Skyler turned amused eyes at her love. “That must be some good pain medicine they put you on. You certainly seem to be in a good mood.”
“Mom says the pain medicine is making me bossy, and you say it’s making me happy. I wish you guys would make up your minds.” Jessica grew solemn. “Truthfully, I don’t think the impact of everything has really hit me yet. It may not, until I see Rampage jumping without me on his back. I’m not sure how I’ll feel then.”
Skyler watched a stream of emotions run across Jessica’s somber face. She sat down on the bed next to her and slipped an arm around her shoulders. “That’s not going to happen unless you want it to.”
Jessica picked at a string on the bed sheets. “Sky, Sarah came here today with an offer to buy Rampage.”
“Jess, you want to sell Rampage? I thought you were planning to stand him at stud.”
“After he retires,” Jessica said. “In the meantime it’s not fair to keep him out of the competition just because I’ve been stupid.Even if I waited until the next Olympics, I still wouldn’t be able to jump him. You heard Dr. Struthers. My career is history.”
“My mare is good, but she can’t touch that stallion,” Sarah said. “You were right, Sky. I think he could even have beaten Con Man.”
Jessica cleared her throat, and said hoarsely, “I’m not going to sell Rampage. What I’ve agreed is that Sarah try him during the next week. If they click together, she’ll ride him in the competition rather than her mare.”
“A week?” Skyler argued. “We spent months pairing you two up. You expect her to do that in just a week? You know how particular he is.”
Jessica held up a hand to silence her protests. “I think she can do it. For some reason only Rampage knows, he seems to trust her. After I fell, Sarah was the only person he would let approach him. He was standing over me, biting and kicking, but he let her catch him.”
Skyler frowned as she mulled over what Jessica was saying.
“So,” she continued, “if Sarah decides after a week to ride Rampage, and they win a place on the Olympic team, I’ve agreed to lease him to her until after the Olympics. After that, he will come back to Cherokee Falls to stand at stud. If she wins a medal on him, I’ve agreed to a bonus that will entitle her to three free breedings to Rampage. This is all contingent on Kate’s agreement, too, of course.”
Skyler shifted uneasily, looking for reasons this would not be a good idea. She was having trouble finding any.
“Sky, if Rampage and I make it on the Olympic team, I would want to hire you as a consulting trainer,” Sarah said, sweetening the deal even more. “I mean, I know you don’t want to be away from Cherokee Falls a lot, but you’ve obviously figured out what this horse needs. You could map out a training regimen for the team’s trainer to follow.”
Skyler stared down at Jessica’s hand encased in her own. “It’s not that,” she muttered. “It’s just—”
“What, babe?” Jessica asked. “Just go ahead and spit it out. Sarah and I have been honest with each other. If you don’t want to work with Sarah, then we won’t do this. You and I are partners in everything. It’s not a deal unless we’re both comfortable with it.”
Skyler looked deep into the eyes that seemed to mirror her soul these days. “I’m surprised you would pick Sarah to take your place on Rampage.” She knew how the thought of another rider on her stallion seared Jessica. “You don’t have to do this for me.”
“I’m doing this for all of us, hon. Sarah is as good as any top rider on the circuit, and she’s the only one Rampage apparently has chosen. If she can take him to the Olympics, his stud fees will rocket with his reputation. You know that’s money in our pockets.” Jessica gave Skyler a soft kiss. “I’m also doing this for Rampage. He’s worked damn hard for this competition, and he deserves his moment in the spotlight.”
Skyler thought for a moment about Jessica’s words. Maybe she needed to see Rampage go on to win, so all of their hard work wouldn’t be for nothing. “Well, it looks like you guys have it all figured out. What’s next?”
Jessica’s eyes misted. “Hand me my bag over there on the shelf, please.” After Skyler passed her the bag she retrieved a dog-eared copy of Black Beauty. “He likes you to read to him after his supper, especially when he’s nervous.”
Sarah looked truly touched as she accepted the book. “I’ll be sure and read to him every night.”
