A Very Merry Princess Read online

  Everything felt different—from El Bahar and from the eastern part of the country, where she’d briefly gone to college—yet there was familiarity, too. Perhaps because she’d spent the first nine years of her life not that far away in Riverside.

  She shook off the memories and glanced around at the small group waiting for her and Rida. There were three good-sized trucks, a regular pickup pulling a horse trailer and a handful of men. One of them walked toward her, grinning as he approached.

  He was tall—but at five foot four she found a large percentage of the world was tall to her—with light brown hair and broad shoulders.

  “Beth Smith?” He held out his hand. “I’m Cade Saunders.”

  They shook hands and he removed his sunglasses. His eyes were hazel and he had a scar by his eyebrow. As she stared at him, she felt a weird kind of quiver low in her stomach, followed by a powerful desire to flip her hair—despite her French braid.

  No, no, no, she told herself. There would be no hair flipping on this trip. No swooning or thinking Cade was handsome. This was about work and nothing else. The last thing she needed in her life was some semicharming, cowboy type.

  “Nice to meet you,” she said, carefully removing her hand from his hold.

  Cade glanced anxiously toward the plane. “How’s he doing? Did he make the trip okay? How can I help?”

  “You can stay out of the way when I bring him out,” she told him. “Otherwise, you brought the trucks, so we can get going on offloading Rida’s supplies.”

  “I can’t wait to see him.” Cade sounded more like a six-year-old than a grown man as he spoke. “I still can’t believe the king let me buy him. I’d heard he was for sale and figured it was a long shot, but I had to try, you know. I mean, he’s glorious. I watched his video maybe fifty times. The way he moves, the power. I met the king once, in Texas. At a dinner. He was a great guy. Have you met him?”

  She stared at Cade. “Once or twice,” she murmured. “You’re really excited.”

  “Wouldn’t you be? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I run a small ranch in Happily Inc, California. Guys like me don’t get a chance at a horse like Rida every day.”

  She did her best not to smile. She liked how happy Cade was and that he understood what had been offered to him. At least Rida would be appreciated, even if knowing that wouldn’t make her miss him any less.

  “Then let’s get you two introduced,” she said and started up the ramp.

  On the plane, she spoke quietly to the horse. Rida listened, his ears forward, as if he knew he was finally going to get out of his stall. She took a couple of minutes to stroke his head and neck, getting a horse nuzzle in return, then untied him and led him toward the ramp.

  Rida walked along easily, inhaling sharply, testing the air. At the top of the ramp, Bethany paused to let his eyes adjust before starting down.

  When they reached the tarmac, she walked him in a large circle to get the kinks out. He seemed more interested than apprehensive—as if curious about his surroundings. Cade watched, his expression a combination of awe and gratitude. Finally she led the horse over to his new owner.

  “Rida, this is Cade. He’s going to take care of you now.”

  She felt tightness in her chest as she admitted what she didn’t want to be true. Of all the horses her father could have sold, why this one? Yes, he’d explained, but she still wasn’t convinced that was the reason—not that her father would tell her otherwise.

  “Hey, Rida,” Cade said quietly, keeping his distance from the horse, letting him get used to his surroundings. “Welcome home.”

  One of the flight attendants carried Bethany’s two duffel bags and backpack down the ramp.

  “Did you have any other luggage, Prin...um, Beth?” the woman asked, her gaze darting between Cade and Bethany. “This was all I saw.”

  “That’s all I need,” Bethany said, keeping her tone casual. “Rida’s the one who has to bring everything with him when he travels.”

  The attendant smiled before nodding and returning to the plane. The luggage compartments were open, and barrels, boxes and bins moved down the conveyor belt.

  The first of the three trucks was filled quickly, then the second took its place.

  “You weren’t kidding,” Cade said, watching the process. “Did you actually bring water?”

  “Yes. He’s going to have enough of an adjustment with his new surroundings and jet lag. I don’t want him getting an upset stomach.”

  Cade held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. “Just asking. You’re the boss. We do filter our water at the ranch, by the way. It’s from an underground aquifer and is very pure.”

  “But still different from what he’s used to.”

  She led Rida into the trailer and secured him. By then, the third truck was nearly full.

  “Does someone need to get the crew into town for the night?” Cade asked. “I can arrange for transportation.”

  “They’re taking off right away. We had two crews on the flight, so one is rested and ready to go.”

  He glanced at the huge 757. “And you were the only passenger? Must be nice to be the king.”

  She grinned. “So I’ve heard.”

  She climbed into the passenger seat of his pickup and fastened her seat belt. Cade started the truck and they drove out of the airport. About ten minutes later, the plane flew overhead as it took off for El Bahar.

  Bethany knew that Happily Inc was in the California desert, less than sixty miles from Palm Springs. The town sat in the foothills of the mountains and had a relatively temperate climate. At least Rida wouldn’t have to get used to snow and subfreezing temperatures.

  “The ranch is only about twenty minutes from the airport,” Cade told her, “which is a private one and doesn’t get a lot of use. Most people either fly into Palm Springs or drive to Los Angeles to get a flight out.”

