Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
MELINDA
Icouldn’t stop staring at the photos from the ball.
It was amazing how much you could tell from the look on our faces how in love we were.
They were my new favourite photos.
“You’re so in love it’s gross.” Megan said, sitting next to me under the heater.
I don’t know why they decided to have an outdoor polo match in November. It was freezing. No amount of wrapping up in the coat and being stuck under this heater would make us warmer.
“I’m regretting that love right now,” I admitted. “I’m freezing.”
“All these people look like snotty rich people that have a stick up their ass,” she muttered.
I chuckled. “They are rich and probably stuck up,” I said quietly.
“El!” I turned looking around knowing there was only one person that called me that. I looked to see Elizabeth, running through the crowd and jumping into my lap.
I hugged her tightly. “I missed you!”
“I missed you, too,” I said. “Elizabeth, this is my friend Megan.”
“Hi,” she said.
I watched as Megan sat there dumbfounded while Elizabeth spoke to her about everything and anything.
Megan looked at me and let out a sigh. “I just had a brilliant idea!”
“What?” I asked wearily.
“We should have been his cheerleaders.” She laughed.
“That would have been hilarious. One of your better ideas, I’ll give you that. Next time, I’m pretty sure I can convince the little one to help, too.”
“You could at least watch.” I turned to see Alex on a horse with a stick of some sort in his hand. “You know, be a supportive girlfriend.”
“Is someone jealous that their baby sister is getting my attention?” I teased. I stood up, kissing him. “Go win, baby. Then, you can have my attention.”
He laughed as he trotted off on the horse.
I sat and watched the game. I had no idea how it went or what the purpose of it was.
Elizabeth was telling me stories, and I couldn’t help but laugh at some of them.
The game ended, and I believed Alex won, but I still wasn’t sure.
Megan had left me to go and get a drink.
I stood up as Alex walked over, and he wrapped an arm around me. “What did you think?” He asked.
“Did you win?” I asked curiously.
He laughed, pressing his lips to mine.
I smiled against his lips, deepening the kiss. “We did. I’m going to have to teach you the game. Where did Megan go?”
I looked over to the bar where I saw Megan being chatted up by somebody. “Who is that?” I asked curiously.
“He’s a good guy if that’s what you’re asking me. He won’t do anything to hurt her,” he said.
“That wasn’t my—” I paused. “Never mind.”
Alex chuckled.
The conversation ended as some people came over.
I stood next to him as he spoke.
I couldn’t stop watching Megan and the other bloke though. I couldn’t help but be a little protective over her. After the shit she had been through the past few weeks, she didn’t need to be hurt again.
She came over a second later, handing me a drink. “Who was that?” I asked curiously.
“Some guy. He tried to hit on me. He was funny. I’ll give him that. He’s hot, too,” she said. She turned around, and as quickly as she did, she looked at me. “He’s coming over right now.”
I looked just in time to see him pull Alex in for what I could only describe as a bro hug.
I looked at them both.
“Jeremy, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Melinda, and her best friend, who you already hit on, Megan. Ella and Megan, I’d like for you to officially meet one of my oldest and best friends, Jeremy.”
“Jerk,” Megan muttered, making me laugh.
“Nice to meet you. Please stop hitting on my friend,” I said.
“Megan, what a beautiful name. How about you give me your number?” Jeremy asked, looking straight passed me.
I rolled my eyes, burying my head in Alex’s chest.
I’d give the man ten out of ten for trying. He was really aiming to get shot down every time.
“Any plans for the rest of the day, Ella?” Alex asked curiously.
I looked at Megan who was already looking at me. “No,” we said in unison.
“I was asking my girlfriend,” Alex frowned.
“How about a double date?” Jeremy suggested.
“I don’t know if you can handle me bruising your ego for the rest of the day,” Megan teased.
“That seems like a challenge,” he said.
“Bring it.” She grinned.
“Daisy’s?” I offered.
Megan and Alex nodded. Jeremy shrugged; it sounded like he really didn’t care where we ended up, as long as he could carry on talking to Megan.
It took a few hours to get to Daisy’s, I pushed open the door seeing Daisy and Daphne working at the front of house and noticed Chef at the back in the kitchen.
We sat in the booth and I grabbed the menu laying it out in front of Alex and I. “Hello, welcome to Daisy’s,” Daphne said.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I know it’s weird.”