“Thanks.” Jessica smiled, tucking away the emotion that threatened to bring more tears. She was tired of being in pain and tired of crying. She wanted to move on to the next jump. “Now, get me out of this hospital. We have a lot of work to do with Sarah and Rampage to get them on the same page for the competition.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Rampage nickered at Sarah as she approached.
“You shameless slut,” Jessica teased the big bay. “I’m in the hospital only a few days and you’ve already been courting another woman.”
Sarah offered her hand for the stallion to sniff. She smiled at Jessica. “I noticed that you wear Opium perfume. I put just a little on this morning so maybe it would seem familiar to him.”
Skyler watched as Jessica smiled back. I wonder how she’s really going to feel when she sees Sarah on her mount.
Peach picked that moment to stroll out of the feed room, boldly threading his way between Rampage’s legs. The fat orange tomcat stood on his hind legs to touch noses with the big bay before running over to the barn office and neatly hooking the edge of the door with his claws to pull it open and let himself in.
“Who was that?” Sarah laughed.
“That, Sarah, is the rest of Rampage’s baggage,” Skyler said. “I didn’t believe it at first either, but it’s amazing the calming effect that battle-scarred tom has when Rampage is nervous or pissed.”
“The cat comes with him?” Sarah looked doubtful.
“Trust me. You do not want to take that horse without taking the cat along, too,” Jessica said.
“Okay, ladies. Let’s head to the practice arena and see if this fellow will work for Sarah.” Skyler gave Sarah a leg up and walked slowly along with Jessica as she hobbled on her crutches. Jamie, always at Skyler’s heels, trailed along, absorbing everything they were saying about horses.
Rampage’s ears worked back and forth as he kept turning a puzzled face in Jessica’s direction. When they reached the arena, an amused Skyler stood by as Jessica rattled off Rampage’s likes and dislikes to Sarah.
“Hey, who’s the trainer here?” Skyler kidded. “Am I getting competition now?”
Jessica turned an adoring gaze on her lover. “Nobody is competition for you, sweetie.” She shifted her crutches and gave Sky a one-armed hug. “You’re the best.”
Jessica settled into a canvas chair and spent the next hour watching Sarah and Rampage, and calling out instructions from the sidelines. Skyler stood in the center of the arena watching and advising. There were only a few hitches at misread communications, but the last run-through went off flawlessly.
“Jess, he’s a dream.” Sarah’s face shone as they walked back to the stables. “I’ve ridden a lot of high-dollar horses, but never one so smooth. He makes you feel like a mere guest on his back while he performs.”
Jessica grinned. “You can see, then, why I can’t bear to sell him. I’m just hoping he’s as good a stud as he is a showman.”
Skyler was so proud. Jessica never ceased to amaze her. Anybody else would be sitting around feeling sorry for herself, but Jessica was finding another way to do what she loved. Skyler smiled as she listened to the two women discussing Rampage’s finer points. Signaling Jamie, she said, “Come on. We have work to do.”
Jamie had quickly become adept in handling a muck rake with her one good arm. Letting her help made her feel like part of their team, but Skyler was mindful of the girl’s still healing injuries. She limited how much Jamie tried to do.
“Uh, Sky?” Jamie was quiet as they ran rakes through the wood chips on t
he stallion’s stall floor to cull out the balls of manure. “Isn’t Sarah an old girlfriend of yours?”
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“I’m going to be thirteen next month,” Jamie said, tossing her wheat-colored hair back from her face. “And I do know a few things.”
“Such as,” Skyler prompted.
“I have an aunt who’s gay. She and her girlfriend come and visit Mom sometimes. I like them. Mom knows about you, too, you know. She doesn’t mind.”
Skyler smiled. “I’m glad you told me. I won’t worry then that she’ll change her mind about you staying with us.”
Jamie grinned. “I’m used to being around my aunt and her girlfriend. It doesn’t freak me out to see you guys kissing or anything. My aunt kisses her girlfriend in front of me all the time.”
Skyler blushed and her rake slowed as she mentally slapped herself. With everything happening, she realized they hadn’t been very discreet around Jamie.
“I’ll keep that in mind, kiddo.”
