Page 51 of Jonathon, After All

She made an irritated sound. “It’s so tedious, but it would say just as much about you if you don’t go out with someone while you’re here.”

“I know,” he said and let her check his hair once more, tuning her and the evening out.

If Leo went to an event like Cannes alone, people would assume he was taken or calling attention to his bachelorhood for a reason. Why in the world would a man like the Margrave of Hessen not take a date to one of the most celebrity and star-studded events in the world? Arm candy was practically mandatory if you weren’t in one of the films and escorting a costar.

“He’s perfect, Leo. Everyone will think you’re a striking couple but no one will expect a peep out of either of you because you’re both so boring.” She flashed him a sweet smile and batted her eyelashes.

“Good, because I’m not participating in any other stunts,” he warned.

“I wouldn’t know what to do if you did do something brash,” Sabine had replied.

Cannes had been a success and Leo had actually enjoyed his fake dates with Sandringham. They went to dinner twice and attended a premiere and had discovered a shared love of horses. The following spring, Sandringham had visited one of Leo’s stud farms in Austria with his partner, Carlos. They had purchased a mare and Leo often had drinks with them whenever he was in London.

Deep down, Leo had hoped that Jonathon might get jealous and have a change of heart once the pictures from Cannes began to make their way across the internet. He was ready to explain that it had all been for publicity and that Leo had a much better plan for him and Jonathon. They hadn’t just talked about horses, Leo had also peppered Sandringham with questions about how he and Carlos made their relationship work while keeping it under the media’s radar.

The opportunity never arose, unfortunately, and shortly after his date with Sandringham, Sabine informed Leo that Jonathon had “officially” moved on. Leo had asked her to check Jonathon’s social media accounts to see if he had mentioned seeing anything noteworthy at Cannes.

“I’m not seeing anything about Cannes,” she said with a sour, pinched expression. “I wish I was seeing less.”

“Why?” Leo had asked, reaching for the phone, but she danced back and shook her head.

“You don’t want to see this, dearest,” she said gently.

A wave of nausea hit Leo and he breathed through it, blinking as his eyes blurred and burned. “What is it?”

She cleared her throat as she scrolled, her eyes widening. “He’s…not alone in some of these and he’s clearly…engaging in…intimate activities,” she managed and had to fan her face. It had turned bright red.

“No. I don’t want to see that,” he agreed and headed for his room. “Cancel my plans for tonight.”

“Leo!” she wailed.

“I said cancel them. I will do as you wish tomorrow, but tonight I need to be alone. Go in my place if you like. Make up any reason you wish.”

He had spent the whole night alone, watching the sunset and pondering all the things he could have done differently, regretting that he hadn’t listened to his gut and fought to hang onto Jonathon. Leo spent the next four and a half months on autopilot until he received a warning from Sandringham that he was trading PR favors with an American actor from an action hero franchise.

Enter Petra Becker.

They “met” at Paris Fashion Week and Leo had made an honest attempt with the world famous, semi-retired supermodel. She was Austrian and an environmental and animal rights activist. The media had applauded because Petra was forty-two, but Leo thought that she was out of his league. Petra had the innate poise and elegance of Grace Kelly and there were times when Leo felt insecure, she was so witty and well-read.

She had wanted it to work as well. Beloved by her home country and the Foundation, Petra had aspirations to be the next archduchess. Her motives weren’t purely strategic and altruistic like Leo’s, though. Petra hoped to use her position to help several environmental causes, but she also wanted to be like Grace Kelly and revered as a princess. And she wanted to be a mother and serve as a working royal. After the tragedy of Ella, she seemed like the answer to Leo’s romantic prayers.

There was just one catch: Leo didn’t want her.

He had tried and certain parts of Leo were attracted to Petra when they kissed, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. She had invited him up to her hotel room when they traveled together to the Paris Climate Conference but Leo had choked.

“I have had a lovely night, but I should leave,” he said as he attempted to peel her off of him and make an escape.

“Is there something I’m not doing right?” she had asked him, her fingers walking down his chest and stomach. Leo groaned as she cupped his hard-on, shaking his head.

“It isn’t you, meine Perle,” he said and grabbed her wrists.

“Is there someone else?”

Leo hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “There’s someone I’m not ready to let go of.”

“Oh.” Petra smirked and scoffed. “I’m not a child, Leo. I understand that men like yourself are accustomed to keeping their…friends,” she said with a disinterested flap of her hand. “And it’s not as if I can’t find friends of my own if I should find myself in need of company.”

“No.” Leo set her away from him and retreated. “My mother would be so disappointed and I’ve seen how a life of lies can eat away at you.”

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