by Toni Aleo
“Miss Lena.”
“What do you want?”
I don’t miss the annoyance on her face as she tries to keep up with me. “Your ma told me to go over your schedule.”
“I know my schedule,” I inform her, trying to get away from her, but she has longer legs than me, and she’s quite quick. “I don’t need to go over it.”
“Nevertheless,” she says, ignoring me. “Franco will be here at nine for hair and makeup, Fadmish ladies are at ten, and you have that ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new music room at the high school at one. Then the doctors will be here at four.”
My heart jumps up in my throat at the thought of being at the school. I know security will be there. I know that if I wanted Declan there, he’d go, but I have to do this. I have to do what I promised my ma. Swallowing hard, I can’t shake the fear.
What if he is there?
What if he sees me?
What if he comes for me?
Shaking my head, I bite out, “I know all of this.”
“Grand. Have a nice day, Miss Lena.”
“Thanks,” I mumble as she stops, and I keep going down the stairs, taking them as fast as I can. I just want to leave. I don’t want to worry about this and that. I want to be free of this. Of all my responsibilities. I want to ride.
And I want to see Jackson.
When I reach the stables, he’s there, the horses ready while he stands in a pair of jeans and pully. “Ya didn’t have to work this morning?”
He shakes his head as he walks toward me. “I thought I did, but I didn’t.”
“But ya came in to ride with me?”
“I told you I would.” He sends me a grin before handing Belle’s reins to me. “You look pretty.”
I take the reins and bite my lip as I look at him. “I look a mess.”
“Perfect to me.” Speechless, I watch as he mounts MaddyLoo before looking over at me. “You know how to get on right?”
I send him a dry look. “I’m not an eejit.”
He laughs as I mount Belle. I haven’t been on her alone in years, but as soon as I am, it feels right. I can feel her lungs expand and contract between my legs, her steady and strong breath. It gives me life, and it calms me immediately.
When I glance over at him, it’s like he knows. “Feels good?”
I exhale in relief as I nod. “I missed this.”
“Right? Let’s go.” Without even a glance back at me, he kicks MaddyLoo to go, and they take off.
“All right, girl, let’s go.” When I nudge her to go, she starts at a slow trot, but then I think she notices that MaddyLoo and Jackson are so far ahead, so she picks up the pace. When I urge her a bit more, she goes faster, and everything disappears. As the air rushes against my face, I can’t help but grin as we gallop toward Jackson and MaddyLoo. We don’t catch up to Jackson since he is riding MaddyLoo hard, and I’m actually okay with that. I want to ride hard and fast, and Belle delivers. I feel like I’m on a high and drunk at the same time. The freedom of being on Belle is unbelievable, and I doubt anyone could catch me if they tried. My hair is blowing behind me, my eyes are watering from the air hitting me in the face, but none of that matters.
I’m having the time of my life.
I know my land. I’ve been here my whole life, but riding with Jackson through the places he has found almost makes it all feel new. I hadn’t realized there were more creeks toward the back or even more fairy homes. I almost fall off my horse laughing when I watch him dodge them, glancing back at me with wide eyes. He is crazy for sure. But of course, I avoid them too.
Ya don’t mess with the fairy homes.
As we go around where Declan and Amberlyn live, I smile. I haven’t seen the cottage since it was built, and it looks just as Declan wanted. A little romantic oasis for them. God, how I envy them. No one has ever not lived in our home when they were married and making babies. But Amberlyn made sure of it. She wanted it to be just them, and I am in awe of her. Or maybe more so with Declan because he went against every tradition to give Amberlyn what she wanted.
When we reach the bottom of the hill, Jackson slows and I do the same, coming to a trot beside him. He glances over at me and grins.
“What?”
“Your hair has come down.”
I wave him off. “I don’t care. This is amazing.”
“Right?” His grin is unstoppable. “See how you’re in control?”
I did see that. Belle listened to me. She went when I wanted her to go. She stopped when I wanted her to stop. I wanted her to go to the left, she went. I was in control. “Yeah, but she’s a beast of an animal. I’m not even a quarter of her weight. She can take over at any time.”
