taking notes. Nate never entered her mind again that day. There was no room for Nate when Andrew was near.
As the day came to an end, Kali was cleaning up her desk, finishing client notes and getting ready to change clothes before heading out to meet Meg at the race track. She could see Andrew walking through the office, his large frame towering over a row of empty desks, and as he was passing her office door he stopped, popped his head in, and asked if he could have a minute. He looked down at the floor and his cheeks appeared to have a slight blush to them, "Kali, can I ask you out to dinner?"
"Yes you can, Colonel," she said, her cheeks blushing as well.
"Where would you like to go?" he asked shyly.
"That isn't a great way to ask a girl out to dinner," she said, and looked down at the floor, giggling.
"You aren't going to make this easy for me are you?" he asked.
"No way, you're a big boy, I think you can handle asking a girl out the proper way."
Laughing, he looked up at her, "I will pick you up after work tomorrow, and you can tell me where I'm taking you to dinner. Was that better?" he asked, and flashed that dazzling smile one more time before turning and walking away.
Kali left the facility headed to the Del Mar race track with a brand new smile on her face and all signs of Nate Warner and his torment of her heart dissipating, leaving only a trail of fine dust behind her. She rolled the windows down in her SUV, turned the music up loud, and breathed in the cool evening air as she sang along to a Banks song and made her way to Del Mar.
CHAPTER 19
Meg James stood silently in the stable next to a stall looking at the big brown eyes of the thoroughbred and wishing she could open the stall gate and release her. Meg had spent the past year and a half training this horse and had become extremely attached to her. She hated this part, hated watching a horse go from being a promising star, doted on and pampered through the course of training, to being treated as an asset that only retained its value if races were won. Meg's father would frown upon the thoughts running through her head right now. The potent need for his approval was the only reason Meg was able to maintain her composure, be a good girl and do what was expected of her. It was always about his approval for Meg. She knew what it felt like when he was disappointed in someone, and it was ugly. He had the ability to swiftly and absolutely cut anyone in his life off without giving the decision a second thought. Being cut off from her father’s affections, not having his attention, was not an option for Meg. She would do whatever was necessary to keep herself from being in that position. She was painfully aware of how long the road was to regain any place in his life, even last place, and it was an arduous journey.
"Meg!" Kali squealed, skipping down the stable corridor towards her best friend.
"Hi K! I'm so happy to see your pretty face! Wait, what's the big smile for? Something big happened; I can see it on your face - spill it!" Meg said, curious to know why Kali seemed so cheerful.
"Nothing new Meg. I'm just excited to see you."
"Liar. What's going on, K?"
"Really, nothing new with me Meg," she said. Turning to the horse, she reached up and stroked the beautiful creature’s mane, "How are you? You think this beauty will place tonight?"
"I hope so, for her sake and mine."
Kali noticed a faraway look in Meg's eyes. It wasn't typical Meg, but Kali had seen it before. Meg was the most joyous soul she knew, but Meg had a deep pain inside that Kali had never been able to understand or figure out where it originated from. Meg had an awesome life on all accounts and had been sheltered from most of the harshness that the majority of humans go through in a lifetime. Meg's father kept her in a cocoon of privilege and status, shielded her from the rough edges of the world and held her high up on a pedestal like a glass encased trophy for everyone to
As the day came to an end, Kali was cleaning up her desk, finishing client notes and getting ready to change clothes before heading out to meet Meg at the race track. She could see Andrew walking through the office, his large frame towering over a row of empty desks, and as he was passing her office door he stopped, popped his head in, and asked if he could have a minute. He looked down at the floor and his cheeks appeared to have a slight blush to them, "Kali, can I ask you out to dinner?"
"Yes you can, Colonel," she said, her cheeks blushing as well.
"Where would you like to go?" he asked shyly.
"That isn't a great way to ask a girl out to dinner," she said, and looked down at the floor, giggling.
"You aren't going to make this easy for me are you?" he asked.
"No way, you're a big boy, I think you can handle asking a girl out the proper way."
Laughing, he looked up at her, "I will pick you up after work tomorrow, and you can tell me where I'm taking you to dinner. Was that better?" he asked, and flashed that dazzling smile one more time before turning and walking away.
Kali left the facility headed to the Del Mar race track with a brand new smile on her face and all signs of Nate Warner and his torment of her heart dissipating, leaving only a trail of fine dust behind her. She rolled the windows down in her SUV, turned the music up loud, and breathed in the cool evening air as she sang along to a Banks song and made her way to Del Mar.
CHAPTER 19
Meg James stood silently in the stable next to a stall looking at the big brown eyes of the thoroughbred and wishing she could open the stall gate and release her. Meg had spent the past year and a half training this horse and had become extremely attached to her. She hated this part, hated watching a horse go from being a promising star, doted on and pampered through the course of training, to being treated as an asset that only retained its value if races were won. Meg's father would frown upon the thoughts running through her head right now. The potent need for his approval was the only reason Meg was able to maintain her composure, be a good girl and do what was expected of her. It was always about his approval for Meg. She knew what it felt like when he was disappointed in someone, and it was ugly. He had the ability to swiftly and absolutely cut anyone in his life off without giving the decision a second thought. Being cut off from her father’s affections, not having his attention, was not an option for Meg. She would do whatever was necessary to keep herself from being in that position. She was painfully aware of how long the road was to regain any place in his life, even last place, and it was an arduous journey.
"Meg!" Kali squealed, skipping down the stable corridor towards her best friend.
"Hi K! I'm so happy to see your pretty face! Wait, what's the big smile for? Something big happened; I can see it on your face - spill it!" Meg said, curious to know why Kali seemed so cheerful.
"Nothing new Meg. I'm just excited to see you."
"Liar. What's going on, K?"
"Really, nothing new with me Meg," she said. Turning to the horse, she reached up and stroked the beautiful creature’s mane, "How are you? You think this beauty will place tonight?"
"I hope so, for her sake and mine."
Kali noticed a faraway look in Meg's eyes. It wasn't typical Meg, but Kali had seen it before. Meg was the most joyous soul she knew, but Meg had a deep pain inside that Kali had never been able to understand or figure out where it originated from. Meg had an awesome life on all accounts and had been sheltered from most of the harshness that the majority of humans go through in a lifetime. Meg's father kept her in a cocoon of privilege and status, shielded her from the rough edges of the world and held her high up on a pedestal like a glass encased trophy for everyone to
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