Her Billionaire Prince Read online

  She drew herself up. “I didn’t raise and send you to the most expensive schools for you to settle for a life of mucking with that…that opportunist! I imagine you want my grandchildren to be raised in the lower class.”

  “This is ridiculous, Mother.” Jay took a step back, his face burning. “We’ll talk when you’re not hysterical.”

  “I am not hysterical!” she screeched. She closed her eyes and then opened them again, her expression contrite. “I’m not,” she said, her voice softening.

  But she had already lost Jay. He went somewhere remote where she couldn’t reach. She used to express her frustration when, as a little boy, he acted self-contained, like an island to himself. Showing little emotion.

  Back in those days, she’d been preoccupied with her charities and social events. “Be a good little boy,” she would say as she left him with the nanny. Then he grew up, and the little boy turned into a man, the chasm between them widened irreparably. Sometimes, like today, she acted like she wanted to make amends, but he suspected her pride kept her from saying sorry. Besides, what was the point? Nothing could change the past now.

  “What are we even arguing about?” his mother said. “Ah, yes. That girl. What a distraction when you could be paying attention to my friends’ daughters. Both moneyed, both of impeccable lineage.”

  Jay glared, stone-faced.

  Mother continued her tirade. “What kind of a sob story endeared this jockey to you anyway?”

  “Mother, that’s enough.”

  Her face slackened.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice cracking. “I guess your father’s death and…and the cancer has just really taken a toll on me.” She choked back tears and dabbed her eyes.

  Jay winced. He felt rotten for being so hard on her, especially after Father’s passing and her other sons not necessarily giving her the support she needed.

  He touched her arm. “Of course, Mother. I understand. I’m sorry too. I like Talia, but it’s not like we’re serious or anything.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I mean, we’ve only dated once, and that was with George.” He winced. “So that probably doesn’t even count. You’re here right now with your guests, and I can be a better host.”

  Mother relaxed her forehead and patted Jay’s cheek. “There’s my boy. So you’ll stop acting silly around her?”

  He startled and briefly thought about putting up a fight. But he only said, “Yes, I’ll stop acting silly around her.”

  Mother flashed a triumphant smile, leaving Jay unsettled.

  ***

  In a pen nearby, Talia pressed her face against Eula’s neck. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but could she help it that the mother and son spoke so loudly to each other? In her mind, she played back the prince’s words about her.

  Yes, I find her attractive.

  It’s not like we’re serious or anything.

  I’ll stop acting silly around her.

  Well, no worries there. Talia had thought briefly about asking him to the Kentucky Oaks Ball, held a week before the race. But now…no.

  She, for one, wouldn’t be acting silly around him. And certainly, she didn’t need him to make her life complete. No siree.

  Talia stepped out of the pen to go in search of Larry.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  The next day, Jay came down to ladies’ chatter in the breakfast room.

  “Good morning, darling,” his mother greeted him, offering her cheek for a kiss.

  He sat between her and Geneva, who slid her phone onto her lap and smiled. She was dazzling this morning, with her perfectly tanned skin framed by her blonde hair cascading over her shoulder in waves.

  “Do you mind if we have a selfie together?” she asked.

  Disdainful of selfies, Jay reluctantly agreed. Frankly, it was way too early for photos. “I probably look like I just rolled out of bed,” he joked.

  Her glance scanned his features. “Well, let’s fix it.” She reached up and patted his hair by his temples. “There. Better.”

  She held up the camera, and there they were, dark and light, a prince and potential princess, looking cheerful at breakfast. She took at least six photos and then finally declared it good. Then she spent the next several minutes uploading a photo with a caption on her social media.

  Jay sighed inwardly. The girl was so self-absorbed. It was quite sad. Right off, he was bored with her company.

  Beside him, his mother nudged his arm. “Talk to Katy,” she said. “She’s gone on several service trips to Guatemala.”

  “You’ve been to Guatemala?” Jay said, turning to the philanthropist. “I visited there once as part of my South American tour. How are things in the country?”