He nods, his eyes tender. “Exactly, and can you control that?”
I am a bit confused as I make a face. “No.”
“Just like in life, some things are out of your control. But when you can control them, you take them by the reins, and you rock that shit, eh?”
I smile, and I’m trying to ignore the Jedi mind tricks he has going as I look to him. “That’s the first time I’ve heard ya sound a bit like a Canadian.”
He laughs, loud and hearty. “It comes out every once in a while.”
Meeting him with a grin, I shrug. “It’s sexy.”
His face warms a little as he shakes his head. Almost like he is trying to resist me, which I find incredibly hot. “You ready?”
I replay everything he had just said. I’m not sure how he knew I needed this. How I needed his words or this ride, but I did. Running my fingers through Belle’s mane, I feel at ease. For the last couple weeks, I’ve been on high alert.
Except for now, when I’m on Belle.
Or when I’m with Jackson.
While the anxiety is there, I’m not worried about the ribbon-cutting thing over at the school. Because I’m in control of my life. I’ve made sure I have security, and that alone should keep me at ease. I doubt I’ll even see him. No one has. Which is grand.
“Yeah. Let’s go!” I exclaim, kicking Belle to go, and she takes off, like the champ she is. As I ride, the wind in my face, my hair falling out of my braid, I feel free. The fear isn’t there, suffocating me. I’m not thinking of anything but my body rocking on this beast of an animal that I love. When I glance at Jackson, he’s riding with gusto, standing as he rides MaddyLoo, looking like one of those western cowboys. His face has more hair on it, and I’m wondering if he’s lost his razor. But that’s not what has me gasping for air. No, it’s his grin. He looks as free as I feel. He’s beyond sexy, and I’m not a hundred percent sure how he’s done it, or if he even realizes he is, but he’s helping me.
When I thought there was nothing that could help at all.
While I sit in the car outside of the high school, my knee is bouncing like mad.
My heart is in my throat.
And I feel like my skin is tingling.
But not in a good way.
Biting my knuckle, I look at the school that looks as safe as a school can. My parents had this school built from the ground up. They keep adding stuff, mainly because Amberlyn pushes for it. She wants the kids of Mayo to have everything they need, and with her help and persistence, it’s happening. It’s a beautiful thing, and I wish I weren’t freakin’ the fuck out, but I am.
“Miss Lena, are ya ready?”
“No, sorry.”
“It’s fine, madam.” I watch as my driver, Phil, picks up his phone, playing on it as I look back out at the school. My security detail is outside the car, standing as tall as Jackson with their arms crossed over their bodies as they wait. People have gathered around the school and my car. I know no one has seen me in a good long while, and they want their look at the whore princess.
That’s my new name, apparently.
Such rubbish.
Swallowing hard, I look down at my cream dress that cuts down in the front but comes to my knees. It’s tight around my waist, fitted along my thighs, while billowing out at
the top. My hair is bone-straight down my back, and I’m made-up to the nines. I have more jewels on than needed, but Ma always says, “they show our worth.” Bunch of bollocks, I think, but I do as she wants.
I have no desire to go into that school. The day hasn’t been awful. After the amazing ride with Jackson, I had tea with the Fadmish ladies, which basically consisted of them firing questions at me left and right. I deflected just fine, ignoring them mostly as I sipped my tea. But they had brought my ma some things, which Ma enjoyed immensely. Seeing her face light up was nice, but knowing that we’d know today when her surgery was had me a bit on edge.
Rubbing my hands together, I then lace my fingers as I look back at the school. Ah, how I wish I were on my horse. With Jackson. If I close my eyes, I can almost feel myself on Belle. The air. The sky. Watching Jackson and feeling nothing but perfect.
Take the reins and rock that shit, eh?
A smile pulls at my lips as I take a breath. Opening my eyes, I look around once more. My security is right there, the school is only a twenty-foot walk.
I am fine.
He can’t touch me.
