Jockey Girl

by Shelley Peterson

  He glanced up and caught her eye. He smiled slowly.

  Wow. Evie felt her face turn bright pink. She looked at Mark’s strong arms with their smooth, rounded muscles, and wondered how it would feel to have them wrapped around her, tightly. Evie’s entire body was drawn to him as if they were human-size magnets, and a film of sweat broke out on her skin. The longing in his eyes told her that the same was true for him.

  Lordy. She looked away. With great difficulty Evie pulled herself back to the task at hand. There were still about ten minutes before the time was up, and she read over as much as she could. Unbelievably, her mind was less blank than she’d feared. Instead of a zero, she thought she’d passed, and on the high side might get a sixty or sixty-five. A mir-acle. She put down her pen when the bell rang.

  The students shuffled and stretched as they handed their papers to the supervisor at the front of the room and filed into the hall.

  Mark fell in behind her and hooked his arm through hers. Evie clutched his arm to her side with her elbow. She tried to walk steadily but thought her knees might give out. She noticed the wistful looks of other girls around her. Rebecca and Hilary slid by, and each of them gave her a thumbs-up with an unsubtle wink.

  Evie tried not to giggle but couldn’t restrain herself.

  “What if we study for French together this afternoon?” Mark asked in her ear.

  Evie’s entire body tingled. “Great idea.” She very much wanted to spend time with him. “Aunt Mary’s outside waiting. Come to my house.”

  Mark looked around. He whispered, “I was thinking you could come with me. Nobody’s home.” His eyes pleaded.

  Evie felt a thrill in her stomach. Mark’s face was so close to hers. Her temperature rose dramatically. She couldn’t think clearly. She wanted to go with him. She wanted to slip her arms around him and pull his face close to hers and feel his lips on hers. She’d never kissed a boy before, except in grade two, but that was on a dare and it didn’t count.

  Evie felt light on her feet. Mark’s heat was melting her, and she very, very much wanted to go home with him. But what would she say to Aunt Mary, who’d be outside waiting? That thought brought her back to some form of sanity.

  Summoning all her willpower, she forced herself to step back. “I don’t think so. Do you mind? Another time?”

  “Are you chicken?” His eyes sparkled.

  “Chicken? What do you mean?”

  “Do you think I’ll do bad things?” He smiled so sweetly that Evie had a hard time resisting. Oh, it was so tempting.

  “Define ‘bad.’”

  “You’re flirting! Naughty girl.”

  Evie blushed and her underarms began to feel damp. She was out of her depth and starting to feel confused. “Look, I’d love to but I can’t. Aunt Mary won’t understand.”

  Mark grinned and raised his eyebrows. “Tell her that a bunch of kids are going. That we have a last-minute tutorial or an exam-prep session. Please?” He got close again.

  Evie felt his warmth. “I … I don’t know.” She was torn. Aunt Mary might buy it. But she felt uneasy. Mark was the most popular guy in school. He could have any girl he wanted. Did he think she was just another one? Maybe she didn’t know him well enough. “Sorry, Mark. I really am. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” She pulled away awkwardly and felt like a total dork.

  Evie walked out to the front steps, hoping Aunt Mary would be there waiting. She wasn’t.

  Mark Sellers came up beside her. “Evie?” His face looked defensive. “Are we still on for Saturday?”

  Evie was startled. The prom. With everything else that was happening, she’d actually forgotten about it. “Yes!” She needed a dress. “But wait. You said Saturday?”

  Mark nodded. “Yeah.”

  “The Queen’s Plate is Sunday. I thought the prom was after the race, not the night before.”

  “And I thought the race was Saturday. Does it make a difference?”

  “Yeah. It does. A lot. I can’t go out the night before the race. It’s actually a really big deal. I didn’t realize, Mark.” Evie felt her entire social life collapse. “I screwed up. I’m sorry.”

  “So you’re not coming to the prom with me?”

  Now she was miserable. “I can’t. I’d love to, but I really can’t. There’s so much to do before the race and I need a good sleep.”

  “You’re ditching me?” Mark looked genuinely shocked.

