Kate snuggled against his wet shirt. The rain fell steadily now, like the beat of Scott’s heart.
“I promise,” she pledged. “When I’m ready, you’ll know it.”
Epilogue
World’s Championship Horse Show
The Kentucky State Fair
August, two years later
Saturday night—stake night at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky
The site of many famous basketball games had been turned, once again, into a championship horse arena. Green shavings had been spread on the floor to provide footing for the prize horses. Yellow mums formed a horseshoe in the center of the ring where officials, wearing tuxedoes or flashy evening gowns, and red-coated ringmasters congregated between classes.
An air of excitement reverberated through the cool, air conditioned arena. People dressed in fancy formals or sloppy blue jeans and cowboy boots filled the seats. Cheers rose for favorite horses while old-fashioned organ music accompanied every beat of the horses’ hooves.
Scott’s five-gaited gelding, Social Media, was showing later that night in the final class—the big one, the Five-gaited World’s Grand Championship.
Kate’s nerves jangled, and she sat on the edge of her seat. Ironically, much rode on this night, more than just a winning blue ribbon for the horse Scott had purchased two years earlier. He sat beside her in the reserved seat, looking dapper in a gray suit and red power tie.
Reagan sat on her other side, wearing her first fancy party dress and low heels. At ten, she was turning into a beautiful girl, growing up much too quickly in Kate’s opinion. An experienced rider now, Reagan had made her first show at Freedom Hall earlier in the week and had come away with a respectable fourth place.
Kate had not gone to nursing school. With the economy doing better, she had started her own interior decorating business, working from home like Scott. Life had been good to her. She’d even reached an “understanding” with Jerry and his wife. Busy with an eighteen-month-old toddler of their own, they had less time to worry about how she raised Reagan.
Before the next class was called, the announcer paused dramatically and directed the crowd’s attention to the electronic scoreboard above the arena floor. Kate grasped the chair arms and bit her lip to tamp down her excitement.
“Is there a Scott Gray in the house?” the announcer asked, standing in the middle of the horseshoe with his microphone and glancing around the arena seats above him. “Please focus your attention on the scoreboard.”
Scott’s head jerked up, and he looked up at the flashing sign.
On all four sides of the scoreboard, bold yellow lights blinked “Scott, I’m ready. Will you marry me? Kate.”
“What the hell?” Scott turned to Kate who couldn’t control her broad smile or the pounding of her heart.
“I told you I’d tell you when I was ready,” she said.
“Mr. Gray,” the announcer called out, “do you accept Kate’s proposal?”
Scott stood up and waved at the crowd. “With all my heart,” he yelled.
Then he grabbed Kate by the shoulders, dragged her to her feet, and kissed her right then and there to the resounding cheers, catcalls and applause of the Freedom Hall audience.
Scott bent and whispered so that only Kate could hear.
“With all my heart. Forever.”
About the Author
A professional technical writer by day, Jan Scarbrough spends her nights writing romance. She is a member of Novelist, Inc., the Romance Writers of America, and the Kentucky Romance Writers, where she manages their award-winning website. Jan has written for Kensington and ImaJinn Books, and currently writes for Resplendence Publishing and the Turquoise Morning Press. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, and rides American Saddlebred horses for fun and recreation.
Jan loves to talk to her readers and can be found at http://www.janscarbrough.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jan-Scarbrough-Reader-Page/204815941631
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/janscarbrough
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/198797.Jan_Scarbrough
Follow Jan on Twitter @romancerider
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