Leigh pulled at Newt’s arm. “See you later!”
Jasim went to find Ru. He was using one of Benning Park’s horseboxes to transport his ponies and Benning Park grooms to look after them. Jasim had wondered if there’d be any resentment about Ru, but there hadn’t been. The staff had changed anyway from when Ru had arrived. Only Poppy, Seb, Diego and Mason remained of the original crew.
Ru came towards him and they headed for Jasim’s car. Once they were inside it, Jasim kissed him. Ru moaned.
“We can still be seen,” Ru pointed out.
“I couldn’t wait. Leigh and Newt have gone on ahead.”
Once they were on the road, Ru helped himself to one of the bottles of water Jasim had brought.
“You want some?”
“I’m fine.”
“It was a good game.”
“Only because you won?”
“We just clicked today. They listened to me.”
“Leigh was telling me he offered you a job.”
“He did.”
“I sense a but.”
“You are so good at sensing my buts. And being in tune with my butt. But yeah, there is a but. I don’t want to be an equine nurse.”
Jasim cast him a quick glance. He was shocked.
“Not full time. Well not part time, not at Leigh’s anyway. Not that there is anything wrong with Leigh’s practice. There isn’t. I love it. It’s brilliant, but it’s not enough.”
“So what do you want to do?”
“I want to be with you,” Ru whispered. “I want to be your equine nurse. I want to spend more time with you.”
Jasim’s heart was floundering in his chest. “What would you say if I asked you if you wanted to play polo professionally?”
“With you?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Nicolás has had enough after this season. He has neither the money nor the energy after his divorce, and he’s put me in touch with a guy who’s interested in being our patron. Marcelo wants to go back to Spain. Joaquin wants to stay.”
“There’s a place for me?” Ru whispered.
“There’s a downside.”
“What?”
“The patron is an American and wants to run the circuit. Palm Beach, Connecticut, Aspen, England, Santa Barbara. We’d start in Palm Beach in January for three months, then England for three months. We’d compete in the Queen’s Cup and the Gold Cup. We’d do the Aspen World Snow Polo Championship in December. Possibly also go to Argentina and Mexico as well.”
“The downside is we travel? That doesn’t sound like a downside.”
“It’s wearing. You’d miss your brother and Tay. Your parents. We’d both miss Leigh and Newt, and Caleb and March. And your fangirl.”