  “No! I’m trying to tell you. I need to focus on the race. I have to give it all my attention. It’s the highlight of my life! Can we go out Sunday night? There’s no school on Monday.”

  Mark became insistent. He grabbed her hands with his and drew her close. “Then come with me now. We’ll study French, and ... I just want to, you know, get to know you better.”

  Evie tried to regain her composure, but it was no good. Her brain was whirling. She felt the patches of sweat grow on her shirt, and she didn’t want him to notice. She just wanted to go home. “I’d like that, too. But I’m sorry, Mark. It’s too soon. Not today.”

  “You’re really not coming?” asked Mark. He looked so surprised that it confirmed to Evie that most other girls would’ve gone home with him. Which made her dig in her heels even more. She refused to be just another girl!

  “I can’t.” It was easy now.

  His lips got tight. “You’re mad.”

  “I’m not mad. I’m just not coming.”

  “No prom and you’re not coming today? Your choice.” Mark looked annoyed.

  “My choice.”

  The familiar truck stopped at the steps and Aunt Mary waved. Thank heaven! Evie raced down the steps and jumped in, leaving Mark standing alone.

  “Anything wrong?” asked Aunt Mary.

  “No. If you don’t count wrecking my entire social life.”

  “How did you manage that?”

  “Mark Sellers asked me to the prom and I said yes. For some reason I thought it was after the race, but it’s before. I can’t go to a dance the night before the Queen’s Plate!” She slumped. “He doesn’t understand what a big deal this race is for me. I told him I can’t go.”

  “Ouch.”

  “That’s not all. He wants me to study French with him this afternoon and I said no to that, too.”

  “If you want, I can drive back and pick him up.”

  Evie wondered how much to tell her, but confessed, “He doesn’t want to come to our house. He wants me to go to his house. And nobody’s home.”

  “Oh.”

  They drove along in silence.

  “Great article in the paper today,” said Mary. “Exactly as you laid it out.” She tried to coax a smile from Evie.

  “It was super. I read it, too.” She looked out the window. “Anything new about my mother? Did you find her?”

  “No luck. She’s not where she usually is and nobody’s seen her. Or that’s what they say.”

  “That’s not good. I sure hope she’s okay.”

  “Mmm. Me, too.”

  Nothing else was said all the way home. When they drove up the Parson’s Bridge driveway, Jerry Johnston’s truck was in full view.

  “I’m glad he’s here,” said Mary. “We have a lot of details to work out before the race.”

  Jerry stood in front of his truck, glowering.

  Evie said, “What’s up with him?”

  Mary shook her head. “We’re about to find out.” She stopped her truck and got out, immediately swarmed by dogs.

  Evie jumped out and the dogs turned to her with their outpouring of affection. “Hello pups,” she said. Magpie leaped up and licked her right on the mouth. “Thanks, Mags. At least I got kissed by someone who loves me.”

  She was startled by an outburst from Aunt Mary. “I don’t believe it! What a cad!”

  That got Evie’s full attention.

  Mary turned to face her. “Evie, your father has vetoed No Justice running. He called Jerry right after he saw the article. He’s furious.”

  Vet
oed No Justice?

  “What does that mean?”

  To judge from the look on her aunt’s face, it was certainly not a good thing.

  “He refuses to let us enter him, Evie. No Justice cannot be entered in the Queen’s Plate.”

  “I thought he already was!” Evie was confused.

  Jerry took off his cap and combed his hair back with his fingers. “No Justice was nominated and renewed, but he must be officially entered before the draw on Thursday.”

  “The draw?”

  “For the post order. There’s a draw to see which horse goes in which slot. And a ten-thousand-dollar fee, to be paid that day.”

  Evie’s head was reeling. “But my father said we could go ahead and knock ourselves out!”

  “He changed his mind.”

  “But what about yesterday? Racing three other horses with judges and all that? Getting approved as an apprentice jockey? Lifting the ban on Kazzam?”

  Jerry looked sad, and also frustrated and angry. “Waste of time.”

  Evie sat right down in the dirt. Impossible. How many things could go wrong in one day? A day that was still far from over.

