13. Miles
Miles
ALEX: Heard you’ve been making out with your new wife.
MILES: I’m sure you did.
CLEM: When are we going to meet her?
ALEX: We’re meeting her at dinner on Friday, obviously.
MILES: No, we’re opting out this week.
ALEX: Opting out isn’t an option.
MILES: We’re not coming, Alex.
ALEX: We’ll see.
MILES: You can meet her next week.
LANDO: Can someone tell me how to mute these messages?
Iwondered how long it would take for my brothers to find out about the kiss.
Though seeing as Claudia, Agatha, and Eddie were all witnesses to Ruby and me yesterday, it’s frankly surprising I haven’t heard from them sooner.
Although knowing them, they’ve spent the day discussing the best ways to give me shit before pressing Send.
Annoying fuckers.
But that kiss . . .
So far, she’s two for two in succeeding to knock me off my feet.
I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Or the way she’d looked at me afterward—wide-eyed and breathless, like she’d shocked herself just as much as she’d shocked me.
But after we left Eddie’s, I half expected her to bolt, so spending the rest of the day together was surprising, like something we’d done a million times before. As we did, something shifted.
We relaxed.
And the day ended with pizza and watching a movie. I honestly can’t remember enjoying myself so much with a woman without sex being involved.
But the tension didn’t disappear. Even when she sat on the other end of the sofa and fell asleep covered in popcorn.
If anything, my cock paid more attention.
It’s part of the reason I don’t want to go to family dinner, because I might be skilled at many things, but lying isn’t one of them. One sniff of anything more than a fake marriage between us, and my siblings will never let me forget it.
Slipping my phone back into my pocket, I look up to find Ruby staring at me.
“What?”
“Nothing. You just look pissed. Is everything okay?”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Idiot brothers.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I have those too.”
“Yeah, you do,” I said, recalling what she’d mentioned at dinner the night before we got married. But aside from the brief reference to her dad, she hadn’t spoken about them again. And her family isn’t a subject we’ve touched on.
“Ruby, do your parents know you’re here?” I ask, suddenly wondering if they don’t.
She shakes her head. “No. They know I play polo, and I told my mom I’d been offered this job.
I talk to her maybe once every couple of weeks, and she relays everything to my dad.
He’s not particularly technology-minded, so unless it’s to do with satellites or weather systems affecting his crops, he’s not interested.
And my brothers are kind of the same. Given it’s not cows or monster trucks, they don’t really understand polo .
. .” She shrugs. “Besides, I’ll be home before they notice I’m gone. ”
I nod.
She’s not dismissive about it exactly, but I get the impression she doesn’t want to talk about it anymore. Quite frankly, I’m fine with that, because I know exactly how it feels when your family is so annoying that even talking about them pushes your buttons.
“Nervous about meeting the guys?” I say, changing the subject.
She shakes her head. “Should I be?”
“I don’t know, thought you might be.”
“We’re all here for the same reason,” she replies, before smiling. “Well, maybe not exactly the same.”
“Not exactly the same, no.” I lean into her. “I wouldn’t marry just anyone so they could play.”
Gesturing her into the stables ahead of me, she flicks her long auburn ponytail as she passes, peering at me over her shoulder. “Lucky me.”
The stables are a hive of activity as we walk in, and most of the grooms have been in here since sunrise. The team at Foxleigh works twenty-four seven in ten-hour shifts, monitoring each pony’s regimented schedule—from eating to exercise and conditioning, to rest.
Charlie and Annabel—the head grooms today—are leading Maverick out as we arrive.
He looks good.
In the short time since we left Aspen, he’s both thickened out and slimmed down, thanks to his new diet and the training regimen we have him on. Once he’s got a season of hard riding under him, he’ll look incredible.
It’s the first time Ruby’s seen him with his Foxleigh Flyers wraps—duck-egg blue and navy. And when he sees her, his whicker is pure happiness as he drags Charlie toward her. She covers his nose with kisses and runs an approving eye over him.
“What do you think?” I ask, with more nerves than I’d like to admit circling my belly. Normally, it’s my ponies, my rules, but it’s important to me that she’s happy.
“I was kind of pissed when you said he was fat,” she drawls, running her hand down his hind quarters, “but he looks damn good right now.”
I try not to smile as widely as I want to. “That sounds to me like you’re saying I’m right.”
“Don’t hold your breath.” She grins as Maverick nudges me in the ribs.
I lean into his ear, stage-whispering, “You heard her say I’m right, deal?”
“You’re pushing your luck,” she whispers back.
“I’ll take my chances.” I wink, turning to Charlie as he approaches. “Good morning?”
