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“You are a queen, straighten your crown and show them what you’re made of. You don’t need anyone who doesn’t need you.”
I took in his words to an extent but it’s a mask. A Band-Aid. It still hurts. Everyday. I can only hope with more time, the pain will ease.
“Hey, my favorite man,” I murmur.
He smiles wider, nudges me, and whispers, “We all know that’s a lie.” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “But I love you anyway.”
“Francois, we need to discuss what you’re doing with Dorsa tomorrow. I think you should rest her for this week, and we check how she is on Monday. Although she is sound and looking great, I do think she needs to have some therapy on her back over the next few days to ease all the stiffness in her.”
Francois nods. “Whatever you think, Laney. You’re the expert.”
She shakes her head with a laugh. “I must say, you two are the easiest trainees I’ve ever had.”
“I bet you say that to all your trainees,” Franny teases.
“Not at all. It’s why I won’t take on anyone else either. I don’t want to rock the good dynamics we have going on. And it works with you two. You are comfortable with each other and it’s a bonus that you share the accommodation I have on site.”
It’s true. Instead of my father renting or buying me an apartment nearby like he did in Wellington, Laney has a three-bed guest house on the farm which Francois and I share whilst Greg accommodates the one bed apartment above the stalls. It works and although I was apprehensive to share with someone I barely knew, I appreciate the company. And now I have a best friend. Even here in Spain, when my father would have been happy to rent me somewhere to stay on my own, we are staying in a house together. Both of our parents chipped in for the secure mansion with a pool and several guest houses. It works for when they come to visit and gives the kind of privacy royalty and movie stars desire. I would have been happy to stay in the high-end horse truck my father purchased for me, but he insisted I stay somewhere secure. It worked out. My two grooms— one of them being Jess who decided to leave Rhodes Farms with me—stay in the trailer.
“True, I love living with my little princess. Decent eye candy to stare at, plus I get to see her when she gets out of the shower.” My best friend winks at me.
I roll my eyes. “Only because you sneak into my bedroom without me knowing.”
He barks out a laugh and smirks, making my heart flutter. Not only do we have the best time together, but Francois is gorgeous with his dirty blonde hair and chocolate eyes and someone I could see myself with. Eventually. Too bad my best friend is gay. Not that it’s public knowledge. Being who he is—a French prince—he hasn’t been able to come out. It saddens me that it’s this way for him. But I have every hope he will eventually stand up to his parents and admit his truth. If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s him. In the meantime, I’m quite happy to play the part of his girlfriend.
The beautiful golden couple of Showjumping. That’s what the tabloids have dubbed us. I would set them straight if it weren’t for Francois. If I can help him in any way, I will.
“Are we having drinks tonight?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Not tonight. I need to videocall with my parents, they’re visiting next week.”
“Boring.” He shoots me a look and I shrug. “Okay. Well can we have facemasks and pizza?” he whispers for only me to hear.
I chuckle. “Anything for you,baby.”
“You would be in so much trouble if I was into women,” he growls in my ear. I push him away and sigh.
The only man I want to be in trouble with is the one I can’t have. I clench my eyes closed as pain courses through me. Francois takes my hand and squeezes. My eyes pop open, landing on his pity-filled ones.
“Come on. Let’s go back to the house,” he says, knowing exactly what I need.
