The Damaged Heroes Collection [Box Set #1: The Damaged Heroes Collection] (BookStrand Publishing Mainstream)

by James, Sandy

  Katie tensed, but Seth gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.

  “Katie sings a mean Barry Manilow,” Sam added.

  Katie groaned and rolled her eyes. “Thanks a lot, Samantha.”

  “You’re welcome, Kathleen,” she replied in a voice dripping in honey. “Crash, you going with us?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he replied, smiling at Katie again.

  So she could have fun after all. Katie Murphy singing in a bar. Who would have thought?

  Katie and Seth made their farewells, and she still clung to his hand. He loved the feeling of her hand in his, loved that she tightened her grip ever so slightly whenever she smiled.

  He glanced down the aisle, taking in the horsemen and their colors when he suddenly locked eyes with Rachel. She sashayed up the aisle, swinging her hips, and didn’t stop until she came face to face with the couple. Katie released her hold on him as if his hand had become molten lava.

  Obviously expecting to be acknowledged, Rachel glared at the couple.

  Katie’s jaw clenched. “Rachel.”

  Rachel gave an arrogant laugh and looked right at Seth. “Hello, Handsome. I figured you’d be sweeping some other girl off her feet.” She drew the corners of her lips down in a counterfeit sad expression. “Aw... I guess its Katie’s turn.” She glanced over at Katie. “But I got him first.”

  Katie winced at the comment.

  The tension between the two women grew heavy, and Seth figured Katie and Rachel shared something important and clearly divisive. His customary curiosity overrode his common sense. “What’s with you two? Did one of you steal the other’s boyfriend?”

  When he saw the pained response to his words on Katie’s face, Seth realized his mistake. His jest obviously hit too close to the truth. Rachel had hurt Katie.

  Damn. You’ve got a big mouth, Remington.

  Rachel finally broke the uncomfortable silence. “Something like that.” She turned to Katie, a haughty smile spreading across her lips. “Don’t you have anything racing tonight?”

  Katie’s eyes gazed at the bark lining the floor of the paddock as she slid her fingers into the back pockets of her jeans. “Not tonight.” The woman’s inability to hide what she felt would make her a terrible poker player.

  “That’s a shame,” Rachel replied. “But it’s mostly big time horses tonight, so... I’m not really surprised.”

  Green or not, the statement made things crystal clear. Katie had told him the majority of the races on opening night were for some of the best horses in the country. While she had some fast horses in her stable, none of Katie’s animals were at the top of the game. Seth refused to let Rachel’s insult pass without a comment. “Our horses just didn’t get in tonight.”

  He wondered if Katie heard the annoyance in his voice and took any comfort from his defense—even if what he said wasn’t necessarily the truth.

  She pleased him when the corner of her mouth rose enough to give a hint of her dimple as she gently placed her hand on his arm. “We need to go up to the grandstand now.” Looking back at Rachel, Katie seemed to be able to muster some bravado. “You know, I’m sure Brian is looking for you. Aren’t you paddocking for him tonight?”

  “Shit. Gotta run,” Rachel replied as she jogged away.

  “Thank you,” Katie said as soon as Rachel was out of earshot.

  “For what?”

  “For calling them our horses.”

  “I did?” That took him by surprise.

  “Yes, you did. Admit it, you like the horses.”

  He couldn’t stop his smile. “All right. I like the horses. Happy now?”

  “Very. C’mon. Let’s go up front.” Katie took his hand again and led him toward the crowd in the grandstand.

  Chapter 8

  “That’s Dan Patch,” Katie said as she pointed out a picture in the grandstand’s exhibit devoted to one of the most famous horses in harness racing history. “He set a bunch of world records in the early 1900’s. I don’t think he was ever beaten in a race. He’s kind of like our version of Seabiscuit or Secretariat.”

  Katie also showed Seth the big board where the photographs of the season’s leading drivers would be posted each week once the statistics were compiled. “Brian’s always top three,” she bragged. “He’ll win the whole show this year.”

  “It’s just like car racing,” Seth grumbled. “I’m never...”

  “Never what?”

