race.”
“Uh, huh. I also know what it feels like to be a well loved woman.”
Rolling her eyes, Daisy groaned. “Do I have a neon sign that’s blinking? That’s exactly what Angie said. That’s Nick’s sister.” She sighed and closed her eyes. Looking back at Cassie, she said, “You’re right, it is fantastic. I never knew it would be this great. He’s so kind and gentle and understanding. I’m learning a lot.”
“Bullshit. You’re falling in love.”
“No way.” Daisy leaped to her feet, towering over her friend. “That won’t happen. Iwon’t let
it. He doesn’t want that. Neither of us does.”
“I think you’re babbling again.”
Daisy plopped back down in the swivel chair. “You’re often right, Cassie
Travers, but this time you’re wrong. Nick and I have a deal. And it’s got nothing to do with love.”
“It’s okay, girl.” Cassie crossed her feet at the ankles and leaned back. “You believe whatever you want. We’ll see. So he’s treating you right?”
“Of course.”
Cassie nodded. “I guess when you’re ready, you can bring him by and Clint and I can talk to him about buying some additional horses. If the man’s serious about horseracing and he’s good with you, we might as well take a percentage of his money.”
Daisy laughed. “We should prepare for one of the fall sales: Keeneland, Barretts, Fasig-Tipton. If we get a yearling, would you be willing to keep him at the farm? For the usual
fee, of course.”
“Certainly. This we sounds quite definite. So you’re part of the ongoing horse partnership?”
“Apparently. He won’t have it any other way. And I’ll be taking half of my winnings and putting it into a horse fund.”
“What happens when all of this ends? When the prince sells his horses and Daisy Ann is left holding a pumpkin?”
Daisy glared and then softened. “I don’t know. I can’t see a good ending. I’ll admit that. But
Cassie, I’ve never dreamed thesekinds
of dreams. Let me enjoy the ride while it lasts. I know it won’t. It can’t. But
it’s happening now.”
Cassie brushed a tear from the corner of an eye. “I know, and it’s good to see you so happy. Remember, I’m here when you need me. Now what about this deal with Nick?”
Daisy flashed an eyebrow and grinned widely and opened her mouth to speak.
“Strike that question, girl,” Cassie said, waving off Daisy’s response. “I think I don’t want to know the details of whatever the two of you have cooked up.
“You know where to find me.” Cassie stood. “I’ve got to get back to check with my assistant. Catch you later. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Daisy laughed. “That should give me plenty of leeway.”
“Well, if you’re going to have an affair with an older man, then you should at least benefit from having an experienced teacher.” Stepping through the doorway, Cassie waved over her shoulder.
Daisy waved back absently. What was her sage instructor up to at that
moment?
- o -
“You’re acting like some damn kid with hormones on the loose.” Tom Harrison leaned against the doorjamb at the entrance to Nick’s office. “You sit in here and stare off into space like you’re on some kind of excellent grass. You drag your worn out body in
here an hour after starting time. Suppose a forty-two-year-old man might have a little trouble keeping up with a much younger woman. Maybe once a night should be enough, or heaven forbid you might think about skipping a night.”
“We have skipped...a number of nights,” Nick groused. “So I just lie in my bed with my eyes wide open wondering about her.” Nick scowled. “You’re absolutely right, Tom.
I’m not the man I used to be.”
“So what are you going to do about her?”
Nick sighed deeply. “Slow down before I get a heart attack. Seriously, I don’t know. She’s way too young. But she’s an aphrodisiac—I don’t mean just sex—I mean about life. Everything is so new for her;
“Uh, huh. I also know what it feels like to be a well loved woman.”
Rolling her eyes, Daisy groaned. “Do I have a neon sign that’s blinking? That’s exactly what Angie said. That’s Nick’s sister.” She sighed and closed her eyes. Looking back at Cassie, she said, “You’re right, it is fantastic. I never knew it would be this great. He’s so kind and gentle and understanding. I’m learning a lot.”
“Bullshit. You’re falling in love.”
“No way.” Daisy leaped to her feet, towering over her friend. “That won’t happen. Iwon’t let
it. He doesn’t want that. Neither of us does.”
“I think you’re babbling again.”
Daisy plopped back down in the swivel chair. “You’re often right, Cassie
Travers, but this time you’re wrong. Nick and I have a deal. And it’s got nothing to do with love.”
“It’s okay, girl.” Cassie crossed her feet at the ankles and leaned back. “You believe whatever you want. We’ll see. So he’s treating you right?”
“Of course.”
Cassie nodded. “I guess when you’re ready, you can bring him by and Clint and I can talk to him about buying some additional horses. If the man’s serious about horseracing and he’s good with you, we might as well take a percentage of his money.”
Daisy laughed. “We should prepare for one of the fall sales: Keeneland, Barretts, Fasig-Tipton. If we get a yearling, would you be willing to keep him at the farm? For the usual
fee, of course.”
“Certainly. This we sounds quite definite. So you’re part of the ongoing horse partnership?”
“Apparently. He won’t have it any other way. And I’ll be taking half of my winnings and putting it into a horse fund.”
“What happens when all of this ends? When the prince sells his horses and Daisy Ann is left holding a pumpkin?”
Daisy glared and then softened. “I don’t know. I can’t see a good ending. I’ll admit that. But
Cassie, I’ve never dreamed thesekinds
of dreams. Let me enjoy the ride while it lasts. I know it won’t. It can’t. But
it’s happening now.”
Cassie brushed a tear from the corner of an eye. “I know, and it’s good to see you so happy. Remember, I’m here when you need me. Now what about this deal with Nick?”
Daisy flashed an eyebrow and grinned widely and opened her mouth to speak.
“Strike that question, girl,” Cassie said, waving off Daisy’s response. “I think I don’t want to know the details of whatever the two of you have cooked up.
“You know where to find me.” Cassie stood. “I’ve got to get back to check with my assistant. Catch you later. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Daisy laughed. “That should give me plenty of leeway.”
“Well, if you’re going to have an affair with an older man, then you should at least benefit from having an experienced teacher.” Stepping through the doorway, Cassie waved over her shoulder.
Daisy waved back absently. What was her sage instructor up to at that
moment?
- o -
“You’re acting like some damn kid with hormones on the loose.” Tom Harrison leaned against the doorjamb at the entrance to Nick’s office. “You sit in here and stare off into space like you’re on some kind of excellent grass. You drag your worn out body in
here an hour after starting time. Suppose a forty-two-year-old man might have a little trouble keeping up with a much younger woman. Maybe once a night should be enough, or heaven forbid you might think about skipping a night.”
“We have skipped...a number of nights,” Nick groused. “So I just lie in my bed with my eyes wide open wondering about her.” Nick scowled. “You’re absolutely right, Tom.
I’m not the man I used to be.”
“So what are you going to do about her?”
Nick sighed deeply. “Slow down before I get a heart attack. Seriously, I don’t know. She’s way too young. But she’s an aphrodisiac—I don’t mean just sex—I mean about life. Everything is so new for her;
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