Page 137 of Once Upon a Holidate
She laughed. “Is he into younger women?”
“Since my grandmother died, he’s pretty much been playing the field.”
“Impressive.”
They drove through an older neighborhood with large homes on big lots. At the end of the street was the biggest house. There was a long driveway with a dozen or so cars parked on one side. Cade parked at the end and turned to face her.
“You start to freak out, just come find me. I’ll change the subject to hoof rot or bloat and that will gross out my mother, who will make a big fuss and forget what she was saying before.”
Bethany thought about all the state functions she’d survived. She doubted anyone in Cade’s family was even close to as tedious as some of the diplomats she’d been seated next to.
“Thank you for that lovely offer. I think I’ll be fine.”
“I’m sure you will be. Just know there’s an escape hatch.”
“Which is an interesting thing to call hoof rot.”
He flashed her a smile that made her throat tighten and her knees go weak. Maybe it was the little scar by his eyebrow or the chiseled lines of his jaw. Regardless, Cade was one intriguing man. If only he was into women who had yet to figure out what to do with their lives, oh, and who happened to be princesses.
She got out of the cab and started for the front door. As they climbed the porch steps, Cade put his hand on the small of her back.
“Just remember, my hoof rot stories are all yours,” he said quietly before opening the door.
“And people say chivalry is dead.”
He was still chuckling when they walked into the house.
Bethany had a brief impression of a spacious foyer and beautiful curved staircase. She and Cade followed the sound of conversation into a large living room.
At first glance she would have sworn there were at least fifty people sitting, circulating and talking, but then she realized there were maybe twenty or twenty-five. She recognized Pallas sitting on the arm of a club chair, her hand on the shoulder ofthe man next to her. A woman in her fifties with her brown hair in a tight bun detached herself from the group and approached them.
“You made it,” she greeted Cade, smiling, then turned so he could kiss her cheek.
“Hi, Mom. This is Beth Smith. I told you about her. She’s an American working in El Bahar. She works in the El Baharian royal stables and came with the stallion I purchased. Beth, my mother, Libby Saunders.”
“Mrs. Saunders, it’s so nice to meet you. Thank you for your gracious invitation.”
Cade’s mother looked her over in a second. From the slight twist to her mouth, she was obviously unimpressed. “Libby, please. So, you work in a stable?”
Cade stiffened. “Mom, it’s not like that. Beth has a lot of responsibility. Rida’s a big deal and Beth’s the one who makes the decision whether he stays or not. And it’s a royal stable.”
Libby’s expression didn’t change at all. “But you do work in a stable?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Libby linked arms with her son. “We have those cheese puffs you like so much, but don’t fill up on them before dinner. Cook outdid herself this year. I’m sure it’s because you’re home. You know I was talking to one of my sorority sisters the other day. She mentioned her middle daughter is single. I think you’d like Kimberly. She’s in her last year of residency. She’s a pediatrician.”
They moved out of earshot. Bethany stayed where she was, reveling in the sense of being just like everyone else. Cade’s mother had totally dismissed her because of her job. It was both sad and wildly funny. No wonder he’d warned her about Libby.
Pallas rushed over to her. “OMG! I’m so sorry. My mom is...” She pressed her lips together. “It’s the holidays. I won’t say what she is, but I’m thinking it really, really loud.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Bethany told her. “I promise I’m totally fine.” Mostly because if Libby knew the truth, she would be beyond mortified. Bethany’s own mother would tell her this was the price she paid for deceiving people, but Bethany was okay with that. She would rather be dissed than fawned over any day.
“Come meet Nick, then let’s get champagne. Mom went all out with the good stuff. It’s because Cade is back. He’s so her favorite.”
“You sound okay with that.”
“I love him, too, so it’s hard to be mad. Plus, I’m happy with my life. That makes it easier to deal with her. Nick, this is Beth Smith. I told you about her.”
