by Lisa Prysock
She was especially happy to see McGuire and Katie there to Jed’s immediate right. They owned thoroughbreds in both of their Wyoming and Kentucky homes. In addition, Dad had given him a foal from Victory’s line. Her brother had the racing dream in his heart, too. She knew he was particularly interested in how all of this would turn out for her and how racing operated. She’d seen him talking to Landon about training some of his horses at Blazing Star for the Derby. Landon knew all about the Derby and he’d had a few horses place during the elite springtime race, considered the most exciting two minutes in sports. McGuire had told her some years ago of his dream to win a Kentucky Derby one day. She could see the excitement written all over his face as they began watching the first race.
She also knew, her brother was only able to be there partly because Logan’s dad, Jack Haven, had been willing to help saddle horses up at the barns for guests at The Sweetwater. Logan and Jill sat directly behind them, making her wonder how the ranch would get through the day with only Buck, Jack Colten, and Jack Haven handling the steady traffic to the barns and needs of the guests. However, since they were all enjoying the day, surely she could push the ranch from her mind, too. After all, she had Champ and Amy handling things at the bakery today, so things were covered.
Anastasia also had another reason to celebrate. Logan and Jill had surprised her by recently renaming the bakery, Anastasia’s Sweet Shop, to honor her one year anniversary on staff. She was no longer a temp, and she had Trisha to thank for finding her the position. With diligence and God’s leading, this time, her bakery career goals had been a success.
When the races were over, whether Lollipop placed or not, they planned to go out to a restaurant in Cheyenne for a huge celebration meal. Jed had reserved a banquet room for the large group and everyone was invited. She was also happy to spend more time with Jed’s family. His dad was a lot of fun and his mom, even more. His brothers, James and Josiah, were also there to cheer Lollipop on. However, there were a number of races to sit through before the big 440 yard race with two million dollars at stake and a one million dollar purse for the winner.
They cheered for all of them, especially the races with some of Landon’s horses competing. When two of his horses won first place and a third took second, the box quickly turned into one ginormous party. They’d worked hard all year long and now, they were reaping their hard-earned rewards. The enthusiasm was catching. No matter what Lollipop did on the track, she knew it was going to be a day to remember.
Anastasia tried not to think about the money involved or the people placing bets on the horses as the 440 entrants began to line up and finally, their race drew near. Excitement lingered in the air as jockeys in their colorful shirts rode their mounts into position, parading them onto the track past the onlookers. A glance into the crowds below the box nearly made her dizzy as she looked into a sea of cowboy hats. When she saw Lollipop trot by on the track on the way to her gate, she relaxed, seeing how frisky she was. Her grandfather had once told her it was usually a good sign of an energetic, fast-paced horse. She glanced at Landon. He leaned way back in his seat on one elbow, his eyes studying the track intently.
“Our horse is number five,” Jed reminded her.
“Number five,” she nodded, a smile coming to her face as the ten horses entered the gates and a hush fell over the crowd. “Got it.”
Seconds later, the gates opened and Lollipop charged onto a middle lane of the track with long strides that took her breath away. She stood up, watching her horse fly down the track. The announcer’s voice over the loudspeaker was a welcome sound as the horses thundered toward the finish line. Lollipop pulled out ahead of all but three horses in the first four seconds. In the next five, Justin steered the horse straight ahead with his expertise, and Lollipop broke away from the rest of the horses, taking the lead way out in front.
Everyone in Blazing Star’s box jumped to their feet. There wasn’t a single person in the box who wasn’t cheering as Lollipop pulled three full lengths ahead of the others. They heard the announcer declare Lollipop the winner as she finished the race at 18.5 seconds, Justin standing up on the mount from the stirrups with a fist pump as they crossed the finish line.
“Anastasia, do you know what this means?” Jed hollered over the cheering as he swung her up in the air and off her feet.
She laughed, high-fiving Jed, then Landon, then Trisha while Jed whirled her around. She yelled back, “Lollipop just set a world record!”
Landon turned to explain to the others when the cheering died down. “She’s the fastest filly to finish the 440 since 1918 in the world. I knew she could do it!”
Anastasia sat down, dizzy with joy, tears welling up in her eyes. Her grandparents would be so proud if they were still alive, especially her grandfather.
As Justin let the horse cool off, Landon addressed the box. “All right everyone, we go to the winner’s circle. They’re going to take our photos.” Some of Landon’s staff led the way, and everyone who was family, friend, or staff followed to help them accept the trophy. There were so many faces congratulating them, it was one big blur to Anastasia. She clutched her handbag tightly. It contained a sandwich bag with freshly cut carrots and sweet apples for her horse. When they reached the winner’s circle, Lollipop appeared to be enjoying the attention as photographers snapped her photo with Justin, and then more of them with her, followed by more photos as an official gave her the trophy. She kept Jed close by, looking for him at every moment, thankful he was by her side to share the victory.
AFTER A LONG, LEISURELY dinner in Cheyenne with their friends and family away from the crowds at the track, Jed invited her to take a stroll as their loved ones said their good-byes and congratulated them one last time. “We could browse the book shops and the antique stores after we spend some time at the park. Maybe do some window shopping, have ice cream, or coffee. Which reminds me, I have a surprise for you in the truck.”
