"Could we keep our options open?"
"In what way?"
"By keeping things light so no one gets hurt while trying to figure out a way for our long-term goals to come together."
"That's all well and good, but when I'm holdin' you in my arms the last thing I'm thinkin' about is keepin' things light, which puts the burden of keepin' things light on you, and after what just happened, that doesn't seem likely. For now though, let's just get through the next race and take it from there. Rags could decide she'd rather play ball with her buddies than race and refuse to run again, and that would take her out of the equation."
"Then you'd sell her?"
"Not likely, but she'd probably make a dang good cow pony, figurin' cuttin' cattle was a game about intimidating cows. And she'd get to play with her toy at the end of the day, and hunker down into a foot of rice straw with her buddies."
"You'd still do that? I mean, your grandfather would no longer be training her," Piper said.
Ace chuckled. "Muffinhead's runnin' the show here. That little filly's gotten under my skin, and yes, she'd still be treated like a princess."
Piper couldn't help thinking the scenario Ace presented would be a solution. Her grand goal of becoming a top female jockey and racing in the big three stakes races, and possibly being a Triple Crown contender, would have lost its luster when matching that with marrying Ace and living with him in his Hobbit house, and she'd get to be a part of helping him complete it. And Rags would be here, not as a cutting horse, but as an upcoming barrel horse, which would mean buying a pair of flashy chaps with fringe, and with Mary's help, setting her sights on making Rags the fastest barrel horse in the state. But this whole scenario would only happen if Rags refused to run. Odd that her entire future could rest on the outcome of a single race.
***
Piper couldn't believe how fast the week had flown by, and already it was race day again. While being led by Shuggy on Cricket, who was again Rags's pony horse, she and Rags joined the parade to post. As it was at the claiming race, Shuggy led them along the outside rail near the onlookers, but unlike that day, Rags was indifferent to the crowd, head bobbing apathetically, big ears splayed, tail drooping, and Piper knew Rags had tapped into her own uncertainty about this particular race, the race that could determine her future, in a sense.
While jogging Rags around the track during the pre-race workout earlier, she found herself ruminating on the ways jockeys could throw a race, starting with the oldest trick in the book: giving the horse too much water before the start so it would be bloated and couldn't run to its potential. Then there was missing the break at the start, which practically ruled out a horse's chance. But the easiest to pull off would be to get boxed in behind a roadblock of horses as the race progressed, closing off the chance at a clear run to the front. She'd never resort to any of those ploys, but she couldn't shake her pessimistic attitude, and Rags had picked up on it.
As they walked passed the cheering crowd in the grandstand during the parade to post, she looked to where her family would be if they had a horse entered. She knew one of her father's clients had a colt running later, but not in this race, and since she hadn't said anything about running Rags to any of them, she was startled to see her father and Mick peering through field glasses at her. The rush of adrenaline that followed also kicked into gear her old zealous drive to prove to them and the others that she could do it. More than that, she wanted to prove that Rags was everything she'd known she could be from the early days when she'd watched the filly challenging the other weanlings in the pasture.
In an instant, Rags raised her head, her ears pricked forward, and she stopped momentarily to survey the crowd, her nostrils flaring with excitement. And Piper could feel the slight tug on the bit, along with a ball of equine energy building beneath her. Rags was primed and ready, and Piper felt her own competitive spirit again surging through her.
Rags loaded into the starting gate like a pro, and a moment later the bell clanged and the gates shot open. Rags started out slowly, hanging back from the rest yet setting a solid pace and Piper knew she was conserving energy for her later sprint to the finish. As anticipated, when the field entered the backstretch Rags started moving up. Turning into the homestretch, Piper sent Rags three-wide where she started picking off her competitors while moving up to join the leaders. Clicking into intimidation mode, Rags challenged the front runners until each gave in to her, leaving an empty track ahead while Rags picked up speed, coasting home to a 5-1/2 length victory in a final time Piper's gut instinct told her was close to a track record.