“I’m ready, Phil.”
He drops his phone once I speak, jumping out and opening the door for me. Taking my hand, he helps me out, which I’m thankful for since my heels are sky-high as usual. Once I am upright, the flashes start, and people are talking so loudly I can hardly hear anything but my heart going mad in my chest.
Princess, are the rumors true?
When is the baby due?
When is Micah moving back?
How many men have you really been with?
I ignore them all, though, a smile on my face with my chin high as I walk confidently to the school. I wave to the children; I even shake the hands of the people who reach out to me. Because I am the Whiskey Princess.
And no one can take that away from me.
Not even myself.
Against my better judgment, I can’t get Lena out of my head.
I can still see her on the back of Belle, riding with no cares in the world. Man, what a beautiful sight. She was magnificent, she was, and it still has my stomach in knots. I wanted so badly to pull her off her horse and lay her in the grass once more. Take her sweet face in my hands and kiss her until I couldn’t anymore, until the need to be inside her took over, and everything else didn’t seem to matter.
God, I wanted her.
But I had to take a step backward.
While my need for her is great, I have to think of her. She’s hurting. Over what, I have no clue, and I refuse to believe anything that comes out of the mouth of anyone in the town. I want to hear from her what is wrong or even what happened. I don’t dare bring it up; I want her to tell me. I don’t want to pry, I don’t want to make her feel like she has to come clean because, honestly, as much as it may help her, she doesn’t have to. It has to be what she wants because it’s her life.
I run my hands across my face as I wait for the plates to come up. No matter what I do, my mind revolves around her, and that’s bad. When I look at her, when she gives me that smile or that little tip of her chin, I feel like I could fall so hard for her. I think I knew that too, going in. When I went up to the hotel with her back in London, I knew she would be absolute and utter trouble on my heart. I knew that the pull between us was dangerous, but I couldn’t resist. I had to have her. Mostly because I thought I’d never see her again, but boy was I wrong.
But falling for Lena O’Callaghan can’t happen.
I am leaving in a little over two months.
I have things to do, places to see, and no matter how amazing and beautiful and smart she is, I know I can’t stay here for her. She can’t leave, not with all the expectations of her. Plus, what do I think? She’d want to be with a bartender slash horse groom slash whatever else I decide to do? She is a damn princess, for fuck’s sake, and we are just having fun. No matter how much that hurts, it’s the reality of this, and I have to remember that, not get lost in her the way I really want to.
“Hey, Jackson, can you grab those plates now and stop the daydreamin’?”
I look over at where Fiona is glaring at me. Glancing back at the pickup window, I notice all the plates are there. She is gonna kill me. “My bad.”
Reaching for them, she yells, “And now ya wonder why I don’t leave ya alone! Yer head’s in the clouds. Do you have the ADD?”
I scoff. “No, Fiona. Though, one tutor said I did when I was younger.”
She throws her hands up. “I agree. Yer always off in yer head, staring out at the window. I’m gonna fire ya!”
It’s the third time this week she’s said that, and truth be told, no one has ever said that to me. But I came here, fell under Lena’s spell, and I may lose my job.
“Don’t listen to her, Jackson. She will not,” Mrs. Maclaster calls to me from the end of the bar. “She’s a liar. She needs ya, even if yer in yer head.”
I smile over at her as I pass the plates to two tables. “I wasn’t too worried.”
Fiona glares. “Ya should be.”
I chuckle as one of the patrons grabs my wrist. “Yer too good, boy, she won’t.”
“I will too!” Fiona yells, and everyone just laughs while Kane bounces Novelly on his hip.
“Ah, hush it, woman. You won’t. You like him too much.”
“When his head ain’t in the clouds!”
I just laugh along with everyone else as I go back to work. She’s right. I am in my head, and it’s no one’s fault but my own. I just can’t shake Lena. I wonder where she is. What she’s doing. I wish I had given her my number, maybe then she’d text me. I know she had some ribbon-cutting thing today, and I’m curious if it went well. But then, how hard is it to cut some ribbon? I still wonder, though. Even if it makes me an idiot.