  “What do we do now?” she asked. She looked up at Mary and then at Jerry.

  Jerry pursed his lips. “Nothing we can do. Grayson’s call. It’s over. The son of a bitch.”

  “Aunt Mary?”

  Mary bit her lip. She looked down at Evie as she sat on the ground and shrugged dismally. “No Justice is technically his horse. He makes the decisions. We save our ten thousand dollars, I guess.”

  Jerry nodded gloomily. “Silver lining.”

  “But we don’t win the million!” Evie couldn’t believe it. She got to her feet and brushed herself off. “Are you both giving up?”

  Mary reached out to comfort her. “At least you can go to the prom now with Mark.”

  Evie was taken aback. “Are you joking? He’s probably already asked somebody else. I can’t believe it! We’ve been working so hard and Kazzam is totally fit and ready to run!”

  Jerry and Mary looked at each other sadly. It was apparent that Evie was on her own.

  “It’s your fault, anyway!” she howled. “You wouldn’t buy him after Murray Planno brought him back!”

  She stomped off to the house with Magpie right behind her. She climbed the stairs and flopped angrily onto her bed. What would Imogene do? she wondered. She’d fight to the end. But how? Plead with Grayson Gibb? Evie imagined his surly face and could hear his high-pitched, growly voice tell her she was full of it.

  Just a minute! In the hospital her mother had said that she owned all the horses. She sat up. What if that was true? Dare she believe it?

  Evie raced down the stairs at full tilt, knocking into Aunt Mary at the bottom. Her aunt fell to her knees, then struggled to her feet.

  “What’s going on, dear?” Mary asked, aghast, brushing herself off.

  “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Evie helped her stand. “My mother said she owned all the Maple Mills racehorses. Is that true?”

  Mary thought for a second, then walked over to her computer and turned it on. “Angela did say that, didn’t she. Let me check.”

  Evie sat at her side, trembling with anticipation.

  “Okay, here we are. No Justice, owned by Maple Mills Stables, sole proprietor — sorry, Evie — Grayson Gibb.”

  20

  703556 Ltd.

  Bright and early Wednesday morning, Evie saddled up and walked Kazzam to the training field. Aunt Mary was still in bed. Jerry was nowhere to be seen. They’d think she was crazy to continue training, but what if she found a way to race, against all odds, and Kazzam wasn’t fit?

  She asked him to canter and then let him breeze. It felt so good to be riding him, so wonderful to be out in the June morning air with nothing around her except fields and horses and dear Magpie, sitting on the edge of the field, head tilted, watching them work. No humans in sight. No Mary and Jerry, who’d given up without a fight. No confusing Mark Sellers. Nothing but animals and bliss.

  Kazzam lengthened his stride and began to run. Evie lifted herself out of the saddle and leaned on his neck. The fresh, cool breeze whipped past her, billowing her T-shirt and pulling tight the skin on her face. This was heaven.

  Once the training run was over, they walked the mile path through Aunt Mary’s woods. This is what Magpie waited for each day. Her sleek, black dog darted and dashed through underbrush, chasing down every scent, returning to check on Kazzam and Evie every minute or so, wriggling with delight.

  When they returned to the barn for Kazzam’s hosing down and breakfast oats, nobody disturbed them. It was a very peaceful time of day. As she soaped the bridle, Evie saw her contented smile reflected in the small mirror that hung on the tack-room door. She was always happy in the barn.

  She led Kazzam back out to his field and released him.

  Immediately the horse sought out a patch of dirt. He circled, buckled his knees, and dropped to the ground to roll. “Have a good scratch,” she told him. “Bet that feels good.” She watched while he rubbed his back in the dirt and groaned with pleasure. He flopped on his right side, then rolled over again onto his left. When he was good and ready, he stood and shook himself all over, spraying wet dirt and dust in a wide halo. Then he casually walked away without a backward glance.

  Evie and Magpie headed up the gentle slope to the farmhouse. It was nearing nine o’clock. This afternoon was French, her second-last exam, and math tomorrow. Then she’d be free! She’d studied thoroughly for French and planned to review her verbs and vocabulary all morning.