Charlie nods. “Yes, sir, they’ve all had breakfast, and we’re just bringing the last group back from the gallops.”
“What’s happened to your arm?” I ask, noticing a big welt surrounded by a purple bruise on the back of it.
Charlie laughs, his eyes pinging to Ruby and Maverick. “Mav’s not been too happy about his new diet.”
Ruby’s face drops in horror. “I’m so sorry. I should have warned you he’s mean when he’s hungry.”
“Aren’t we all?” Charlie replies, patting Maverick on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, comes with the territory. He’ll get used to it.”
She kisses him on the nose again. “I’ll try to sneak you some carrots.”
“You will not,” I say, as firmly as possible. “He’s an athlete now, and first in line for morning inspections. Pay attention, Trouble, you’ll need to oversee this soon.”
After Maverick, we walk down the stalls, individually inspecting each horse for potential injury or swelling, and their hooves are fitted properly.
I have to admit, I don’t pay as much attention this morning as I should.
My focus is entirely on Ruby. She asks insightful questions, she follows the routine accurately, and leaves every pony we inspect with a kiss on the nose.
The entire process takes an hour and a half, and we’re just finishing when I hear a couple of familiar voices.
Billy and Jack—two of the Foxleigh Flyers team—are walking toward us from the far end of the stables.
Jack reaches out to pat Mars, a giant chestnut thoroughbred, and last year’s Gold Cup winner.
“Morning, fellas,” I say. “Hope you’re roaring and ready.”
Jack, the shorter of the two but with the bigger mouth, drawls, “Aren’t we always?”
As they reach us, I pull each of them into a hug. Outside of my family, these two are my best friends. We’ve played polo together since our mid-teens on the U18s squad. And since I took over the Foxleigh Flyers, they’ve played with me. When I was out with my accident, they carried the team.
And it’s been these two who’ve been by my side as I’ve pushed myself back up the handicap rankings.
They want this England’s Cup win just as much as I do.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Ruby standing back, wide-eyed, suddenly nervous. That’s unusual. The woman I first met had been confident and mouthy as hell.
“Ruby.” I gesture her over. “Jack, Bill, I want you to meet Ruby Lanson, our new second reserve in training.”
Both of them immediately pull her into hugs, and out of nowhere, a bolt of jealousy shoots through me.
“Welcome to the team,” says Billy, grinning at me as I gently pull Ruby out of his grip, “and I heard congratulations are in order.”
“Where’d you hear that from?”
“Your brother.”
I shake my head. “Alex has got a big mouth.”
“Never said it was Alex.”
“It was Alex.” I roll my eyes, wondering who else he’s fucking told. And what he’s told them.
“Happens to the best of us.” Jack throws his head back with a laugh. “Now what’s the plan?”
I clear my throat in an attempt to take charge.
“Once Diego and Juan arrive, we’ll head out onto the stadium field and get a feel for it.
We’ve got a couple of new ponies to try, and I want to get them used to the noise.
We’ll see how we all ride together, because Ruby’s not the only new addition this year. ”
“Juan came from the Florida team, right?” Ruby asks.
“He’s originally from Argentina,” I explain. “One of the best up-and-coming players in the world. Played for a Gloucester-based team before they lost last season. I managed to steal him away by offering to double his salary.”
“It didn’t take much persuasion,” Billy mutters.
“Sounds good to me. I’m gonna take Mary out first and see how she’s looking,” Jack says, turning to Ruby and whispering dramatically. “Mary’s my best girl. But don’t tell the others.”
Ruby giggles. Which, annoyingly, irritates me all over again. What the hell is wrong with me?
“All right, fellas—and lady—I’ll see you out there.”
“We’ll be right behind you,” I call after him and return my attention to Ruby. “I think we should take Maverick out first. I want to see how he handles some of the other ponies.”
“Really?” she breathes, excitement sparkling in her eyes.
“Really.”
She hurries over to Maverick’s stable, and I don’t miss the way Billy’s eyes drift down to her incredible peachy arse, her jodhpurs fitting to perfection.
“Hey, buddy. Eyes up top,” I warn.
He looks away with a knowing grin. “Just testing you, mate. Don’t worry—”
“I’m not worried. Just keep your eyes to yourself.”
Typically, Juan is late. Diego doesn’t arrive much before him. By the time all of us finally make it out onto the field, we’re an hour behind schedule.
A team of grooms has set up different obstacles—what is actually a series of tasks we put the ponies through to gauge their balance, turning speed, responsiveness, ability to bump, and to ensure they don’t shy away from the ball.