Princess Wanted - The Complete Book Set: An Alpha Billionaire Prince Trilogy (7 page)

Catcher whinnied.

“I know,” replied Jody. “I know.”

It was not until he was out of the big main gates of the Crane Stables that Chris slowed his walking pace. He wasn’t worried about being caught trespassing – he was a Prince; Prince’s cannot trespass – he had just needed to get as far away as possible as quickly as possible.

What the hell had that been?! If there was one thing Chris knew, it was how to handle women. Actually, if there was
one
thing he knew then it was how to lose large sums of money, but if there were two then the second was how to handle women. His patented blend of charm, subtle flattery and overwhelming self-confidence had served him well throughout his adult life. It was one of the few areas where he felt he matched up to (or even surpassed) his older brothers. Never had he floundered as he had when talking to Jody.

‘I know what it’s like to be the runt of the litter’?! Brad Pitt couldn’t pull with a line like that!

Their hands had touched - that sort of thing was gold! And yet he’d pulled away like twelve-year-old on his first date.

He had told her (actually
told her
) that he picked up girls with boyfriends! You never said that to girls with boyfriends! You said ‘I’ve never done it before and I never thought I would, but that was before saw you’. That would have worked on Jody – it worked on everybody. She had been right there with him! In fact, she had been more up for it than him. And what had he done? He’d said ‘I should go’. They could have been having sex in a hay barn right now (putting the boyfriend well and truly out of the picture) and instead he had said ‘I should go’.

What on earth had possessed him?!

How was he supposed to hook up with Jody now?!

And if he didn’t hook up with her then how was he supposed to get his hands on Silmarillion?!

The only way he had a chance at owning that horse was seducing its owner until she made a generous (but ultimately ill-judged) gesture. Then he could high-tail it back to his father with a horse that was worth enough to pay every one of his debts, and fast enough to get him on the winning streak of a lifetime. Some might say that was no way to treat Jody, but those people failed to see what she got out of it: six months with Chris. And if that was not fair recompense then what was? Six months (or thereabouts; he could not know exactly how long it would take to get the horse) with him as her boyfriend was easily worth a horse. And when he left, then he would leave her with good memories to last a lifetime. Everyone was happy. But now he had screwed it up, and he could not for the life of him understand why.

Chapter Four - The Barbeque

F
rom the way that every woman’s eyes seemed to be shooting daggers at her that morning, Jody thought it safe to assume that her date with Pete tonight was public knowledge. Well, she was going to make them all a lot happier as soon as she could find Pete.

Jody was willing to admit that what she was about to do was most likely ill-advised, or even idiotic, but she didn’t think she had a lot of choice. Try as she might, she could not stop thinking about Chris. And, whichever way you looked at it, going on a date with one man when your mind is on another was no good. None of which was going to make the next bit any easier.

Pete hung his head despondently as she delivered the news.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s not you, it’s me,” said Jody, immediately berating herself for using most useless cliché in the book.

“Sure.”

“I hope we can still be friends.”

“Sure.”

“There’s a lot of girls around here who’d give anything for a date with you.”

“Sure,” Pete nodded. “But none of them’s you.”

It was things like that that made Jody wonder afresh if she was making the right decision. Things like that, and of course the fact that she had no idea how to find Chris.

In the event, this did not prove as difficult as she had worried. There were not that many places to stay in the area and tracking Chris down to the motel nearest the airport proved no problem at all. Finding the man himself proved even easier as he was out front washing a car.

“Your own?”

Chris looked up, startled to see her but clearly not displeased. “No. Just earning a bit of extra cash.”

Jody nodded. “I understand the Queen of England does the same thing at weekends.”

Chris smiled to himself.

“What?” asked Jody.

“I’ve met the Queen of the England and, you know what; she’d see the funny side of that.”

Jody shook her head. What was she doing? She had turned down the perfect man for one living in a dream world.

“How did you even get out to the Stables?”

“Walked.”

“You must have really wanted to get there.”

Chris nodded, eyes focused on his work. “When you really want something then you’ve got to go for it. Otherwise, where’s the point?”

“I dumped my boyfriend.”

Chris looked up. “Oh.”

