by A. C. Wilson
“Can you refund it? Reverse the charge on her card and then charge mine?”
“I’m sorry, sir. I can’t do that. I can have my manager call you back when he comes on in an hour, if you’d like. He might be able to fix this.” The man sounded really worried now. Royal couldn’t believe he was making such a big deal out of this. He was taking his frustration and anger out on the clerk. It wasn’t fair.
“No, no, that won’t be necessary. Thank you.” Royal hung up the phone and tried to put his feelings back in order. Why is this so hard? They both knew she had to leave. It was nothing more than fantasy in thinking that they could share more than the moments they had.
“You are a fool.” It was the truth. Once again, he had lost a woman that probably could have meant the world to him. It wasn’t like him to give up, but he wanted to now. The universe must be against him.
Picking up the phone again, he dialed his friend’s number. Daniel picked up on the second ring.
“Hello?”
“Danny, it’s Royal. When is a good time to come by?” There was road noise in the back of the conversation.
“I’m about thirty minutes out. Where are you? I can come pick you up.”
Royal gave the name of the hotel and hurried to get a shower in before his friend arrived. Freshly dressed, he packed his belongings and zipped his bag. As he lifted the suitcase up, a piece of paper fluttered to the floor. Bending over, he retrieved it and flipped it over. It was a business card.
Ainsley Fenella, horse trainer and broker
She hadn’t lied to him about that. Her phone numbers were listed as was her email address. Was it possible she had dropped it? Looking at the bold, clean script, Royal thought that this might be the way to reach out. Then self-doubt moved in and he wasn’t used to finding something that zapped his confidence. If she had wanted him to contact her, she would have said so. Steeling his jaw, Royal crumpled the card and tossed it into the bin by the door. It was time to start over. He had never been more ready than now.
CHAPTER SIX
5 years later
Royal peered out of one good eye, the other swelling at a rapid rate. The large black horse danced back and forth in terror as the handler tried to get him under control.
“Jesus! Royal, are you all right?” Danny asked from the other side of the stall door. Royal would have rolled his eyes if it wouldn’t have hurt to do so.
“Damn, Danny! I thought you said this horse was sound.”
“He was fine until you got in there with him. You must have scared him.” Danny Potts narrowed his already beady eyes at the man he had employed for five years. On the outside, they were boss and veterinarian, but on the inside, they were good friends. At the moment though, Royal wasn’t big on the big man.
“Scared him? I’m the one he just about squashed with his big rump.” Royal growled, trying to get a handle on his anger so that the horse would even allow the examination. “I don’t get paid enough for this.”
“I heard that.” Danny threw back at him, watching the handler trying to calm the beast. Let’s Go Lively was a fine horse, but he hadn’t won nearly the number of races The Potts Farm needed him to win in order to add the horse to their stables. Royal moved about to check on the horse and determined that the gelding was in good shape.
“Do you think that he could be a racer again? There’s no stress fracture like the owner said?” Danny leaned his arms up on the top rung of the fence. Royal stripped off his plastic gloves and set his stethoscope back into his vet bag.
“There’s no way of knowing that without x-rays. From the way he stands and the way he felt, I don’t think he will be down too long, if he does have a fracture. It could be that he just needs some rest.”
“I wish I knew what to do here. I can’t afford to keep throwing money down the drain.”
“I can’t tell you what to do, man. Even if the horse is well, I’m not sure what you will get from him.”
Lively cocked his ears forward as he listened to the men outside his stall. Royal stepped away from the door, just in case the big black horse got any funny ideas. Royal’s eye was swollen shut from the whack he took earlier. Danny paced a few feet in one direction and wandered back the next few. It was the man’s process. He always looked harried and from the time Royal had spent with him, Danny wasn’t one to throw away money.
“Let’s go ahead with the sale. He’s not that expensive as an injured horse.” Danny readjusted his hat on his prematurely balding head. “But if his owners ask you what your honest medical opinion is, you’ll say…” Danny eyed his friend. Royal lifted his hands.
“It is my humble opinion that the horse will only make good glue, but that Daniel Potts is a kind hearted soul who can’t stand to see a horse put down.” Royal grinned and winced as it stretched the skin around his eye. Their theatrics had become something of legend around the tracks.
“Exactly!” Danny slapped Royal on the back. “Maybe I’ll get the chaps to lower their price on the poor creature.”
They continued out of the barn where the Potts Farm horses were kept. As they cleared the walk that wrapped around, Royal was bumped into by a woman on a cell phone. She bounced off of him as he angrily growled at her carelessness. Long dark hair was swinging around her shoulders and nice riding pants clung to every delicious curve. Royal firmed his grip on his sexual reaction to her. It was the dark eyes that screamed a silent who do you think you are? A memory tugged and then it sank back into the depths of wherever it had come from.
“Who the hell was that?” Royal asked, more to himself than of Danny, who was a hundred feet ahead of him now.
“Did you say something?” Danny asked back over his shoulder. Royal watched the woman disappear down the lane and shook his head.
“No, never mind.”
