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Judas looked back to Huck. “I hear you’re breaking a mustang for Blaise.”
I tried to stay focused on the conversation. I knew very little about horses, so it was hard to follow. Another lady walked up, and Iris began talking to her. I could feel their gazes on me and hear their hushed tones. Even with the dress, shoes, and jewelry Maddy had sent me, it was clear I didn’t fit into this world. I should have tried harder to do something with my hair.
“Let’s go get a drink,” Huck said to me, and I realized he was done talking to Judas.
Relieved that was over, I went with him to the bar that was set up under a tree with pink blooms.
Huck ordered for us, and I was thankful I hadn’t had to tell him something I wanted. When he handed me a glass of champagne, I quickly took a drink, hoping to calm my nerves. I felt him watching me, and I met his gaze.
“Liquid courage,” I said with a smile.
The corner of his lips curled up as he took the glass with dark amber liquid in it from the bartender. “This isn’t my thing either. Part of the business though,” he said, then took a drink.
“Is Garrett married to a woman half his age?” I asked, wondering if that was a thing among these men. I didn’t see one older lady in attendance, but there were plenty of older men.
Huck chuckled. “Currently, Garrett isn’t married. He’s had a few wives over the years. Trev and Blaise don’t have the same mother. But Garrett doesn’t exactly look old. He might be forty-eight years old, but he could pass for late thirties. Even if he wasn’t wealthy and powerful, women would be attracted to him. The Hugheses have good genes.”
I wondered how many ex-wives Garrett Hughes had. I couldn’t imagine being married to a man like him was easy. My thoughts went to Maddy and Cree. I hoped that her future wasn’t going to be similar.
“The boys stayed with their dad then? They didn’t go with their mothers?”
Huck took a drink. “Males born into the family don’t leave their fathers. They’re the next generation. Females often go with their moms, but even when divorce happens, they are still guarded.”
Guarded? What did that mean exactly? I started to ask, but I stopped myself. I hadn’t witnessed Blaise with Maddy, but she seemed secure in her marriage. I couldn’t imagine a man not wanting her. Did she fear losing Cree if that day came?
“What about Hayes?” I asked. He’d left the family.
Huck tensed at the mention of his brother, and I instantly wished I hadn’t brought it up.
“Our parents were dead. Different situation,” he said. Huck nodded his head toward two men. “Garrett needs me. Walk around, explore. I’ll find you later.”
He was leaving me alone? I opened my mouth, but Huck was already striding away.
It was clear which one was Garrett Hughes. It wasn’t the fact that he was very handsome. As in movie-star attractive. That aside, power seemed to radiate from him. It was as if his mere presence demanded respect. Was Blaise like that? Trev definitely was not. He was easy to be around. He made me laugh. Nothing about Trev Hughes was like the man Huck was now speaking to.
Garrett turned to walk back toward the house, and Huck followed him, along with the other man. I felt lost. Glancing around, looking for a familiar face, I took several more sips of my drink.
“We’ve not been introduced,” a male voice said to my right.
I spun around, startled to see a very clean-cut, tattoo-free, shaven blond man smiling at me. He had no rough edges, much like Trev. He could have been a former frat boy. Privilege and money oozed from him.
“Uh, no, we haven’t,” I replied, forcing a smile.
He held out his hand. “Jasper Dillard,” he said. “Hughes Farm boards our thoroughbred horses.”
I slipped my hand into his. “Trinity Bennett,” I replied.
“Are you just here as a date? Or do you have a connection to the Hughes family?” he asked.
We shook hands, and I pulled mine free, although he’d tried to hold it a moment longer than was necessary.
“A date,” I replied, not sure how to explain how I was connected to the family. Did I say my fiancé had been a Kingston or that I cooked and cleaned for three of Garrett’s men or that I was fucking Huck Kingston? Yeah, I wasn’t going to get into any of that.
“Huck, correct? I saw you with him when you arrived. You’re hard to miss.” Jasper was flirting.
“Yes,” I replied and took another sip of my champagne.
“Since it seems he’s occupied, would you do me the honor of a dance?”
