looking annoyed.
Oops. She felt Sean jump away quickly.
“Sorry, boss,” the mucker muttered. “We were just, uh, talking.”
“Right. Maybe it’s time to stop, uh, talking and get back to work.” Jamie glared at him for a second, then turned to Zara. “I was looking for you. Marissa said you were here, and I wanted to talk to you about the show, since it’s your first with us.”
“Okay, whatever.” Zara quickly tucked her shirt back into the waistband of her breeches, then shot Sean a look. “Later.”
Sean didn’t answer, already digging his fork into the soiled shavings. Zara shrugged and wandered out of the stall. Jamie was waiting in the aisle.
She expected him to say something about what had just happened, but he didn’t. “I showed Ellie in the First Years yesterday to prep for your division today,” he told her instead. “I thought you could start off in the Children’s Hunters later this afternoon.”
“The Children’s?” Zara echoed. “I haven’t done that in like two years. Low jumps annoy me.”
“I realize you’re experienced at 3’6“. But you and Ellie are still getting to know each other, so I’d like to see you ease into things. If all goes well you can move up to the Juniors next time.”
Was that a whiff of disapproval in his eyes? Zara knew Jamie had wanted her to do a couple of lessons last week before the barn had packed up for this show. But she’d been busy, what with moving to a whole new city, unpacking, getting familiar with NYC, and reconnecting with some people she knew there. She hadn’t had any spare time to ride.
That didn’t mean she needed to go back to Children’s. But it didn’t seem worth arguing about.
“Okay, fine,” she said. “Children’s it is. This time.”
Jamie nodded and checked his watch. “There’s a major holdup at the hunter ring, so I have a little time right now,” he said. “Why don’t we do a quick lesson? Your division isn’t going until later, and Ellie could stand to stretch her legs.”
Zara almost said yes. Riding would help her feel less out of place, and it would be fun to give her new mare a whirl before showtime.
Then again, she wasn’t sure she should let Jamie win so easily. Yeah, he was a hardass. But she was no pushover, and maybe it was better to start letting him know that. He needed to understand exactly who worked for whom in this relationship.
“No thanks,” she said with a casual shrug. “I don’t need a lesson to ride some dinky Children’s course. It’s not like this is my first show.”
“But—” he began.
“If Ellie needs exercise, you can deal with it,” Zara cut him off. “If you’ve prepped her right, we’ll be fine this afternoon. Right?”
Jamie hesitated, the shadow of a frown crossing his face. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say a word, a frantic-looking pony rider rushed in with her red-faced mother at her heels.
“Jamie, OMG!” the small rider exclaimed. “I think Goldie just threw a shoe! And Kate said I’m supposed to start warming up soon, but I can’t find her anywhere, and what if Goldie is, like, lame or something?”
Jamie turned to face them. “It’s okay, Gigi,” he said soothingly. “I’m sure Goldie is fine, and you won’t miss your class. Just ask Miguel to call the show farrier, and …”
Zara didn’t hear any more. Taking advantage of the distraction, she made her escape.
“Oh, man,” Kate muttered, unwrapping the big bay horse’s right front leg for the third time. She’d already done the other three legs, but for some reason she just couldn’t get this one to lie right.
The horse shifted its weight, letting out a long sigh. He was an older jumper who tended to stock up after jumping if he didn’t get either wrapped or turned out.
“Sorry, buddy,” Kate said, glancing up. “I’m a fumble-fingers today.”
She shook out the wrap and started again, feeling frustrated with herself. Shows always made her a
Oops. She felt Sean jump away quickly.
“Sorry, boss,” the mucker muttered. “We were just, uh, talking.”
“Right. Maybe it’s time to stop, uh, talking and get back to work.” Jamie glared at him for a second, then turned to Zara. “I was looking for you. Marissa said you were here, and I wanted to talk to you about the show, since it’s your first with us.”
“Okay, whatever.” Zara quickly tucked her shirt back into the waistband of her breeches, then shot Sean a look. “Later.”
Sean didn’t answer, already digging his fork into the soiled shavings. Zara shrugged and wandered out of the stall. Jamie was waiting in the aisle.
She expected him to say something about what had just happened, but he didn’t. “I showed Ellie in the First Years yesterday to prep for your division today,” he told her instead. “I thought you could start off in the Children’s Hunters later this afternoon.”
“The Children’s?” Zara echoed. “I haven’t done that in like two years. Low jumps annoy me.”
“I realize you’re experienced at 3’6“. But you and Ellie are still getting to know each other, so I’d like to see you ease into things. If all goes well you can move up to the Juniors next time.”
Was that a whiff of disapproval in his eyes? Zara knew Jamie had wanted her to do a couple of lessons last week before the barn had packed up for this show. But she’d been busy, what with moving to a whole new city, unpacking, getting familiar with NYC, and reconnecting with some people she knew there. She hadn’t had any spare time to ride.
That didn’t mean she needed to go back to Children’s. But it didn’t seem worth arguing about.
“Okay, fine,” she said. “Children’s it is. This time.”
Jamie nodded and checked his watch. “There’s a major holdup at the hunter ring, so I have a little time right now,” he said. “Why don’t we do a quick lesson? Your division isn’t going until later, and Ellie could stand to stretch her legs.”
Zara almost said yes. Riding would help her feel less out of place, and it would be fun to give her new mare a whirl before showtime.
Then again, she wasn’t sure she should let Jamie win so easily. Yeah, he was a hardass. But she was no pushover, and maybe it was better to start letting him know that. He needed to understand exactly who worked for whom in this relationship.
“No thanks,” she said with a casual shrug. “I don’t need a lesson to ride some dinky Children’s course. It’s not like this is my first show.”
“But—” he began.
“If Ellie needs exercise, you can deal with it,” Zara cut him off. “If you’ve prepped her right, we’ll be fine this afternoon. Right?”
Jamie hesitated, the shadow of a frown crossing his face. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say a word, a frantic-looking pony rider rushed in with her red-faced mother at her heels.
“Jamie, OMG!” the small rider exclaimed. “I think Goldie just threw a shoe! And Kate said I’m supposed to start warming up soon, but I can’t find her anywhere, and what if Goldie is, like, lame or something?”
Jamie turned to face them. “It’s okay, Gigi,” he said soothingly. “I’m sure Goldie is fine, and you won’t miss your class. Just ask Miguel to call the show farrier, and …”
Zara didn’t hear any more. Taking advantage of the distraction, she made her escape.
“Oh, man,” Kate muttered, unwrapping the big bay horse’s right front leg for the third time. She’d already done the other three legs, but for some reason she just couldn’t get this one to lie right.
The horse shifted its weight, letting out a long sigh. He was an older jumper who tended to stock up after jumping if he didn’t get either wrapped or turned out.
“Sorry, buddy,” Kate said, glancing up. “I’m a fumble-fingers today.”
She shook out the wrap and started again, feeling frustrated with herself. Shows always made her a
Similar Books
