Dressage Dreaming (Horses Heal Hearts Book 1)

by Kimberly Beckett

  “I plan to go back there and stay with Liz and Jessica to make sure nothing untoward happens while they’re there,” Charlotte said.

  “I know that’s what you want, sis, but I really need you here right now. The merger we’ve been monitoring is nearing completion, and we want to move fast to take advantage of the bump in stock price the merger will trigger. You’re my expert on the deal, and have all of the relevant information we need. I can’t let you go now.”

  Charlotte sighed. “Isn’t there anyone else that work this deal?”

  “I’m sorry, Char, but no. You’re my expert. No one else will do.”

  “All right,” Charlotte couldn’t prevent the look of reluctance acceptance from showing in her expression. “I’ll do my best to keep in touch with Jessica via Skype and hope that will be enough.”

  “Keep me posted,” Blake directed. “I’m very concerned about this situation.”

  “I will.” Charlotte made her way to the door and looked back at Blake. It was clear to her that Blake had more than a passing interest in Jessica. “Jessica has a good head on her shoulders. She won’t allow herself to get into a situation she can’t handle. Plus, Liz is right there with her. She’ll be okay.”

  Blake nodded and flashed Charlotte what he hoped was a reassuring smile. As the door closed behind her, though, Blake couldn’t help but be disturbed by this latest turn of events. He had hoped Jessica would be returning immediately to the States, grateful to him for buying her the horse of dreams. So grateful in fact that she would be amenable to becoming his girlfriend, and soon thereafter his lover. He was so looking forward to showing her off to his friends as his latest conquest.

  His mind drifted to a vision of Jessica naked in his bed, her long, shapely legs wrapped tightly around his body as he pounded into her, both of them moaning with pleasure, their hot, sweating bodies moving as one. He felt himself harden, and moved to hide the lower part of his body behind his desk, and adjusted his pants slightly to accommodate his increased size. Bringing himself back to reality, he resigned himself to the fact that his fantasies would not be fulfilled any time soon.

  This situation with Stafford’s brother concerned him, though. Maybe when things quieted down with the merger, he could fly to the UK personally, and make sure Jessica was all right, and that she realized how much he valued her. Maybe then she would be willing to show her gratitude for his concern. He smiled. Yes, that was an excellent idea.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Please don’t worry, Charlotte.” Jessica had contacted Charlotte via Skype as Charlotte had insisted she do when they parted at Heathrow airport just a week ago. “Michael has been the perfect gentleman and an excellent host. I barely see his brother, Ian, and when I do, he keeps to himself, and doesn’t appear to be dangerous in the least. Liz and I are feeling right at home here, and are impatiently waiting for Tempest to be delivered. We’ve been told it could be as early as tomorrow.”

  “So it’s Michael now, is it?” Charlotte teased. “You two must be getting along all right to be on a first-name basis so soon.”

  Jessica felt herself blush, and hoped her computer’s camera wasn’t sensitive enough to transmit that detail to Charlotte. Of all the information she had just provided her, Charlotte had chosen that particular detail to notice. “Well, we have been living in the same house for nearly a week, and it’s just easier to call each other by our first names than be more formal. Michael is very informal anyway, and his manner invites others to be the same way. He isn’t at all the man I expected him to be, Charlotte. He’s actually really warm and friendly, although he has been keeping Liz and me at arm’s length, probably because ultimately, we’re the competition trying to take Tempest away from him.

  “Away from him? Who says he has him to begin with?” Charlotte responded, feeling a bit irritated that Jessica was already selling herself short by allowing Michael the upper hand in their competition before they even began. Charlotte had been competing against men her entire career, and knew that it could be deadly to Jessica’s chances if she gave Michael Stafford even a scintilla of a head start in the competition.