  Aunt Mary stood at the kitchen door with the telephone receiver in her hand. “Evie?” she called. “What’s the number of Paulina’s friend?”

  Evie ran to the house. “Is something wrong?”

  “The school wants to contact Beatrice and Jordie.”

  Evie found the piece of paper on which she’d jotted down the number and gave it to her aunt, who read it aloud.

  “Please let me know if there’s anything else you need,” Mary said. “I’d like to help if I can.” She hung up the phone.

  “So?”

  “I’m going to Abergrath to talk to the principal myself. I can’t interfere too much since I’m not family, but neither Grayson nor Paulina can be reached.” She looked perturbed. “The kids haven’t shown up for school since Paulina picked them up last week.”

  Evie reassured her. “You do know, Aunt Mary, that Paulina isn’t exactly the responsible kind. She’s probably forgotten all about school.”

  “School’s almost over, anyway,” Mary conceded.

  Evie nodded. “And they don’t have exams in those grades.”

  Mary sighed. “Let’s hope you’re right. Better not buy trouble.”

  “Especially when it’s free.”

  Mary laughed. “Okay, then. You go study and I’ll zip over to visit the principal. Have some breakfast. See you later.”

  Mary was gone, leaving Evie alone with the dogs in the house. It was a lovely, sunny day, and she hummed as she sliced a banana into her cereal and poured on the milk.

  She’d gallop Kazzam tomorrow and the next day. Saturday he was to have off and Sunday was the big day. The question was how to get him back in the race. She needed to think.

  Aunt Mary’s computer sat on her desk. It wouldn’t hurt to check a few things herself. She ate her cereal as she surfed and searched.

  Evie had googled her mother in her quest to find her, but never thought to try “Angela Parson,” only “Gibb.”

  When she googled “Angela Parson,” she got the whole history of her schooling, racing, and training career, including her horrible accident and hospitalization. It was noted that she was an heiress of considerable wealth.

  Evie then tried “Angela Gibb,” but now she was looking for something different. On a very boring page of numbers and business references that Evie didn’t understand, Angela was listed as sole owner of a privately held company called 70
3556 Ltd. The president was Grayson Gibb. Evie printed out this page, then sat back to think.

  It was not impossible that within this company were the horses. Grayson Gibb was the sole proprietor of Maple Mills Stables, but Angela was the owner of the numbered company. Evie went back to work, but try as she might she couldn’t get any details of the contents of this company. It was private and therefore all the assets were private, too.

  But here at least was hope! If the company owned the horses and Angela was the owner, not Grayson Gibb, could Angela overrule his wishes?

  Then Evie slumped, discouraged. Even if she was the owner of the horses and even if she wanted to overrule her ex-husband, how could Evie find Angela when Aunt Mary had failed?

  Evie went back to her French studies. She was ready to go when Mary returned to drive her to school.

  Once in the truck, Evie asked, “So what happened at Abergrath?”

  “Nothing. They tried the number you gave me and left a message. Apparently they’re staying with somebody named Kerry Goodham.”

  Evie groaned. “I should’ve known.”

  “Why? Who is he?”

  “You know, the hot young hunter-trainer who teaches Paulina. Remember? The one Jordie and Beebee told us about when Sella was fired for not tattling?”

  “Oh, yes.” Mary rolled her eyes. “I forgot his name. People make such dumb choices sometimes.”

  “He is nice, though. Far nicer than my father.”

  “Hmm.” After a couple of minutes, Mary asked, “Are you ready for this exam?”

  “Yup. Je pense que oui.”

  “Bon.”

  “Oh, I used your computer this morning. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all.”

  “I’ll show you later, but maybe Angela owns the horses, after all. There’s a company called 703556 Ltd., and she’s the sole owner. My father is the president.”

  Mary raised her eyebrows and glanced at Evie. “Oh? I’ll check it out. But please, Evie, don’t hold your breath. The race is in three days. Grayson Gibb always dots his i’s and crosses his t’s. I can’t believe there’s anything we can do about it.”

  Evie decided not to argue. “Thanks for the lift.”