Post by ash on Feb 26, 2008 20:48:28 GMT -5
This is a prequel to Crash Into You. You know, sort of the "how they fell in love" I know some of the timelines don't line up, so forgive me. Here you are...hope you enjoy.
1.
“The Beginning”
I didn’t have time for this was my first thought. I set a settling hand on the chestnut colt’s sweaty shoulder beside me and felt the trickle of sweat between my shoulder blades. I was pretty sure that my shirt was soaked through and that my dark hair was a complete mess. I looked up at Wonder’s Pride, my two year old Thoroughbred colt, son of my precious Wonder. He was giving snorted breaths and tossing his elegant head as he eyed the activity around him.
It was his first race at Churchill Downs, there was every reason for him to be nervous. There were strange people milling around, sights and smells that he didn’t recognize. I saw Samantha McLean a few feet away, biting her lip a little uncertainly. “He’s really nervous, Ash.” she said to me.
I looked up at him again, studying his features, watching his wide, delicate nostrils and seeing the whites of his eyes. “It’s okay, boy.” I said softly, stroking his slick coat. “It’s just me. Your going to be just fine.” He stood around seventeen hands, so tall that he pretty much towered over me. I could see Charlie studying him, his eyes on the colt’s nervous form.
“Sammy, why don’t you get a cool bath ready for him. It’s so darn hot around here it’s now wonder he’s a little out of sorts. Anyone would be.” He crossed his arms and turned his blue-eyed gaze to me. “Why don’t you head to the track kitchen and go buy a couple of water bottles. It’s going to be a long day around here for all of us.
I nodded, handing his lead shank over to Samantha before setting off in the direction of the track kitchen. It had already been a long day, getting up at the crack of dawn to get everything ready to take Pride to Louisville, Kentucky where Churchill Downs was located. The colt had been nervous all day, ever since we’d loaded him in the trail. By the time the hour drive was done, he was bathed in a nervous sweat and the heat wasn’t helping any. We’d work him on the track for the first time tomorrow morning. Samantha, I knew, would want to ride him but I wondered if I should take the colt out, having more experience riding at a real racetrack.
But then I remembered me at her age, wanting to ride Wonder and do everything for her. Samantha had a way with Pride, just like I did with Wonder. She would get him to behave and she’d learn from her experiences. Who knew, maybe one day she’d become a jockey like me.
The activity around a racetrack was contagious and I found myself growing more excited as I watched grooms lead gorgeous Thoroughbreds around, their coats glimmering in the afternoon sunlight. I took a deep breath and I focused hard on holding on the this feeling. It wasn’t easy lately, with everything that had been going on.
It surprised me that it had been almost two months since Mike had broken up with me and I was still stunningly sad about it. We’d been together since I was fourteen - five years. For me, that wasn’t so easy to walk away from even if our relationship had been strained lately. For him, not so much.
I returned the stabling area with the waters in hand and Charlie gratefully took one. I saw Samantha bathing Pride and that it seemed to be relaxing him a bit. “He looks a lot better.” I said, as I screwed of the cap of my water. “It’s amazing what a little cool water will do for you.”
“I wouldn’t mind some of that myself.” Charlie said as he took another drink of his water. “Suppose Townsends will be by soon, check up on the colt and see what your game plan is for tomorrow’s work.” He saw the look on my face and gave a wry chuckle. “Light gallop, four furlongs, nice warm up, nothing too special. We’re just getting him used to his surroundings. We’ll breeze him the day after.”
I nodded and focused my eyes again on Samantha. “Nervous, Charlie?”
He looked at me, studying my familiar features. “Little. You?’
“A lot.” I answered back, still focusing on Pride who was nudging the hose so that it sprayed Samantha. It made me smile, watching them together. The younger girl laughed and smiled, screeching a little in delight. I sometimes forgot that she hadn’t always been like this, so happy and carefree. There’d been a time where she’d been a very sad girl but so much had changed since then. Sometimes it felt like we’d switched places somehow, like I was the sad one and she was the one who had things going right for her. I felt so off-balance.
