By Heart

by Sasha Kay Riley

  “I’ve never had to deal with that,” Vince admitted. “But I know someone who has, and it went about the worst way possible for him. I don’t want you to endure what he did. Your right time will come. Trust me. Do you have a phone on you?” When Kyle nodded, Vince went on. “Let me give you my number. In case you need to talk to someone.”

  They exchanged numbers, and Kyle seemed happy to know he had someone to talk to if he needed it. He thanked Vince three times before leaving to find himself something to eat. That was when Dustin appeared.

  “Thought I’d let you talk,” Dustin said as he patted Xander’s neck. “Adoring fan?”

  Vince led Xander back toward the barns. “And someone in need of some support. Come with me, and I’ll tell you about it. I found another way to help people I had never thought of.”

  VINCE AND Dustin sat with Jason in the stands and watched Kyle compete the next day. It seemed to Vince he had a great routine, but the leaders were already too far ahead in the standings for even their mistakes to matter. Kyle ended up placing fifth behind two British riders, Germany, and France, while his teammate finished eighth. But Kyle was clearly thrilled with the result when Vince found him shortly after the end of the event.

  “Better than I expected for my first Olympics,” Kyle admitted, grinning at his horse. “Could have been better, but it also could have been worse. I still did better than the rest of the team. I think I can be proud of everything, overall.”

  Vince couldn’t argue with that.

  Chapter Fourteen

  THE FOLLOWING day was the second day of the show jumping competition.

  “We need to be in the top eight teams to move on,” Greg told them that morning. “Only the top forty-five individuals will move on too. Teamwise we have a clean slate from the first day. We just have to keep cranking it today. Same order as the first day too.”

  It seemed simple enough. They just had to do the best they could. They all knew the course would be more difficult than it was the first day, but they had planned for that. The organizers simply couldn’t allow every team to make it into the next round.

  The jumps were slightly higher and slightly wider, but the water jump was missing for this round. Everyone on every team was happy about that.

  Once again they watched one another and cheered one another on. Andrew and Nick managed clear rounds, but Mary took down one rail for four faults. Vince had to change the way he rode Xander compared to the first round. The time was more difficult to make than it was previously, which meant Vince had to set Xander on a faster pace than before and ease him up slightly before each jump. They grazed one jump with Xander’s back hooves, but it stayed up, much to Vince’s relief, and they passed through the finish markers with a full two seconds to spare.

  He was once again met with cheers and congratulations when he left the arena, and he kissed Dustin without hesitation. Xander, however, got the biggest hug and kiss of all.

  “On to the finals tomorrow,” Greg declared, patting Vince roughly on the back. “We get to drop Mary’s four faults as the worst score, so that leaves us on zero. They can’t beat that.”

  And he was right—no team could outrank them going into the final round. Two other teams were tied with them, however, and one of those was the home team.

  “Well,” Greg sighed when they got the final list of nations and their ranks. “This is going to be interesting.”

  “The Dutch I was expecting,” Mary commented, “but Brazil is a surprise.”

  “Something about the home turf seems to do that,” Greg said with a shrug. “Seems to happen all the time. There is something of a home-arena advantage. Having the supporters there seems to boost esteem and performance. I bet there are studies about it.”

  “I don’t doubt it,” Nick agreed.

  “Oh wow” was Dustin’s response when Vince told him the standings quite some time later. “That’ll be intense to watch.”

  “Then there are all the other teams who could come up if we drop down,” Vince told him. “It’s all so close. There’s a team with one time fault and about five teams sitting on just four faults.”

  “And they have as much of a chance of making mistakes in the final round as we do,” Dustin replied. They were lying mostly naked in Dustin’s narrow bed, and Dustin sat up. He nudged Vince to also sit and moved behind him. “You just have to trust Xander and yourself and your teammates,” Dustin said as he began rubbing Vince’s shoulders. “Don’t let it get into your head. You’re all perfectly capable of kicking ass.”

  “You’re right,” Vince mumbled, too entranced by the feeling of Dustin’s hands forcing out his stress to say anything else.

  “Of course I am,” Dustin teased. “I have a PhD in sports psychology.”

  “Impressive,” Vince mumbled.

  Dustin chuckled. He kept rubbing Vince’s shoulders and back for a while, then softly kissed Vince’s neck while wrapping his arms around him. Vince sighed and leaned back into him.

  “We should get back out there,” Dustin finally said.

  “Don’t want to,” Vince complained. Dustin chuckled against his back. “See, this is why we need a honeymoon.”

  “I’m so glad you talked me into that,” Vince replied honestly.

  “Me too,” Dustin declared.

  VINCE HAD a feeling the crowded stands the next day had something to do with the Brazilian team having a real chance at winning the team competition. What he did know was the course would be even more difficult, and the pressure on all four members of the American team was going to be huge, with the Brazilian and Dutch teams already tied at the top with them, plus the other strong teams breathing down their necks not far from the lead. And he understood all of this just by walking the course with his team and seeing the incredible size of the obstacles and the paths between them.

  “It’s just another class,” Dustin said when Vince reported back from the course walk. “No pressure.”

  Vince forced a smile. “Right. No pressure.”

