Ruby
Damn you, intrusive thoughts and impulsive behavior. I should not have kissed Miles Burlington.
Not now he’s looking at me like that, teeth strumming his lower lip, smug and satisfied like he’s won a bet with himself.
Worse still are the tingles zinging over my body—across my chest, tightening my nipples, down my stomach, and hitting between my legs.
Little pulses because of how hot this fake husband of mine is, who’s still holding on to my hand, his fingers spinning my wedding ring around and around on my finger, reminding me we’re tied together.
Leaning in, he whispers, “We’re about to find out if she bought it.”
I’m so unfocused that I don’t know what he’s talking about. “What?”
His eyes dart up. “Claudia’s coming over.”
My stomach drops. How do I keep forgetting it’s all for show?
“You two look about ready to leave,” she announces, eyebrows raised and giving no doubt as to what she means. I cringe internally, determined to ignore the hum still working through my body.
Miles takes the check she’s holding and signs the bottom. “Thanks, Claudia.”
He’s so pleased with himself it’s infuriating, especially when he stands, holds his hand out, and says, “C’mon, Trouble, let’s go back to bed,” and Claudia practically swoons.
“Oh, that’s too precious.” She clasps her hands together and leans closer to me, stage-whispering, “I hope you are giving him trouble. He needs a strong woman like you to keep him in check—”
“Okay,” I splutter, “thanks for breakfast, Claudia, we’ll see you soon.”
“I hope so, lovebirds.”
Miles’s hand rests on the small of my back as we walk out. “I’d say we gave her something to gossip about, don’t you?”
“Why did you tell her we were going back to bed?” I’m annoyed that he said it, but more annoyed that I wish it were true.
Miles shrugs. “It’s what she wanted to hear.”
I can feel the vibration of his laughter while he guides me back into the sunshine, and he’s so amused at something I did that the embarrassment wanes slightly. Enough that when he loops his arm around my neck and says, “Okay, next stop, Eddie,” I don’t shrink away.
We walk slowly past a couple of shops with bright storefronts, the reflection of us slotted together staring back at me. We look like we’ve been together for years instead of faking it for barely a week. And it’s only because I’m so relaxed against him that I realize Miles has tensed.
Craning my neck, I look up at him to see his eyes darting all over the place, as though he’s looking for an escape route. “Shit. We can’t avoid her.”
“Are you okay?”
Ignoring me, he pulls us into the nearest shop front, but the customers leaving block our way in. We practically dance around them as we try to find a route in and away from the street.
“Miles, what’s the matter with you?” I grumble as my elbow grazes the wall, hitting the bone just so that my body wobbles.
He spins, peeking behind me, groans again, and we give up on trying to get into the store. He grabs my hand and tugs me away again. “Ruby, a woman is approaching, and whatever you do, don’t say a word—”
“What?”
“Act normal—”
“I think you need to take your own advice, buddy.” I roll my eyes. “I can handle another one of your free agents.”
Miles’s brows drop because he’s not really listening to me. “What are you talking about, Ruby? I’m serious. She’s a witch.”
“Who’s a witch?”
“No, she’s not really a witch. She’ll try to convince you she is, that she has powers to—”
I stop dead and spin around. Several people have to walk around us while I look for anything that proves this is a joke, maybe an English hazing of some kind. It’s weird as fuck, though. I don’t really get the English sense of humor.
“Are we on Candid Camera?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’d ask the same of you. Why are you so flustered?”
“Oh shit. Here we go.”
For the life of me, I cannot figure out what has happened in the last ninety seconds of my morning. Miles looks like he’s trapped in a horror movie with no escape.
But my gaze swings away at the sound of a deep, gravelly voice calling his name.
I turn to spot a woman walking determinedly toward us, long velvet dress billowing around her, a stack of bracelets jangling along her wrist, and a large pale crystal swinging between her very ample bosom.
Coupled with her shoulder-length, tight curls streaked in gray, bouncing around her, she totally nails the eerie, mysterious vibe, which I assume is the impression she’s aiming for.