“Well, put your fake-face on then. Here come the Townsends.” Charlie met Clay Townsend’s gaze, followed by his son, Brad Townsend. “Afternoon,” The old trainer said.
“Charlie,” Clay nodded before turning to me. “Ashleigh. How’d he make the trip?”
I shrugged, glancing at Pride again before meeting the elder Townsend’s gaze. “Pretty good.” I said. “He was a little nervous about being in the trailer and the activity has got him a little excited but Sammy’s giving him a bath and she’ll take him for a walk then we’ll feed him and settle him in for the night. He seems to be calming down.”
“What’s your plan with him tomorrow?” Brad asked, all handsome good-looks in black slacks and a blue-button up that accentuated his tan and his blue eyes. My first thought was that he looked entirely too dressed up to be on the backside of a racetrack with no races on the card.
“Light gallop for four furlongs.” Charlie intervened. “Just get him used to his surroundings and running on a real racetrack.”
“I want him breezed the day after then,” Brad said.
I nodded, trying hard to ignore the tone to his voice. “That’s what we were planning on doing but since it’s what you want, maybe I’ll just change my plans then.”
I heard Charlie suppress a chuckle and Brad’s gaze could have slit me in half. “You would.”
Clay smiled and laughed a little. “Fair enough.” He said. “What time you workin’ him?”
“Early.” I responded. “Five thirty? Somewhere in there. I want to get him out before it gets to crazy around here.”
“We’ll be here.” Brad said, still glaring at me.
“See you then.” I said, watching them stride away.
“Brad hates you.” Samantha said and I couldn’t help but laugh a little.
“Yeah,” I said, “I’m pretty sure he does.”
*
Pride was ready the next morning when we brought him out to the oval. His ears were pricked and alert, he toe-danced around a little, showing his excitement. He knew what was about to happen and he couldn’t wait. I was taking a drink of coffee from my travel mug when I saw Brad Townsend walking towards us. His father wasn’t with him and Brad had his natural scowl on his face. I was almost amused by him in that moment, almost wondered what it would be like to be him, or to know him better than I did. I wonder what I’d find beneath all of his layers.
“Trying to start without me?” He called to me when he was closer. Charlie looked at him but I gave him a swaggering smile.
“Of course we are.”
“You know, Ashleigh.” He said as he removed his hands from his pockets and put them on the rail. “Your really good at being a bitch.”
“Thanks Brad,” I said, my voice light and sweet. “I just happen to think your pretty good at being an asshole.”
“We just might have something in common.”
“All right.” Charlie broke in, his voice gruff. “We got a colt to pay attention to. Enough of this gabber. Okay, Sammy, you know what to do.”
She nodded, looking a little nervous before setting Pride off towards the track.
“Your trusting her to ride Pride?” Brad said, his face incredulous.
“Got a problem with that, Townsend? She rides the colt in all his works. I see her absolutely fit to ride him. She’s a darn good rider, if you ask me.”
“Yeah, well no one’s asking you.” Brad snapped back.
“I asked him.” I said, turning to Brad, not raising my voice. “Now will you please shut the hell up so I can watch my horse work, please?”
Brad glowered but he stayed silent until the work was completed. It took Pride a lap or so at a canter before he finally calmed down. I could see Samantha was struggling with him a little as the rounded one of the turns. I saw a horse come on the outside of them and I hoped that he wouldn’t try anything funny and Samantha would be ready for it if he did. “Good, good’” I said under my breath.
We weren’t out to do anything impressive with his work that day but Pride didn’t disappoint us. He moved out beautifully and even Brad had a satisfied expression on his handsome face. “Good ride, McLean.” Brad said. “I’ll stop by later to check on him.”
I was bent over, checking Pride’s legs when he said this but my head shut up when I heard his words. “Two seconds ago he was just complaining about you riding.” I said.
Samantha was grinning as he hopped down from Pride’s back. “A compliment from Brad. I don’t know if I should smile or throw up.”
“Both?” I suggested. I pulled the colt’s reins over his head and handed them to Samantha. “He’s not too hot so it shouldn’t take you long to cool him out.”
