Page 48 of Hats off to Love

“I’ve never been to your office,” I tell him as the doors open and we step outside, the cool spring air instantly wrapping around us.

“No, you haven’t. Once the Derby has passed, you should come and meet me for lunch one day. I can show you how small and boring it is.”

“Do you at least have a window?” I tease, and one corner of his mouth tips up.

“I do have that.”

“Stokes!” Mr. Collier, the man who hosted the party at his house, shouts when he spots him.

Instantly, Stokes tenses, straightening so he’s taller, and his hand becomes viselike around mine. A thought occurs to me: maybe it isn’t so much what he’s doing that he wants to be different, but who it is he’s working for that is really the problem.

“So glad you decided to come,” he says with a big toothy grin—that is until he spots me and his expression briefly falls. “And I see you brought your friend again.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Stokes asks with a slight edge to his tone. “Rosie, you remember my boss, Dean Collier.” He steps closer to me. “Dean, my girlfriend, Rosie.”

Girlfriend.

My heart flutters. I’m getting way too used to how this sounds.

“I do. Thank you again for inviting us.” I release Stokes’s hand and wrap my arm around his waist. He follows suit, wrapping his around my shoulders. “It was a lovely party, and we had a wonderful time,” I tell him, making sure he understands that there is no Stokes and his friend, that we are an us.

Suzy flounces up beside her father and basically sneers when she sees me then turns it on when she looks at Stokes. I mean do these two even realize how obvious they are? It’s awful.

“Stokes! You made it. Oh my God, you have to try this drink, it’s delicious.” She’s holding two glasses and shoves one in his direction. Both of us recoil—there on the edge of the glass is a slice of orange.

His fingers dig into me, and I reach out and take the glass from her. She frowns but relinquishes it to not be rude in front of her father.

“Ah, thanks for bringing this to us. It looks delicious, but Stokes and I aren’t drinking tonight. We both have an early morning tomorrow.” I release Stokes to set the glass down on a nearby cocktail table then return to him. Suzy watches me and glowers as we’ve snubbed her offering.

“Really? On a Sunday?” Mr. Collier asks, eyeing us both. “Do tell.” Why our personal life is any of his business, I have no idea, but to keep the peace, Stokes indulges the question while running his hand up and down my back. Does he realize he’s doing this? I have no idea, but it feels amazing.

“Obviously, Rosie will be working in her shop, and the television crew is coming out to get some film of Ace, the farm, and the family.”

Every year, a crew comes out to make a short bio of the farm and whatever horse is racing in the Derby. They do this for the top five horses based on points earned over the preseason to qualify for the race.

“Oh, it’s too bad you won’t be there,” Suzy says to me in an overdramatic tone. “I’d love to be there to watch.” She smiles up at Stokes.

He squeezes me closer to him. “The farm is closed to visitors until after the Derby,” Stokes says, his annoyed scowl dropping into place.

This is news to me, though I understand limiting Ace’s contact with people, and this must be something else they decided on last night while he was meeting with the farm management team and security. The petty part of me is smiling on the inside. I’m also very pleased to know they will be stopping the tours.

“Oh!” I turn a little toward him to place my hand on his chest. Hazel eyes lock with mine, and my stomach swirls at his nearness. “Your mother wanted me to remind you that we are all wearing shades of blue tomorrow, not green.”

“But he just said you wouldn’t be there,” Suzy interjects, annoyance laced throughout her tone.

“In the morning,” I state as if she’s the dumbest person ever. “I’ll be there for the family filming.”

At this, Suzy gives off a slight pout, and Mr. Collier frowns. The shine that was in his eyes dulls as he takes in the two of us, like really takes us in. He’s a smart man; in his mind, he’s conceding and realizing his dreams of Stokes and Suzy will never happen. Unfortunately, his daughter has not gotten the memo.

Mr. Collier claps Stokes on the arm and says, “Sounds exciting, my boy. We look forward to watching that horse of yours run.”

Stokes’s fingers dig into my arm. “Thank you. So do we.”

“Enjoy the fireworks,” he says before he wanders off to speak to another member of their firm. Too bad he didn’t drag his daughter along with him.

“Stokes, did you see us in the Tea today?” she asks, all excited.

“Unfortunately,” he deadpans.