“Hello, Miles,” she greets, except her eyes don’t leave mine. I reach for Miles’s hand. “And who is this? Wait, don’t tell me—”
“God help me,” Miles groans, right as she says my name without prompting.
“Ruby.” The woman grabs my free hand, holding it in both of hers. “I knew you would come.”
She’s so sincere, imploring me with a firm gaze and eyes so pale I wager they’re contacts. It’s too much, and I bust out laughing. This is too dumb for words.
The woman’s not fazed, however. She’s also still holding my hand.
“I told you, Miles. I said the planets aligned for you last month, and your precious gem would soon be revealed.”
Staring at Miles, I wait for him to tell me this is all a prank. But if anything, he looks scared. And annoyed.
“Welcome to Valentine Nook, dear. I’ve been waiting for you to come along for quite some time, as has Miles. You’ll be very happy here.” She beams at me and blinks slowly.
“Thanks . . . I guess.”
“You two have a bright future ahead.”
I laugh. It’s the strangest interaction I’ve ever had, and I honestly can’t take it seriously. “I hope so. We have tournaments to win this summer.”
“You will, and pop into the shop any time, my dear. I have a freshly brewed batch of golden luck potion—”
“I will, thank you.” I’m definitely warming to this woman.
“All right. Thanks, Agatha,” says Miles, finally breaking from his glower. “We need to get going now.”
He pulls me away, marching us down the street until I’m in danger of my arm being pulled from the socket. I can’t believe he’s so annoyed. In fact, the more annoyed he looks, the harder I laugh.
“Miles . . . jeez, slow down.”
He stops us so suddenly that we get tangled in the leash of a dog walking behind us.
“Sorry, Agatha is so infuriating.”
I shrug. “I thought she was funny.”
“She’s not funny,” he grumps. He’s this close to stamping his foot.
“You’re not scared of that woman, are you?”
“Of course not,” he scoffs. “I’m only scared of spiders, and those inside-out cats. She’s annoying, that’s all.”
Except the way he’s not meeting my eye makes me think he's lying, and I come too close to calling him out. This uncomfortableness is a new look on him, and I have an overwhelming urge to reassure him. If I could only stop laughing.
“She’s full of shit, Miles. Just ignore her. I don’t believe she can predict our future any more than I can figure skate.”
Miles’s eyes narrow. “I hope you’re terrible at figure skating.”
“The worst.” I grin, widening it as I wait for him to catch on.
Eventually, it does, and as a smile spreads across his face, I feel like I’ve accomplished something. I’m not sure what, but it’s something.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now, where to next?” I ask.
“The One True Love,” he replies. “The best pub in Valentine Nook, but don’t tell Chris at The Cupid’s Arrow.”
I zip my lips and tuck the key into my pocket. “Lead the way.”
The place is dark when we push through the doors, but once our eyes adjust to the light, I see how beautiful it is.
Full of character and charm, with sticky floors and shiny beer taps.
It reminds me of the old bars back home, where customers have etched carvings into the walls, and the scent of stale beer and cigarettes will always linger in the air, no matter how much it’s scrubbed.
Behind the bar is a man who looks as old as the place, with thick bushy eyebrows and a mustache I want to run a comb through. He doesn’t even look up from where he’s restocking the bar with fresh bottles of whiskey.
“We’re not open yet. Come back later.”
“I don’t think so, old man.”
The man spins around and stares hard. It’s the same thing Claudia did in the bakery, and I realize it’s because people can’t tell the difference between them, but on second thought, he knows exactly who it is. He’s simply annoyed.
“Miles, when did you get back?”
“The other day—”
“Took you long enough to come and say hello,” he grumbles, and goes back to switching out full bottles for empty ones.
“I know, Eddie. I’m sorry.”
“Where have you been gallivanting around this time?”
“Argentina and America.”
Eddie huffs and puts down his bottle only to stare at me. “And I s’pose this is your new wife.”