  Unless she was taking Rida home with her, she would be returning to El Bahar on a commercial flight, she thought. So out of Los Angeles with a change of planes in Amsterdam or Frankfurt.

  “Have you been to the States before?” Cade asked, then shook his head. “Sorry. Of course you have. You’re American. Where did you grow up?”

  “Not far from here, actually,” she said. “My mom and I are from Riverside. We moved to El Bahar when I was nine. I came back to Tennessee for a couple of years of college.”

  “So you’re a California girl.”

  She laughed. “I haven’t thought of myself as that in a long time, but I suppose I am.”

  There were rolling hills on both sides of the two-lane highway, with lots of trees. She saw a flash of movement, stared, blinked, then shook her head.

  “What’s wrong?” Cade asked.

  “Nothing. I would swear I saw... Is it possible there are gazelles?”

  She braced herself for laughter and derision. Instead Cade chuckled.

  “Look closely and you might see a few zebras and a giraffe. Or maybe three giraffes. I know we’re getting some new ones any day now.” He grinned. “We have an animal preserve on the edge of town. It’s connected to the landfill and recycling center. Weird, I know.”

  “Unusual,” she admitted. “But nice.”

  After a few more minutes, they turned onto a long, paved driveway. There was a big gate and a keypad. Cade pushed a remote and the gates swung open.

  Bethany looked around, anxious to get a first impression of the ranch. She liked the sense of openness. There were huge pastures and lots of trees for shade. Up ahead was the farmhouse, which looked fine. She was more interested in the stable.

  They drove around to the back of the house and she caught sight of a series of outbuildings, including the long, tall barn. The buildings looked well used, but clean and in good condition. She wasn’t a huge fa
n of brand-new when she delivered a horse. It meant a lot of work had been done before her visit and made her wonder what the owners were trying to hide.

  Cade pulled in front of the stable’s big open double doors and cut the engine. Bethany slid out of the passenger seat, breathing in the familiar scents of horses and outdoors. Without waiting for Cade, she entered the main barn and saw there were stalls on each side. She went left and saw clean stalls, smooth bedding and full water troughs awaiting the horses’ return from the pasture.

  The stalls had an in-and-out design, allowing each horse to spend the day outdoors if he or she wanted. One of the stalls had the gate latched open. She walked inside and inspected the mats on the concrete floor, the walls, then studied the mechanism on the water trough.

  “It tells us exactly how much water flows in during the day,” Cade explained, leaning against the entrance to the stall. “That way we can know if someone isn’t drinking. There’s a switch that allows us to flush the trough once a day so they stay clean.”

  He nodded at the trough. “They all drain into a cistern we use to water the grass, so we’re not wasting water. We also use our own compost for the pastures.”

  She listened without commenting, then went to the door that led to the outdoor paddock. She checked the locking mechanism, the edges for sharp splinters, before stepping out into the late afternoon sun.

  Trees provided shade, but were planted out of reach of curious mouths. There was a light breeze, plenty of space and three exercise paddocks beyond. Cade’s ranch wasn’t anything like the royal stables back in El Bahar, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. So far, she liked what she’d seen. Cade took the time to take care of details. She was more than willing to judge a man by how he treated his horses. Based on that criterion, Cade was one of the good guys. The fact that he was easy on the eye was just a bonus. One that she planned to ignore.

  “Okay,” she said as she walked back into the barn. “Show me where he’s going to be.”

  She checked on Rida’s stall, confirmed the bedding was the kind she’d requested before making sure the central watering pipe was turned off. For the next two days, Rida would only drink El Baharian water before slowly being transitioned to the local supply.

  She inspected the outside area for general hazards along with anything Rida might try to eat, then turned to Cade.

  “I’m ready to bring him in.”

  “Great. Let’s go get him.”

  “Aren’t you going to tell me I’m being too picky?” A few people had.

  “No way. He’s the biggest investment I’m ever going to make. Of course I want him taken care of.”

  Rida backed out of the trailer like a pro. Bethany walked him around for about half an hour before taking him to his stall. He stepped in as if he’d lived there his whole life and immediately went outside.

  The sun was low on the horizon. The warm rays danced on his black coat bringing out the hints of red and gold hidden in the depths. Rida shook his head, then moved next to her and pressed his head to hers. She stroked his neck.

  “I’ll take your luggage up to the house,” Cade told her. “You can check out your room when you’re ready.”

  She looked at him. “I’ll be sleeping here for the first couple of nights, just to make sure he’s all right.”

  Cade raised his brows. “You sure?”

  “I am. I brought a sleeping bag and a pillow. I’m prepared.” She looked around. “I assume there’s a bathroom in the barn?”

  “Toilets and sinks but no showers.”

  “I’ll shower at the house. Otherwise, I’ll be hanging with this guy.”

  Cade looked from her to the horse and back. “Like I said before, you’re in charge.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ll leave you two to get settled and bring you some dinner in a couple of hours. How does that sound?”