  “Never... mind.” He couldn’t admit to her the irresistible pull of that leader board and how the display reminded him he’d never really been “good” at anything. “Let’s go see the horses.”

  Katie and Seth joined the rest of the crowd as they moved to the short fence separating the track from the spectators. The first post parade began, and the starter’s car, with its wings neatly folded, led the line of horses and drivers past the crowd as the race announcer introduced each entry.

  “Who’s the chick riding the horse?” Seth asked, pointing to the far side of the track. A woman wearing a red jacket and a black protective riding helmet sat atop a big palomino, vigilantly watching over the bustle of activity around her.

  “That’s the outrider. She’s there to protect the drivers if there’s an accident. Sometimes she helps lead temperamental horses to the starting gate. Her job is weeks of boredom interrupted by minutes of sheer terror.”

  “Sounds like you know the job.”

  “I’ve done some outriding.”

  “How long have you been around horses?” Her revelation about outriding, small though it was, made Seth recognize just how little he knew about Katie Murphy.

  “Since I was six.” She chuckled for a second. “I guess that makes twenty years. Damn, it went by fast.”

  “Who taught you all the things you’re teaching me?”

  “Grandpa—Kevin Murphy. He’s great with horses.”

  “That explains your obsession with green and shamrocks. It’s the Irish in you.” Seth chuckled. “Probably accounts for the temper, too.”

  “It might account for mine, but what about your short fuse? Come by it honestly?”

  He had no choice but to acknowledge the truth. “I’m definitely Sterling Remington’s son. How many stables have you worked for?”

  “After I learned from Grandpa, I worked with Jacob Schaeffer.”

  The name rang a bell. Or two. “Oh, yeah. The guy who has your two-year-old.” Although Seth wondered about a connection to Rachel Schaeffer, after the little scene in the paddock, he wasn’t about to ask if Jacob and Rachel were related.

  Katie nodded. “Yeah, he’s got my colt. Let’s go watch the horses warm up.”

  Seth helped her elbow out a place in the crowd gathered along the whitewashed fence close to the finish line to enjoy the first race of the season. The drivers jogged their horses around waiting for post time, and he wondered what was tumbling through their minds. Did they get the same adrenaline rush, the feeling of flying he always enjoyed behind the wheel of a fast car?

  People headed into the grandstand only to return with betting slips like the ones he’d seen in the track kitchen. Across the track, a large illuminated tote board near the finish line constantly updated the odds, betting pools, and possible payoffs.

  The drivers were called to post as the Cadillac spread its gates. After working up to racing speed, the field of nine horses was released as they passed the crowd.

  It didn’t take long for Seth to be hooked. The first race that night did the trick. The rush of watching horses and drivers vie for a win coupled with Brian’s photo-finish victory turned him into a fan for life.

  As Brian drove the victorious horse back toward the grandstand, he waved for Katie and Seth to join him.

  “Winner’s circle,” Katie said, pointing to the area next to the fence strewn with silk flowers.

  Seth finally understood the photos covering the walls of Katie’s room. Winner’s Circle. Remembering the multitude of pictures, he realized once again
how good she was at her job.

  Katie shook her head at Brian, declining her friend’s invitation, but she gave Seth’s back a small push to let him know he was welcome to go.

  He shook his head as well and turned back to Katie. “When one of our horses wins.”

  How could something as simple, as normal as her responding smile cause his mouth to go dry? How could something as common as the touch of a hand, as natural as the lacing of their fingers, make his breath catch in his throat?

  Sweet Jesus, Seth. You’ve gone way too long without a woman.

  He found himself in uncharted territory, adrift in a sea without a buoy in sight. Katie wasn’t just another woman, another potential conquest. She wasn’t a one-night stand. This woman called to a part of him he hadn’t known existed. This lure more than physical, more than sexual. So much more than lust.

  Seth instinctively tightened his grip on her hand and led her back toward the grandstand. “Let’s get something to...” He let the thought hang unfinished between them because he was flat broke, and while he wanted to buy her dinner, he couldn’t. This predicament was exactly what Sterling had wanted. Seth Remington—officially working class. Even worse. Poor.

