North Oak 3- Morning Glory Read online

  Brooke bumped the filly back. “Are you serious?”

  SarahBeth straightened the pleats on her dress, then produced a business card from a clutch she’d been holding. “Call my people here. Wire me the money by tonight, and we have a deal.”

  Brooke flipped the card over and over in her hand, even as Morning Glory head butted her again. She wasn’t sure if she said done aloud, so she made sure to force it out loudly. “Done!”

  SarahBeth rubbed the filly’s neck. “I want updates.”

  Brooke didn’t hesitate. “Of course.”

  The woman made patted Morning Glory. “You be good for Mama. I want to see you in another race real soon.” She leaned around, fixing her eyes on the groom holding Mags. “Miguel, dear, give the girl the horse.”

  It was a moment Brooke was sure she’d remember the rest of her life. One of those moments that feels like your brain is recording the whole thing, almost movie-like so you’ll never forget, as Miguel handed the lead rope to Brooke.

  SarahBeth squeezed Brooke’s shoulder. “As soon as I get the money, my people will take care of the rest. Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing, sugar. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing eachother in the future, real soon.”

  Brooke’s face was already hurting from the grin plastered on it. She thought, maybe, if she didn’t like Dejado so much, she’d kiss SarahBeth right there. It seemed so surreal. She stared at Morning Glory, who raised her head nobly. A horse of her own.

  No sooner had SarahBeth left, that Brooke got to dialing her bank to prepare the transfer, and calling on SarahBeth’s people to complete it. She didn’t want to let go of Morning Glory’s lead, but she passed it to Dejado.

  When she hung up, she had a realization. “I only have one problem.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I don’t have a trailer, and I’m out of money.”

  “Now, that… that I can help you with.” He grinned. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

  He jogged off, and Brooke was left holding Morning Glory’s halter. Her horse. Hers. She rubbed the filly’s face, more in love with her than ever. “We just gotta get you home, Mags. You’re gonna love it. Seriously, if I was a horse, I would want to live there.”

  She beamed, realizing she already did. Did it get any better?

  Brooke walked around with the filly for what seemed like ages, until she started feeling silly doing it. Where had Dejado gone? What was taking so long?

  When a beat up, rusty blue pick up truck honked at her, she rounded. Dejado waved at her from the cab. He pulled through, hauling and equally sad looking two-horse trailer.

  Dejado hopped out and opened the trailer. “Sorry that took so long, I had to grab my gear.”

  Brooke lead Morning Glory forward, cautiously peeking into the depths of the rickety trailer. “I have two questions.”

  Dejado fiddled with something in the bed of the truck. “Shoot.”

  “Is this thing safe, and where did you get it?”

  He grinned. “Didn’t I tell you? I follow winners.”

  Morning Glory tugged on the lead rope, like she was eager to blow this joint and go to the new home she was promised. The trailer stayed intact when she climbed on board.

  Dejado hopped in after her, got her situated, closed up the trailer, and moved to the truck’s passenger door. He opened it for Brooke with a little bow. “Where to, Brooke Merrsal?”

  When she convinced herself that this set up wouldn’t completely fall apart before they left the track, and that Mags was safe, Brooke finally let herself breathe. “Home.”

  A HOME FOR MAGS

  “Are you sure you’re not missing any races?” Brooke asked as they pulled back onto the highway after stopping at a fast food drive-thru.

  “I’m sure. Sapes won’t miss me. Honestly, when I heard he got Morning Glory and was going to Oaklawn, I hoped I would see you again.” He looked sideways at her with a smirk.

  Brooke bit into a french fry, trying to distract herself from the tingles he gave her. She munched for a minute, looking around the cab in the fading afternoon light. “Okay, so where did you really get it?”

  “I won it in a poker match.”

  She leaned forward, eyes wide. “Seriously? That’s, like, so cliche.”

  Dejado lifted his hand from the wheel as though taking an oath. “I swear I’m telling the truth. Full house. Texas Hold ‘Em.”

  Brooke chomped down a few more fries. “Will you teach me?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Poker?”

