“There. They’ll walk nice, now that they rid themselves of some energy,” he said.
“You mean we can’t gallop anymore?”
He chuckled. “I knew there was a wild woman hiding under there. No wonder Martha said to take you up here.”
“She asked that?”
“Gave me specific instructions. As long as you checked out okay in the paddock.”
Becky straightened Lyric’s mane, her fingers clumsy with embarrassment. Dino had been ordered to take her riding. No doubt he’d prefer to be with Stephanie. She’d heard them talking outside the barn about meeting later. “I’m fine now,” she said. “And this horse seems well behaved. No need for you to stay.”
“And let you have all the fun? I don’t think so.” His smile was so genuine, she didn’t feel quite so badly. “Look at that.” He gestured beyond the ridge. “Nothing prettier than Texas land. Last time Malcolm and I rode up here, a bunch of turkeys flew out and scared my horse.”
“Did you fall off?”
“Nope.” He looked so amused by her question, she had to laugh. But she checked over her shoulder, not quite as confident of staying on if Lyric shied from any noisy birds.
“Where exactly were those turkeys?” she asked, tempted to grab the saddle horn. However, he seemed to think she was braver than she was, and she didn’t want to hold the horn and show she really was a chicken.
“Over by the cottonwoods,” he said. “We won’t ride down there. The river bed’s too rocky.”
“It’s beautiful.” She looked away from the river, studying the ridged hills. “Is your ranch like this?”
“Mine is drier, more rugged. And it’s not mine yet. My ex got it in the settlement.”
“What did you get?”
“A nice colt. But he broke down in his second race.” His face shuttered, and it was clear he wasn’t going to speak anymore about the subject. “Time to turn around,” he said. “You’re welcome to ride Lyric any time, but don’t leave the paddock unless Slim or I are with you. You can lead her out for walks though. She’d love the chance to graze.”
Becky gave Lyric’s neck another exuberant pat. What freedom. She could saddle up and ride in the paddock and even lead Lyric out to nibble clover. Almost like having her own horse, something she’d dreamed about when she was a kid but always knew was an absolute impossibility.
“Thanks,” she said, but her throat seemed thick and she didn’t think he’d heard. “Thank you very much, Dino,” she repeated, making sure she enunciated clearly. Martha would be proud.
“No need to thank me. And it might make Lyric happy. Improve her disposition.” He frowned. “That mare seems to have fallen through the cracks. Don’t think she ever made it to the broodmare barn. Or maybe they bred her a few times and it didn’t take.”
“Take?”
“Get pregnant,” he said. “Maybe she’s barren. I don’t know why Malcolm kept her in the race barn.”
“Maybe Lyric didn’t like the stud? Or the stud didn’t like her?”
“Studs aren’t usually fussy, Becky,” he said.
His lips twitched and it was clear he was trying not to grin. Beneath her, Lyric pranced, obviously sensing her embarrassment, and she tightened the reins. “Can we go a little faster?” she muttered.
“Nope. We need to cool them down. We shouldn’t teach a horse to gallop home either, especially a racehorse. Besides,” his grin escaped then, a high wattage smile that made her heart leap, “Martha would fire me if you were hurt…I wouldn’t want to see you hurt either.”
He was staring at her, his brown eyes oddly serious. His beautiful stud eyes, she reminded herself.
“So the race is on Saturday?” she asked, reaching for something to change the subject. “And Slim will haul Echo in early?”
“Yeah. You can drive along with him. Make sure the filly arrives ready to win.”
“What time will Slim leave?”
“Five-thirty. But I’ll take you for breakfast once you arrive. You can have all the coffee and bacon you want.” His slow smile made her heart flutter. “And I promise not to tell Martha.”
“Gosh, you really know the way to a woman’s heart.” She was relieved her voice sounded so flippant.
Chapter Ten
Martha sniffed and pushed her plate away. “I’m tired of fruit and whole wheat bread.”
“Try the cottage cheese. This new brand is very creamy.” Becky forced herself to take another bite, swallowing her guilt along with the truly bland breakfast. Tomorrow she’d be treated to a wonderful meal at the track. Poor Martha would be stuck with cottage cheese and tea.