Perched high over Rags' withers, her fist raised in victory, Piper couldn't quell the wide grin as she imagined her father and Mick peering down at her. Ace would be grinning too because Rags just won $30,000, and with the $14,000 she brought in at the claiming race, he should be on a cloud. He'd also have some decisions to make because Rags was no longer a cow pony prospect. She was derby potential. But she refused to dwell on that.
She looked ahead and saw Ace and Henri, and a small gathering of Broussards that included Anne and Joe, waiting in the winner's circle. Rags would get her squeaky toy now, which Ace had in a bag slung over his shoulder, then she'd find herself under a blanket of flowers, which could mean a new toy Rags might grab and start shaking, sending flowers flying.
As they moved into the gathering, Ace plucked a flower from the blanket that was about to be draped over Rags's withers and tucked it into her bridle, saying, "This is for you, Beauty. And this." He pulled out her chicken, which Rags snatched from his hand and followed with vigorous head-bobbing.
In the midst of a cacophony of squeaks, and laughter, and cheers, and flashing cameras, Piper found herself on the ground and swept into Ace's arms in a kiss she'd later regret, but couldn't stop, her euphoric high at winning, coupled with the feel of Ace's arms around her, blocking everything around but the moment.
It wasn't until she caught the sound of a woman loudly clearing her throat that broke the spell, and the kiss, and Piper quickly backed out of Ace's arms to find Anne with Joe, right behind them. "Congratulations," Anne said, "but you might want to save this for later." She nodded to where their father and Mick stood watching from the railing, her father's face stony.
Instead of coming forward, her father motioned for Mick to follow him and they disappeared into the crowd while making their way toward the shed row and stables facing the backstretch. There was no question what her father's mindset was, but Piper didn't care. Her relationship with Ace was out in the open and both families would have to come to terms with it. Ace's family was less of a problem. Not being a Catholic would be their concern, and she could do what Anne did, but with her family, she didn't even want to think about the kerfuffle that was soon to take place.
Several hours later, in the quiet confines of Rag's double-wide stall, which was bedded with a foot of fresh rice straw, Piper cuddled against Ace, who sat with his back to the stall partition and his arm around her. Rags, Cricket and Gumbo were playing ball in their pasture, and Henri and the stable hands had left, leaving Ace to pen the animals up.
The last thing Piper wanted after a day filled with highs that took her into the winner's circle, and lows that brought her down into an uncertain future, would be to face her father and the rest of her family. It would be ludicrous to try to hide her feelings for Ace from them, and in the end she was a grown woman who'd choose the course of her life, but she wasn't up to getting into it with them tonight, especially since things between her and Ace were so unsure. If she had an engagement ring on her finger it would be easy. She and Ace would make their announcement and that would be the end of it. But they were far from rings and announcements.
Raising her hand, she turned Ace's face toward her, kissed him lightly and said, "So, where do we go from here?" She hoped to start a dialog that would lead to some kind of resolution to their impasse, maybe a realization for Ace that leaving his brothers in charge of his cattle for a couple o
f years wouldn't be the end of ranching.
"We're goin' to Cypress Downs for the $100,000, 8-furlong, Princess Stakes," Ace replied, squelching talk about their future. "Runnin' a mile's right up her alley and if she runs like she did today she'll bring home the $60,000 first place."
Piper couldn't quell her excitement, their future together temporarily on hold as her dream of competing in the big races interceded. "It's also a Grade III race so points go towards the Kentucky Oaks."
Ace kissed her on the temple. "I know. It's what you want."
Piper looked up at him. "Then you'd consider going to Kentucky?"
"I don't know what I'd consider right now. Let's just take it one race at a time."
"But you'd think about it?"
"One race at a time. At least the cat's outta the bag and our families know we intend to live our lives the way we want, though it's not the way they should've learned about us."