“Is that all you’ve got to say?”

Chris considered the question. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”

Since it was clear that, in his extravagant offer of dinner, Chris’s mouth was writing checks his wallet couldn’t cash, Jody suggested they go to a barbeque taking place at the Stables that night.

“So I’m meeting your family on our first date?”

“At least you won’t have to curtsey when you meet them.”

“Is there anything I can do to convince you I’m a Prince?”

Jody looked at him. “Does it matter?”

“I don’t suppose it does.”

By the time they arrived at the stable, Jody had come to the realization that this was a terrible idea. Perhaps the only person who would fit in less well at one of her Uncle’s barbeques than an English-educated European Prince, was someone who just
believed
they were an English-educated European Prince. Culture clash did not come close; this would be a freeway blocking, culture pile-up. There was no way it could go well.

But Jody was failing to take two important things into consideration. Firstly, while her friends and relatives might not be all that familiar with English public schools or royal families, they were Texans, and that meant that you treated a stranger like a brother until he gave you a reason not to. It didn’t matter who she brought to a barbeque, whether he was homeless or the King of England, he’d have been treated with the same open friendliness and courtesy.

The other thing Jody had not taken into consideration was that royalty spend their lives meeting people. Lots of people. Everyone in fact. They meet other royalty, they meet politicians, they meet generals, mangers, business leaders and greengrocers. They meet the rich and the poor from every country and every faith, and to them all they give a handshake, a smile and a personable, ‘So what do you do?’ The defining mark of royalty is their ability to fit into every situation regardless.

In the event, therefore, the only person with a problem about Chris fitting in with the Stables’ staff and Jody’s family was Jody herself, and she got over it swiftly as relatives welcomed Chris warmly and he responded with friendly bonhomie. He told stories that had the group roaring with laughter, he shared racing anecdotes with Uncle Syrus, and complimented the food (‘Reminds me of a cook-out I had in Africa. If you have the choice; choose cow over gazelle.’).

“You’re a hit,” said Jody, taking Chris to one side.

“You’ve got a lovely family,” said Chris.

“What is your family like?”

Chris shrugged. “My brother just got married in Thailand – elephants and everything; brilliant. There was a bit of fuss over it but it all turned out for the best. Nice girl. American actually. My other brother… Well he’s another story. And my Mum and Dad were sort of an arranged marriage (royalty gets paired off, you know) but they really love each other. Just lucky I suppose.”

Jody shook her head. “I still have no idea what to believe when you talk, but I do like hearing it.”

Chris nodded. “I suppose that’ll do for now. Jody?”

“Yes.”

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Yes?”

“Just waiting for the right time. It’s a bit awkward and I didn’t want to just jump in like I was taking advantage.”

“You can ask me,” Jody answered with baited breath.

Chris held up his phone. “Could I charge this somewhere? The motel has some sort of weird rule.”

As the sunlight waned and proceedings became increasingly fire-lit, a band set up and the dancing began. Jody, shot a look at Chris, who caught her eye and smiled.

“I suspect this is a dance with which I am unfamiliar, but what the hell.”

Whatever Chris might have lacked in knowledge of country dancing he made up with beaming enthusiasm, bouncing around with the energy of a child. Jody went with him, laughing, and matching him bounce for bounce. She was not sure when she had last enjoyed herself this much. She was not sure if she had ever enjoyed herself this much.

She was also extremely grateful to note that Pete did not seem to be here. It had not occurred to her when she invited Chris that it might be an extremely insensitive thing to do. There was a good chance that the man whom she had jilted that morning would be at the party and she had no wish to hurt Pete any more than she already had. Earlier she had seen what she had thought to be his truck, but apparently not. It was nice to be able to put that thought to one side and just dance.

The dance went on, shadowy silhouettes, passing before the flickering fires that lit the night, the sounds of music and happy laughter echoing across the Stables.

It was late when things finally started to break up and people wandered in the direction of their beds.

“I can drive you back.”

“I’ll walk.”

“It’s miles!”

Chris grinned. “It’s not like I’m going to sleep tonight.”

“You had fun?”

“You really have to ask?”

Jody smiled. “I’m glad.”