Jamie stared down at the stall bedding as she raked the same spot for the third time. “Anyway, you and Sarah used to go together, right?”
Skyler smiled at the old high school phrase for dating. “Yeah, but that was a long time ago.”
“Still, I think I would be jealous, if I was Jess.” Jamie looked up and raised a rather adult eyebrow at Skyler. “I would worry that you might still like Sarah some.”
Skyler wanted to laugh hilariously at the slender twelve-year-old’s rendition of Kate’s “I’ll kick your ass” look. But she knew Jamie was serious. The fact that Jamie was being protective of Jessica made Skyler oddly proud of the kid.
“You know what? Jess never has to worry about that,” Skyler assured her. “She means more to me that anything in this world. I’m not going to screw this up.”
“That’s good.” Jamie went back to her raking.
Skyler thought about her struggle to trust her heart to other people. She knew a lot of her reluctance stemmed from the low self-esteem instilled by her abusive father. She prayed they’d addressed Jamie’s home situation before it damaged her, too.
“You know, my dad told me so many times that I was worthless, I guess I grew up believing that I didn’t deserve to be loved,” she said softly.
Jamie kept raking, her head down, but she nodded. Yes, she knew.
“I guess that’s why I dated so many women. I just didn’t believe any of them could really love me, so I wouldn’t let myself love anyone back,” she confessed. “Jess helped me realize that I do deserve to be loved. And I love her, with every breath I take.”
When Jamie looked up, her eyes were bright. “She is kind of special, isn’t she?”
“Really special.” Skyler smiled.
*
“Uh-oh. Here comes trouble,” Skyler muttered, yanked from her pleasant daydreams by the approach of a short wiry man with a wavy mane of white hair, dark piercing eyes, and a face made leathery by too many years on the golf course—Willard Lexington Tate. At Tate’s elbow was Sarah’s trainer, Jason Wright, and lagging reluctantly behind was Matthew Richard Duke, her husband.
Tate glared at Skyler, and she met him with a level stare. I’m not afraid of you, old man. You can’t hurt me anymore. She smiled with satisfaction to see him straightening his shoulders to try and match her height.
“I heard they had let some trash back on the circuit,” he remarked with a sneer.
“Hello, Mr. Tate. It’s good to see you again, too,” Skyler said in a cool voice.
The man gave a condescending snort. “I’ll get to the point, Ms. Reese. I hear from several sources that you’ve been hanging around my daughter again. Starving you out didn’t keep you away, so I’m offering a different approach.” He pulled his checkbook from his pocket and flipped it open.
“Hey, Sarah, Daddy is here to see you,” Skyler called into the office. She turned back to Will Tate. “You may have bought your own daughter before, but I’ve never been for sale, you bastard.”
Sarah, Kate and Jessica stepped out of the office. Skyler felt Jessica’s hand on her back, offering support, as Sarah moved between Skyler and her father.
“So, Jason. I see you wasted no time bringing Daddy out here to rat me out.” She shook her head and clicked her tongue. Her voice was cold and her manner nonchalant. “And you dragged poor Matt with you.”
Sarah’s husband Matt shrugged apologetically.
“Don’t get in my way, Sarah,” Tate growled.
“Why not, Daddy? You’ve meddled in my life enough. It’s time to put a few things on the table. I’m not involved with Skyler again. What I am doing is leasing this stallion from Jess. He makes the high-dollar mare you picked out for me look like a mule in the arena. I’m riding Rampage in the trials. I just signed the lease papers. Jessica and Skyler are acting as my trainers.” Sarah turned on her former trainer. “As for you, you’re fired. You aren’t half the trainer Skyler is. You’re nothing but a watchdog for my father.”
“Your daddy pays my fee, not you,” Jason sneered.
“Well then, I suggest you find somebody else to ride his mare so he’ll have a reason to keep signing your paycheck,” she replied.
“You ride that stallion in the trials with that queer trainer following you around, and I’ll disinherit you in a minute,” Tate spat, pulling his usual trump card.