  Brooke nodded.

  “Sure.”

  They sat in quietude for a few miles, sharing fries between them, until the sky began to dim.

  “Turn here,” Brooke said.

  “Dunbar Road?”

  She smiled. “Home sweet home.”

  “There’s a Dunbar where I’m from.”

  “And where’s that?”

  Dejado kept his eyes on the road, refusing to answer.

  Brooke threw her head back. “Oh, c’mon. You know almost everything about me. Tell me one thing about you that I don’t know.”

  “I’m sixteen.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Stop pulling my leg and tell me something real.”

  “I have the same birthday as the racehorses— January first.”

  Brooke rolled up the empty fry bag, looking at him suspiciously. “Why are you so guarded?”

  “Why are you so nosey?”

  “We’re friends, right? Friends tell eachother these things.”

  They came to North Oak’s front gates and waited for them to open before driving through. Brooke brushed the salt from her hands, glad to be home after the long drive. Until she saw who was waiting for her at the end of the lane.

  “Uh-oh.”

  North and Pop stood in the driveway, arms folded. She could actually see the veins in Pop’s neck and forehead before they even got close to them.

  Suddenly, life wasn’t so happy anymore. The truck rolled to a stop, engine idling. Brooke told herself to prepare for the worst. Right after she got enough courage to get out of the cab.

  “Well they look happy,” Dejado said.

  Brooke rolled her eyes at him. She gripped the door handle and pulled, swinging her legs out.

  Gravel crunched beneath her feet as she walked toward the homecoming committee. She stood plainly before them, not really making eye contact with either. Several times, Pop looked like he was about to say something, but stopped himself.

  When he finally did speak, his normally gruff tone was hoarse, as though all the anger in the world had choked him. “Where the hell have you been?”

  Brooke said it all at once. “I went to Oaklawn. I bought a horse.”

  She looked over her shoulder as the junky trailer rattled from the kick of a tired filly.

  North’s arms were folded over his chest. She’d never seen such a stormy look on his face. “You bought a horse and assumed you could bring it home and keep it here. Really?”

  Brooke looked at him. “She is named Morning Glory, and I had hoped I could board her here, yes.”

  Joe turned, fists tight, and swore at the sky. When he rounded again, he shook his finger at her. “I told you not to go after that filly. She’s a waste of time and North Oak’s money.”

  “Well, I got her with my money,” Brooke shot back.

  North pinched the hollow space below his brow.

  Brooke glared at him, remembering she wasn’t supposed to say anything about the commission. “You told me to invest. And I did.”

  North exhaled, looking up slowly. “You went behind our backs. How can we trust you now?”

  “How do we know you’re not going to take a yearling and pinhook it?” Joe snapped.

  Brooke’s jaw went slack. “Pop. Why would I do that?”

  “I’ve heard of your behavior lately,” he snarled. “You’ve been reckless and careless.”

  Brooke dug her fingers into her hair. “You should be proud of me.” She poi
nted to the front gate. “I saw an opportunity and I went after it. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Isn’t that what makes this farm go round? How else am I supposed to learn to be an adult, if I can’t make decisions on my own?”

  She kicked at the rocks, her frustration growing. “I’m tired of being treated like a house wife and a kid all at the same time. I cook your meals, I wash the dishes, I vacuum and dust. There’s more to life than woman’s work, Pop.”

  Joe’s chin quivered. Somehow, he found his bark again. “You don’t want to do that anymore, fine. Board your horse somewhere else. Take your sorry ass with her.”

  “Joe, don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh?” North murmured.

  “I don’t think you’re harsh enough, Steven. She needs to learn.” He glared at Brooke. “I’m giving you two days to find somewhere else to board her.”

  “Give me a break,” Brooke cried. “How am I supposed to train her without a track?”

  Joe shook his head, his voice gravelly with an unnatural quietness that made Brooke’s skin prickle. “That’s not my problem. You can make any choice you want, but you don’t get to pick the results. You wannna make adult decisions, you can handle adult consequences.”