Piper rested her head in the hollow of Ace's shoulder and curved her arm around him and cuddled closer. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I can't even remember dismounting, but when I did you were there with your arms out, and after that it was all a blur. Pretty unprofessional."
"Not really. Most jockeys kiss their love interests after a win."
"I know, and it sent a loud, clear message to my father and everyone elses that we're an item. I can't deny I'm excited about the outcome of the race today though. It's been my dream for years. And Rags. She's another dream come true. I always knew she had it in her, but it took your grandfather to prove it to all the naysayers. And even though we're kinda back where we were before the race, with long-range goals that don't come together, I know we can work it out, and I'm so excited about everything I just want to hug and kiss and tell you how much I love you and stay wrapped up in it, like a big wonderful package." She kissed her way up his neck and across his chin and on his mouth.
"Umm… I love you too, sugah," Ace said, between kisses, "but what happened to keepin' things light?"
"Call it a temporary impost, like assigning a weight to a horse as they get better." Piper kissed him again. "I'm getting better at this hugging and kissing and necking stuff, and I'm pretty lightweight in size, so I figure we could add a little weight."
When she found herself sprawled with Ace in the deep straw, with their arms entwined, their legs entangled and their bodies pressed tightly together, Ace was the one to finally put on the skids. His voice husky, he said, "Darlin', you're all steamed up and my mind's one-track right now and there's only one place I can think to go where we won't wake up with regrets in the morning. Come on."
CHAPTER 17
Piper was temporarily at a loss for words. The last place she'd expected to find herself this particular day was sitting with the Broussards at a long dining table, the center of which contained an array of savory Cajun faire—collard greens dotted with bacon bits, a big bowl of okra smothered with tomatoes, slices of French bread piled high on a platter, and a casserole stuffed with mirliton, shrimp, onion, celery and bell pepper, and topped with golden-brown bread crumbs. And on a pass-through ledge between the kitchen and dining room, a couple of sweet potato pies were set aside for afterwards.
It was an affable, noisy affair that had Piper smiling often, mostly to cover her uneasiness at being the only Harrison at a table of Broussards that included Henri, Ace's parents, Mary, and all the brothers except Joe, who was home with Anne and Joey. She'd hoped Anne would be there, but that's not the way things worked out.
It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision that fell under the category of leaving their options open, as Ace explained when they'd finally gained control by cutting short their steamy session in the stable. From Ace's perspective, having supper with his family was to let them know they intended to lead their own lives, but from her stance it was to let them know that in spite of the heated kiss some of them witnessed in the winner's circle, she and Ace were not mates, though in today's world, kissing in public was tantamount to being bed partners. And if truth be told, once they'd declared their love she'd found herself nullifying every excuse she could think not to continue down the path they were headed in the stable when Ace managed to reel things in not more than twenty minutes before.
While she deliberated on how best to approach the subject, Ace solved the problem. "Just to let y'all know, Piper and I are workin' at tryin' to figure out how to bring our lives together, but for the time bein' I'm a good Catholic boy and she's a strong-willed woman and whatever y'all figure's goin' on behind the scenes, it's not happenin' and won't till all the kinks are worked out and we can do things the right way."
All Piper could think to do was sit, sober-faced, while batting her eyelids in nervous confusion, a little uncertain exactly what Ace had just said, phrases like, tryin' to figure out how to bring our lives together, along with, we can do things the right way, being about as close as he could come to telling his family a future with them together was on the horizon, though he was definitely premature in presenting that scenario.
Marcelite Broussard, mother of the brood, passed the bowl of smothered okra to Piper, who sat beside Ace, and said in a voice more curious than prying, "Do your folks know what's goin' on with you and Ace?"
Piper hadn't expected the direct question. Nor could she set aside the stony look on her father's face after he saw her kissing Ace, and she knew a tirade was brewing. Giving a little shrug, she said, "There's really nothing to know right now. Like Ace said, we're just trying to work things out."