“What are you smiling about?” Martha clinked her spoon in irritation.
“Nothing really.” Becky gave up pretending the cottage cheese was edible and reached for her water glass. “Thanks for telling Dino I could ride Lyric.”
“His idea, not mine. He always likes my nurses, although he’s never taken any of them riding before.” She tilted her head. “He’s a very kind man. Maybe if you fix your hair, wear a little makeup, different clothes—”
Becky leaned forward and gently squeezed her hand. “It’s okay, Martha. My goals in life don’t include a man.”
“I’ve noticed that. Although I don’t understand why.” She gave a long-suffering sigh. “Malcolm and I were so happy. It would be nice to see you settled before I go. Has there ever been a young man in your life?”
Becky toyed with the glass, her finger leaving a rounded smudge in the condensation. “Just one and it wasn’t serious.” Not on his part anyway, she thought wryly. And she didn’t want to think about Craig and his repulsive hands, the click of the camera, the bright lights. “I’m not keen on men, Martha,” she added quietly. “The foster homes never worked out. There was some trouble. I ran away when I was seventeen.” She glanced up, gauging Martha’s expression. No disgust only genuine concern.
“And then what?” Martha asked.
“I found a job cleaning at a rehab center. Took nursing courses at night. It took a while.” She lightened her words with a forced smile. “But you know all that. You’ve seen my resume. I’m content with my life.”
“Content isn’t the same as happy. You need more than a crotchety old lady. And some men are a lot of fun.”
“I’m sure they are, but that’s not what I want. And thanks to you, horses are back in my life. That’s more than enough fun.”
“Are you planning to ride again today?”
Martha’s voice carried a hint of wistfulness, and Becky paused. The morning was still cool and the thought of riding was tempting, but Martha appreciated her company. Another nurse was on duty but Becky was being paid to be a companion now, not a nurse. She certainly wasn’t going to ride if Martha wanted her around.
“Because I insist you go down to the barn,” Martha added. “I want you to check on Echo, since I’ve promised Ted that filly will win on Saturday.” She waved her hand. “Now run along. I need to nap and I can’t have you bumping around, keeping me awake. Just be back in time for lunch. That other nurse is fine but much too serious.”
Becky stared for a moment, then leaned over and gave Martha an impulsive hug. “You really are the kindest lady.”
“No, I am not,” Martha said. “We both know I’m rather selfish. And why don’t you wear a little lipstick?”
“Dino probably already left for Lone Star,” Becky said, not thinking.
“Ah-ha.” Martha cackled. “I knew it. He’s an impossible man to ignore, even for you.”
Flustered, Becky shook her head. “I’m not ignoring him. But I’m not interested. Not that way. I was only thinking if he wasn’t there, I’d have to ride Lyric in the paddock.”
“Of course.” But Martha’s eyes twinkled and she suddenly looked ten years younger. “Well, maybe Slim or Stephanie will ride with you.”
“Maybe they will.” Becky tried to inject some enthusiasm in her voice. She figured it would be more fun to ride alone than with
out Dino. It wasn’t that she liked him—she had too much sense to fall for a man like that—but he knew so much about horses and he made her feel special. She wasn’t deluding herself. He’d never be interested in someone as plain as her; he was just naturally nice.
“Wouldn’t hurt to put on a little makeup though,” Martha said. “The horses won’t mind.”
“Maybe some lipstick,” Becky said. Heck, even Stephanie wore some sort of pink lip gloss, and she rode horses all morning.
Martha gave a smug smile.
“To protect me from the sun,” Becky added quickly.
***
Becky parked in the empty visitors’ lot at the side of the barn, not quite ballsy enough to park in front, not without Martha. On the training track, a gray horse trotted along the outside rail. Obviously Stephanie was on the job. Slim wasn’t in sight but his truck was in the staff lot, squeezed between two compact cars. No sign of Dino’s truck. Obviously she’d missed him.
She entered the rear of the barn. Hunter glanced at her then stared over her head at something he deemed more important. She took a cautious sniff as she passed but there was no sign of decay, only the wholesome smell of horse and hay.
Lyric’s stall door was open and she jerked to a stop. Had the mare escaped again? No. She blew out a whoosh of relief. The halter was also gone so likely Lyric was merely on the hot walker.
