“Let me take her,” he said, reaching for the rope.
“I’m fine,” Cassie quipped.
Damn if she’s not turnin’ into that impatient, pigheaded, fussy girl I first met.
“No, you’re not, and I want Shelby to have a nice, easy load. You need to disappear while I get her in the trailer. Now scoot.”
Cassie was about to challenge him, but the look in his eye told her to do as he said.
“Okay, sorry, Chad,” she nodded.
Taking the rope, he languidly led Shelby from the barn, and Cassie, walking beside him, began skipping alongside.
“I’m gonna work her a little bit in the round pen. I suggest you take a walk and burn off some of that excess energy, or I’ll be more than happy to spank it out of you,” he warned.
She frowned, staring up at him.
“Am I really that bad?” she asked.
“Yep, you are. Now go do something else while I get his little mare sorted out,” he said firmly. “Meet me in the front of the house in about twenty minutes. I don’t wanna see you until then, are we clear?”
“Okay,” she nodded. “Sorry, I didn’t realize. I’m just excited.”
“Be excited after you win, right now you need to keep it together.”
“I’ll see you in front of the house,” she agreed, and started jogging up the driveway.
Already dressed in her breeches and show shirt, she ran into the house to get her boots and hunt coat.
Is he overreacting or am I really coming across as wired? Shit, I guess I kind of am. Man, I’d love a cigarette, that would calm me down. Shit.
Carrying her boots and jacket to the garden seat on the patio, she settled in to wait for Chad to arrive, and flashed back to their conversation the previous night. Chad had no idea just how difficult her early life had been.
I should tell him everything. I don’t know how we’re going to have a relationship with me living so far away, but I should tell him. I will, tonight, after dinner.
The decision helped settle her, and while she was always a bit nervy before a jumper class, she realized she’d been particularly anxious all morning. She was still pondering the correlation of the conversation about her mother, and her current state of anxiety, when she heard the sound of the approaching truck, and grabbing her boots and jacket, she hurried across the driveway.
“Shelby okay?” she asked, climbing into the cab and buckling her seat belt.
“She’s fine, it’s not her I’m worried about,” Chad replied.
“Sorry, I did feel more fried than usual,” she admitted.
“Do you feel better now?”
“I do, actually. Thanks.”
“Take a few deep breaths and stay that way,” he remarked, and slowly moved the truck and trailer towards the road.
The show grounds were buzzing, the three jumper classes the highlight of the five day event, and spectators were already pouring into the venue, hoping to find good seats to watch the action. The first class was already underway, but Cassie’s class, the last of the three, was the one most people were eager to watch. The jumps were the biggest and the competitors the finest. As they pulled around to the back of the stable, Randy was there to meet them.
“Hi there. Are you ready?” he asked, as Cassie climbed from the truck.
“Absolutely. I told Chad last night that I’m going to have a clean sweep.”
“You know you’ve got some fierce competition,” he reminded her.
“I know, but Shelby’s up for it, and so am I.”
“Just stay clean. Don’t worry about speed, let them make the mistakes.”
“Right,” she nodded.
Leaving them to their conversation, Chad unloaded the mare, and walked her over to join them.
“I still can’t believe you got that horse in a small trailer,” Randy remarked, shaking his head. “You are a miracle worker.”
“She’s a good girl. No horse wants to be bad. It’s usually just a misunderstanding.”
“I can’t wait to have you at my barn for the day,” Randy declared. “We definitely have some problem children.”
“Problem children are my speciality,” he chuckled. “Right Cassie?”
Cassie felt her face redden.
“Right, you’ve done wonders with Shelby,” she remarked, purposely staring at the horse, not back at him.
“We need to get her tacked up and over to the warm-up ring,” Randy declared. “The first class is about to finish, so we don’t have as much time as you might think.”
They headed into the barn aisle, and as Cassie and Randy got the mare ready, Chad’s phone rang, and seeing it was Marty he answered the call.
“Hey boss, just wanted to let you know I’m bringin’ Hannah over to watch Cassie’s ride.”
“I’ll let her know, thanks for callin’. I’m sure Cassie will be very happy about that. I assume everything went well last night?”
“For sure. The lesson was delivered and definitely learned.”
“You can leave the case in the kitchen. I’ll put it away when we get back.”
“Will do, and thanks again,” Marty said gratefully. “I guess we’ll see you soon.”
“Yep. See you when you get here.”
Finishing the call, he turned to see Shelby with her saddle on and ready to move out.
“That was Marty,” Chad informed her. “He’s bringin’ Hannah over.”
“That’s fantastic,” she beamed. “I’m so glad. Hannah and I were really looking forward to this, and I’m going to win it.”
“How did you do last year?” Chad asked.
“Third. We had time faults. Won’t happen again,” she vowed.
“Hey, Cassie,” Randy interrupted. “Like I said, stay clean.”
Cassie nodded, but Randy knew how headstrong she could be, and all he could do was advise.
The warm-up ring wasn’t busy, and while Cassie got her horse ready to jump, trotting and cantering and getting her attention, Randy set up some practice fences. Standing outside the ring Chad watched carefully, knowing that Randy had years of experience, and during his time as a competitor, jockeyed some of the most successful show jumpers in the state.