“Aw, Jed, you do?” He’d piqued her curiosity. She wondered what it could be as they approached his truck and he unlocked the extended cab door. A stroll in the nearby park sounded wonderful.
He reached inside and uncovered something, emerging with a huge basket filled with goodies. “Here, these are for you. I baked a few of the items—things you’ve shown me how to make. You’re always baking nice things for other people. I wanted to give you something sweet.”
“Aw, Jed, there are even lollipops in this beautiful basket. Frosted sugar cookies, biscotti, and so much more. This is great!” She smiled as he drew her toward the park a block away from the Cheyenne shops while she slowly searched through the basket, admiring the items.
“There’s more,” he encouraged, walking slowly as they arrived at the edge of the beautiful park, a green meadow unfolding before them. “Keep looking.”
Then she found it. A small velvet jewelry box stared back at her, preventing her from taking another step. Holding the basket with one hand, she opened the box gingerly, glancing at Jed. He’d stopped walking to watch her open the box, appearing anxious and highly interested in her reaction. A princess cut diamond ring sparkled and glimmered against the silk-lined box. Inside the open lid was a little note pinned to the silk lining with a child-sized gold band. It said only three words, “Let’s adopt Riley.”
“Oh my goodness, one ring is for me, and another for our Riley?” Anastasia blinked. “This is beyond wonderful.” She covered her mouth, staring at the rings. Then she looked into his warm, loving eyes. Could this really be happening? Was she in a dream?
He nodded and pushed his cowboy hat further back. Her mouth dropped open as he went down on bended knee. She’d lost track of where they were. She was vaguely aware of the meadow they were in, and behind them, the sights and sounds of the beautiful city streets. She could see hills in the distance all around the area, even over the establishment rooftops when she looked back toward the shops. However, at the moment, her eyes clouded with happy tears. She couldn’t see anything aroun
d them, only his gorgeous brown eyes.
“Anastasia, I fell in love with you a long time ago. I promise you won’t regret the way I intend to love you, nurture you, protect you. I want to grow old with you, hold you when the storms of life rage, make you laugh, serenade you with songs about horses and butterflies, kiss you every day, tell you you’re beautiful, climb the mountains of life together. I want to be someone you can trust and count on, serve the Lord with you, and make you happy. I know I’m not perfect. I can be messy in the kitchen, sometimes forgetful, sometimes I’m downright stubborn, but I’ll do everything I can to make your dreams come true. I’ve thought about it long and hard, and I’d like to adopt Riley with you. I don’t know exactly when. Maybe we need to spend a few months as man and wife, first, and adjust to being married before we adopt, but we can work all that out together. I also know I’d like you to be the mother of my children, as many as God gives us, and the woman I hold in my arms at night. Will you marry me?” He plucked the ring from the open box and slid it on her finger.
“Jed Dalton, I’ve been waiting for you to ask me to be your girl for a long time. Yes, of course I will marry you!”
He jumped to his feet and scooped her up in his arms, kissing her many times over as he swung her around. “You will?”
When he set her down, she couldn’t help but laugh a little at the look on his face. He appeared to barely believe she’d said yes. “Jed, yes, I will marry you,” she repeated. “You’ve already made my dreams come true. I’m sure we’ll make many more dreams together.” Then he kissed her again, this time for a long while.
Between his kisses, breathless with excitement, she managed to elaborate on the joy in her heart. The whole day had been one celebration after another. “I’m so happy you’re willing to adopt Riley. I believe God put it on our hearts. Together, I think we can give her a home filled with love like she deserves. I know we need to work out the details, but it makes me so happy just thinking about it.”
He nodded. “Me too. We’ve spent a lot of time with her this past year. I have to admit, I’ve become attached to both of you. I believe we’re supposed to be her forever home.”
She nodded, her arms clasped around his shoulders. He leaned his forehead on hers gently and she closed her eyes, reveling in the moment. “Oh Jed, I love the man you are. I love everything about you. I definitely want to have your children and grow old with you.” Then he kissed her nose and her cheeks. She smiled and laughed as he picked her up around the waist and spun them around again, her hands clinging to the basket of sweets.
A moment later, she was swiping tears of joy from her eyes.
“Why are you crying?” he asked, setting her down.
“I thought you’d never ask me to be your girl after the early days of our relationship, after I stopped pushing you away. Then much later, when I knew you were the man for me, I began to give up on you asking me to marry you. I think I’ve known you were the only man for me the day you captured my horses for me. I knew then, I’d never push you away again. You were the kind of man who would listen to my heart, you’d love and care for me always, you’d try to make things happen for us. At first, little pieces of my heart kept falling for you, but then, it was all at once and a head over heels forever kind of love. You didn’t just capture my horses. You captured my heart, too.”
The End
Derby Pie
Ingredients for 1 pie
1/2 cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
3 eggs
3/4 stick real salted butter
3/4 cup Karo corn syrup
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond flavor
½ tsp. sea salt
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup coconut
6-8 oz. pecan halves (You may substitute with pecan pieces, but the halves look nicer.)