  Katy’s eyes grew round. Her bottom lip quivered, and a huge tear spilled down her cheek. Then she pushed her chair back and mumbled, “If you will please excuse me.”

  “Pardon me,” Jay said to the rest of the hushed group. “Did I say something wrong?”

  Al watched her daughter leave and then leaned forward. “There was a volcanic eruption there today.”

  “Oh dear,” Mother said, putting a piece of omelet in Chi-Chi’s eager mouth.

  “The news reported a death toll of three hundred, but some people on social media are saying it’s in the thousands,” Al said.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Jay said.

  Al shrugged. “My Katy is so tenderhearted. I’m just glad she isn’t there right now.”

  “It’ll make for spectacular sunsets,” Geneva piped up. They all turned to her. She continued, “You said so yourself, Mum,” she said, turning to her mother. “The year I was born, a volcano erupted in the Philippines…”

  Her words trailed. Her mother whispered into her ear, and Jay caught the words “in bad taste.”

  “So, as for the trail ride today,” Mother said, as though she had been interrupted mid-conversation, “anyone up for it?”

  “Of course,” the mothers said in unison.

  Jay glanced over at Geneva, who looked crestfallen. “You don’t like riding?” he asked.

  “I do,” she cooed. “It’s just that I don’t like getting dirty.”

  Jay was tempted to roll his eyes but didn’t as he remembered his manners.

  “Neither do I,” Mother said. “You certainly don’t have to wear a helmet if you don’t want to.”

  “Oh, but she must,” Bernadette said. “You hear far too many horror stories about rides gone bad. If you get a severe enough concussion, you could end up paralyzed. A vegetable.” She concluded with a shudder.

  “Surely our horses are well-behaved?” Mother asked Jay.

  “Yes,” he replied. “Especially a wonderful racing filly named Eula.”

  “Oh, no,” Mother said. “I meant for riding.”

  “As we are a racing stable,” Jay said, “we have only a few pleasure horses. But we should have enough for our little party.”

  “It is set, then,” Mother said. “Shall we set out after breakfast? Say, in half an hour?”

  To his surprise, Geneva didn’t beg for more time to fix her hair.

  “Half an hour it is,” Jay said.

  But his mother wasn’t done. By the time it was all arranged, she had also commissioned the kitchen staff to have a three-course picnic catered.

  ***

  Talia slowed Eula along the riding path as the royal posse advanced toward her. Jay looked like he was leading his mother and her court through the grounds.

  “Mother,” he said. “Of course you’ve met Talia. The horse she’s riding is Eula.”

  “Oh,” Nina said. “That is Eula?” She was carrying her little dog, matching her Royal Pinkness. The dog stared at Talia sullenly, just like her owner.

  “Yes, Mother,” Jay said. He looked like he was acting a part in a bad play. Talia was glad to see he was squirming with discomfort.

  “Why do you mention her,” Nina asked.

  Jay arched an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted to meet he
r.”

  “Well, yes, I wanted to meet the horse.” But not the rider, her tone implied.

  “I was wondering if you could take us on a riding party,” Jay said.

  Talia bristled. Was he really asking? She was his employee. Surely, she was obligated to take them around, whether she wanted to or not.

  Her eyes met his, and her cool reply died on her lips. Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe. He was gazing at her with an adorably sweet expression. Like a boy who was bracing himself for rejection while crossing his fingers behind his back.

  She could be mean and turn him down. His mother would certainly be pleased. But suddenly, she didn’t care what the mother thought. He was asking nicely.

  “Sure,” she said.

  “You will?” He looked pleasantly surprised. Jay’s mother, on the other hand, looked as though she just developed indigestion.

  Talia stifled a smile. “Yes.”

  “I’m sure she’s busy,” Nina said, tight as a corkscrew.

  “I actually have an open afternoon,” Talia countered.

  “Great,” Jay said, his smile widening.

  Jay’s mother scowled, clutching Chi-Chi to her bosom almost too tightly. “Sorry, Chi-Chi,” Nina said. “I’m just a bit upset.”