  “Perfect.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  CADE HADN’T KNOWN what to expect from Rida’s handler. He’d never bought a horse before that he hadn’t simply gone and picked up. Beth was competent, professional and obviously knew her way around horses. He would simply have to pretend she wasn’t a stunning, curvy, blue-eyed blonde.

  Close to six-thirty he carried the back patio table and two chairs to the barn, then brought dinner, along with flatware, plates, glasses and napkins. When everything was set up, he walked to the last stall on the right.

  Rida and Beth were in the paddock outside Rida’s stall. She sat on the fence, the horse standing close to her. There was a young marmalade barn cat perched on a fence post nearby. Beth was speaking to Rida in a low voice, but Cade couldn’t make out her words. They were a contrast in sizes, but looked perfectly comfortable together.

  He cleared his throat to get their attention. Beth turned and smiled.

  “Hi. We were discussing the weather.”

  Her smile hit him like a kick in the gut. Not good, he told himself. Not good at all.

  “I have dinner ready, if you’re hungry.”

  “I’m starving.” She jumped down and petted Rida. “I’ll be close by. If you need me, just give a shout.”

  “Does he answer?” Cade asked, holding the stall door open for her.

  “Sometimes.”

  They walked to the middle of the barn. Beth shook her head. “This is very nice, thank you.” She studied the set table, the bowl with salad and the hot chicken and pasta casserole. “Should I be impressed with your cooking skills?”

  “Not based on this. I have a housekeeper who comes in two days a week. She cleans, does laundry and leaves things like this in the freezer. A housekeeper comes with the job.”

  Beth excused herself to wash her hands. Cade poured iced tea for both of them, then waited until she returned to take his seat.

  “How long have you worked here?” she asked as she served herself salad.

  “I moved back to Happily Inc a few months ago.” He took the salad bowl she passed him. “My grandfather owns the ranch. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. He taught me to ride and by the time I was six, I knew I wanted to be a cowboy.”

  She smiled. “It’s nice to have direction. You never strayed from your original goal?”

  “Nope. I didn’t even have a firefighter phase.” He thought about his past. “My family has lived in the area for a few generations. Grandpa Frank also owns the biggest bank in town. It’s the family business. My mom wanted me to go to work with her, but that was never going to happen. My grandfather had made it clear I wasn’t going to get a job on the ranch just because I was his grandson, so when I was eighteen, I left home to learn the trade.”

  He glanced at her. “You sure you want to hear this?”

  “Yes. I love origination stories. Where did you go?”

  “Kentucky.”

  She sighed. “I’ve been a couple of times with my, ah, some friends. It’s beautiful.”

  “It is and it’s horse country. I started out doing the dirty work and learned everything I could. After a few years, I moved to a ranch in Texas.”

  What he didn’t bother sharing was the reason for his move. Not only was it private, it was humiliating. He’d been played by a woman in Kentucky—he’d learned his lesson and had vowed never to repeat it.

  “You met the king in Texas, didn’t you?” she asked.

  “Yes. I was invited to a dinner he attended. I have no idea why I was allowed to tag along, but it was a great experience. We ended up debating horses and when I heard about Rida I took a chance on him remembering me.”

  She studied him for a second before looking away. “I’m glad it worked out.”

  “Me, too. Rida’s amazing.”

  “He is. When will you have him checked out by your vet?”

  “Tomorrow, then again in a couple of weeks.” H
e picked up his water glass. “How did you come to work in the royal stable of El Bahar?”

  Her blue eyes danced with amusement. “It is unexpected, isn’t it? My parents divorced when I was little. My dad was into car racing, a lot more than he was into paying his child support, so money was tight for my mom. She was a teacher and found out about a job at the American School in El Bahar. The pay was generous and an apartment was provided, so five years there would have given her enough for a down payment on a house and a good start on a college fund.”

  She leaned toward him, her thick blond braid falling over her shoulder. “She met someone and fell madly in love. We were living, um, close to the royal stables, so I started taking riding lessons. I never outgrew my love of horses and when I was old enough, I got a job there.”

  Her smile faded. “I love what I do, but it’s hard when I have to give up one of my babies. I was there when Rida was born and I’m going to miss him.”

  “Trying to make me feel guilty?” he asked.

  She laughed. “Maybe a little. Is it working?”

  “Sorry, no. He’s going to put our little ranch on the map. I have big plans for him. All good, I promise.”

  Her gaze locked with his. He felt something pass between them, although he couldn’t say what it was. The beginning of trust, maybe? Or something more?

  Not more, he told himself firmly. He didn’t want more. Rida was plenty. Beth’s appeal was not part of his plan.

  * * *

  RIDA SETTLED IN much more quickly than Bethany would have expected. He started eating right away and seemed to like spending his day out in the sun. He’d even made friends with the small marmalade barn cat.

  “You won’t miss me at all,” Bethany complained as she trotted him in a circle in the exercise ring. “You’ll forget me as soon as I’m gone.”

  Rida looked at her, his expression both chiding and intelligent, as if pointing out he would miss her, but he knew that he had to be here now.

  “You’re trying to act like the mature one in the relationship,” she complained. “How do you think that makes me feel?”