by Ann Hunter
"Five million one. Who'll give me two? Three, there. Four? Do I see four? Five million four hundred thousand. Any takers? No? Five million three hundred fifty thousand. Five million three hundred and twenty five. This colt is surely going places, folks."
The fire had suddenly sizzled from the room.
Why were they stopping?
Was there anything off about Promenade? He seemed to be scanning the crowd. His eyes locked on her and he called out again. A chill ran down Alex's spine from an ethereal connection.
Several of the people in the auditorium craned their heads around and found the girl Promenade fixated on. Alex's shoulders rose to her ears. A flush came over her. Carol leaned in close. "It's like he's already been sold."
Alex let go of Carol's hand and took a step forward, then another, and another, until she stood in the middle of the auditorium stairs. Promenade stamped his hoof, reaching out his neck and whinnied to her.
Alex stared. Don't do this. Not now. Don't choose me now. North Oak needs the money.
"That your horse?" one of the bidders asked.
Alex swallowed and nodded slowly, knowing the colt had been sold— on her.
The auctioneer's gavel fell. "Reserve not met."
Alex stared at Promenade. What did they mean reserve not met? How could they just stop bidding on him? What happened now?
Promenade whinnied to her again before they led him out. Alex chased after him. Momentarily blinded by the light outside, she feared she'd lost him in the sea of sales agents, buyers, and bloodstock analysts.
She shielded her eyes and found him headed back toward the sale barn where he was passed off to Brooke. Alex raced across the yard and skidded to a halt before them. She straightened and acted aloof as though something hadn't just burst inside her.
Brooke put the colt in his stall and slung the leather lead rope over her shoulder. "I don't get it. He should have sold."
Alex stared at him, trying to sort through her thoughts, her doubts, and her disbelief. Her utter disbelief that he had chosen her, had chosen her so solidly that the world stopped.
And for the first time, Alex got it. That understanding of being chosen, how it felt like something worth living for.
Promenade stretched his neck toward her and lipped her hair. Alex shivered and closed her eyes with a smile. She threw her arms around his neck and he lifted her off the ground a little.
"I swear," Alex whispered, "I'll never call you dumb horse ever again."
SOMETHING PERFECT
Alex didn't want cake for her birthday. She didn't want anything really, because Promenade returning to North Oak was enough.
But somehow, she came home to candles and a crazy huge s'more bar set up by Cade.
"Happy Birthday Sport!"
Alex wondered if she was walking through a dream. This life didn't seem possible from where she was standing. It was so different than the one she lead a year earlier.
Cade dashed into the den and back out again, arms loaded with a few large presents, his whole face lit up. "Open them."
Alex crossed to the table slowly, her head still reeling. She opened the first box, big and square, to find a good pair of paddock boots to ride in.
Hillary and Laura finished bringing the luggage in and Hillary hurried to the cupboard where she had been hiding one of the gifts. It was completely flat, but wrapped in the same paper as Alex had received her ipod in.
She slid her finger under the edge of the taped paper and unwrapped a gift card to a local tack shop. Laura leaned against her chair. "I'm determined to make you like shopping."
Alex rolled her eyes with a half-smile. Cade pushed the other two boxes toward her. "These too."
She wasn't sure what to do with all these presents. It was more than she'd ever gotten before. She took a deep breath, suddenly feeling a mix of guilt and awkwardness, and opened one of the smaller gifts. Her own set of horse racing movies.
"That one's from Brooke," Laura said.
Alex stared down the last box, not sure if she could bring herself to open it. She looked up at Hillary and Cade who beamed at her.
"This is all great," Alex said slowly, "but could we just order a pizza and watch one of these movies?"
The parent-type people looked at one another, then nodded at her. "You bet," Cade said. He pulled out his cell phone and moved to the fridge to read their favorite pizzeria's number off a magnet.
"Which one?" Carol asked, running her hand along the boxed movie set.
Alex shrugged. "You choose."
Carol smiled and pulled out a red box with a gold plate down the side and black letters. "This one."
"I'll make some popcorn for you girls," Hillary chimed.
Laura snatched the movie from Carol's hand and set it up in the den. Alex and Carol followed behind.
Laura knelt by the movie player and looked at Alex after the previews started. "Can I invited Brooke. Pretty please? With roasted marshmallows and caramel and…"
Alex sighed. "Yes."
