The Radcliffes

by T. J. Kline

  She watched Travis help the jockey onto Dreamer’s back for a couple of warm-up laps before the parade of horses. After leading Dreamer to the pony rider, he paused at the end of the barn and watched the other horses heading to the arena. Fallon wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and laid her cheek against the hard wall of his back.

  “I feel good about today.”

  Travis turned, his arms dropping around her and pulling her against him before he placed a lingering kiss on her mouth. “I do, too. He’s ready to go.”

  “The break has been good for him.”

  “It’s been good for me, too.” He nibbled against the hollow of her neck.

  Fallon tipped her head back, laughing, unable to remember the last time she’d felt this happy and carefree. Somehow, she and Travis would make things work. They’d already found a way to make their differences work for them.

  “Well, isn’t this cozy?”

  It had been months since Fallon had last seen Casper Dolan. In fact, she hadn’t seen him since the day she’d fired him. Though she didn’t care what he, or anyone else, thought about the way she and Travis held one another, she didn’t like the way Travis’s mouth had pinched into a thin line. The muscle of his jaw twitched.

  “Mr. Dolan,” she said with a smile. She turned toward him while keeping Travis behind her, hoping he’d follow her lead. “Do you have a horse running here today?”

  “Funny.”

  He glared at her and she instantly realized her error. Not only did he not have a horse, but it was likely he wasn’t training due to her dismissal. His gaze flicked to Travis behind her. “If I’d known it would have ensured my job, I’d have offered my stud services, sweetheart.”

  Travis tensed behind her. Fallon felt the furious rage building in him. Over the intercom, the announcer called the horses to post.

  “Come on.” Fallon ignored Casper and tugged at Travis’s hand.

  “When you’re done slumming, honey, feel free to call me again. I could show you the difference between a gelding and a stallion.”

  Travis spun faster than she’d thought possible and lunged for Casper. He grasped the smaller man by the jaw and pressed his face so close their noses almost touched. “Apologize to her.”

  “Screw you. I’ll call the cops.”

  “Apologize now.”

  Travis shoved Casper against the wall, a gasp escaping as Travis knocked the wind out of him. Fallon heard a slight squeak that she chose to assume was an apology.

  “We have to go, Travis. The race—”

  “Don’t you ever come near either of us again, understand?” Travis shoved Casper one last time before letting the other trainer fall. Grabbing her hand as he walked past, he headed for the rail where they could see the race.

  “Take a breath,” Fallon said soothingly, when they were out of earshot. “Today is about us. Don’t let him ruin it.”

  She watched Travis’s breathing return to normal.

  They stayed by the rail, because there wasn’t time to head up to the box, not if Fallon wanted to be able to see anything. From down on the ground, it was going to be tough to make out much, but Travis pointed out Dreamer in the third stall.

  “He’s ready.”

  The sound of the bell cut her off as the gates burst open and thirteen horses flew out.

  Fallon forgot anything she might have said as she clutched at Travis’s arm, leaning as far forward as she could in order to see Dreamer. Four horses had immediately bunched in the front of the pack as they ran past, and her colt was even with the leader, on the outside. They made the first turn and she could barely see them. As they crept past, she watched her jockey holding Dreamer steady.

  “Come on, Dreamer,” she muttered. “Why is he holding him back?”

  “To keep him from losing steam before the final turn.”

  Fallon could feel the tension emanating from Travis. He was as nervous as she was. As the horses cleared the last turn and came to the home stretch, she saw Dreamer open up, his stride lengthening, ears pinned to his head. His feet didn’t seem to touch the ground as he pulled farther from the pack, leaving them behind in the dirt he kicked up. The anxiety that had been tightening in her chest exploded as Dreamer crossed the finish line a full five lengths ahead of any other mount.

  Leaping into the air, Fallon spun, throwing herself at Travis and letting him catch her as they spun together in a circle.

  “He did it!”

  Travis sounded as awestruck as she felt. The little colt she’d helped deliver, the foal she’d raised against everyone’s predictions, had just won. They were going to the Derby.