We reeled our orders off, including drinks and food and Daphne went off putting the order into the kitchen.
I leaned my head on Alex’s shoulder as I watched Jeremy and Megan interact. Alex took his hand in mine and began to trace small circles on the top of my hand.
I reached up with my spare hand, playing with his necklace. “This is nice,” I mumbled.
“It is. Although, I miss our bubble,” Alex complained. “I really hope people aren’t posting pictures.”
I turned his arm to face him and pressed my lips to his. “I don’t care if everyone can see me kiss you or be with you. That means everyone knows that you are mine, Prince Alexander,” I said resting my head against his.
He pulled a face, and I laughed.
“I hate hearing you call me Prince Alexander. It’s so formal, and you are anything but formal to me,” he said.
“I love you, Alex,” I whispered.
“Get a room,” I heard Megan tease.
I looked at them both and buried my head in Alex’s chest. I couldn’t help but blush.
“It’s amazing how she thinks it’s going to protect her,” Megan chuckled.
I turned to face her, sticking my middle finger up at her.
“Tut tut, future whatever you are going to be,” Megan said tutting.
“Queen,” Jeremy said. “She’ll be the Queen.”
“What?” I asked, shocked.
I spun around to stare at Alex who looked amused.
“You mean if we…?” I trailed off.
Alex looked at me hesitantly and then shot a glare at Jeremy. “You don’t need to think about that just yet,” he said.
“But it’s a possibility?” I asked.
“Possibly.” He sighed. He looked at Jeremy and pointed at him. “I should really give you a list of topics that you aren’t allowed to mention.”
“How was I meant to know that you haven’t even mentioned Queen to the girl?”
If not for the shocking statements, I could have found this funny instead of terrifying. None of that even entered my mind as a possibility. I mean, I was dating a Prince. I was in love with a Prince. Of course if we went all the way, I’d end up with a title, too.
Food was served and there was no talking as we ate in a comfortable silence. We finished, and Megan grinned. “Chef!” She shouted.
A second later, Chef popped his head out.
“Can we have two more bowls of chips?” She asked, batting her eyelashes.
“Of course.” He chuckled.
Megan grinned to show she was proud of herself.
I fist-bumped her, making her chuckle.
She looked at Jeremy and raised an eyebrow. “What? Have you never seen a girl eat so much? Well, let’s face it, you probably haven’t. I bet you only date sticks.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. She was really teasing him, and he didn’t seem the least bit phased by it.
“I like girls with curves, too,” he said, looking her up and down.
She scoffed. “Please these aren’t curves, it’s pure fat. This is how I’m going to live my life, so you may as well give up now because I’m going to become fat and lazy.”
I laughed and high fived her. “Amen to us being fat.” I grinned.
“You’re not fat, Ella,” Alex said, rolling his eyes.
“Here you are, girls.” I looked up, seeing Chef bringing the plates down in front of Megan and I.
Chef looked from us to the boys sitting next to us. “And who might you be?”
“Alex,” he said, holding his hand out.
Chef shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” he said. He looked at Jeremy, “And you?”
“Jeremy, his best friend,” Jeremy said. “Currently trying my luck with this one.” He nodded his head towards Megan.
“And failing miserably,” Megan chuckled.
“Those are my girls.” Chef chuckled.
“You are so good to us.” Megan grinned.
Chef nodded, walking away and back into the kitchen.
We carried on eating.
As soon as we finished eating, I pushed the plate to the side. “I’m kind of glad I have an employee discount because I cannot afford to keep eating out,” I muttered, shaking my head.
Megan scoffed. “Girl you aren’t eating that much, you’re dropping weight.”
I frowned slightly, I didn’t think I’d drop that much weight. I knew I hadn’t eaten much or regularly but weight wise I had stabled I think. I didn’t make any choices to know my weight it wasn’t something I wanted to fixate on.
“Where does your money even go?”
“Where most money goes for bills.” I sighed.
I noticed Jeremy looking at Alex with a little frown. “You don’t have money?”
“I mean I have it, but then, it goes away,” I said, pursing my lips. “I don’t like talking about money. It makes people sound superficial.”
“No wonder Alex likes you,” Jeremy said.