Or an eejit.
I smile to myself. I love how she talks. I love how she laughs.
I really should just stay away.
Fuck.
Shaking my head, I go to the bar, wiping it down as my little old buddies sit down.
“Where is Mickey?”
“Ah, his lady told him he couldn’t come,” Trip informs me as I put a mug full of ale in front of him.
“Yeah, so he’s gonna be late,” Ribby adds with a grin before reaching for his mug. “She’s gotta fall asleep, then he’ll join us.”
“You guys are troublemakers,” I tease, and they nod.
“Fair play, Jackson,” Ribby laughs, and I just smile as I go to the POS to put their orders in to start a tab. They come in almost every night, holding up the end of the bar, and they always make my night. They’re just three old dudes that have a great time. I hope I’m like that one day. Having someone to drink with every night and shoot the shit with is the best, as they always tell me.
I ignore the fact that I’d love for Lena to be with me when I’m older, and I get back to work. It’s been a long night, and I’m dead on my feet. I wasn’t supposed to go in this morning, but I had to go ride with Lena, which meant I didn’t sleep in like I had planned to. So I was tired for sure.
“Not getting enough sleep?” Ribby calls to me, and I smile back to him.
“I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“I’d say not when the temp drops below freezing!”
I roll my eyes. They’ve been giving me shit for sleeping outside for a while now. “It wasn’t even that cold.”
“Ya know it’s gonna just get colder,” Kane calls to me, and when I glance over at him, Novelly is around his neck, playing in his hair with straws. He’s a damn good dad. As much as Fiona gives him shit for not marrying her, she could never say he doesn’t care for the baby. When he’s here, he has Novelly. “You should probably start staying in the housing. It’s nice. I used to stay there.”
I nod. “I will, maybe by the end of the week.”
He just shakes his head, and I swear someone calls me a phanny, but I don’t care. I love it outside. Is it cold? Oh, yes, yes, it i
s, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I really wanna take Lena out with me one night. Just her and me. It would be so romantic.
And really hot.
“Yer gonna get sick, Jackson,” Mrs. Maclaster says to me as she whizzes past with two plates in her hands.
“I’ll be fine. I’ll take those.”
She shakes her head. “It’s for me and Kane and baby Novelly.”
“Oh,” I say as she heads to where Kane is standing. “I’m honestly fine, everyone. It’s not bad.”
“Yer on the crack for sure,” Fiona calls to me from the back of the pub, and soon everyone is chuckling along. “As long as you don’t get sick and you keep showing up, sleep where ya want.”
“That’s my plan,” I call back to her, and she rolls her eyes as she cleans tables. I head to her, a rag in my hand. “I’ll do this. Go eat with your family.”
She pauses in front of me, patting my chest. “They’re right. I wouldn’t fire ya.”
Her eyes are tender, and I smile. “I know.”
She chuckles a bit as she walks away. “But yer still a big ole phanny.”
Of course, the phanny comment makes everyone in the pub laugh, and I just keep cleaning. I don’t mind being the butt of their jokes. I know they don’t mean it, and everyone here has come to care for me, as I have for them. It’s been nice. It’s like a little family I never knew I had or wanted. Or needed.
As I clean the table, the laughter is in abundance, more jokes flying, but as I head to the bar, the room falls silent. Like, eerily silent. Looking around, I’m confused, until I hear the door shut from the front. I look toward it, and I see Lena standing there in all her elegant beauty.
I’m surprised I stay upright.
She’s wearing a thin cream dress, hanging on her breasts as it dips down in the front, but is loose everywhere else. The dress hugs her ass and her thighs, touching the top of her knees as her nude heels make her seem way taller than she is. Her hair is straight and silky, down her shoulders and her back. The diamonds she wears around her neck and from her ears are so damn big, I’m sure I’ve never seen anything bigger. Even with all the makeup and those diamonds, it’s the sparkle in the blue depths of her eyes that knocks the air clean out of me.