  “Charlotte, you know Mendelssohn was impressed with how Michael had ridden Tempest from the very beginning. It was only the fact the Michael didn’t have the money to buy him outright that created this competition at all.” Even so, Jessica had to acknowledge that she still had hopes that she might have Tempest as her own. Contrary to what Charlotte was intimating, Jessica was determined that she give everything she had to this competition, and give herself a fighting chance to win. “Don’t worry, Charlotte, I’m in this competition to win. This won’t be easy for Michael. You have my word.”

  Charlotte smiled. “In that case, I’ll sign off and let you prepare. Is all of your equipment there? Do you have everything you and Liz need? You said Tempest is supposed to arrive there tomorrow, right?”

  Jessica laughed. “Yes, to all your questions. Everything arrived here in excellent condition, and all is on schedule for Tempest to arrive tomorrow. Now, I have to go. I need to call my sister Hailey and make sure she’s okay. Thanks, Charlotte, for everything.”

  “You’re welcome,” Charlotte responded. “By the way, Blake sends his regards, and wanted me to let you know he’s thinking about you and is concerned for you. I think you’ve made a conquest of my big brother. I’ve never seen him so interested in a woman, quite frankly.”

  Jessica wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Blake McMillan was a very rich, handsome man who could have any woman he wanted. What could he possibly see in a horse-crazy, small-town girl from Ohio? “I think you must be mistaken, Charlotte. I can’t image what a man like Blake could see in me. I do appreciate the sentiment, though. Please thank him for me, and make sure he knows I am doing well.”

  “I will,” Charlotte said. “I’ll call tomorrow, same time. OK?”

  “Fine.” Jessica smiled and signed off, still puzzled about what Charlotte had told her. Surely, a man as successful, wealthy and accomplished as Blake McMillan wasn’t interested in her as more than just a struggling American rider needing financial support. Most likely Charlotte was just ensuring Jessica that Blake wasn’t going to abandon her just because their original plans for Tempest had changed. Of course, Jessica nodded to herself, that must be it. There certainly couldn’t be any other reason.

  Chapter 9

  “Take it easy, Michael. You’re making me nervous,” Tiffany Merchant, Michael’s trusted barn manager and friend, had been watching Michael pace up and down the barn aisle for at least 15 minutes before she finally lost patience, and had to say something.

  “I’m sorry, Tiff.” Michael at least had the courtesy of looking sheepish when he looked at her. “Mendelssohn is arriving with Tempest any time now, and I’m worried he won’t think this facility is up to his standards.”

  Tiffany couldn’t believe her ears. She and her staff of three had been working night and day for the past week to adapt the barn and pastures to accommodate a stallion among an established stable of geldings and mares in training. She was proud of the final product, and was extremely aggravated with Michael for his lack of faith in their efforts. “Michael, I don’t see anything Mendelssohn could find fault with. This place was already well built and beautiful to look at. Now, it’s a model of a modern and efficient equestrian facility.”

  Secretly, Tiffany hoped that Michael had the money to fund these improvements, but funds had been notoriously short for quite some time. She sighed. Michael’s finances were really none of her business. As long as she was paid and had enough money to feed and care for the horses, she should be happy. She was also Michael’s friend, however, and she knew about Ian and his problems, and had endured Michael’s despair when Emma left so suddenly and unexpectedly. She knew Michael had suffered these past few months, and deserved something good to happen to him. Having Mendelssohn sponsor
him with Tempest would be just what he needed to get himself back on his feet. She hoped with all her heart that this worked out for him.

  Tiffany had also met Jessica Warren and Liz Randall, and knew that Michael’s path would not be easy. Both women were impressive, and she had recognized Liz’s name from dressage publications Michael subscribed to and loaned to Tiffany to read. She had Googled Jessica, and learned what she could about her as well. It was clear she was an up and coming young rider with a great deal of talent, who desperately needed a horse if she wanted to continue to compete internationally.