She scooped a lead line off the rack and hurried to the walker. Lyric was one of two horses circling inside. Safe and exactly where she should be. Becky flipped the switch and stopped the walker, following Dino’s instructions. She stepped inside and hooked the lead on Lyric’s halter. Gave her a quick pat…then stiffened in shock as drops of sweat beaded the air.
The mare was soaked. Sweat drenched her neck and belly, the smell overpowering, and her nostrils flared pink. Becky gulped. Was this normal? Lyric hadn’t been at all sweaty yesterday—even after the ride. Maybe she was sick.
But the other horse in the walker—a chestnut filly that looked like Echo—appeared similarly hot. Odd, because Echo’s race was tomorrow, and she’d heard Dino order only two jog laps today. Becky stopped Lyric by the control panel and pressed the button to resume motion, hoping Echo wouldn’t mind being alone, although judging by her lather, it was also time for the filly to leave the walker.
On impulse, she pressed the timer. The red display beeped then flashed: two hundred minutes.
“Wha’cha doing?”
She swung toward the curt voice, her heart pounding with guilt. “Hi, Slim. I was wondering if it was all right to leave Echo in here alone.”
“I’m just coming to get her. She’s jogged her two laps and had a twenty-minute cool-down on the walker. Heard you’re driving to the track with me tomorrow?”
Becky nodded, trying to keep her eyes from skittering back to the display panel. Dino had shown her how to work the buttons, and the numbers showed the horses had been walking for two hundred minutes—not twenty.
“Better be on time.” Slim frowned, glancing down at his ever-present clipboard. “I won’t wait if you’re late. Filly has to be on the grounds by seven.”
“I’ll be on time,” she said, knowing she had to tell Dino about Slim’s behavior. And she definitely didn’t want this crusty man to join her on a trail ride; it would be more enjoyable to ride alone in the paddock. Besides, Lyric’s head was unusually low, and the mare wasn’t even pulling at the lead. Seemed like a good day to practice opening gates.
She tugged on Lyric’s lead and the mare followed. So did Slim.
“Forgot my lead line.” He jammed a pen in his back pocket and brushed past her. A picture fluttered to the ground.
Becky stopped Lyric, scooping up the photo before the mare ground it into the dirt. A young woman’s face stared back. A face with a slack mouth and dull eyes. Oh, God. She’d cared for many patients like this at the rehab center, and they always tugged at her heart.
“Slim,” she called, flipping the picture over, feeling intrusive. “You dropped something.”
He turned and scooped the picture from her outstretched hand, carefully wiping off a speck of dirt. “Thanks,” he said, sticking it back in his pocket. “Need any help saddling?”
“No, thanks.”
“Dino told me to help with her hind feet.”
“It’s okay. I can do it.” But she remembered Lyric’s protest yesterday when Dino had handled her hooves, and her voice lacked conviction.
“Dino gave an order,” Slim said as she led Lyric into the airy stall, “so I have to clean her back feet. I assume you can look after her front?”
“Yes, you can assume that, Slim.” His sarcasm made her speak more forcefully than usual. She even stared at him the way Dino did when he was annoyed, although she did cheat a bit and locked her gaze on his forehead. It was a huge coup when he was the first to look away.
“Let’s get this done,” he grumbled, pulling out a hoof pick and grabbing Lyric’s hind leg. When she swished her tail in protest, he smacked her. He tried again, and the mare slammed her hoof against the wall.
“Quit,” Slim said, slapping her again. The sound was loud in the serene barn, and Becky stiffened. She’d already noticed Dino handled the horses differently, with far better results. He hadn’t had any problem checking Hunter’s nose either, not like Slim’s tussle that rainy night when he’d thought he was alone. Still, Slim was the barn manager, and both Martha and Dino considered him an expert.
Lyric turned, her soulful eyes holding Becky’s. Her mute appeal reminded Becky of a needy patient, and it was impossible to remain silent.
“Dino says that with some horses, you shouldn’t push them too hard,” she said. “What kind of horse is Lyric?”