"And your family's okay with it?"
"Momma, no grillin'," Ace cut in. "Piper's here for supper, not for an interrogation."
Marcelite looked at Piper, contrite. "Ma chagren, chère."
"It's okay," Piper said. "My folks know I'm here exercising horses, and after the last race they know Ace and I… that is, we're, umm, well… becoming better friends."
Henri let out a short, derisive snort.
Marcelite gave her father-in-law a sharp look. "The original fallin' out between our families is long past, Pere, and it's time to mend fences and let the young folks sort it out on their own."
Henri straightened his shoulders and said in a curt voice, "In my time there wasn't all this tippy-toein' around."
Ace laughed. "Yeah, right, Pépère. The daddies decided who'd marry who, but that didn't mean there wasn't any tippy-toein' around between the bride and groom to be and their love interests before the weddin'. At least Piper and I can do our own choosing." He reached under the table and gave Piper's hand a squeeze, then released it and continued eating, leaving Piper wishing she could be tippy-toeing with him in the shed row right now.
She loved being alone with him, and talking to him, and laughing with him, and feeling his hand around hers and the brush of his fingers on her face. And she loved the heat of his gaze, and the pure male scent of him, and the taste of his lips. Most of all, she loved the way they fit together when reclined in the straw, and she could imagine spending nights that way, in a big feather bed in his Hobbit house. With that thought, she snaked her hand beneath the table and rested it on his thigh, and he turned and smiled at her…
A scurrying in the direction of the mudroom broke the spell.
"Mon-dieu!" Marcelite stood and cuffed her youngest son on the arm. "Gator, you git that critter outta this house right now, you hear me! It was bad enough havin' Mary's crickets, but gators belong in the swamp."
"Don't go gettin' your feathers ruffled, Momma," Gator said. "I had him in a box to take to town right after supper and he just got out."
"And don't you get sassy with me. Just get him back in that box and in your truck or tomorrow we'll be eatin' gator pie".
"Yes'um." Gator shoved his chair back and scooped up a two-foot long alligator that had scurried across the floor and tucked it under his arm and left the room.
"Mais la, I don't know why that boy's fixated on those awful things," Marcelite said.
Eloi Broussard eyed his wife with amusement. "You'
re the one who nicknamed him Gator. Now he's livin' up to his name. You won't have much longer to fret though. He's near grown and will be settin' up his own place before we know it."
Marcelite looked in the direction of the mudroom and said in a voice intended to be heard, "'Cept he'll never find a wife because no woman'll be willin' to raise kids on a gator farm with a man who thinks wrestlin' the nasty critters is sport."
"He still has some growin' to do, Momma," Eloi said. "He'll probably one day settle down and go into cattle ranchin' with his brothers."
Marcelite pursed her lips. "Lord willin' and the creek don't rise."
Pike, who was sitting opposite Ace, looked askance at his mother and said, "Or maybe he'll decide it's pretty lucrative raisin' racehorses. Speakin' of which—" he turned to Ace. "When you win that next race and bring in the big bucks, what'll y'all do then? Sell her for a profit or slot her in for the big stakes races and head east?"
It was some moments before Ace said, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Alone with Ace in the stable later, after Rags and her stable companions were bedded down for the night, Ace said to Piper as they were walking down the shed row, "You're mighty quiet. What's goin' on?"
Piper shrugged. "I've been mulling things over."
"Things like what?"
"Like you not answering your brother's question when he asked what we'll do if we win the big race because it's not really about what we'll do, but what you'll do, since you own Rags."
"If Rags wins the race I have a house to finish, and you have a dream to follow, and Rags'll still be here when you've had your fill of jockeyin'."
"So you've given up the idea of taking her around the country? Before the race you sounded like you might consider it."
"I did and it's not for me. Other than a few local races, Rags and I will be here if you get better offers and want to head east."
The Final Turn (Cajun Cowboys Book 2) Page 19