The next evening, Royal walking into the lounge of a popular restaurant and tapped Danny on the shoulder.
“Great! I’m glad you made it.” Danny was dressed up, slacks with a shirt and tie. It was unlike the normal jeans and t-shirts that made up eighty percent of both men’s wardrobes. Royal had skipped the tie, but donned a sport coat.
“You said it was mandatory, so here I am.” Royal tried hard to hear over the conversations of other people close by. The restaurant was packed tonight. A waitress in a short black skirt twirled by with her drinks on a tray raised in the air. Years ago, he might have stopped her and asked to buy her a drink after her shift, maybe getting a night’s company from her as well. He firmed his jaw. Now he watched from afar, like a spectator at a professional sport.
“How long until you get back on the horse?” Danny’s voice broke through Royal’s thoughts. Green eyes took his friend’s teasing look into account. The play on words was every bit Danny Potts. The man had no shortage.
“My wild days are over. You keep me running all over the country looking at the newest acquisition of the Potts Farm.” Royal looked pointedly at him. Danny raised his single malt whiskey and took a drink.
“I trust you, Royal. You tell me your honest opinion, even if I don’t want to hear it and you’ve kept me from sinking my entire wealth a few different times.”
“And since I’m your friend, I am also cheap help.”
Danny made a show of looking shocked. “Cheap? You make a good living off of me.”
Royal gave in and chuckled. He did get paid fairly well, but Royal also knew that Danny was on the slender side of that pay scale. It was still better money than being a veterinarian in Kansas.
“Let’s table this discussion. Why am I here?”
Danny signaled the bartender and asked for a refill. He also ordered Royal a beer. It was a stalling tactic that Royal found mildly annoying. A summons to dinner wasn’t exactly what he thought he would be doing tonight. He could smell the steak though and decided it was better than dinner that came from the microwave oven.
“We have some celebrating to do this evening.” Danny answered him, moving from the noisy bar to a t
able near the back of the restaurant. It was considerably quieter here as they took their seats.
“Celebrating?” Royal couldn’t help the hint of disbelief that threaded through his question. It wasn’t like Danny to be acting like this. They had known each other for fifteen years and never had his friend been this secretive.
“Yes, well, we will be soon once the rest of our party joins us.”
“Maybe you should let me know what’s going on before I start thinking you have lost your marbles.” Royal hissed, taking a sip of his beer. He didn’t even taste it as it slipped down his throat. Danny’s cheeks were red from the alcohol he had already consumed and Royal only then noticed that his friend might be well on his way to being foxed. He shook his head in silent reproof.
“I was approached about a merger. It was an incredible sum of money and I think it will greatly benefit the farm.” Danny looked unsure, although he smiled widely. Royal was on high alert.
“Who approached you?”
“That’s the thing. All I know is S.L. Racing sent a letter through an attorney asking if I would be interested in combining operations. I didn’t think it was legit, but that many zeroes made me sweat. The attorney assured me that this was a genuine offer by his client.”
Royal was completely speechless. How had he not heard of this until now? Danny was notoriously bad about keeping his mouth shut. The man couldn’t change his detergent without telling someone about it. This was so out of character.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to tell you, but the agreement stated that as a party of the conditions, you were not to know about the deal until I decided to accept or decline the deal.” Danny’s color rose in his cheeks and he took another deep drink of his whiskey. His glass finished, he continued. “I honestly hadn’t decided what to do until this morning.”
“You accepted.” Royal felt like he had been through a Kansas twister. His head was spinning.
“I signed the papers this afternoon.”
“What? I don’t understand why I am a condition of this merger.” Royal hated being left out and when it included him, he didn’t know why he couldn’t have been told.
“Now, don’t go getting all bent out of shape.” Danny tried to placate him.
“Well, how would you feel?”
“I understand.”
“You sure?” Royal clipped his tone.
“If you’d let me explain, I think you’ll be pleased with this.” Danny huffed out a breath as he waited for his friend to calm down. It took half a beer, but Royal finally nodded. “The deal was a partnership for breeding rights as well as racing credentials. Potts Farm will continue to breed thoroughbred race horses, while S.L. Racing will train and enter races with the combined horses.”
“I’m following.”
“Good. We got a good deal of capital out of this.” Danny raised his eye brows. “Ready?”
“Listening.”
“Three point four million dollars.”
They sat quietly for a moment as the air seemed to have rushed out from around them. Royal was trying to wrap his head around that sum of money.
“That’s insane.” Royal didn’t know what else to say.
“I know. I couldn’t believe it either. So here is the other part to the deal. You are to remain on as primary veterinarian for both Potts Farm and S.L. Racing. It was a stipulation that would upset the deal if you were to oppose it.”
“I’m sorry I’m late, gentlemen.” The silky, feminine voice floated over the table and both Danny and Royal turned their heads at the same time. There she was in a short black dress that showed off long legs. When he raised his eyes to the woman’s face, dark chocolate eyes drank him in. He was drowning, flailing for some sort of safety and then anger brought him back to the surface.
“Ainsley.” He couldn’t keep the growl from his throat. She looked as beautiful as when he had met her five years ago.