  Katie watched him with eyes much too full of worldly wisdom for someone her age. She allowed him a few moments of reflection, plainly understanding what churned through his mind. Seth assumed she would throw him a lifeline like she had many times in the track kitchen, but the notion that he constantly needed her help hurt his already wounded pride. He broke the silence first. “If I had any money, I’d buy you a nice dinner, but I can’t—”

  “I’ve got an idea,” she interrupted. “They’ve got hot dogs for a buck on Saturdays.”

  “Sounds good,” he replied before realizing he still didn’t have any cash. “I don’t suppose you’d float me a dollar?”

  “Didn’t I tell you?” Katie flashed him knowing smile. “It’s payday. You can buy your own hot dog.”

  She pulled a wallet out of her back pocket and retrieved a yellow check she handed to Seth. He took it from her and just stared at the payment for a moment. It was less than he’d paid for the last shirt he’d bought, but the amount didn’t matter. This was his. Not handed to him and earned by someone else’s labor. His.

  “Don’t worry. Ross set up an account for you at the bank with a branch next to the track, so they’ll cash it without a hassle. I already settled your tab at the kitchen.” When Seth didn’t say anything, she started to talk more rapidly. “Ross always has your money deposited in my account. I can pay you in cash if you want, but I’m not very good at keeping track of things if I don’t use checks.” A mild, apologetic blush spread over her cheeks. “I’m good with horses, not at bookkeeping.”

  “It’s not that,” Seth finally replied. “This is the first paycheck I’ve ever earned.”

  “I should’ve docked you for all the extra feed. I swear I’ve never seen anyone spoil horses as much as you do. They’re all getting too fat to race.”

  Seth leaned his shoulder against her in a playful shove. She returned the gesture. Seth took her hand, and they walked to the grandstand together.

  Katie footed the bill, and the two ate hot dogs and shared an enormous soda before they settled into some abandoned seats to watch more races. He enjoyed the simple meal more than any expensive cuisine he’d ever tasted. “How much does a trainer get when a horse wins?” he asked.

  “The purse gets divided between the first five finishers. Everyone else is an ‘also ran.’ That means they get...” Katie blew a raspberry and smiled.

  Seth shook his head. “That’s not what I asked. What would you get?”

  “Whatever the horse wins, its trainer gets five percent. So does the driver. This race, I’d get two-hundred for first place.”

  “If it’s an also ran?”

  She blew another raspberry. “Trainers have to make sure their horses are ready to race, or they make zilch at the track.”

  Katie picked up a discarded program, her eyes scanning a page as her finger traced the entries. She suddenly gave the program a hard tap. “This one is easy. Brian’s going to take it.”

  “Show me how to read that thing,” Seth begged, looking at the pages of jumbled names and numbers. After a few minutes of instruction, Seth caught on. “Boss, can you float me...? What’s the minimum bet around here?”

  “Two dollars,” Katie replied as she wiggled to reach for her wallet. “But that’s all I’m staking you. You lose it, you’re out of luck.”

  “I won’t lose it,” he promised, taking the bills in hand and sprinting toward the betting windows before the race went to post.

  “That’s what they all say,” she commented loudly, eliciting laughter from several close spectators.

  Seth returned with his red and white ticket, but he refused to divulge his wager to Katie. The race was close, but as Katie predicted, Brian’s long-shot horse managed to win the mile.

  Seth checked his ticket several times to be sure he was seeing it correctly, waiting with baited breath to see the results of the race posted.

  “Official” illuminated on the infield tote board, and Seth watched as the payoffs were displayed. Just to be contrary, he made a somber face and shook his head.

  Katie must have noticed his expression when she offered a conciliatory comment. “Most people lose. Don’t feel bad.”

  “Oh, I don’t feel bad at all. Hell, I just wish I’d bet more.”

  She appeared confused, which made Seth extremely happy. For once, she was off balance.

  “I don’t understand,” Katie said, knitting her brows.

  Seth tossed her a smug grin. “If I’d had four bucks on them, I’d be in four figures.”