Cassie started over the jumps and Randy gave her small pointers, but Chad knew the devil was in the details, and by the time Randy had finished his short lesson, as far as Chad could tell, both Shelby and Cassie were flawless.
But his fear was still with him, and try as he might, he couldn’t shake it.
“Ride her around the grounds,” Randy suggested. “By the time you get back we should be able to walk the course.”
“Okay. See you in a bit,” she replied, and with Chad next to her, she started moving Shelby leisurely towards the dressage area.
“You two look great,” he commented.
“Thanks, she’s so relaxed,” Cassie replied. “She’s usually too nervous for me to ride her around the grounds like this. You’ve done wonders.”
“What about you?” he asked. “How are you feelin’?”
“Much better than this morning,” she smiled. “I think I know what it was. I’ll tell you later.”
“Cassie, do me a favor,” he said softly.
“Anything,” she nodded. “Just name it.”
“I know you’re real good, and Shelby is too, but don’t worry too much about winnin’. Just have fun and be careful.”
“Chad, you seem really worried,” she frowned.
“I guess I am,” now that I’ve found you I don’t want anything to happen to you, and dammit, I’ve got this bad feelin’…
“I really love that you care so much. We’ll be fine,” she promised. “You’ll see, but yes, I’ll be as careful as I can be. Kind of hard to think that way when you’re flying around a course though.”
“Cassie!”
It was Randy’s voice, and they both turned to see her trainer running towards them.
“Time to walk the course,” he called.
“Already?”
“Last class there was only one clear, no jump-off,” he announced, and immediately began jogging back to the ring.
“Okay, we’re coming,” she replied, and turning Shelby, quickening the mare’s walk, she and Chad hurried back to the arena.
It didn’t take long, and she found Randy already studying the order of the jumps she and Shelby would have to navigate. The course had been printed out on a large piece of paper, and was posted on a board at the gate. As she slid out of the saddle, handing the reins to the groom, Chad stepped forward.
“Do you mind if I tag along, Randy?”
“No, of course not,” Randy replied.
They began moving around the ring, and Chad listened intently as Randy discussed the approach to each jump, and striding between them, and quietly gave Cassie his thoughts.
“Be careful coming into this triple” he said, as they stood before a line of three fences, lined up one after the other. “You’ll feel as if you want to move forward to the first, but don’t, come in very steady, and then let Shelby move forward as you ride through it. If you jump this first fence too big you’ll be in trouble at the last.”
So it continued, until the competitors were instructed to leave the ring. The class was about to begin, and out of a dozen riders Cassie was scheduled to ride fourth.
“It’s a bad draw,” she complained. “I won’t have the benefit of seeing who’s gone clear, or the time to beat.”
“Just focus on having no faults,” Randy reiterated. “Don’t worry about your speed. Put the pressure on the people coming after you.”
Chad stood at the fence and watched the first three riders, astounded at the height of the fences and the suspense before every jump. Each of them dropped a pole on the last fence of the triple Randy had warned Cassie about.
“See what I mean?” he pointed out. “They’re coming in too strong. Get Shelby to the base of the first jump and you’ll be fine.”
It was her turn, and the uncomfortable feeling Chad had been carrying around all day, churned in his stomach.
“Be careful, you hear me?” he said firmly, patting her leg as she was about to enter the ring.
“I will. I’ll be steady and go clear. No risks,” she promised.
“Thank you,” he nodded. “Good luck.”
Just as she was about trot in, Marty and Hannah burst through the throng of people assembled by the gate.
“I didn’t think we’d make it in time,” Hannah breathlessly declared. “The traffic getting here was terrible, and there was nowhere to park.”
“Yay, you’re here,” Cassie exclaimed. “I’m so glad,” and with that, she was off, Shelby prancing excitedly as they entered the ring.
Chad’s heart was pounding as he watched her canter to the first jump. Shelby left the ground effortlessly, clearing it easily, and as Cassie had promised she would, she kept a steady pace. As she turned the corner and headed into the triple, Chad could see Cassie was shortening Shelby’s stride.
“That’s it, perfect,” Chad heard Randy remark.
Moments later Shelby jumped the last fence with no problem, and after several more fences, Cassie had ridden a clear round. The crowd clapped their appreciation of the flawless performance, and beaming, Cassie cantered to the gate.
“Outstanding,” Randy declared. “You rode that tripe perfectly. Great job.”
Chad was filled with relief, and while Hannah was congratulating her friend, he was praying there’d be no other clear rounds, leaving Cassie the winner, but much to his dismay, by the end of the class, such was not the case. Cassie had five competitors to beat in the jump-off.
“So now we have a much shorter course with a faster time,” Chad remarked anxiously.
“Exactly,” Randy replied.
A few minutes later the competitors were given the new course of jumps they’d have to navigate, and Cassie would be the first rider up.
“Shoot, I can’t believe it,” she exclaimed. “First, I have to go first!”
“Again, go clear,” Randy said firmly. “Don’t be a speed demon.”