They walked on towards the gates, each step taking them one moment closer to a parting that neither welcomed. There were ‘end of date’ things that needed saying and doing and while both knew that they had to be said or done by one or the other of them, the nervousness is always there.

“Are you…” Chris began tentatively. “Are you busy tomorrow?”

Jody’s heart leapt: he liked her. “I’m supposed to be working with Silmarillion but I…”

“Oh I’ll come here.”

“I can blow it off.”

“No, I’d love to see him run.”

“Okay,” Jody agreed. An odd second date perhaps but a second date none-the-less.

“Then dinner?” suggested Chris.

“Can you afford dinner?”

“I’ll get washing cars as soon as I get back.”

They reached the gate.

“Chris…”

But whatever the sentence might have been Jody had no chance to finish it as Chris swept her into his arms and kissed her. Jody eagerly returned the kiss. The man might be a little crazy, a little short of cash and have no idea how to dance, but he definitely knew how to kiss.

The kiss ended as all good things must, and as their lips parted so their eyes met.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Damn right, you will.”

Chris walked away. Jody watched him go, then turned and walked back towards the buildings. As she walked, the earth no longer seemed firm beneath her feet, as if she was literally walking on air. Jody had never really wondered what love felt like, and she could not be sure that was what she was feeling now, she just felt… light. It was as if gravity no longer exerted the same pull on her as it had earlier today, and she might float away like a helium balloon. She wanted to laugh, she wanted to run like a little child for the sheer joy of running, she wanted to jump up and down and squeal and do a whole bunch of other silly, stupid things because that seemed the only way to express what she was feeling.

“Jody?”

Pete’s voice brought her back to earth with a thump: he had been here tonight; he had seen her with Chris. Perhaps, having seen them together he had gone off somewhere to mourn alone. Jody felt like the worst person in the world.

“Hi.” What else could she say?

“Your friend left his phone charging.” Pete held out Chris’s phone.

“Thanks, I’ll give it back to him.”

“It was ringing,” said Pete, not letting go of the phone.

“Okay.”

“We should talk.”

It was, Chris considered, extraordinary how much money you could make by washing cars. He was surprised more people didn’t do it. He now had enough to take Jody somewhere for dinner. Not the sort of place he would normally have taken a girl, but somewhere. Of course, he could take this little pile of money in his hand and make it more… The thought tingled in his brain. Surely he could find a card game or a pool hall or something? Then he would be able to take Jody somewhere worthy of a girl like her!

Or he would lose the money and be able to take her nowhere.

It was not a thought that had ever occurred to Chris before, but there did seem to be a downside to gambling. Better to keep hold of the money he had and use it to make Jody happy. Just the thought of seeing her smile made him involuntarily smile. Quickly he reminded himself that he was going to see her today to get a better look at Silmarillion’s form. Obviously he had to keep Jody onside too or the whole enterprise would be for nothing, but the horse was the important thing. And yet he could not help smiling every time he thought of her.

He heard the clip-clop of hooves on tarmac and looked up to see a horse and rider approaching. And not just any horse: it was Silmarillion. And not just any rider: Jody.

Grinning from ear to ear, Chris hurried to meet her. But before he had reached her he could tell that something was wrong. The smile he had looked forward to seeing was pointedly absent, in fact it looked as if she had been crying.

“Jody, what’s…?”

Jody dismounted abruptly and passed the horse’s reins to Chris.

“Here, your Highness. You want him? He’s all yours.”

“What?” This seemed like ridiculous good fortune, but Chris wasn’t enjoying it.

“Paperwork’s in the saddlebag. And here’s your phone.” She handed him the phone.

“Jody, I don’t under…”

“You missed a call, by the way,” said Jody, her voice level and blank, concreting over whatever emotions boiled beneath the surface. “Your father. He’s very worried about you abusing the trust of some American girl just to get your hands on a horse.”

Chris stared open mouthed. Words failed him.

“I guess at least you weren’t lying about being a Prince.” The cracks were now showing in Jody’s façade, tears seeping through. “Anyway, you got what you wanted. Never come near me again.”

She stalked away.

“Jody!” Chris yelled after her but didn’t follow. What could he say?

He had won. But winning had never felt like this.