  And at first there didn’t seem to be much pressure after all. The extremely tight time and huge course size meant the faults started to add up for the teams further down the standings. The first Dutch rider took a single fault for time. The first Brazilian rider went clear. Andrew and Sally fought back with a perfect clear in a round that had everyone in the Team USA viewing box practically biting their nails.

  The second round for each team spread the competition out across the board a little more, driving even the Canadian team, which had come into the day in second place, down two places as the French and British teams put up two clear rounds. The second Dutch rider took down a rail. The Brazilian pair took down two. Nick’s horse, Fly, put a hoof in the water, wiping their clear score away for the moment.

  Mary and Tex redeemed them in the third round, but the Dutch and Brazilian pairs also went clear. The only bright side was the other teams were too far behind to be a threat, and all the remaining riders seemed focused only on making the next round of individual competition.

  It was clear they would be leaning on Vince and Xander for a clear round. But as the fourth round started, he got a small wave of relief when the Dutch pair took down a rail. That meant they could do no better than a score of five faults with one dropped score.

  The Brazilian pair followed up with a clear round to thunderous applause that practically shook the arena. Even in the warm-up ring, it was hard to listen to Greg as he attempted to give Vince a pep talk. The Brazilian team could drop their eight-fault score from two fallen rails and finish on four faults.

  “One rail, and you force a jump-off,” Greg told him. “Keep it clear, or keep it below four faults, and we win it.”

  Vince nodded and adjusted his helmet. Xander was fidgeting beneath him, clearly eager to get on with it.

  The officials were letting the Brazilian rider have an extra bit of time, playing to the crowd, but Vince didn’t mind. He reached down and felt Dustin grip his hand tightly. Vince gla
nced at his smiling face and smiled back. Then the Brazilian rider finally brought his horse from an arena-circling gallop to a trot. The gate went up, and Vince rode Xander in past the other pair. Vince glanced at the rider, who, much to Vince’s surprise, nodded to him. Vince returned the gesture, then focused himself and took a deep breath.

  The crowd went quiet. Vince didn’t think about how many people were there. He saw the American flags out of the corner of his eye and knew Jason would be there with Kyle. Which other members of the other equestrian teams were there—or other sports teams that might care—he didn’t know. He didn’t wonder either. The course stretched out before him, and he knew how he would tackle it.

  The bell sounded. Vince lined Xander up for the first fence. “Let’s do this, buddy,” he murmured.

  Xander flicked an ear back in response and picked up a ground-eating gallop. They soared over the first fence, and Vince turned Xander to the next one. He didn’t rush the fences, though. The time was tight, but keeping all the rails up mattered most. Xander had the advantage of a faster gait even when he was going easy and steady, as opposed to all-out.

  The crowd stayed oddly quiet, even after each jump. They cleared the wide water and only got a quiet round of applause. Some people wanted them to mess up. Others wanted them to keep on going.

  And keep going they did, right up to the final jump.

  As Xander took his last stride toward the final fence, the last obstacle in their path toward a team gold, Vince felt his right foot slip. A quick glance down told him the leather strip holding his stirrup had broken. Flashes of memories of all the times Dustin had suggested he really needed a new saddle or at least new stirrup leathers, and Vince’s arguments about having to adjust to a change in equipment, did nothing to ease the sudden knot in Vince’s chest. He moved his leg back into position and held it there like he was used to doing when riding bareback, but Xander’s stride had already faltered in those split seconds. He took off awkwardly, confused by the change in leg pressure to the right.

  Vince tried to help by giving more rein, but the damage was done. He heard the sound he’d never wanted to hear, especially then: the hollow thud of hoof connecting with the topmost rail of the jump.

  The lucky saddle’s luck had run out.

  Vince gave Xander every inch of the reins as they came down a little roughly, and Xander took off past the ending mark. Vince sat back and looked up to where his team was, terrified of what he would see.

  They were celebrating, hugging and laughing and yelling at him. Dustin was pointing behind him toward the jump with both hands, yelling something Vince couldn’t hear over the roar of the crowd.

  Vince spun around to look back. The rail was still up. Somehow Xander hadn’t hit it hard enough to actually knock it down.

  Maybe the luck hadn’t run out after all.

  He broke out laughing and fell forward on Xander’s neck to hug him. Xander dropped into a walk toward the gate, shaking his head with a snort. Vince glanced up and saw a grinning Dustin at the exit. Xander was walking right to him, and Vince sat back up, dropping the reins.

  He patted Xander’s neck affectionately. “I fucking love you, buddy. You sure showed them, huh?”

  Vince remembered his stirrup and looked down. He had instinctively kept his leg in position even while hugging his horse. The stirrup was still on his boot, but the leather strap was flapping uselessly. Vince reached down and pulled it off his boot, kicking his other foot out of the stirrup. His team was waiting with Dustin, still celebrating. Vince grinned and held up the stirrup.

  “Maybe I should have listened when Dustin told me to get a new saddle,” he declared with a laugh. “I thought changing anything would be bad luck.”

  “That was luck!” Greg exclaimed. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

  Mary laughed and shook Greg by the shoulder. “You’ll get over it.”