  Brooke stepped to him and jabbed a finger in his chest, her voice as low as his own. “You’re nothing more than a drunken, overbearing, washed up tyrant.”

  He held her stare before turning and marching off. “We’re done here.”

  Brooke yelled wordlessly, and kicked the ground. She stood with her hands on her hips, staring down the lane at the front gate, taking sharp breaths.

  Dejado leaned out of the cab against the top of his truck door. “Now what?”

  Morning Glory was making a ruckus in the back, probably hungry from the long trip. Brooke slumped over as she walked toward Dejado. “Let’s get her settled in the boarding barn. I’ll start calling around in the morning.”

  She directed him to the barn where North Oak stabled other people’s horses as a source of income. There were one or two open stalls available.

  Dejado parked and opened the trailer, and Brooke got inside to untie Mags. She backed her out carefully and let her get her bearings. The filly sniffed the air, ears pricked and swiveling. When she caught scent of other horses, she whinnied loudly. Several of the other boarded horses whinnied back.

  Brooke laid a hand on Morning Glory’s neck. “I wish I could say welcome home.”

  Mags nibbled her t-shirt and danced antsily. Brooke led her into the barn and put her in cross-ties. While Dejado closed up the trailer.

  Brooke retrieved a grooming kit and set it near the filly. “Do you think you could give her a quick brush down while I get bedding for her stall?” she asked Dejado.

  He brushed his hands together and walked toward them. “Sure.”

  Within a half hour, Brooke had the stall as perfect as she could, and Morning Glory looked more relaxed after a grooming. Brooke grasped her halter and undid the crosstie chains, leading her toward the stall. The filly went right in, pawing at the straw until there was a small indentation in the middle of the stall.

  Brooke closed the door, still feeling pretty down.

  “Hey.” Dejado grasped her shoulders gently, lowering his head to hers. “It’s going to be alright.”

  Brooke nodded, sniffing back tears. When Dejado tugged her closer, wrapping his arms around her, she thought she might fall apart. The sting of any cologne he’d been wearing had softened, and his arms felt like the most comfortable thing she’d ever been in.

  He rubbed her arm. “We’ve got this.”

  And for a moment, she believed him.

  Alex muttered under her breath, pausing from grooming Promenade after cooling him out from his morning workout, to massage her achy shoulder. The last few days had been spent covering for Brooke, picking up her extra chores like mucking and grooming horses, and Alex was so sore.

  As she looked up, she caught sight of Brooke. “Hey! Where the hell have you been?”

  Brooke shrugged.

  “No, really. Where have you been? People have been worried about you.” Alex removed Promenade from the crossties and led him into his stall, giving him an affectionate pop on his flank as he ambled in. She shut the door.

  When a lean young man came strolling down the aisle toward them, Alex watched Brooke fuss with her hair frantically, smoothing it over like some kind of bird. She pulled a piece of straw out and tossed it aside. Alex thought she looked better with it in.

  “Hey, are we still on for tonight?” he asked. His eyes were intent on Brooke at first, but then burrowed into Alex. He smiled. Alex squinted at him, wrinkling her nose. Why was he looking at her like that?

  Brooke seemed to have forgotten how to speak, so Alex elbowed her. She kind of jumped. “Oh, yeah.”

  Alex glanced between them, wondering what had gotten into Brooke and Laura. She sort of dreaded this moment she was in, thinking of Brooke, Oh, no, not you too!

  The young man grinned, flashing nearly straight teeth. “I’ll see you at seven.”

  He backed down the aisle, winking at Alex who dodged sideways like he’d just shot a bullet at her. When he was gone, she noticed Brooke was still staring all starry-eyed after him.

  “What?” Brooke asked innocently.

  “Who was that? And, also, you haven’t answered my question. Where were you?”

  Brooke rolled her eyes, heading out of the barn. Alex started after her. “You’re not acting like yourself.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Alex paused and glanced at Promenade who stared back at her with his big crescent moon-cornered eyes. “What do you think, Pro?”

