Miles promised to make him a world-class polo pony, and he did. He also made me a player. Looking back, it’s embarrassingly laughable how good I thought I was, yet Miles didn’t care. Whatever it was I deluded myself into thinking I had, Miles saw for real.
I’m a world away when Maverick nudges me hard, searching for carrots.
“I’ll take Mav,” I say to her.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’ll take him.” I plant a kiss on his soft muzzle. “Come on, my boy.”
He trots next to me, his long gait stretching out across the cobbles. And as we walk into the yard, Miles comes out of the offices.
“Hey . . .” I stop when I see his face. The cheery facade he was wearing ten minutes ago has been replaced by. ..I want to say shock, but it’s more like reticence.
And then I notice the stack of envelopes clenched in his fist.
“Babe? What’s going on?”
He shakes his head. “Our match took us to the top of the table, whatever happens, we’re playing in the Cup. AndLos Tigresis leading against the Grasshoppers, so it looks like we’re going to meet.”
I sigh hard. “It’s what we were expecting, even if we didn’t want it.” I point at his left hand. “What are those?”
He’s about to answer when the rest of the team walks out of the stables. Jack takes one look at Miles’s face and asks, “Who died?”
“No one.”
“Then why do you look like someone did?”
He lifts the envelopes and hands them out one by one, including Diego and me.
Jack rips his open immediately, speed-reading the words. “Holy fuck, I went up.”
Billy, Diego, and Juan all do the same.
I look at mine. “Why do I have an envelope?”
For the first time today, Miles smiles a genuine smile. “It’s your handicap?—”
“I don’t have one?—”
“You do now, Trouble. Open it.”
I rip into the envelope and pull out the letter inside.
Dear Lady Burlington?—
My eyes flick to Miles. “LadyBurlington?”
He nods. “’Fraid so. It’s what comes with marrying me.”
Dear Lady Burlington,
We are delighted to inform you that, based on our assessment from this current season, the England Polo Association is awarding you the honor of a one-goal handicap. Congratulations.
The England Polo Association
“But I’ve only played a few matches,” I stutter.
“That’s what counts, and you’re part of a team.” Miles grins, planting a kiss on my lips. “And you’re definitely not a novice.”