  Vince hopped off Xander’s back as soon as Dustin had the reins. The moment he had his helmet off, he threw his arms around Dustin and kissed him quickly. “I love you. For everything you’ve done to get me here. I love you.”

  Dustin laughed and squeezed him with one arm. “I love you. And you and Xander are so damn amazing.”

  Vince grinned and let him go to hug Xander again briefly. “Xander is amazing.” He looked back at his team and asked, “Did we get the time fault?”

  Greg nodded. “By some miracle, that was all you got.”

  Everything became a blur after that. There were hugs from everyone before they went off to get the other horses. Vince removed the other stirrup from the saddle and handed it off to Dustin. No use riding the victory gallop with one when he could easily ride with none. Someone pinned flowing green ribbons to all the horses’ bridles. Vince liked that touch.

  They were back in the saddle soon enough and returned to the arena to almost deafening cheers that amazed him. He followed his teammates’ lead and waved to the crowd as they rode in, following the other teams to the podium—Brazil in second and the Dutch in third. Xander pranced under Vince but didn’t act up like many of the other horses did.

  They dismounted behind the podium, and their grooms took over again. Dustin took Xander’s reins and smiled at Vince.

  “I just want to say how glad I am to be here,” Dustin told him. “I’m happy to be with you.”

  Vince squeezed his hand. “I’m glad you’re here too.”

  Dustin squeezed back and smiled.

  The medal ceremony was almost overwhelming. Standing on the podium with his team, having the medal placed around his neck and the colorful little medal holder handed to him, watching the flags being hoisted with the American flag at the center while the anthem played…. Vince could think only of his mother through it all. He knew everyone at home was watching, and that afterthought had him smiling as he considered how his friends and family might be reacting. Hopefully they were as proud of him as he liked to think his mom would have been.

  Vince smiled through the rounds of pictures, then returned to Xander. He showed the medal to both Dustin and Xander, who tried to eat the holder.

  “Hey,” Vince scolded, “I want to give that to Mom.”

  Where that idea had come from, he didn’t know, but it felt right.

  Vince and his team led the victory gallop while the crowd cheered for them all. Even if they had beaten the Brazilian team, he had a feeling the crowd appreciated the sport enough to be happy with the show he’d unintentionally put on with Xander. He did happen to spot Jason, Kyle, and other dressage and eventing riders in the USA section of the stands and made sure he waved in that direction. They were cheering the loudest, which did not take Vince by surprise at all.

  IT WAS quite some time before Vince could go back to Dustin’s room to change, something he’d decided was better than going all the way back to his room.

  “I wish everyone didn’t want to talk to you,” Dustin complained as he watched Vince from where he sat on the bed. “I don’t really want you to put your clothes back on yet.”

  Vince smiled. “Sorry. How about tomorrow we just hang out here when we’re not doing all the official vet checks and everything?”

  “I guess I can live with that,” Dustin replied with a dramatic sigh.

  He stood and pulled Vince into a deep kiss, one Vince very happy to return.

  Vince wrapped his arms around Dustin and pressed as close as he could.

  “I wish I didn’t have so many people to acknowledge too,” he admitted, pulling away reluctantly. He ran his hand gently down Dustin’s arm. “You’re the one I want to spend the day talking to.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Dustin murmured. He gave Vince one more quick kiss. “Come on, then. Let’s go.”

  Back at the barns, they were pulled aside repeatedly. Vince was blown away by the number of people offering him spare saddles or stirrup leathers so he could ride in the individual final in two days. But apparently Greg had already secured him a new pair of leathers, becaus
e he handed them to Vince as soon as he saw Vince and Dustin again.

  “Team spares I keep around,” Greg explained. “Thought you’d want two.”

  Vince had worried replacing the broken leather with one newer than the other side of his saddle would make him feel unbalanced, so he was grateful to have two replacements. He was still going to need to practice with them the next day to get them adjusted to a comfortable length. “Thank you,” he told Greg. “Sorry for the heart attack.”

  Greg smiled. “Just don’t do it again.”

  A short time later, Vince was sitting with Xander in his stall, a habit he rarely indulged at competitions. Dustin was sitting with him, and they both watched Xander eat his hay. Xander was absolutely calm and relaxed having his humans sitting in the corner of his stall. Neither Vince nor Dustin spoke. They simply sat enjoying a moment of peace. Vince liked being this close to both his partners. These moments were just as important to him as the private ones he could share with Dustin. It meant Dustin truly supported him and his place in the equestrian world.

  Vince knew he should be answering emails and text messages, but he decided to put that off. He’d already spoken to the most important people in his life. His dad had sounded suspiciously close to tears and put him on speakerphone after a brief conversation. As he expected, the entire Anderson Stables family met at Wes’s house for their livestream viewing party, and every person congratulated him. Jane had coached Hunter to say the words, even if he didn’t fully understand.

  “You jumped all the jumps, Daddy,” he then said. “That’s good. Can I see your winning necklace?”

  “Yes, Hunter,” Vince replied, smiling. Jane had definitely explained more to him than he’d expected her to. “You can see my winning necklace when I get home. I have to win one more time.”