She nodded, still grinning as she led Pride along. “You were awesome, boy.” I heard her say.
*
1.
“The Beginning”
I didn’t have time for this was my first thought. I set a settling hand on the chestnut colt’s sweaty shoulder beside me and felt the trickle of sweat between my shoulder blades. I was pretty sure that my shirt was soaked through and that my dark hair was a complete mess. I looked up at Wonder’s Pride, my two year old Thoroughbred colt, son of my precious Wonder. He was giving snorted breaths and tossing his elegant head as he eyed the activity around him.
It was his first race at Churchill Downs, there was every reason for him to be nervous. There were strange people milling around, sights and smells that he didn’t recognize. I saw Samantha McLean a few feet away, biting her lip a little uncertainly. “He’s really nervous, Ash.” she said to me.
I looked up at him again, studying his features, watching his wide, delicate nostrils and seeing the whites of his eyes. “It’s okay, boy.” I said softly, stroking his slick coat. “It’s just me. Your going to be just fine.” He stood around seventeen hands, so tall that he pretty much towered over me. I could see Charlie studying him, his eyes on the colt’s nervous form.
“Sammy, why don’t you get a cool bath ready for him. It’s so darn hot around here it’s now wonder he’s a little out of sorts. Anyone would be.” He crossed his arms and turned his blue-eyed gaze to me. “Why don’t you head to the track kitchen and go buy a couple of water bottles. It’s going to be a long day around here for all of us.
I nodded, handing his lead shank over to Samantha before setting off in the direction of the track kitchen. It had already been a long day, getting up at the crack of dawn to get everything ready to take Pride to Louisville, Kentucky where Churchill Downs was located. The colt had been nervous all day, ever since we’d loaded him in the trail. By the time the hour drive was done, he was bathed in a nervous sweat and the heat wasn’t helping any. We’d work him on the track for the first time tomorrow morning. Samantha, I knew, would want to ride him but I wondered if I should take the colt out, having more experience riding at a real racetrack.
But then I remembered me at her age, wanting to ride Wonder and do everything for her. Samantha had a way with Pride, just like I did with Wonder. She would get him to behave and she’d learn from her experiences. Who knew, maybe one day she’d become a jockey like me.
The activity around a racetrack was contagious and I found myself growing more excited as I watched grooms lead gorgeous Thoroughbreds around, their coats glimmering in the afternoon sunlight. I took a deep breath and I focused hard on holding on the this feeling. It wasn’t easy lately, with everything that had been going on.
It surprised me that it had been almost two months since Mike had broken up with me and I was still stunningly sad about it. We’d been together since I was fourteen - five years. For me, that wasn’t so easy to walk away from even if our relationship had been strained lately. For him, not so much.
I returned the stabling area with the waters in hand and Charlie gratefully took one. I saw Samantha bathing Pride and that it seemed to be relaxing him a bit. “He looks a lot better.” I said, as I screwed of the cap of my water. “It’s amazing what a little cool water will do for you.”
“I wouldn’t mind some of that myself.” Charlie said as he took another drink of his water. “Suppose Townsends will be by soon, check up on the colt and see what your game plan is for tomorrow’s work.” He saw the look on my face and gave a wry chuckle. “Light gallop, four furlongs, nice warm up, nothing too special. We’re just getting him used to his surroundings. We’ll breeze him the day after.”
I nodded and focused my eyes again on Samantha. “Nervous, Charlie?”
He looked at me, studying my familiar features. “Little. You?’
“A lot.” I answered back, still focusing on Pride who was nudging the hose so that it sprayed Samantha. It made me smile, watching them together. The younger girl laughed and smiled, screeching a little in delight. I sometimes forgot that she hadn’t always been like this, so happy and carefree. There’d been a time where she’d been a very sad girl but so much had changed since then. Sometimes it felt like we’d switched places somehow, like I was the sad one and she was the one who had things going right for her. I felt so off-balance.
“Well, put your fake-face on then. Here come the Townsends.” Charlie met Clay Townsend’s gaze, followed by his son, Brad Townsend. “Afternoon,” The old trainer said.