  Talia and Jay exchanged amused glances.

  Nina tapped her son’s arm and muttered, “Must your jockey friend come too? This was my way of showcasing young women who can give me well-pedigreed babies. And here she is, ruining things.”

  “Mother,” Jay objected, casting an apologetic glance toward Talia. “You can’t be serious.”

  Nina sniffled and turned with Chi-Chi in her arms.

  Shaking his head, Jay moved away from his mother and joined Talia with the horses. To her surprise, he helped brush out the horse he was going to ride. Jay insisted on getting his black mount ready.

  “Your grooms could do the work, you know,” Talia said.

  “They could, yes.”

  Talia focused on the task at hand. It was a bit distracting to have to show Jay how to tack up his mount. Their hands brushed against each other a few times, but neither moved away.

  Jay touched her arm. “You put this strap here?” He gestured at a buckle, but his glance fell to her mouth.

  Talia tore her gaze from his lips, nodding distractedly. “Yes. I do believe you do.”

  Jay’s mouth lifted in a secret smile.

  Talia bowed her head to hide hers. With his disapproving mother standing just a few feet away, she couldn’t believe he was being subversive.

  Not that Talia minded.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Once the horses were all tacked up―pink tack on Mother’s white mount, matching Chi-Chi, which seemed to assuage her foul mood―Mother motioned for Jay to ride alongside her.

  “This was a great idea, Mother,” he said, breathing in the fresh air.

  Her gaze narrowed. ”Hmph,” she said.

  Talia rode ahead of them, a quiet rider in her seat. Watching her go slow was a novelty for Jay, who tried to not stare at her excellent seat. Instead, he admired the grounds. The groomed trail led into a shaded, lush forest of trees and knee-high grass, still dewy from the morning.

  “How beautiful,” Geneva breathed. “How big is your property, Jay?”

  “Two hundred and fifty acres,” he said.

  Geneva and her mother exchanged ecstatic glances. Jay caught his mother’s frown. Maybe she wasn’t as sold on these girls as her future in-laws after all.

  “Oh, Katy,” Mother said. “Why don’t you come ride alongside Jay?”

  An annoyed expression crossed Geneva’s face.

  Katy riding up pushed Mother to move next to Talia. Decades of entertaining must have kicked in, forcing Mother to make small talk, if only to be polite.

  “What is the name of that horse?” Mother asked.

  Talia turned to her, her jaw slack. “Are you talking to me?”

  “No,” Mother said. “I was talking to my dog. Yes, I was talking to you,” she finished crossly.

  “His name is Fritz.”

  “And are you from around here?”

  “No, I’m not,” Talia said, facing front again. “I’m originally from Colorado, but I’ve moved all over.”

  “Why?”

  Talia squinted up at sun’s rays piercing the forest canopy. “Chasing jockey jobs, I guess.”

  “I haven’t met very many women jockeys.”

  Talia nodded. “There aren’t that many of us. Not riding in the big leagues, anyway. But that’s changing.”

  “It must have taken a lot for you to climb into this league.”

  Talia’s chin jutted up defiantly. “I haven’t had to climb,” she said. “I just let my winnings speak for themselves.”

  Katy’s mount came abreast of Jay’s, making it so he had difficulty eavesdropping on Talia and Mother’s conversation. “Sorry about my outburst at breakfast,” she said.

  “Perfectly understandable,” Jay said. “Your mother explained why you were upset.”

  “A family I got close to while serving there lost their house.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Katy was a sweet girl. Maybe if Talia hadn’t already turned his head, Jay might consider dating her. As it is, she was just interesting, and that was all.

  Mother turned and smiled at him. She looked pleased, and Jay guessed it had something to do with him talking to Katy.

  Without warning, the grass rustled up ahead, and two things happened. Chi-Chi jumped out of Mother’s arms in pursuit of the deer that leaped in front of them and bounded to the right, and Geneva’s horse bolted the other direction.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  “Shoot,” Talia said under her breath. She made eye contact with Ren, a groom who took up the caboose with all the picnic stuff. He wasn’t going to be able to help, not without unloading the picnic first.