1 pie crust- 9” or 12” round pie crust or rectangular crust for squares
Whipped cream (or Dream Whip, prepared)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar, eggs, and butter in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add everything else except for the chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans. Do not add the whipped cream. You’ll use this to serve with the pie. Use the mixer to blend this mixture.
4. Fold in the rest of the ingredients and then pour the mixture into the pie shell. This recipe will make approximately one deep 9” pie or one shallow 12” pie. You may also pour the mixture over a rectangular pie crust to make Derby Pie Squares.
5. Cover the pie crust edges with tin foil to prevent burning. There is nothing worse than burnt pie crust. I recommend placing the pie on a baking sheet so anything that spills over will not be too messy in your oven. Bake for the first 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Then, reduce oven to 325 degrees for an additional 30 to 40 minutes. The pie should wiggle just slightly in the middle. If it wiggles too much, add 10 or 15 minutes to your baking time, checking frequently, and then remove from the oven to cool. When the pie has cooled, place in the fridge for two to four hours to firm the pie up. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. I use light whipped cream or Dream Whip.
About the Author
LISA M. PRYSOCK is an award-winning, bestselling, Christian and inspirational author of 17 novels. She and her husband of more than 20 years reside in Kentucky. They have five children, grown.
She writes in the genres of both Historical Christian Romance and Contemporary Christian Romance novels, including a multi-author Western Christian Romance series, “Whispers in Wyoming.” She is also the author of a devotional. Lisa enjoys sharing her faith in Jesus through her writing.
She has many interests, but a few of these include gardening, cooking, drawing, sewing, crochet, cross stitch, reading, swimming, biking, and walking. She loves dollhouses, cats, horses, butterflies, hats, boots, flip-flops, espadrilles, chocolate, coffee, tea, chocolate, the colors peach and purple, and everything old-fashioned.
She adopted the slogan of “The Old-Fashioned Everything Girl” because of her love for classic, traditional, and old-fashioned everything. When she isn’t writing, she can sometimes be found teaching herself piano and violin, but finds the process “a bit slow and painful.” Lisa enjoys working with the children and youth in her local church creating human videos and plays or programs incorporating her love for inspirational dance. A few of her favorite authors include Jane Austen, Lucy Maude Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. You’ll find “food, fashion, fun, and faith” in her novels. Sometimes she includes her own illustrations.
She continues the joy and adventure of her writing journey as a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and LCW (Louisville Christian Writers). Lisa’s books are clean and wholesome, inspirational, romantic, and family oriented. She gives a generous portion of the proceeds to missions.
Discover more about this author at www.LisaPrysock.com where you’ll find free recipes, devotionals, author video interviews, book trailers, giveaways, blog posts, and much more, including an invitation to sign up for her free newsletter.
Other Titles by Lisa M. Prysock
To Find a Duchess, Inspirational Regency Romance
The Christian Victorian Heritage Series
Hannah’s Garden: a Turn of the Century Love Story
Abigail’s Melody
The Lydia Collection
The Redemption of Lady Georgiana
Protecting Miss Jenna
Persecution & Providence
Arise Princess Warrior, a 30 Day Devotional Challenge
The Shoemaker, an Old-fashioned Christmas Regency Story
Contemporary Western Romance
Dreams of Sweetwater River, Whispers in Wyoming, Book 3
Marry Me Katie, Whispers in Wyoming, Book 7
No Place Like Home, Whispers in Wyoming, Book 10
All That Glitters, Whispers in Wyoming, Book 16
The Legend of Lollipop, Whispers in Wyoming, Book 20
Brides of Grace Hill Series
Geneva, Garden of Joy, Volume 1
Annabelle, Finding Hope, Volume 2
Victoria, Faith in the Valley, Volume 3
Tracy Jo, Coming Soon
Becoming Princess Olivia, a Contemporary Royal Romance
Study Guide Questions
1) With the Scripture John 10:10 in mind, what were some ways in which Landon was suffering before he turned to Christ even though he had some success in his life? What were some ways in which he was being restored to a more abundant life as he turned to the Lord?
2) What were some of the ways the characters in this story witnessed to Landon without being preachy? Why is it important to invite friends and family to church even if it makes us feel uncomfortable?
3) Thinking of Riley, what are some ways you might be able to minister to foster children or to someone caring for foster children?
4) How can being a volunteer for an organization such as 4-H make a difference for the gospel and enrich your life at the same time? Are there any other organizations or places within your church where you might be able to offer your time and talents to help spread the gospel?
5) What are a few ways in which being outdoors or in various outdoor activities help you feel closer to the Lord or offer opportunities to share the gospel with others?
6) What are some creative ways we can share the gospel at work or in our daily life? How did prayer make a difference in the lives of some of these characters?
7) If this story/series has impacted you and you’d like to ask the Lord to be your Savior, the Sinner’s Prayer is at my author website at www.LisaPrysock.com, but you can also simply invite Him into your heart in your own words and thank Him for what He did on the cross for your sins and mine. I’d love to hear from you if this series has helped you draw closer to the Lord or encouraged you.