“Charlie,” Clay nodded before turning to me. “Ashleigh. How’d he make the trip?”
I shrugged, glancing at Pride again before meeting the elder Townsend’s gaze. “Pretty good.” I said. “He was a little nervous about being in the trailer and the activity has got him a little excited but Sammy’s giving him a bath and she’ll take him for a walk then we’ll feed him and settle him in for the night. He seems to be calming down.”
“What’s your plan with him tomorrow?” Brad asked, all handsome good-looks in black slacks and a blue-button up that accentuated his tan and his blue eyes. My first thought was that he looked entirely too dressed up to be on the backside of a racetrack with no races on the card.
“Light gallop for four furlongs.” Charlie intervened. “Just get him used to his surroundings and running on a real racetrack.”
“I want him breezed the day after then,” Brad said.
I nodded, trying hard to ignore the tone to his voice. “That’s what we were planning on doing but since it’s what you want, maybe I’ll just change my plans then.”
I heard Charlie suppress a chuckle and Brad’s gaze could have slit me in half. “You would.”
Clay smiled and laughed a little. “Fair enough.” He said. “What time you workin’ him?”
“Early.” I responded. “Five thirty? Somewhere in there. I want to get him out before it gets to crazy around here.”
“We’ll be here.” Brad said, still glaring at me.
“See you then.” I said, watching them stride away.
“Brad hates you.” Samantha said and I couldn’t help but laugh a little.
“Yeah,” I said, “I’m pretty sure he does.”
*
Pride was ready the next morning when we brought him out to the oval. His ears were pricked and alert, he toe-danced around a little, showing his excitement. He knew what was about to happen and he couldn’t wait. I was taking a drink of coffee from my travel mug when I saw Brad Townsend walking towards us. His father wasn’t with him and Brad had his natural scowl on his face. I was almost amused by him in that moment, almost wondered what it would be like to be him, or to know him better than I did. I wonder what I’d find beneath all of his layers.
“Trying to start without me?” He called to me when he was closer. Charlie looked at him but I gave him a swaggering smile.
“Of course we are.”
“You know, Ashleigh.” He said as he removed his hands from his pockets and put them on the rail. “Your really good at being a bitch.”
“Thanks Brad,” I said, my voice light and sweet. “I just happen to think your pretty good at being an asshole.”
“We just might have something in common.”
“All right.” Charlie broke in, his voice gruff. “We got a colt to pay attention to. Enough of this gabber. Okay, Sammy, you know what to do.”
She nodded, looking a little nervous before setting Pride off towards the track.
“Your trusting her to ride Pride?” Brad said, his face incredulous.
“Got a problem with that, Townsend? She rides the colt in all his works. I see her absolutely fit to ride him. She’s a darn good rider, if you ask me.”
“Yeah, well no one’s asking you.” Brad snapped back.
“I asked him.” I said, turning to Brad, not raising my voice. “Now will you please shut the hell up so I can watch my horse work, please?”
Brad glowered but he stayed silent until the work was completed. It took Pride a lap or so at a canter before he finally calmed down. I could see Samantha was struggling with him a little as the rounded one of the turns. I saw a horse come on the outside of them and I hoped that he wouldn’t try anything funny and Samantha would be ready for it if he did. “Good, good’” I said under my breath.
We weren’t out to do anything impressive with his work that day but Pride didn’t disappoint us. He moved out beautifully and even Brad had a satisfied expression on his handsome face. “Good ride, McLean.” Brad said. “I’ll stop by later to check on him.”
I was bent over, checking Pride’s legs when he said this but my head shut up when I heard his words. “Two seconds ago he was just complaining about you riding.” I said.
Samantha was grinning as he hopped down from Pride’s back. “A compliment from Brad. I don’t know if I should smile or throw up.”
“Both?” I suggested. I pulled the colt’s reins over his head and handed them to Samantha. “He’s not too hot so it shouldn’t take you long to cool him out.”
She nodded, still grinning as she led Pride along. “You were awesome, boy.” I heard her say.
*
