Summary: At the barn raise, Jade struggles to deal with watching Liam and Madeleine together, while others begin to wonder if there’s something more than friendship going on between Drake and her.
Jade arrived at the barn raise and talked to the press as instructed by her press secretary.”You’re a natural. This will be the easiest job I’ve ever had.” Justin beamed.
“Thank you.” She curtsies playfully, making Justin and Maxwell laugh. Not far from her, a group of reporters surrounded Liam and Madeleine.
“Are you happy to be engaged?” Donny Brine asked.
“I’m so happy to be with my Liam.” Madeleine flashes a broad smile, taking Liam’s hands.
“I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else,” Liam says, smiling. Jade breathes heavily.
“I’m sorry you had to see that, Little Blossom. How are you feeling?” Maxwell looked at Jade sadly.
“Like my dreams were crushed by wrecking ball.” She looked over. Liam and Madeleine posed for photos holding hands, waving to the crowd. “He said he didn’t like her, but he looks so… content with her.”
“He’s just giving what the people want to see, Jade.”
Jade didn’t seem convinced. But there was nothing she could do at the point, the press was all there, Cordonian citizens were helping to build the barn. She had to wait for another moment to talk to him. She decided to stay with Drake lifting up the beam, but it was a complicated decision to standby. Drake was shirtless and she couldn’t concentrate on her activities everytime he flexed his arms to redirect the beam. Thankfully, Marabelle was doing all the heavy lifting.
“Come on, girl. Right, this way. Yes, what powerful girl you are.” Jade rubbed Marabelle as she guided her forward.
“Hey, let’s take a break now,” Drake said. “We can go back in 15.”
“Okay.” She redirected Marabelle to a bowl of water and placed a bucket full of vegetables and fruits on the side of the bench she was sitting on. Marabelle finished drinking and Jade began to feed her, petting her horse.
“I know she’s yours, but I didn’t know you liked horses so much.” Drake approached her, drying his chest with a towel.
“My grandmother had a ranch and I used to ride some of her horses, but I never had one.” She said, petting her horse, avoiding eye contact with him. Just then, they look over to see Kiara struggling to carry a large beam on her own and it falls over her.
“Oh my God! Kiara!” Jade yells. They run into Kiara’s direction, Drake lifts up the beam and Jade helps her up. “Are you okay?”
“Oui, oui…” Kiara looks at Drake’s athletic body glistening from sweat and blushes. “Thank you, Drake.”
“You can’t carry all that weight on your own. You should find someone to help you.” Drake said.
“Yes… I should try to find someone stronger. Like you.” Kiara gapes at Drake’s abs and he gives her a half smile. Jade looks between the two of them, stifling a smile and walks away discreetly, heading towards Marabelle. She was feeding an apple to her horse when Drake came back.
“I didn’t see you leaving.”
“Of course you didn’t. You were too busy flirting with Kiara,” Jade replied ironically.
“I was just helping her until Penelope returned.”
“Couldn’t flirt with Kiara anymore because Penelope was there?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Are you jealous?” Drake smiled sardonically at her.
“Me? You should ask your girlfriend over there.” Jade nodded towards Kiara, who fumed as she looked at them. “I’m sure I’m already laying in a pool of my own blood in her head.”
Drake laughed. “You girls are way too possessive.”
“You really are talking to the wrong person, Walker.” She looked over the barn and spotted Madeleine giving water to Liam in his mouth.
Drake looked at Jade, then at the barn. “Uh huh. Sure.”
…
From the first floor of the barn, Liam wiped the sweat from his neck as he watched Jade talking to Drake. He knows they’re friends. He sort of pushed them into it, but are they really just friends?
“Is your lover already misbehaving? Aww…” Madeleine whispered in his ear smiling. They were surrounded by servants and guards.
Liam faked a smile and leaned closer to her. “I’m not worried about them. You, on the other hand, should be more concerned with doing what you were told and stop boring me.”
Madeleine took a deep breath, throwing her hair back. “What makes you think I’m not? I’m here, smiling and pretending to whisper sweet nothings on your ear for the cameras while you stare at your mistress drooling over your best friend.”
Liam chuckled. “Yes, keep talking to your king like that. That will do wonders for your future.” He squeezed Madeleine’s hand gently, lowering his voice. “I’m not even surprised when Leo said the only way to endure with your presence is shutting you up. Unluckily, I don’t have his high tolerance to frivolities or his indiscriminate attraction for anything with breasts.” He kissed her cheek. “Now get away from me.”
Swallowing hard, Madeleine battled her lashes, faked a smile and walked away. Liam caught the sight of Jade looking at him and frowned. She probably thinks he was actually flirting with Madeleine. “Bastien, can you ask Lady Hana and Lord Maxwell to join me for a moment? I also need you to clear the room.”
“Yes, sir.” Bastien bowed. A few moments later, Hana and Maxwell walked in greeting Liam. He motioned for them to step closer as Bastien took the servants away.
“What’s up, Li?” Maxwell beamed.
“Can you both help me finding a way to talk to Jade later?”
“Sure. What do you want us to do?” Hana smiled broadly.
A confident smile crossed Liam’s face. “I’m so glad you asked.”