  “You did it, Travis!”

  He smiled at her broadly. “The Winner’s Circle staff is going to be looking for you. Go. I’ll get Dreamer and meet you there.”

  He started to walk away but she held his hand, tugging him back to her and pressing her lips against his. “Thank you.”

  His eyes gleamed with mischief. “Thank me later, sweetheart.”

  “Miss Radcliffe?”

  “Yes.” Several microphones were pressed toward her as reporters circled her, making her nervous. She tried to ease her way into the Winner’s Circle, where Travis was waiting for her. When she was with her family, Fallon avoided the media whenever possible and let her mother act as the family spokesperson. She might be a marketing expert, but Fallon had absolutely no skills when it came to communicating with the media. Most of the time, she simply embarrassed herself.

  “Miss Radcliffe—”

  “Over here!”

  “What do you think—”

  Too many voices surrounded her, creating a buzz of sound and making it difficult to tell who was calling her, let alone what their question might be.

  “You’ve just moved up from being an unknown to being a contender for the Kentucky Derby. How did you do it?”

  She scooted through the throng, hurrying into the Circle where Dreamer began prancing, acting uncomfortable with the crowd closing in on him. Travis pulled her to his side, holding Dreamer’s lead a bit tighter, and leaned down to her ear.

  “We need to make this fast. He’s not happy.”

  “Miss Radcliffe, how?”

  The voices and questions kept coming as she tried to figure out which camera to smile at, which reporter to answer, all while trying to keep her eye on Dreamer. She struggled to listen as she was congratulated by others in the Winner’s Circle. Coupled with his win, the noise made Fallon dizzy.

  “Wasn’t he injured in his last race? He’s been questionable in his past starts. To what do you credit the change?”

  “Dreamer is a fantastic horse—”

  “So, you credit the horse’s natural talent?”

  “Well, yes, of course.”

  A photographer called out to her and snapped a quick picture. Dreamer shook his head, trying to jerk the lead from Travis, attempting to rear slightly.

  “You should take him to the barn. I’ll meet you there.”

  Travis’s brow lifted slightly but he didn’t argue. Several photographers followed him as he led Dreamer away but the reporters remained behind, circling her like a pack of wolves moving in for the kill.

  “Were there any other changes you made that you would attribute your win to?”

  Prying eyes focused in on her expectantly. She had to be careful what she said or it would create a maelstrom of speculation and rumor. Fallon wanted to get away from these vultures and get back to the barn, where Travis waited.

  “I made several changes to his schedule,” she admitted, thinking of how Dreamer had seemed to relax during his time at the vineyard. “But more than anything else, I allowed him to be a horse. His training reflected that and his win today was the result of a horse that loves to run. If you’ll excuse me.”

  Fallon nudged past the crowd and jogged to the barn where she could finally celebrate their success, with her arms around Travis.

  Chapter 25

  Travis inhaled slowly,
trying to ease the knot of betrayal threatening to strangle him. He’d heard every word Fallon had said, including the way she took credit for the changes in Dreamer. This win should have thrust him into the limelight and earned him a reputation as a premier trainer, but she had stolen it from him—the one person he’d trusted.

  You did a job. You were paid for it. She doesn’t owe you.

  Admitting the facts didn’t lessen the feelings of hurt from rising, threatening to drown him again. Telling Fallon about his past should have drawn them together, but maybe it had given her ammunition against him.

  Fallon’s voice was excited as she hurried into the barn with her phone to her ear. “I’ll tell him.”

  He waited at the stall for the groom to return from walking the colt until he’d cooled down, watching as she tucked her phone into her purse. “We have a celebration party tonight at the mansion. I tried to talk her out of it but my grandmother insisted.”

  Travis barely grunted and Fallon cocked her head to one side, studying him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” He wasn’t about to get into this with her here, where anyone could overhear them. “You want me there?”

  Fallon took a step back, looking confused. “Of course, you’re responsible for today.”