  “I’ll get the girl,” Talia told Ren. “Get the dog.”

  Geneva did the unpardonable, leaning back without her reins and screaming her head off. Her luscious locks tumbled out of her helmet which had gotten knocked off.

  Talia sensed another rider coming abreast of her. Jay.

  What was he doing? Was he really a good rider? Would she have to rescue him too? Didn’t he say he usually didn’t ride?

  There was no time to speculate. Just don’t get in my way.

  She veered to the left and motioned for Jay to take the other side. “Pull back on the reins,” she told Geneva.

  The girl stared at her like a rag doll being shaken and clung to the edge of her saddle as her horse continued to leap over stumps and puddles.

  “Grab your reins and pull him to a stop!” Talia commanded.

  Geneva continued her death grip, unwilling to let go. Talia rode close to her and then had to veer off to avoid a tree. It was a game of dodge and run, and Talia could see streaks of Jay trying to get close to Geneva too.

  In a small opening, Talia rode next to Geneva, but she couldn’t reach the girl’s looped rein, which flopped around. Talia grabbed at it again but had to move back to avoid a tree trunk. As her mount jumped a log, Jay grabbed the rein and pull Geneva’s horse to a stop. Geneva bounced forward and out of the saddle, tumbling to the ground.

  Ouch.

  Even after her horse slowed, Talia’s heart hammered in her chest. Her ragged breath matched her horse’s. “Good ole boy,” she said, rubbing Fritz’s mane. “Let’s check on Geneva, shall we?”

  Talia nudged Fritz over to the spot where Geneva lay, looking stunned. “Are you okay?” Talia asked.

  “No, I am not okay,” Geneva screeched. “Mummy! My hair is ruined!”

  Talia and Jay glanced at each other. His eyes crinkled in the corners as he smiled. She turned away, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Jay followed the ladies to a shaded spot next to a brook. Geneva finally calmed down enough that they could continue on with their trail ride, and the
groom found Chi-Chi not too far from the group. She was so small she couldn’t get through the brush, even if she wanted to.

  Talia dismounted apart from the group and looked Jay’s way. “That was some impressive riding,” she said.

  “I guess all that adrenaline kicked in,” he said. “Believe me, I was barely hanging on.”

  She chuckled and started to lead her horse away.

  “You won’t join us for lunch?” he asked.

  She turned and gazed into his eyes. “I wasn’t invited,” she said over her shoulder.

  He wanted to call out, Well, I’m inviting you now, but the trees had already swallowed her.

  Ren laid out their picnic. There was chicken, potato salad, fruit, and pecan pie. Plenty for everyone. Several times, Jay glanced in the direction Talia had gone. He could send Ren with a plate, or…

  He piled food on two plates and stood.

  “Where are you going?” his mother said, scowling

  “Taking food to Talia.”

  “Don’t you dare,” she whispered, her eyes flashing.

  “Watch me, Mother,” he replied.

  ***

  Talia took a cooling drink from the brook. Her stomach grumbled a little. The banana she’d had for breakfast had long worn off. But it was true, they hadn’t invited her to eat with them. Now it was too late to backtrack and hope to be taken into their private little picnic. Besides, she was hired help.

  That was okay. It was almost race week. She could probably lose a few pounds to meet the weight requirements for the Kentucky Oaks.

  She strolled back to the shade, taking her helmet off and chucking it to the side where it rolled onto wildflowers. Talia lay on the grass, took a deep breath, and smiled. It was a beautiful day. The sky was a clear blue, and the forest echoed with birdsong. The meadow hummed with bees, and the brook punctuated it all with its merry sound. A perfect day. She closed her eyes and stretched her arms above her head.

  “Hungry?”

  Talia’s eyes flew open.

  Jay stood there with two plates, looking down at her with unconcealed desire. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and his gaze was heated.