there, staring at his hands. Finally, after a long moment, he sighed. “Esta chica…”
Gemma fought hard to keep from rolling her eyes.
A woman.
How many times had that been a man’s excuse for stupidity?
“Go on.”
Rico turned, and kicked at the floor. “Luciana. I’ve been seeing her a few months. She’s the stable manager’s daughter. He brings her in with him a lot, to work with the horses, and…” He shrugged. “We bonded. One night we were…having fun.” His cheeks reddened. “And it just came out. Como se dice….pillow talk. But I swore her to secrecy, and had no idea she was sharing them.”
Gemma bit the inside of her cheek. Rico wasn’t the first man to spill information during intimate playtime.
It was unusual for him, but not for men in general. She’d seen Luciana several times the last year. She was a sweet girl, and worked hard. The Solanian nineteen-year-old was a beauty.
She and Rico must have hidden their romance well, because Gemma had never noticed their connection. “You’re telling me Luciana is the one feeding this to the press?”
Rico shook his head. “No, she wouldn’t do that. But she did tell someone…”
“Who?”
He shook his head harder. “I won’t say.”
“You have to tell me. This is a matter of royal—”
“No soy una rata.”
She seethed. “Either you tell me, or I’ll force it out of Luciana. And she’ll know it was you who gave her up.”
“Ya valí madre.”
Gemma shrugged. “Yep, you’re completely screwed either way.”
Rico crossed his arms, and gave her a serious look. “Nothing happens to her. She’s a good girl.”
“I can’t guarantee that, until I know who she spilled to.”
“Her father.”
“How do you know?”
“When the rumor showed up on the news, I went to her. Angry, she betrayed me.”
I know the feeling.
“She said her father coaxed it out of her,” her old friend continued. “He’s been accepting money for royal gossip. Some journalist who has something over his head.”
“You mean blackmailing him?”
“Si. But instead of money, she wants information on the royal family.”
“Well, shit.” Gemma glanced around the stables. André told her everyone who worked for them was more than handsomely paid, and all signed non-disclosure agreements. Including those who handled the royal horses. “I bet she keeps paying him only so it’s not completely illegal. What does this journalist have on him?”
“No se.”
She stepped closer, slowly.
Rico squared his shoulders, as if ready for an onslaught.
“Do you think I’ve been ignoring you? Do you resent me being here? Is that why you told her, you were venting?”
He blinked. His mouth fell open, until he recovered his shock. “I do not resent you. I’m very happy for you and André.” He half-winced. “Prince André. Lo siento.” Nearly a year on Solana, and they both still had a hard time referring to André by his royal title. “You’ve had much on your mind. But I’m relieved to see that you have taken Reyna’s word to heart.”
“In what way?”
He gently raised her knuckles. Sunlight glinted off the band around her fingers, and grinned. “May you have all the happiness in the world. You’ve more than earned it. I only wish I could’ve been there.”
Gemma frowned. “It was last minute. But I am happy. And we’re going to have a reception where everyone is invited. Including my best friend.”
Rico gestured to his chest, his half-smile the same as she remembered on the ranch. He only needed his cowboy hat. “Am I still your friend?”
“Aren’t you?”
“What’s going to happen to Luciana?”
She sighed. “That’s up to you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you love her?”
He scraped the back of his neck, his frown lopsided. “I don’t know. I think so.”
“Does she love you? Or is she only seeing you to get info on us, at her father’s orders?”
He swallowed hard. “She loves me. I’m sure.”
“Then you should tell her.” Gemma slapped him on the shoulder. “I need to go.” Without another word, she turned and started to walk off.
“Are you still mad at me?”
“Of course I am,” she threw over her shoulder. “We’re family.”
“And you’re married now.”
She stopped, and turned. “So?”
His knowing smile always carried an ambush with it. “You’re a princess. You cannot box me up side my head anymore.”
She smirked. “Wanna bet?”
“A princess should be more ladylike.”
Gemma scoffed, and couldn’t help herself. She stuck out her tongue at him.