  Like Michael, Liz had international dressage experience, and when Tiffany gave her and Jessica a tour of Michael’s training yard and introduced her to the horses Michael had in training, Liz asked pertinent questions, and offered some tips for some minor care issues Tiffany had been experiencing. Liz had even asked Tiffany if she thought Michael would allow her to ride one or two of his training horses so she could stay in shape. Privately, Tiffany thought Michael would be thrilled at the prospect, but couldn’t make that commitment to Liz, so she told her she would have to ask Michael about that.

  Just as they completed their tour, Liz’s cell phone rang, and after checking the number, Liz quickly excused herself to take the call. “Hello, Bob, what’s up?” Liz knew that her attorney would not be calling her unless some aspect of her divorce proceeding had changed.

  “I’m sorry, Liz, but I have bad news. Rick has filed a motion asking the court to grant him full custody of Amy. He’s using your extended trip to the UK as evidence that you’re unfit to share equal custody.”

  “No!” Liz’s heart sank. “I can’t believe it.” After recovering from her initial shock, Liz’s mind raced to find a solution to her dilemma. First, she had to determine how serious Rick’s suit was. “There’s no way he can win, Bob, right?”

  “Well, Liz, I can’t rule out the possibility. This trial period will keep you away from home for over two months, and Amy requires constant care. The temporary situation you’ve set up with your sister moving into your home isn’t ideal, and the fact that the reason you’re gone centers on dressage bolster’s Rick’s allegations that you care more about your career than you do about being a mother.”

  “I hate to admit it, but you’re probably right. This change in plans has put me in a terrible position.” Liz sighed deeply. “Is there anything I can do short of abandoning Jessica and coming right back home that will give me a fighting chance to keep custody of Amy?”

  “I’m not certain, but I think if you can establish a regular schedule of visits over the two months you’re training Jessica, it would help. It would also help to establish that this two-month period is the only time you’ll be out of the country, and that you won’t be leaving again any time soon,” Bob replied.

  “I’ll speak with Charlotte McMillan right away and make those arrangements. I think I can give Jessica enough to work on during the brief periods I’ll be gone to see us through this two months.”

  “Good. I’ll start preparing my response to his motion and request a hearing. I’ll send you dates as soon as possible. In the meantime, I recommend you call Amy and tell her what’s happening.”

  “Good idea. She will want to know that her mother and father are fighting again, and why. I think it’s best for her to hear it from me before Rick has a chance to call her and tell her half-truths or some other nonsense.”

  “All right. I’ll let you go to do that. Call me or text me your travel schedule so I can include it in my filing with the court.”

  “Will do, Bob. Thank you.” Liz resolved to make sure Bob knew exactly how much she appreciated his dedication to her case. He was a one-in-a-million attorney, and she was lucky to have found him.

  As she walked back to the barn to let Tiffany know she would be going back to the manor to make a private phone call, her thoughts drifted back to a happier time, when she was pregnant with Amy, and she and Rick were like most expectant parents, excited and, yes, a little anxious, about having their first child. Liz remembered how protective Rick was of her, and of the baby she carried, monitoring her health, and reading everything he could get his hands on about childbirth and baby care.

  To her chagrin, Rick also was insistent that Liz give up her riding until after the baby was born. Of course, Liz knew she had to be more careful in her riding, but everything she had read and heard from other professional riders in her situation indicated that in at least the first three or four months of her pregnancy, it would be safe for the baby if she rode a normal schedule and didn’t overdo it. Rick begrudgingly agreed, and the matter had been closed as far as Liz was concerned. At five months pregnant, Liz had stopped riding. There had been no visible effects on her pregnancy.

  Then, at the age of three, Amy was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Rick was certain that the cause was Liz’s riding during the first four months of her pregnancy. Despite their pediatrician, obstetrician, and other specialist’s assurances that his conclusions were wrong, Rick persisted in his belief that Liz’s riding was the cause of Amy’s disability. Ever since the diagnosis, and as Amy’s symptoms became more pronounced, Rick had become more and more hostile to Liz, until it became difficult to live with him.