  A bitter laugh escaped him. “You sure about that?”

  “Travis?”

  He couldn’t stay or he’d say too much. He stormed toward the doors. “I’m going to get Dreamer ready for the trip back in the morning.”

  “Wait, Travis—”

  He barely slowed long enough to glance back at her. “Don’t expect me there tonight. If I’m not good enough to share the win in the Circle, then I’m not good enough for your fancy shindig, either.”

  Fallon smoothed her hand down the side of her scarlet cocktail dress, taking another glass of champagne from the tray a waiter held out to her. She searched the crowd for Travis. After he left her in the barn, he’d disappeared completely. If anyone around the barn knew where he was, they weren’t talking. Fallon smiled politely, thanking another one of their shipping clients when he congratulated her on Dreamer’s win. Tonight should have been a celebration of a near impossible task, but it felt like a trial.

  Fallon didn’t care about any of this. She only wanted to find Travis, to understand why he’d been so angry. He couldn’t possibly think she hadn’t wanted him in the Winner’s Circle.

  Anna, her brother’s fiancée, moved beside her. “Don’t look now, but your grandmother is headed this way. She’s not happy about the article in the paper this morning.”

  “What article?”

  Anna’s eyes widened. “You didn’t see? There’s a big front page article about you, Dreamer, and your new trainer.”

  “Okay? Why would Grandmother care…”

  “It’s a picture of you and the trainer together,” Anna filled in. “Gabe and I, on the other hand, are thrilled for you.”

  “Travis and I aren’t—”

  Anna smiled mischievously. “Sure, you’re not,” she said with a laugh. “And neither were Gabe and I.” She lifted her glass to her lips. “Oh, shit. There she is. Go, I’ll cover for you.”

  Travis hadn’t planned to come at all. And now that he was here, he knew why he wanted to stay away. This was definitely not his crowd.

  The women were decked out in sequins and jewels; the men in designer tuxedos. Travis stood out like a sore thumb with his Levi’s and button-down shirt, though he was wearing a sport coat.

  He was about to turn around and leave, despite the doorman’s instructions to head toward the ballroom, when Mrs. Wilhelmina Radcliffe appeared. Shit.

  “Ah, Mr. Mitchell. Just the man I wanted to see.” She waved a hand at the doorman. “I’ll take you to Fallon. She’s this way.”

  Left with little choice, Travis followed as Wilhelmina escorted him to a sitting room and closed the door.

  “There,” she said as she made her way to a bottle on a table against the wall. “Perhaps you’d like a drink?”

  “Fallon isn’t in here,” he pointed out. His gut churned.

  Wilhelmina shot him a calculated smile, carrying two glasses of amber liquid and holding one out to him. “Nothing gets by you, does it?”

  She lifted the glass to her lips and he did the same, tossing back the drink and setting the glass aside, leery of her game, whatever it might be. “What do you want?”

  Arching an eyebrow, she looked him over. “That was forty-year Glenfiddich scotch.”

  Travis shrugged. “Okay…”

  “It’s almost four thousand dollars a bottle.”

  “Well, you were ripped off,” he said with a scoff. “Why am I here?”

  “I was hoping you could tell me. What is it you’re hoping to gain from Fallon?”

  Travis shrugged. “She’s my boss. I’m training her horse.” It was the truth, even if it was oversimplified. And with him and Fallon, nothing was simple.

  “I see.” Wilhelmina walked back toward the bottle, setting her own glass back on the table before turning back and holding a folded newspaper out to him. “This doesn’t look like a typical employer-employee relationship.”

  Travis took it and scanned the headline. While the article should have detailed Dreamer’s win and Fallon’s success, instead it speculated about their relationship and why she’d kept his involvement with Dreamer a secret. Irritation bubbled in his chest when he noticed a quote from Casper Dolan.

  “This is nothing but bullshit.”

  Her chin lifted at his language. “I’m willing to offer you a million dollars to walk away from my granddaughter.”

  He carefully inspected her expression. Nothing in her face indicated she was anything but serious about her offer. “What?”