“Won’t work this time, Daddy. I’m not that scared little girl you intimidated before. You see, I took the money Grandmother left me and made a killing in stocks a while back. I would guess it surprises you that a girl has a brain, but I’ll be very comfortable on my own money, not to mention my husband’s estate. Isn’t that right, honey?”
Matt, six-foot-two and sandy-haired, lounged against the wall. He seemed to be enjoying the show. “Right you are, babe.”
“Shut up, faggot,” Tate shouted at him. Seeing he was out-numbered, he began to tuck his checkbook in his pocket. “Come on, Jason.”
“Don’t put that checkbook away so fast,” Sarah warned. “Kate and I anticipated your interference, and we’ve been doing a little background work.”
Kate, who had been watching silently from the outskirts of the group, folded her arms over her chest and gave Tate a challenging stare.
“I want you to open that checkbook and write out a check to the Cherokee Falls Youth Equestrian Program for fifty thousand dollars,” Sarah told him.
“And why would I do that?”
“Because if you don’t, Kate’s lawyer will file a slander suit against you for maligning the character of Skyler Reese and, by association, the Cherokee Falls Equestrian Center.”
“George Brumley says we have a very good case against you.” Kate’s voice was quiet, yet deadly with controlled anger. “We’ve obtained signed affidavits showing that you blackmailed several people into blacklisting Skyler.”
Tate’s eyes flicked nervously. “You’re bluffing.”
“Try me, Will. Just remember, you aren’t dealing with a young, penniless rider now. You’re dealing with me.”
Tate’s face reddened. The Parker name and estate dwarfed his own. “What do you call this? You’re blackmailing me.”
Kate grinned. “Nope. It’s not blackmail, Will. We see the donation as an apology. One that is long overdue.”
Snorting his disgust, he angrily scribbled out a check and thrust it toward Kate.
“Thank you. We’ll send you a receipt for your tax deduction,” Kate said politely.
“Blackmailed by my own daughter.” He glared at Sarah. “I don’t even know you. In fact, you aren’t my daughter,” he snarled.
Sarah stared at him. He seemed much smaller and older to her now. “Oh, but I am your daughter, Daddy. I learned every underhanded move I know from watching you operate.”
Tate’s face blanched. Without another word, he strode out of the barn with Jason on his heels.
Matt laid a supportive hand on Sarah’s shoulder. “I’ve never seen this side of you,
babe. I think I like it.”
Sarah gave him an affectionate smile. “Come here, you.” She hugged the man. “I hope you know this is just a horse deal with friends here. I really should have talked to you first to make sure you were okay with what I have planned.”
“Hey, I’ve got old girlfriends in my past, too,” he said, waggling his eyebrows at Skyler.
Sarah smiled up at him. “Ladies, this is my wonderful husband, Matt. Good looking, great in bed, and has money, too. What more could a woman want?”
Matt blushed at his wife’s teasing. “So, is this stallion as good as the rumor mill says he is?”
“He’s even better,” Jessica bragged.
*
As if to live up to his owner’s words, Rampage ran away with Friday’s dressage competition. Smooth and confident, he turned in a flawless performance that quickly intimidated the lesser riders in the competition and had the veteran competitors looking over their shoulders.
Saturday was the real test. Endurance/cross country. This all-day competition was designed to test a horse’s speed, endurance, and jumping ability. On the cross-country course horses and riders had to be bold and smart. The course was about four miles long and was ridden at a good gallop. The obstacles could be very difficult—jumping uphill, jumping over solid obstacles, jumping downhill, jumping several series of fences and—Jessica’s bane—jumping over a solid obstacle into a knee-deep pool of water on the other side. Riders were permitted to walk the course before the competition, but the horses were seeing it for the first time. This made good communication essential for a winning run.
Dark clouds hung overhead, threatening rain, but also bringing a welcome breeze. Kate rented a large SUV and had already picked an advantageous viewing spot atop a hill overlooking the steeplechase and cross-country courses. She also produced binoculars for everyone.
Sarah was focused and quiet as Rampage pranced, picking up on his rider’s anticipation. His workouts over the past week had been light and he was bursting with pent-up energy. She smiled. “I thought I was supposed to be the one with a case of nerves.”
Bareback Page 19