“If we get to that point, I know she’ll be a fantastic Queen. Honestly, it’s one of the things I look for in someone I want to date. They don’t have to be right for me. They have to be right for my world for what they could become.”
I looked at him. “What are you passionate about?” I pulled my knees to my chest, lying my head on my knees and looking at him.
“Other than horses?” He asked. “I want to show you something. What are your plans after this?”
I looked at Megan and she shrugged, “I’m going to sleep.”
“Erm, nothing,” I said. “I guess I’m all yours, boyfriend.”
We finished eating and paying the bill.
Alex led me to the car, and I waved goodbye to Megan as she headed home.
“To the farm please, Jones.”
I looked at Alex. “I am not dressed for a farm. I need wellies.”
“You can borrow some,” he said, rolling his eyes.
“What are we doing there?” I asked curiously.
“You’ll see,” he said vaguely.
A couple of hours later, we arrived at our destination. He helped me out of the car, wrapping an arm around me.
“This is my thing,” he said. “I save wild animals and the centre here helps rehabilitate animals. I got Rocky from here, so on my rare free days, I like to come here and help them. This is a huge part of my world.”
I smiled, leaning up to kiss him. “Show me.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me gently towards the farm.
It was a lot different than the ranch. The ranch was calmer and more peaceful where the farm was active and busy, there were many people doing different jobs. Some were mucking out stalls, milking cows and lambs, it was interesting to see a working farm.
He walked us through the horses, and he handed me a pair of wellies. I kicked off my Ugg boots and slipped the wellies on.
“Do you mind getting messy?” He asked.
I shook my head.
He pulled me outside the barn. “I wonder where everyone is.” He pulled me into another barn and this barn was busier than the other one.
“Hello, your Highness,” the woman said.
“Hi, this is my girlfriend, Melinda. Ella, this is Courtney. She’s one of the vets that work here,” Alex explained.
“You may want to move back,” she said, waving her hand. “The mare is about to give birth.”
I stepped back, listening to her. I did not need to be getting horse baby goo on me.
Although, I was curious to see a horse being born. It definitely wasn’t every day that someone got to see something that special.
We watched as the horse gave birth, and I couldn’t help but be disturbed. “That is absolutely disgustingly gross.”
Alex laughed. “That’s life. The circle of life, one day you will have to give birth, I mean probably not as gross and in a hospital, but it’s life. Life is precious.”
“Pro-life for you I see,” I said. “Do you agree with abortions?”
“Melinda, I’m not stupid enough to answer that question.” He laughed.
“So, that’s a no?”
He raised an eyebrow and pulled me away from the others, so they couldn’t hear us. “You aren’t going to let this go are you?”
“Nope. I feel like we need to have this conversation just in case something ever pops up in the future. I need to know your views,” I told him.
“I don’t have a uterus, so no opinion,” he said.
I couldn’t help but be surprised by his view.
“Not the answer you were expecting?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “Ella, how can I, a man, tell a woman that she has to keep a baby that she may not want? There are enough unwanted children in this world. What is the point of bringing an unwanted child into the world?”
“So, now the horse giving birth has scarred me for life, what’s next?”
“Drama queen,” he rolled his eyes.
We walked around the farm.
I loved how passionate Alex was about it all, and the way his eyes lit up when he was doing even the simplest of jobs.
We stayed at the farm for the majority of the night before he took us back home.
I kissed him good night and entered the house. My head was pounding and all I could put it down to was lack of sleep.
I walked into the kitchen, seeing a letter for myself and opening it.
I scanned it, reading a statement from the credit card company.
Only another eight grand left to pay.
I could do this.
I could clear the debt without their help.
I headed upstairs stripping into pyjamas. I pulled the quilt closer to me as I felt myself begin to shake.
God, I was cold.
Alex and his polo game had a lot to answer for. If I was getting sick because of it, I really was going to kill him. I found myself almost falling asleep until I heard a voice.
“Oh good, you’re home.”
I cracked open an eye and flinched from the light, “mum?”
“You’re never home anymore, Mel. I’m missing you. I know we have our differences,” she said.
I tried to sit up, but I felt too weak.
I stood up, wincing in pain. The room spun, and I blinked a few times, trying to focus on my mum.
Everything was blurry.
I blinked again trying to focus.
Then, I dropped to the floor as everything went black.