Miles’s eyes slice to mine, and his eyebrow raises in an “I told you so” manner. Miles was right about the alert to the village. Claudia sure works fast. “Eddie, I’d like you to meet Ruby Burlington.”
Burlington? Shit. Even though neither of us agreed to me taking his name, I’m not about to correct him. Not that either Miles or Eddie notices my flinching. And unlike Claudia, Eddie doesn’t seem at all excited to meet me.
“Does your mother know? Does Lando?”
“Yes, they know. Hendricks was the best man.” Miles nods and lets out a deep sigh.
Counting all the staff who know at Foxleigh, his family, and Claudia, Eddie must be the twentieth person Miles has told, yet for the first time, he looks uncomfortable.
“Sorry, Eddie. We kept it quiet. We wanted something small and private. You know how it gets around here.”
The delicate patch of skin under Miles’s eye twitches, and his jaw clenches.
I’ve seen this happen before when he was repeating our vows.
It’s his tell. Stranger still, Miles told the same lie to Claudia, and it rolled off his tongue, embellishing like a pro and throwing his brother under the apple cart simultaneously.
But he’s nervous lying to Eddie.
What’s more, he’s not very good at it.
“What’s the deal with Eddie?”
Miles’s head turns to me. “Eddie? What d’you mean?”
It’s a question I’ve been pondering since we left the pub.
After we said goodbye, we headed over to the stables.
I thought we’d run through more drills, but instead, Miles suggested we take the ponies on a leisurely hack around the fields to stretch their legs.
It’s so calming out here, reminding me of Colorado, just less mountainous.
All the while I’ve been trying to figure out how to word my curiosity without appearing like I’m intruding, but my tact leaves a lot to be desired.
I slow Maverick down so we’re side by side with Miles and Calamity, something I’ve been doing a lot, because Maverick likes to be in front.
“With Claudia, you lied to her so easily about us being married, then Agatha . . .” Actually, I have no idea what that was. “But with Eddie, you didn’t like lying to him.”
A wry smile forms on Miles’s lips. “I’m that obvious?”
“I’d happily play poker against you if that’s what you mean—”
“I’m excellent at poker.” He smirks, but his smile drops. “My dad died when I was little, and Eddie’s been a father figure of sorts . . . for all of us, to be honest. He’s the one I would turn to when Lando or Al were being dicks. You’re right, I didn’t like lying to him.”
“Then why didn’t you tell him the truth?”
He shrugs, but I know why. We did something illegal, and the fewer people who know, the better. We have to make this marriage look believable.
“Why do you love polo?”
He laughs. “What’s with the twenty questions?”
“Just double-checking you’re really not the asshole I thought you were.” I grin, making him laugh louder.
“Why do you love polo?”
“I asked you first.”
“On three?” He stops Calamity, so Maverick pulls up too. His eyes widen, waiting for my agreement. “One . . . two . . . three.”
“Speed,” we both shout at the same time, and based on Miles’s expression, I guess he wasn’t expecting that response.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I thought going fast and being able to control a pony and a ball would impress my dad . . .” My voice drifts off. Why the heck did I just share that?
“And did it?”
I shake my head. “Not much impresses him.”
Miles clicks his tongue, and Calamity starts off again. Maverick inches ahead.
“My dad was an excellent polo player. I used to spend all my time at Foxleigh with him, watching him. He was the first person to teach me. He’s the reason I want to make Foxleigh Park great.
” He looks over at me, and I’m too late in getting my face back to neutral instead of the sadness I feel from Miles.
And before he says anything, I already know this conversation is over.
“Come on, let’s shift gears. You want speed? I’ll race you back to the stables.”
He takes off before Maverick and I get the chance to react, but we’re soon hot on their heels. All I can hear is his raucous laughing, and it sets me off. Galloping while you’re laughing so hard your belly aches is probably not in the Polo 101 manual.
But I can’t deny that I’m enjoying myself way more than I initially thought I would.
Nor is Miles Burlington the asshole I originally thought.
Quite the opposite, in fact.