  “Come now, Mr. Mitchell, we both know that Fallon has no business being at the race track. She’s naive and doesn’t realize how far in over her head she is. But you belong there.”

  She wasn’t saying anything he hadn’t already thought to himself, but he’d also seen the joy Dreamer brought Fallon. Ultimately, that was the only thing that was important to him, regardless of how he felt about the infuriating woman right now.

  “Fallon belongs here, with her family,” Wilhelmina insisted.

  “Under your thumb, you mean.”

  Wilhelmina didn’t deny his accusation. “One million dollars to walk away.”

  “I don’t want your money.”

  “Of course you do. Who wouldn’t?”

  “I’m not doing this for the money. Not everyone can be bought.”

  “Yes, they can, you simply need to find the right currency and negotiate the price.” Her ice-blue eyes slid over him before narrowing. “You aren’t in love with her, are you?”

  He wasn’t going to admit anything to this woman, but deep down, he knew it was true—he was in love with her. If he wasn’t, Fallon’s betrayal wouldn’t have cut so deeply. Travis clamped his jaw shut, unwilling to form a response, but it seemed Wilhelmina didn’t need one.

  She pursed her lips, mocking him. “You poor man. Fallon would never fall for someone like you. You have nothing to offer her. Why, she’s simultaneously dating far better prospects than you, men more suitable to her station. Be reasonable. I’m sure I have enough connections to get you a job at a training facility. Where would you like to work? Kentucky?”

  There was no point fighting her. Wilhelmina Radcliffe had said enough to remind Travis exactly who he was, and who he wasn’t. Especially where it concerned Fallon.

  Of course Fallon had plenty of men to choose from, waiting to give in to her every whim and desire—money, cars, houses, vacations, even horses. He, on the other hand, had nothing to offer.

  “Keep your money.” He walked to the door. “I’m training Dreamer until the Derby. And after that, I’ll find my own position.” He shook his head, unsure whether he was more disgusted with her or himself, and stepped into the hallway. “I don’t want to be part of anything you have your hands in
.”

  “I’m protecting my granddaughter.” She followed him with an authoritative click of her heels.

  “I guess that must be what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night.” He turned back toward the woman, crossing the hall to look down at her. “You’re suffocating her, trying to fit her into that mold you created. One day, she’ll either run away or shrivel up and die. Either way, you’re going to lose her if you don’t let her live her own life.”

  “Travis?”

  Fallon’s tentative voice stopped him cold. He spun to see her in the hall, staring at them, her eyes wide with shock. She looked exquisite with her flowing gown hugging every luscious curve of her body. Her long, golden waves were pulled to one side. He wanted her, not just physically. He wanted every part of her. And for forever.

  He held his hands up. “I’m leaving. Dreamer and I will fly to Kentucky tomorrow to ready him for the Derby. I’ll see you there in a month, Fallon. Act like an owner and let me be the trainer. It’s what we do best.”

  Ignoring the crowd that had begun to gather, Travis walked out the front door and started heading home. He didn’t even wait for the valet to bring his car around. He needed to put as much distance between him and Fallon as quickly as possible. If he didn’t, he’d turn around and make a mistake neither of them could afford.

  Chapter 26

  Fallon blinked back the tears as she faced her grandmother. “What did you do?”

  Shrugging, she took a deep breath, moving closer and pointedly glancing at the observers. “Now isn’t the time,” she said, leaning close and reaching for Fallon’s arm.

  Jerking herself free, Fallon stepped back. “Now is the only time. What happened?”

  “I asked him about his intentions. He informed me that he was quitting after the Kentucky Derby. There was mention of a position in Kentucky.”

  Fallon’s heart stopped in her chest before splintering into fragments. She should have suspected something like this would happen. Travis wasn’t going to stay. He’d taken on this opportunity with Dreamer with hopes of using it to spur his career. His win today had shocked and impressed plenty of people. Job offers were sure to roll in, but she hadn’t expected him to walk away so easily.