Laura giddily ran to the kitchen and started dialing.
Carol and Alex sat on the floor with their backs against the couch.
"So," Carol said. "I guess you and I have secrets now."
"I guess so."
"One crazy night in Lexington."
Alex smirked at her. "We're going to be having a lot of crazy nights. I'm nothing but trouble."
"So that's the plan. To get me in lots of trouble?"
"I think I'll always be trying to get you into trouble, and you'll be getting me out. That's how this friend thing works, right?"
Carol grinned back. "Right."
***
Brooke sat across from North in his office. "Alex can't be held responsible for an RNA," she said.
North leaned back in his chair wearily. "I know. That much can't be helped. In fact, I set the bar a little high. I took to heart what you said about her and the colt, and I put a reserve on him that I didn't think would be met." He took a deep breath. "Oh, don't look at me like that Merrsal."
Brooke double checked her expression and sat up taller.
"Don't act so surprised that I would do something like that. You know me better than that. Right?"
Her fingers curled nervously into the knee of her jeans.
"Although," North said, "I did get a little nervous when he came close to the mark."
Brooke licked her lips and swallowed, feeling awfully dry. "But what about the money? Doesn't North Oak— "
"The other yearlings sold well enough that we’ll stay afloat for a few more months. Besides, I have bigger plans for North Oak than a little million dollar yearling."
"What sort of plans?" Brooke asked hesitantly.
North's mouth curled with that oozing chill of charm. "I've been watching Alex ride over the summer. I think we could use another jockey, don't you?"
Brooke gulped. A flash from Keeneland came to her mind. She had carefully watched Alex steal a ride on Promenade, but didn't want to say anything. She knew about the whole thing, the whole secret of it. She could get in trouble for something like that.
"Why do you want her to be a jockey?" Brooke's eyes narrowed.
North's catty smile grew bigger. "Oh, I don't want you to make her a jockey, Brooke." He leaned forward against his desk, eyes piercing. "I want you to make her a champion."
Brooke tried to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine. Alex couldn't know she knew about the midnight ride. But she also couldn't be allowed on Promenade again until she had a clue what she was doing.
North winked at her. "Think you can do that for me?"
Brooke pushed away the hammering in her chest and couldn't be more relieved when the cell phone in her back pocket went off. She rose and asked to be excused to take the call.
North waved her on, and Brooke shut the door behind her.
"Hey you made it," Laura said with her mouth full of popcorn.
Alex looked up to see Brooke leaning in the doorway to the
den. "Hey."
Brooke nodded. "Happy birthday."
Laura patted the cushion on the couch beside her. "Why did I have to call your grandpa's phone to get a hold of you?"
"He gave me his phone cuz it's the only number he still has memorized."
"I think you're bluffing."
Alex tipped her head back. "Guys, I'm trying to hear the movie." She bit into a slice of pizza from the plate she balanced on her knees.
"Sorry," Brooke said. "What are we watching?"
"I dunno," Alex replied, mouth mostly full. "Some flick called Ocean Triscuit."
"It's Seabiscuit, goof," Laura giggled.
"Yeah, that." She dug into the popcorn and brushed Carol's hand. A glance in her direction caught a hint of blush. Alex pulled her hand out and gazed the movie, but she didn't really hear it.
Carol holding her hand at the auction, being there for her, filled her as much as racing down Keeneland's backstretch. Alex kept glancing at her, and Carol smiled back without turning to look at her.
Alex felt something poke her in her shoulder blade. She looked over her shoulder to see Laura smirking at her. "Do you two need to be alone, or can we get this thing over with?" Laura's voice was thick with snark.
Alex shoved her foot. "Don't be weird."
Laura giggled and wiggled the ball of her foot between Alex's shoulders until Alex swatted her again.
Carol's hand bumped Alex's when they both reached into the popcorn again. They shared knowlege now, of daring plans, and Alex's Alexness; racing horses at midnight, climbing trees without a second thought just to crow at the world, handling bullies…
Alex tuned into the movie while still looking at Carol.
"See, sometimes when the little guy, he doesn't know he's a little guy, he can do great big things."
Because they'd gotten home in the afternoon from Keeneland, and made multiple pauses during Seabiscuit to fill up on s'mores, popcorn, and pizza, the movie got over late.
