Chapter Four: Ella

Ella

A soft giggle from the dark on the path outside the barn caught her attention. Jace and Ella froze, their lips so close Ella could feel his breath. The soft sound of high-heels on rock steps brought her down from the happy high she was on. The giggles grew louder along with a “let’s check that barn again.”

Speak of the devil.

They stopped, a breath away from what promised to be an amazing kiss.

The magic spell that wove them together evaporated like mist on the wind. Suddenly, they were just two strangers standing a little too close.

“They're back,” Jace said, his shoulders creeping up and his eyes darkening. He released her, but kept his hands on her waist as he stepped back, moving closer to the shadowed corner of the stall. “I wish they would just leave me alone.”

His voice was calm and even, but Ella could sense the desperation seeping into his words. She didn't know how she knew it- from the outside he looked perfectly calm and collected, yet somehow she knew.

“You really don't want them to find you, do you?” she murmured, more to herself that to him.

“You have no idea.” His blue eyes pleaded with hers. “It's absolute torture to be around them. Please.”

“Don't worry. I'll be your knight in shining armor.” She smiled softly. As if she could say no to him and those eyes, especially after he had just told her that her dreams weren't crazy. She reluctantly pulled away from his touch. “Stay low in the stall.”

Her words had barely left and his head ducked down when the beautiful blonde's face popped out of the dark and into the warmly lit barn. Perfectly long-lashed eyes glanced disdainfully around the barn's interior. Her manicured hand moved from the barn door and she carefully wiped it on the hem of her short dress as though simply touching the barn had dirtied her.

Ella stepped out of the stall, taking her time to walk toward the intruding woman. “Can I help you?”

“You sure you haven't seen a tall, dark, and devilishly good-looking man wandering around here?” the blonde purred. She gave Ella a once over glance from head to toe, contempt flowing from her perfect doe-eyes. She waved a dismissive hand. “If you'd even notice that kind of thing.”

Ella's own hand went to her hair, smoothing it back in her ponytail. A piece of straw came out in her fingers and she tried not to blush as she tossed it on the floor. Raising her chin up a little higher, she locked eyes with the blonde and motioned to the two occupied stalls behind her.

“The only good-looking males in here are in those stalls. So, unless you're looking for a stallion, I'd look elsewhere.” She smiled so sweetly her teeth hurt. “Maybe try the bar.”

The blonde rolled her eyes and it took everything Ella had not to throw a handful of hay at her. Dislike rolled through Ella's stomach, but she kept the polite smile plastered on her face. Customer service was everything.

“Come on, girls. We have better places to be” The blonde glanced around one last time, letting out a contemptuous sniff. “Hang around here much longer and we'll end up smelling like the help.”

Ella held her smile so hard her jaw hurt. “Have a nice evening. Enjoy your stay at Blue Lake Inn and Resort.”

The women teetered away, still looking like they were about to topple over on the uneven cobblestones. For a moment, Ella wished they'd fall and break their necks before feeling bad. They were still guests. They could just break their heels. No injury needed.

The blonde lead the way, her chest puffed out and her hair perfect. Her voice carried in the warm darkness, heavy and full of intent. “Don't worry, girls. We'll find him. No bride is keeping that man out of my bed.”

Classy, thought Ella. One of them giggled, high pitched and over-the-top girly. It made Ella want to vomit. If Delores held a class on how to gold-dig one's way into riches, the blonde and her friends would have gotten top marks.

“They don't know anything,” Ella whispered to herself, taking in a deep calming breath as she slid the barn doors shut. The evening air was cool and refreshing, but she didn't want the catty women coming back any time soon. “And I don't smell.”

She took in one more big deep breath before turning around. Better people had said worse about her. She was used to being the brunt of someone else's joke. She wasn't about to let those awful women get the best of her.

“Stallion, huh?” Jace's head popped up over the stall door along with Commander's and then Captain's. Her laugh came out easily and smooth. It had been a long time since someone made her laugh with just two words. The stress melted from her shoulders without her thinking about it. Jace winked at her. “Considering both these horses are geldings...”

“Oh, shut up,” Ella replied, knowing that her cheeks were burning scarlet. She hadn't thought about her choice of words. Neither horse was a stallion anymore. The only “real” male in the barn was Jace. “At least they don't know anything about horses.”

Jace laughed. It was an easy, wonderful sound that sent her heart tumbling. I could listen to that laugh all day, Ella thought. Instantly, her brain was searching for something clever or funny to say, just to hear him laugh like that again.

She was going to have to ask him for his room number. He would be the very first guest that she ever approached like that, but the way he smiled, the sound of his laughter... she wanted more. A few minutes in the barn hiding from predatory women wasn't enough. She was even willing to risk her stepmother's disapproval, and that meant something.

Ella opened her mouth, ready to ask the question. What room are you staying in? Can I see you again? Want to groom the horses again tomorrow? Each sounded lamer than the last, but she knew she had to do something. Jace was wonderful and it was no wonder the blonde and her little group of fiends wanted to find him.

Yet, something was wrong with this image. Fantastic, handsome, wonderful men didn't fall into Ella's lap. There had to be something she was missing, something that didn't fit. Fate loved screwing with her too much to let something as obviously good as Jace just happen to her.

No bride is keeping that man out of my bed... The blonde had said that. It was an odd phrase. She would just have to ask Jace what she had meant. Ella frowned, trying to place the name from the wedding guest list. Jace... She'd been over the guest list a thousand times and there wasn't a Jace listed. However, the groom for the wedding tomorrow was named Jason. Jace would be an easy nickname. It also made the blonde's “soon-to-be-ineligible bachelor” comment make a lot more sense.

The realization hit her like a punch to the stomach.

He was the groom.

And she had almost just kissed him.