“A bitch, that’s what kind.” Slim stepped back and kicked the mare in the belly. Lyric pinned her ears but grudgingly let him lift her hind leg. “See. You have to show them who’s boss.” He deftly cleaned her feet. “Just make sure you kick with the side of your foot. Otherwise you could break some toes.”
“I don’t think I’ll be doing much kicking.” Becky eyed Lyric’s flattened ears with alarm. It was a good thing she was riding in the paddock, because the mare now had a very sullen look.
“Suit yourself. Just don’t touch her flank.” Slim tossed the hoof pick in the grooming kit and stalked from the stall.
Becky sighed but finished grooming with no mishap, then tacked up the mare and led her outside. Lyric immediately brightened, but Becky gulped in dismay. How was she going to climb on? There were no mounting blocks anywhere, nothing like the big ones at summer camp. Yesterday Dino had given her a leg up, but she didn’t want to ask Slim for any more help.
She tried mounting from the ground, but her foot didn’t reach the stirrup—failed by a full six inches. Either her legs had to grow or she needed a stirrup extension. A clump of baler twine hung on a hook by the door. She scooped up a piece of twine and tied it on the left stirrup, adjusting it until the length was right. Perfect. Now she’d be able to scramble into the saddle unassisted.
But it still wasn’t easy. Lyric kept sidling toward the grass, forcing her to hop on one leg. Her frustration grew. Two grooms rushed past, but as usual they didn’t look her way. To her left, a horse walked off the track and she realized Stephanie had finished with her mount. Damn, she didn’t want to look like an idiot in front of the capable gallop girl.
Pumped with resolve, she led Lyric onto the manicured lawn. The mare buried her nose in the lush grass, happy at last, and there was ample time to stick a toe into the loop of twine and scramble up. It wasn’t pretty but she was on. She rewarded Lyric by letting her eat another moment before pulling her head up and heading to the paddock.
Luckily the gate was open and she was able to walk in with little effort, other than kicking it wider with her boot. Not a stylish technique but effective.
“Nice day, isn’t it,” Stephanie called, walking past on a sweaty chestnut. “This is my last horse of the morning but da
ys like this, I could gallop ten.”
Gallop ten? Becky’s legs still ached from yesterday’s ride. She couldn’t imagine being fit enough, or skilled enough, to gallop ten horses.
Stephanie pulled the chestnut to a sudden halt, her eyes narrowing. “Do you know there’s a piece of baler twine hanging from your stirrup?”
Becky’s face prickled with embarrassment. “It’s my mounting rope,” she muttered.
Stephanie’s melodious laugh filled the air. “Better than a leg up. But if you ride on the trail, be sure to unfasten it. Dangling ropes are dangerous. By the way,” she rose in the saddle, digging a hand in the pocket of her jeans, “can you place some bets for me tomorrow? Dino was in such a hurry, I forgot to give this to him.” Her impatient horse sidled to the left, and she turned him in a circle. “Never mind. I’ll come back after I take Chippy to his groom. He’s eager for his bath.”
Becky forced a smile as Stephanie headed to a waiting groom, ignoring the painful twist in her chest. She didn’t want to think about Dino and Stephanie. Setting her mouth, she guided Lyric alongside the gate, determined to learn how to open it when mounted. Fortunately Lyric was happy to stand still, seeming to doze while Becky leaned down and practiced with the latch.
Steps sounded as Stephanie walked up, balancing a Styrofoam cup and some crinkled bills. She’d replaced her helmet with a pink ball cap and looked fresh and energetic, despite just galloping twelve hundred pounds of eager horse. “I’ve never seen that mare so quiet,” she said.
“She’s tired. She was on the hot walker with Echo.”
“Oh, that Echo.” Stephanie’s voice rose with excitement. “She felt great again this morning. Put twenty dollars on her nose for me and another two dollars to win on Arctic Chip. Chippy’s the horse I just rode. He’s racing tomorrow too.”
“You’re not going?”
“No. I make it a firm policy to stay away.” Stephanie’s smile faded as she sipped her coffee. “I really miss it but my daughter is only two. She needs me healthy. And this is a relaxed job. I come at seven, gallop some nice horses and leave. And when I get the urge to jockey again, I think of Jill.”
Racetrack Romance BOX SET (Books 1-3) Page 78