  Promenade lifted his head and curled his upper lip, snorting.

  Alex tapped the bars of his stall. “That’s what I think too.”

  She turned and tailed Brooke to the boarding barn, wondering what she was doing out there. It had been a while since they’d had a riding lesson together. What other reason would she have to be out here?

  Peeking around the edge of the barn door, she watched Brooke reach into her back pocket and pull out baby carrots, crooning through the bars of the stall she stood before. She offered the treat to a dark muzzle that poked through and gobbled them down.

  Alex mentally counted the horses filling the stalls, including her lesson horse Approved, and his buddy Thorne. That stall had been empty before. There was a new horse in the barn.

  “Her name’s Morning Glory, if you’re wondering,” Brooke said without looking at Alex.

  Alex was just about to ask. Had Brooke known she’d been there all along? Having lost her cover, Alex went in. She gazed into the stall with Brooke at a pretty, lean bay. She could’ve been Venus Galaxies’s twin, if not for the shooting star-like stripe on her forehead.

  “Whose is she?” Alex asked.

  Brooke tucked her lip and sighed. “Mine.”

  Alex turned her head to one side. The way she said it made Alex wonder what was going on. If she ever got to call Promenade hers, she’d find a way to yell it from the moon, and she thought Brooke would do the same with a horse of her own. “You don’t sound very happy about it.”

  Brooke looked at her. “It’s complicated.”

  Alex stepped closer to the stall, making a little kissing sound to the filly. Morning Glory’s ears perked, and she reached to lip Alex’s fingers gently.

  “I think I can handle complicated,” Alex said. “You and I have done complicated.”

  Brooke scratched the star on Morning Glory’s face. “I got some money for helping with the yearling sales and used it to buy her, even though Pop said not to. That’s where I’ve been. I went behind his back and got her anyway. So now Pop’s furious and I gotta find somewhere else to keep her.”

  Alex played with the soft skin on Morning Glory’s nose, wiggling the filly’s lips. “Didn’t North step in? He gets to say who stays and goes, doesn’t he?”

  “He wasn�
��t too happy either, given the situation.”

  “So whaddya gonna do with her?”

  Brooke shrugged. “I’ve got two days to find a place to board her.” She looked at Alex. “Problem is, North Oak makes up half of Hamlin, so there’s nowhere close to keep her.”

  “Want me to help?”

  Brooke’s eyes lit a little. “Could you?”

  “Sure. Carol, too. She lives closer to civilization, so maybe she’s heard of places.”

  The girls continued loving on the filly who soaked up the attention like she was a movie star.

  “Y’know,” said Alex, “I’m kind of surprised you’re not up on other stables.”

  “Never had reason to. I mean, I know who our biggest competitors are here in Kentucky, but North Oak’s all I’ve ever needed.”

  “And what’s the deal with the guy? Who is he?”

  Brooke grinned. “His name’s Dejado. He’s a jockey. We met at Gulfstream, and bumped into eachother again at Oaklawn where I got Mags, here. He helped me get her home.” She looked at Alex. “He’s cute, right?”

  The awkward, self-conscious feeling Dejado’s wink gave Alex made her grimace. She could’ve sworn Laura was the boy crazy one. Now Brooke too? What was the world coming to?

  “I’ve been thinking,” Brooke said.

  “That never ends well,” Alex teased.

  Brooke rolled her eyes. “Since Pop won’t have anything to do with Mags, I’m going to need more help with her than just finding a place to board her.” She ran her fingers through Morning Glory’s forelock.

  “Like what?”

  “Well. There’s going to be times I want to see her move from the ground, so I’m going to need someone to ride her.” Her gaze shifted to Alex.

  It took Alex a minute to realize what she was suggesting. Brooke had Dejado, so what did she need Alex for?

  “Wait.” Alex blinked. “Are you saying you want me to ride her?”

  “Yeah. Bout time you shortened your stirrups.”

  Alex’s heart started thumping. Her. On a racehorse’s back. “Yes!”

  She was almost too excited for words. “That’s, like, not even a question.”