“Mr. Royal Bentley.” Her head leaned to the side ever so slightly and a sinful smile touched her lips. “We meet again.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
His green eyes bored into hers as she stood there, waiting to see if Royal would walk away from the table or pull out her chair. It was tense; the silence was focused. What was he thinking? Was it about that night so long ago that it shouldn’t factor at this very moment? A sensual shiver slid down her bare back and the second his expressive eyes flared, she knew he had seen it. Royal was still perceptive.
“You two know each other?” Daniel asked in a squeaky voice. Royal didn’t take his eyes off her. Ainsley didn’t know how she kept from squirming.
“For a second.” Royal’s voice held a bite of venom that surprised Ainsley. She hadn’t thought he would have this attitude towards her and definitely not after five years. Yes, she had been keeping track.
“More than a second.” Ainsley whispered between them so that Daniel couldn’t hear. Green eyes snapped, but he didn’t respond to her words.
“What are you doing here?” Royal asked her as he stepped back to allow both he and Daniel to see her clearly.
“I’ve recently brokered a partnership with Potts Farm.” Had it not been obvious? Did he think it was just a random coincidence that she happened by their table? One look at his face said he was praying it was.
“You are S.L. Racing.”
Only then did they realize the waitress was waiting to seat them and take their drink orders. They didn’t speak as they sat down, Royal stiffly pulling out her chair so that she could sit and order a round of drinks from the bar. Once everyone was served, the conversation resumed.
“Miss Fenella, I am overwhelmed by your offer to partner with Potts Farm, but I do need to know what you based your decision on.” Daniel smiled.
“Mr. Potts.”
“Danny, please.”
“Ainsley, then.” She offered a smile back. “I need a good breeding farm in the United States and I’m impressed by the wealth of young blood in your stables. Although it seems you don’t base your choices on race records as you’ve just acquired Let’s Go Lively.” She took sip of her white wine. “In short, unlike your competitors, Potts Farm isn’t trying to be something that it isn’t and spending money it doesn’t have.”
Royal watched her speak but he didn’t interrupt. He looked as if she were an annoying fly that wouldn’t leave with the swat of his hand. It only served to put her on edge. What exactly did she expect?
“That’s deeply flattering.” Danny’s cheeks were ruddy with too much liquor. “You aren’t from the U.S. then?”
“Scotland.” Both Royal and Ainsley answered at the same time. Their eyes were drawn together as the tension returned and Ainsley could feel her body responding to the man. A smile turned his lip up slightly.
“Well as your attorney should have informed you, I am in agreement to your contract; however, I cannot speak for my friend here.” Danny slapped Royal on the back and it caused the man to wince. Royal turned his head to glare at Danny.
“That is one of the reasons I asked to meet you both tonight. I would like to know what Mr. Bentley desires from the partnership.” She swallowed hard, her heart seizing up in her desperation to control it.
“What I desire to know is why I was made part of the conditions of the contract? Why I wasn’t notified that I was part of the contract?” He looked from Ainsley to Danny and back again until his gaze rested on her. It was fair, she thought. He had a right to know.
“If we were being mercenary, I would tell you that it is because you are a highly regarded veterinarian. A training and breeding facility always needs their own medical staff on site.” She looked back into his face and saw that he was still staring unblinking at her. Ainsley firmed her lips and tried not to run her tongue across them. Lowering her voice, she continued. “If good business sense were off the table, I would tell you that I have known you were here for a few years.”
Royal didn’t look surprised. “You have been watching me?�
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“Quietly stalking, maybe.” Her blood pressure was skyrocketing. “I made it my business to know what you were doing. I thought maybe…well, I don’t know what I thought.” She opened her palms up, feeling at a loss for words in the face of his unwavering stare. It was unnerving.
“You thought you could pick up where you ran off.”
Yes, exactly. Ainsley couldn’t admit to herself that it had crossed her mind. Hadn’t she thought about him for the last five years? It was the truth.
“I deserve that. I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.”
Royal looked like he had been burned. “What am I? A child?”
“Of course not.” Ainsley scooted forward on her chair, trying to rectify the situation that was a ball of fire. “We were not in a point in our lives where we could have made something happen from that one moment.” She certainly hadn’t been.
“I didn’t think this conversation would happen.” He rubbed his forehead, both completely unaware of the avid spectator watching from the other side of the table. “As a professional, I think the partnership would benefit everyone. In the spirit of being a mercenary, what is my cut?” He was pulling away from the emotional side of the conversation. Well, she could appease that for now. Ainsley adjusted the hem of her skirt and slid her business mask back in place.
“Of the three point four million we offered Potts Farm, one million will be yours, if you agree to the terms of the contract.”
“One million.” He said it as if he couldn’t believe she had said it. Then he rubbed his hands together before picking up his drink from the table. “What are the terms?”
“You will serve the training and breeding facilities as their chief veterinarian for no less than five years. The horses’ winnings will be split with you as well.”
“That’s quite a generous offer. Two hundred thousand a year with bonus option? What happens after the five-year contract is up? What happens if I want out early?”
