Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Sage pulled back. “It’s electric out there, Hals,” she said, and butterflies swooped in my stomach again. “I can’t wait to do it again!”
Leon came toward us and tapped me on the back. “Back on Huxley. Keep him warm,” he said, and I climbed back onto my horse. Atticus came over. Sage smirked. “You see that?”
Atticus shrugged. “I saw you nearly lose it on the water,” he said, then cantered off and cleared the higher practice fence with ease.
Sage muttered something unintelligible under her breath.
I focused on the practice ring, then when Julie O’Shay from Ireland entered the main arena, I was up next.
Leon opened the practice ring’s gate, and I was lost to a fog in my head as I walked Huxley to the in-gate. “Not too sharp a turn on fence five,” Leon was saying. I nodded but was only half listening. I watched Julie turn into fence ten, and her horse bucked as it saw the Liverpool. Unable to keep her seat (which was usually exceptional), Julie fell, crashing through poles to land in the water with a loud thud. Emerald Hill, her prize-winning gelding, took off around the arena. I held my breath as I waited to see if she was okay. Medics ran toward her, but Julie quickly got to her feet, holding her hand in the air to signal to the crowd she was good.
“That fucking water,” Leon said. It was true; out of all the fences today, it was the water jump that had caused the most problems. A flare of panic sparked in my chest, but I tried to quell it. Horses sensed your emotions, and I didn’t want Huxley spooked. But it was harder to regain calm than I’d expected.
A flash of movement from my left suddenly pulled my attention. I sucked in a shocked breath when I noticed a familiar crop of dark hair and stubble on chiseled cheeks. Jasper looked up at me as Julie walked out of the arena, her groom having caught her gelding and led him out too.
Shards of ice trickled through my veins when I smelled sandalwood and mint. His scent alone was enough to soothe my frayed nerves. What was he doing here? What did this mean?
Focus.
“Huxley likes the water,” he said, and I caught Leon nod in agreement at him over my saddle. Jasper’s dark eyes locked on mine, bringing another wave of calm to my nerves. “You’re going to nail this, