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

by James, Sandy

  “What?” she innocently asked as she ran her hands down her skirt to smooth it against her legs. “Am I unzipped?” She peered over both shoulders.

  Seth finally found his ability to speak again. “You sure clean up nice, Boss.” Her blush was his reward.

  Ross walked over and took Katie’s hand. He pressed a quick kiss to her fingers. “You’re beautiful.” Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red.

  Ross held onto Katie’s hand. Seth clenched his fists at his side. If you don’t let her go, you’re going to die soon, Ambulance-chaser. Slowly and painfully.

  “Ready to go, Katie?” Ross asked. “Choose the restaurant. Anything you want. Sky’s the limit.”

  “I’m happy with anything.” She turned back to Seth. “Help yourself to the stuff in the fridge. I’ll run you back to the dorm later. Let me know what you think of the colt.”

  As soon as the couple disappeared, Seth turned to Gold. “Women. If I had a Lexus, she’d be with me. What does she see in that jerk anyway?”

  Gold shook his head and snorted. Such a perceptive horse.

  After finishing the few remaining chores, Seth went to explore the mountain of debris Katie had piled on her desk.

  If she needed a hand, he wanted to be the one to give it to her.

  Chapter 13

  “What a disaster!”

  Seth shuffled through the bills and receipts scattered haphazardly over the surface of Katie’s desk. Some were over a year old. As he thumbed through the ledger in her checkbook, he realized it hadn’t been balanced in months. Of course the barely legible scribbling probably had something to do with her ignoring it. Heaven forbid the I.R.S. ever took a good, long look into her finances. Katie would never survive an audit.

  He couldn’t help but think he could bring some organization, any organization, to her record keeping. “How does she make any sense out of this mess?”

  Once he’d divided the papers into orderly stacks, Seth tried to use some simple accounting to figure out just how far Katie was in the red. He rifled through her desk, but he couldn’t even produce a calculator to assist him in balancing her books.

  Recognizing the near impossibility of the chore he faced, Seth grabbed the keys to Katie’s truck. She’d be furious he borrowed it, but the only way he could help with her problem was to get some important supplies. She’d also be furious he was plowing through her financial records.

  Seth weighed her possible reaction against whether he could help her. He held out a slim hope her money worries might simply be a result of her horrendous bookkeeping. Deciding she needed his interference, he risked her irritation. “Time to move into the twenty-first century, Boss.”

  Seth had some shopping to do.

  * * * *

  “You sure this is where you want to eat?” Ross asked as he appraised the building’s rundown exterior. Wanting to impress her, he had hoped she would pick something more elegant.

  “I know it’s a hole in the wall, but they’ve got the best Chinese food in town,” Katie answered, reaching for the door handle. Ross gently brushed her hand away and opened the door for her. She obviously wasn’t used to men treating her with common courtesy.

  Placing his hand on the small of her back and savoring the freedom to touch her, Ross ushered her to a table where he pulled out her chair. “So how is Seth really doing?” He moved around the table and took his seat.

  “Much better than I expected,” Katie replied over the top of her menu. “Try the cashew chicken. It’s to die for.”

  “Sounds good.” He turned to the waiter who had appeared at his side. “Two cashew chickens and an iced tea. What do you want to drink, Katie?”

  “Sweet tea would be nice,” she replied as she handed the menu to Ross. He gave them both to the waiter and ordered her drink.

  “Is Seth pulling his weight?”

  “Oh, yeah. And then some. I was going to call you this week to see if you could up his pay. He’s wanting to train now, and I’m teaching him. He’s a quick study.” She grinned so broadly, Ross began to suspect a strong attachment was forming between Katie and Seth. Her face showed pride when she talked about Seth. And, even worse, it showed affection. That notion didn’t sit well—not when Ross had set his sights on getting much closer to her.

  “Wow. I’ve got to say I’m impressed. Who’d have thought? How are you handling the whole thing?”

  The waiter brought their drinks, and she took a sip of tea before finally addressing Ross’s question. “How am I handling it? Day by day. It’s... different having him around. I thought I’d be babysitting, but he works so much harder than I ever expected.”

  “Seth Remington working?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t seem to get a good handle on that idea.”

  “I know. It surprised me, too. He’s actually a damn good groom, and he’s got a knack for training, too. And he’s... fun to be around.” She smiled and shrugged. “Who knew?”

  With a laugh, Ross shook his head again. “Not me. All right, enough about Remington. Tell me about you. How’d you decide to start training horses?”

  Throughout dinner, Katie and Ross shared stories from their lives. She spoke of growing up in Goshen and learning the trade from her grandfather and Jacob. Ross absorbed every word.

  He told her his tales about playing college football, going to law school, and the trials and tribulations of working for a large firm. He was thrilled she appeared genuinely interested.

  The fortune cookies arrived at the end of the pleasant meal. Katie took one and broke it open. When she laughed aloud, she piqued Ross’s curiosity. “What does it say?”

  Katie read from the small slip of paper. “‘Where there is love, expect the impossible.’”

  “Gee, that’s specific.” He rolled his eyes. “You don’t believe that stuff, do you?”

  She shook her head and gave him a crooked smile. “No, not really.” She picked up the second cookie and set it in the palm of her hand. Looking up through those thick lashes, the challenge was plain in her eyes. “So, Ross. What does your fortune say?”

  Ross took the treat, cracked the shell, and retrieved the paper. “‘The heart often wants what it cannot obtain.’”

  Katie crinkled her nose. “That has to be the most depressing fortune I’ve ever heard.”

  Taking several bills out of his wallet, Ross dropped them on the table. “Ready to go? Maybe we could catch a movie.”

  “I really should get back to the barn. Seth needs a ride back, and I want to see my new colt,” Katie replied as Ross pulled her chair back and escorted her out of the restaurant.

  Jealousy flashed vivid and strong, but Ross pushed it aside, reminding himself that Katie and Seth only worked together. She was here, having dinner with him, not Remington. And Ross would do whatever it took to keep her close a little while longer.

  Once they reached the parking lot, he opened the passenger door of the Lexus. “What would you say if I told you I’m thinking about buying a horse and putting it in your stable?”

  Katie had been ducking to slide into the car, but she suddenly popped back up. She knocked her head on the roof and let out a yelp. “Thanks a lot, Ross. That hurt.” She rubbed a spot on the crown of her head.

  “Sorry.”

  “Did you just say you wanted to put a horse in my barn?” Katie asked, clearly confused over the prospect.

  When he didn’t immediately reply, she carefully sat down in the passenger seat as he closed her door and walked to his side of the car.

  Once they pulled out into traffic, Ross finally answered her. “I really think I’d like to see what it’s like to own a racehorse. And if I get one, where else would I possibly put it than with you? Would you mind taking on another horse?”

  Katie shook her head, and Ross watched her soft red ponytail bounce in response. Her pretty face made it hard to keep his eyes on the road. She couldn’t possibly know how much he’d been thinking about her since that cold day he’d left Seth
at her barn. Even from the moment he first saw her in his Chicago office, he’d been infatuated. Through their many phone conversations, they’d forged a strong friendship. But he pictured Katie as so much more than a friend. The notion that Seth Remington could share all of her time was driving Ross to distraction.

  The only thing keeping him from losing his mind to jealousy was knowing Seth couldn’t pursue Katie. He’d dealt with lots of men like Seth—guys who believed money was more important than anything else in life. You inherited that kind of money, you sacrificed your conscience. It was a relief to know Katie would be spared Seth’s charms.

  Ross figured he could be charming too, and he intended to do everything in his power to spend time with Katie Murphy. If it cost him the price of a racehorse, so be it. And Seth had told him she needed the money. Ross desperately wanted to find a way to help her.

  “I’d love to work with you. Did you want to buy or claim? Did you have a horse in mind?” She kept talking as they drove, practically bouncing on the seat with her apparent excitement. “How much did you want to spend? Did you apply for an owner’s license yet?”

  Katie impressed him with the catalog of questions she continued to throw his way, but she didn’t even pause long enough to take a breath so he could have a chance to respond. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Ross pictured himself in a winner’s circle with a handsome horse. And with Katie.

  This might be a lot of fun.

  “You tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. How much do you need?” Ross asked.

  “It depends on what you want. Easiest thing would be to claim. Lowest claimers are five-thousand. And I can cut you a good deal on training.”

  “No!” He hadn’t meant to shout. “No deals. You need to earn a living, and I know you’ll more than make it back for me. Tell me about claiming.”

  Katie explained the process, and Ross agreed it would be the easiest way to acquire a good horse. “What’s the highest claiming level?” he asked.

  She gawked at him. “Thirty-thousand, but there are lower claimers. You can—”

  Ross interrupted with a wave of his hand. “Thirty is great. I’ll have money wired to a track account tomorrow, and I’ll get my owner’s license as soon as I can.”

  “You can’t be serious,” she scoffed. “No one starts at the highest level.”

  “Of course, I’m serious. When you find what you want, you get it.” He reached over to her, tucking his hand around her slim, cool fingers. “And I’ll send you an advance on your training fees so you can get anything you need.”

  “Ross, trainers don’t get an advance,” Katie said as she shook her head.

  “Mine does.” He grinned at her like some besotted adolescent before he caught himself and put his eyes back on traffic.

  She squeezed his hand. “Are you sure? God, Ross, that’s an awful lot of money.”

  He smiled at her touch and her concern. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding like I’m bragging, but I’ve got plenty of money. I’m single, and I work seventy hours a week.” He shrugged. “What else do I have to spend it on? Humor me. Get me a good horse. Let’s win some money together.”

  Katie’s face glowed. “I’ll do better than get you a good horse; I’ll make you a good horse.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Turn left on the next street,” she instructed as she pulled her hand from his.

  Ross did as she asked. “Where are we going?”

  She pointed toward a strip mall. “There’s a coffee shop with computers over there. It’s open late. I’m going to show you how to make a good horse.”

  * * * *

  Ross guided the Lexus into a parking space in front of The Cyber House. Katie didn’t even wait for him to work his way around to open her door before she jumped out of the car.

  She found a vacant table and sat herself down in front of one of the shop’s open computers where she hunched over to stare at the screen. Katie hoped Ross wouldn’t recognize the trouble she had as she tried to find the correct website. She’d never learned much about using a computer, and she didn’t want him to think she was an uneducated hick. Even if she was.

  “What are we looking for?” Ross asked, leaning over her shoulder.

  “I’m going to find you a horse we can turn into a thirty claimer.”

  “Why not just claim one at thirty? Wouldn’t that be easier?”

  Katie shook her head as she tried to navigate the confusing Internet. “It might be easier, but not nearly as profitable.” She looked up at Ross for help. She’d forgotten how incredibly tall the man was. “Do you know how to find a website when you don’t know the address?”

  Sitting down next to Katie, Ross gave her a few lessons in web surfing. Before too long, they arrived at the correct place. Rows of names and statistics filled the screen, and she took over the role of instructor as he assumed the role of student.

  “There!” Katie pointed at the screen. “That’s the one. I knew he was in this week.”

  Ross looked at the information, but seemed confused. “What does that mean?”

  She lowered her voice to a whisper. One never knew when other horsemen lingered around, and claiming was best done covertly. “Taylor O’Riley’s horse is in for fifteen. I can make him a thirty claimer,” she said softly but with confidence. She might not know computers, but she damn well knew horses.

  Ross whispered in return. “How can you do that? Make him a thirty claimer?” He sat so close that his breath tickled her ear, but it didn’t send the wave of heat through her body the way Seth always did whenever he was near. Katie tried to shake the thought of Seth right out of her head. She wasn’t entirely successful. “By the way, why are we whispering?” he asked with an amused smile.

  “It’s best to keep a good thing under your hat,” she softly replied. “I’ll turn this horse into a thirty claimer by improving him. It’s like buying stock. Buy low; sell high. Taylor’s a really nice guy, but he’s a terrible trainer. I can improve on him. Trust me.” She thumped the screen with her finger. “This is the horse you want.”

  He nodded and gave her an enormous grin. Katie wondered why her heart didn’t beat a little faster like it always did when Seth smiled. “What do I have to do to get this one?” Ross asked.

  “You need to come to the race office tomorrow and get your license. You’ll need fingerprints,” she answered as she continued to search through the information she’d found on the gelding she wanted. She started a mental list of things she would have to do to prepare for the new horse.

  Katie felt as excited as a toddler at Christmas. For the first time she could remember, she had the financial backing to choose a really good prospect. Ross was handing her a golden opportunity and serving it up on a silver platter.

  But why? Why out of the blue?

  Katie stopped looking at the computer and turned to stare at her new benefactor. “Ross, can I ask you a question?”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Why now? Why get a horse now?”

  Ross seemed to think about his answer for a long moment before he finally replied. “Because of you.”

  Katie furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.”

  Ross took her hand into his. His touch was warm and comforting, but her stomach sure didn’t flutter the way it did when Seth touched her. “Katie, you’re contagious. Ever since I first saw you, you’re all I can think about. It’s like I’ve contracted some type of... virus.”

  “Gee, thanks.” Katie pulled her hand away, leaned back in the chair, and crossed her arms. “I’m a virus?”

  Ross looked sheepish. “Sorry. Bad analogy. I’m not really good at... at saying what I feel.” He seemed hesitant, which surprised Katie since his style usually came across as much more assertive. “I really like you, and if we get a horse together, it gives me a good excuse to spend time with you.”

  Although she was flattered by the admission, something in the back of her mind sent a warning flag so
aring. It was never a good thing to mix business with pleasure, especially in racing. Acquiring a horse could be a long-term commitment, and too many a romance had fizzled under the high pressure of the industry.

  An image of Seth came unbidden into Katie’s mind, and she tried desperately to push it aside, to sweep him out of her thoughts. That man was bad news in every sense of the word. Just as soon as he completed the season, Seth would disappear without a backward glance. She imagined he would be so anxious to leave that he would high-tail it out of Indiana at the first possible moment. He might have adapted well, even thrived, but Katie was certain he viewed her way of life as well below his social station.

  Ross was here embracing her world with open arms, and his addition to her stable could very well save it. So why couldn’t she want Ross instead of Seth? The lawyer was handsome with his wavy brown hair and big brown eyes. He led a successful life. And he acted like an adult instead of a spoiled child.

  Damn Seth Remington anyway!

  One part of her wished Seth would leave her in peace even as another pushed her to hold onto him with all of her strength. For a woman who desired total control of every aspect of her existence, the duality of her own feelings shook her to the core. Where could this whole mess she called a life ultimately lead?

  For now, she would let it lead her to a new horse. And she’d make money for both of them.

  “Thank you, Ross. You’re sweet,” Katie said as she leaned forward and patted his arm.

  Ross smiled and covered her hand with his. “Let’s have some coffee and talk about what it’s like to own a horse, then I’ll take you back. It’s getting late, and I’ll need to find a place to stay tonight.”