  “Them?” He savored her puzzled expression, the small tilt of her head, the sudden dawning of understanding. “Let me see that ticket!” She grabbed for the betting slip.

  Seth began a teasing game of “keep away” as she leaned over her seat to try to snatch it from his hand. The more she struggled, the harder he tried to keep it out of her grasp.

  Katie jumped up, obviously frustrated and way too stubborn to ever admit defeat, and faced Seth as she leaned against him, bracing herself on his chest with her left hand. Her right reached for the betting slip he continued to keep as far behind his head as he could manage even as he realized his actions were nothing more than an adolescent ploy to draw her closer.

  Standing on tiptoe, Katie finally caught the paper. She opened her mouth, probably preparing for a victorious comment, and then suddenly snapped it shut. Her face flushed a deep shade of red. Not only was Katie practically in his lap, but her chest pressed into Seth’s face. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled as she tried to get her balance.

  “Oh, you’re quite forgiven,” he replied with a chuckle. Settling his hands around her waist to steady her, he hoped to keep her near for a moment longer. The whole episode had been the best thing that happened to him in a very long time—winning the bet included. As she moved away, awkward and apologetic, he could still make out the lingering sweet flowery scent of her. A subtle smell that eclipsed even the finest of perfumes. For the first time, Seth seriously wondered if any sort of loophole existed in the ridiculous “all business” clause of his father’s will. Perhaps he wasn’t entirely barred from pursuing her.

  What the hell are you thinking, Remington? The instructions had been clear enough, and his inheritance was obviously more important than any fleeting attraction. Even if it was an extraordinarily strong one.

  Taking a good look at the betting slip she now held in her hand, Katie’s eyes went wide. “You bet a trifecta?”

  “Sure did. First, second, third in correct order. All long shots, too. That two dollars you floated me just turned into five-hundred and eighty,” he arrogantly replied, plucking the ticket from her fingers.

  “Beginner’s luck,” she reasoned as she crossed her arms over her breasts.

  Seth laughed as he patted her shoulder. �
�Hell, with the way things have been going lately, I’ll take any luck I can get. You want your two bucks back?”

  “I’ll take it out of your pay.” Katie checked her wristwatch. “It’s after ten, and we’ve got an early morning. I’m exhausted, so I’m heading for home. Think you can find your way back to the dorm, Rookie?”

  “Oh, I think I can manage.” He waved the ticket in her face. “With this I might just call a limo.” The stunned look on Katie’s face told him she thought he was serious. “Don’t worry, Boss. Old habits die hard. But let me walk you to your truck. You never know what kind of shady characters are hanging around a racetrack.” He winked at her.

  After cashing his ticket, Seth counted out half of his winnings and handed the bills to Katie. She sheepishly accepted the money after he insisted they had shared the bet. Leaving the grandstand, the two headed back toward the barn area to Katie’s truck.

  Once they reached her pickup, both of them stood awkwardly by the vehicle not knowing exactly how to end the evening. Katie finally fished her keys out of her pocket. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  He reached out as his hands cupped her shoulders before his fingers traced slow, steady trails down her arms. Was she trembling? “I had a nice time, Katie. It’s the best date I’ve had in a long, long time.”

  She shook her head, but the gesture did little to alter his opinion. “It wasn’t a date. Just a couple of barn rats going to opening night races.” Her lips shaped a small, hesitant smile. “I’m glad you won us some money.”

  “Me, too,” he said with a chuckle that sounded more nervous than amused, making him wonder at his own odd reticence. She was, after all, simply another woman. “My clothes need washing and I’m out of detergent.”

  He finally opened her door and watched as she buckled her seatbelt before putting her keys into the ignition. The truck’s warning tone began to chime. Although the annoying sound droned on, Seth wasn’t ready to let her go. He had to remind himself Katie was off limits, that no woman was worth losing the Remington fortune. And yet, he drowned in an overwhelming desire to kiss her, to find out for himself if those lips were as soft and warm as they appeared. One kiss would indulge his curiosity, and then he could brush this ridiculous adolescent attraction aside.