They were standing at the gate, waiting for the water truck to finish dragging and wetting the ground, and though Chad was chatting with Marty, he noticed Randy studying the ring, a deep frown crossing his brow. The relief he’d felt after Cassie’s first ride had evaporated, the fear for her safety having returned with a vengeance, and seeing the look on Randy’s face exacerbated his concern.
“Cassie,” Randy called, striding forward, “listen to me.”
“What?” Cassie asked, leaning down to hear his instruction.
“Jump’s four and five. You see them?”
Cassie looked over and saw the two jumps. They were horizontally aligned, and the competitor had to jump the first, then do a U-turn to jump the second.
“Yes, what about them?”
“Don’t jump and turn. Go around the wall.”
Staring across, she understood what he meant. Centered in front of them was a third jump that looked like a brick wall. It was positioned so the rider had the choice of doing a hairpin turn in front of it, or riding around the wall, making the turn longer and the approach to the second jump much easier.
“That will cost me at least three, maybe four-seconds,” she protested.
“Just do it,” Randy said sternly. “Trust me.”
Chad saw the heated conversation, and breaking away from Marty, hurried across to join them.
“What’s going on?” Chad asked.
“Nothing,” Cassie replied.
“She needs to ride around that wall, not turn in front of it,” Randy explained.
“And it will cost me valuable time. We can do that hairpin turn with no problem,” she argued.
“No, you can’t!” Randy said, raising his voice.
Chad was about to weigh in and back up Randy’s instruction, when the whistle sounded, calling her into the ring.
“Wish me luck,” she grinned, and headed off.
“Do what Randy said,” Chad called after her, but if she’d heard him she gave no acknowledgement.
“Dammit!” Randy exclaimed.
“What’s wrong with the turn?” Chad asked, the sick feeling in his stomach rising up through his chest.
“It’s not a good idea,” he remarked, not wanting to go into detail.
Chad was about to ask for more information when he realized Cassie was approaching the first jump. Hannah and Marty moved up to stand next to him, and they all watched as Cassie, with speed and precision, rode Shelby up and over the imposing fence.
“Isn’t she amazing?” Hannah declared. “She makes it look so easy.”
Chad was so focused on Cassie he hadn’t even heard the comment. His mouth was dry and his heart was racing, and though he didn’t know the reason behind Randy’s instruction that Cassie ride around the wall instead of turning in front of it, he was praying fervently she would do as her trainer had asked.
Easily clearing the first two jumps, then the third, Cassie felt indomitable. Shelby was lifting off the ground effortlessly, and Cassie knew they were flying, clocking a terrific time. As she galloped towards fence four, in a nanosecond she saw the wall, and to the right, fence five.
I can do that u-turn, no problem. What the hell was he talking about?
As Shelby approached the first of the two jumps, Cassie immediately looked across at fence five, knowing her body language and her line of sight would tell Shelby where she’d be headed after landing.
“Oh no,” Randy breathed.
“What?” Chad asked.
“Her head, it moved to the right, she’s going to jump and turn in front of the wall.”
Shelby was airborne, clearing the jump easily, and Cassie’s eyes were glued on fence five. As Shelby’s feet hit the ground, Cassie pushed her into the sharp change of direction. There was a split second when Cassie thought she was losing her balance, then she suddenly realized she was in terrible trouble.
The horse underneath her was inexplicably falling away, dropping sideways. Cassie knew she was utterly helpless, and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable impact. She could feel them both falling, but she was still in the saddle, then suddenly she was on the ground, her leg caught under her horse. For an instant her eyes flashed open, and all she could see were Shelby’s legs, kicking in the air above her, and as Shelby rolled on top of her, she felt a crushing weight on her chest, the mare’s neck pressing into her face, and then there was nothingness.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Panic clutching his chest, Chad ran into the ring, the emergency ambulance crew and Randy seconds behind, but it was Chad who reached her first, finding her completely still, her face covered in dirt. Dropping to his knees he tenderly wiped the mud and hair from her face.
“Cassie, open your eyes, please,” he begged, the lump in his throat too big to swallow
She groaned, and her eyelids began to flutter.
“Cassie, oh, thank God,” he breathed.
“Sir, excuse me, Sir.”
It was one of the emergency crew, but he could see Cassie’s half-closed eyes were looking up at him, and she was trying to speak.
“One second,” he said sharply, and leaning forward, strained to listen.
“Tell Troy, tell him, I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“I will, I promise,” he replied, the burning heat in his throat threatening to give way.
“Ch-Chad,” she breathed.
“Sir, please,” the emergency man demanded behind him.
“I’m here Cassie, what is it,” he asked gently, ignoring the man’s urgent request.
“I-I love you,” she uttered.
“I love you too,” he stammered, finding it almost impossible to talk as the raw feelings ripped through his soul.
Her eyes closed and he moved back, making room for the paramedics, then rising to his feet he took a deep breath, knowing he had to somehow find the fortitude to be strong for her.
Marty, having dashed into the ring to catch Shelby, had handed the mare off to the groom, and running back in, stopped next to Chad and placed his hand on Chad’s shoulder.
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