Alex lay on the floor watching Laura suck chocolate off her fingers contentedly.
"You know what I think?" Laura asked.
"What?" Alex asked back.
"I think we should have a sleepover. Staying at the hotel was a blast. Why should it end?"
"I'm good with that," Carol chirped.
"Me too," Brooke said. "Even though I was down with the horses."
Laura chucked her on the shoulder. "You were there in spirit. We threw pillows at Alex."
Brooke smiled a little. "I'll take the blame for that."
"Good," Laura laughed. "Cuz we ran out of people to point fingers at."
She looked at Alex. "What do you think, sis? You ready for your first official sleepover?"
"I feel like I'm not getting a choice here. You guys have this habit of ganging up on me."
"Yeah, but good things always happen when we do." Laura winked. "So it's a yes, right?"
Alex sighed. "Yeah. Sure."
Brooke snorked and deepened her voice. "My name is Alex and I'm passive aggressive."
Laura laughed but Alex just frisbee'd her empty, greasy pizza plate at Brooke's head.
They got up to put the plates they'd used into the trash, leaving Alex and Carol alone.
There was a long silence between them.
"Do you want to stay?" Alex asked.
Carol rested her head against the couch cushion behind her, wrapping her arms around her drawn knees. "If you say you want me to."
Alex chewed her lip. There was more emotion in her voice when it came out softer than she realized, "I want you to stay."
Ashley left a gulch in Alex's heart, but it wasn't as deep anymore. Because this girl, this one I'm staring at, she filled it in like the swell of a river.
"Carol?" Alex said softly, like the sonnets they'd read together. Because she understood beauty now. Carol's hand rested near Alex's, totally taunting her. Alex ached to touch it. She silently counted Carol's freckles by moonlight.
"Alex," Carol squeaked, half-asleep.
Alex never loved her own name until this moment. A ridiculous smile tackled her. She turned her face to her pillow and bit it, trying to hide from that smile, but she just couldn't help it. Her nose wrinkled. Her toes curled. Alex dared to stretch her fingers towards Carol's until they barely touched.
The way Carol said her name, just…
Alex had to hear it again.
"Carol."
She didn't answer back. Carol's hand hid her button nose, but not the dreamy smile that followed. She linked her little finger with Alex's, and Alex went all puddly inside, melting into her pillow.
I don't remember the last time I was this happy.
Was it wrong of her to want to watch Carol sleep? She didn't want to miss this moment. The last time she did, she lost Ashley. I don't want to lose this. Whatever this was. She wanted to guard it. Because, for the first time in her life, she had something perfect.
Thank you for reading North Oak #2: Yearling
Please leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads
*Your opinion matters! Even if it is only 1-2 sentences.*
Ann would love to connect with you!
If you would like to hear about upcoming novels and reviews, please check out her author page:
https://www.facebook.com/authorannhunter
Don’t miss a second of exciting NORTH OAK news:
http://eepurl.com/7Lch9
http://facebook.com/northoakseries
Interact with Alex on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/northoakseries
You can get a sneak peek at works in progress at
http://wattpad.com/AnnHunter82
About the Author
Multi-award winning author, Ann Hunter, grew up barefoot with a herd of Arabian horses. She fell in love with racing at the age of 9 when her aunt brought her a magazine from Saratoga with Hall of Fame Jockey Julie Krone on the cover.
Ann loves pedigree research, founded the Model Thoroughbred Racing Assocation, and dreams of one day building the real North Oak.
She likes cherry soda with chocolate ice cream, is a mom first and a writer second, has a secret identity, and thinks the Twilight movies are cheesier than cheez whiz (which is why they are her guilty pleasure!)
She lives in a cozy Utah home with her two awesome kids and epic husband.
Table of Contents
Contents
The Price of Love
UNGRATEFUL
THE MARSHMALLOW
CAMELOT
BLOOD AND GUTS
SPRING FEVER
UNRULY
SOME PEOPLE
WHISKEY WISDOM
THE TUTOR
BONFIRE HEART
INDIAN SUMMER
TRIANGLES
STRONG ENOUGH
BROKEN PIECES
SUSPENDED
MAGNIFICENT
SCHOOLED
BUSINESS BETWEEN US
FASIG-TIPTON
SOMETHING PERFECT
Fan Ann
About the Author