  When Liz decided to dedicate a portion of their dressage horse training farm into a therapeutic riding practice to help Amy cope with the effects of the CP, Rick was not at all supportive. He also didn’t support Liz going back into competition, so her riding career was essentially over. Despite Liz’s best efforts, her marriage still suffered.

  Earlier this year, saying he needed time to think, Rick moved out. It wasn’t long thereafter that she was served with divorce papers. She had always felt that he would somehow come around and realize that his assumptions had been wrong, but obviously that was not going to happen.

  As Liz approached the barn, she heard raised voices and followed them. As the voices became louder, she could see Tiffany in front of an open stall that contained a horse that appeared to be agitated and was acting aggressively toward one of Tiffany’s barn workers. Tiffany, who was a petite 5 foot 1 or 2 inches tall, with wildly curly red hair, shoulder length, pulled back into a ponytail, was using a broom to get the horse to back away from the worker, who was trapped in a corner of stall, too terrified to move. Tiffany stood her ground and waved the broom without ever actually touching the horse and succeeded in moving him away enough that the worker was able to escape. The horse had his ears pinned back, and was baring his teeth, snapping at Tiffany and at the worker. Even though he didn’t actually bite or kick anyone, it was clear that he was dangerous and couldn’t be trusted.

  Liz could tell that Tiffany was furious with the worker. “I told you never to approach this horse’s stall without a second worker to assist.” Her voice was shaking, possibly with anger, possibly a late reaction to the adrenaline rush that came with facing a life-threatening situation. “This horse was abused sometime in his past, and is very defensive when anyone enters his stall. He must always be approached by two people so that one can distract him with a treat so that the other can halter him and remove him from the stall so it can be cleaned.”

  The worker was clearly shaken, and appeared contrite, and Tiffany slowly cooled off as she realized the horse had also calmed once the worker had left his stall. “If this ever happens again, you will have to find another job. This is serious. You could have been killed.” The worker nodded solemnly and quietly thanked Tiffany for coming to his rescue.

  Liz approached Tiffany. “That was close. Are you all right?” Tiffany nodded and smiled, but Liz could tell she was still tense from the experience. “Tell me about the horse.”

  Tiffany led Liz back away from the stall, and looked back at the gelding, now calmly munching on his hay, clearly having recovered from his traumatic experience. “This is Rocky, which is short for Rock of Ages, his registered name. H
e is a thoroughbred off the track, purchased by one of Michael’s long-time students, who knew he was abused when she bought him. He actually is a great horse to ride most of the time, but when he sees something that scares him, even under saddle, he bolts and runs uncontrollably in a panic. He’s also tremendously afraid and becomes aggressively defensive when anyone tries to enter his stall. Michael agreed to take him and see if he could help him get over his fear, but it takes a great deal of time and patience to break a long-standing issue like this. Now that Michael will be riding Tempest, he may not have the time. I’m not sure what he plans to do with Rocky now.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t be much help in this case,” Liz said. “I don’t have a lot of experience with abused horses.”

  “I understand that Michael’s friend Lionel works with abused horses occasionally in his work rehabilitating off-the-track race horses. Maybe he can ask Lionel to take Rocky on.” Tiffany sounded hopeful. Apparently, she had grown fond of Rocky.

  Liz suddenly remembered why she had been looking for Tiffany. “I came to find you to tell you I have to go back to the manor house to Skype with my daughter, Amy. Will we see you at dinner?”

  “No, I don’t live here on the premises. I live in town, and take my meals at home. I will see you tomorrow.”

  “Yes, I’ll see you then,” Liz replied as she re-checked her watch.

  Liz headed up to her room in the manor and located her laptop computer. Noting the time and considering the time difference, Liz knew it would be noon at home in Ohio, which was the time she and her sister Cynthia had arranged in advance for their daily communications. She knew that Amy would be waiting for her call. As she waited for the line to connect, Liz took a deep breath, and tried as best she could to school her features to be relaxed and cheerful for her conversation with her daughter.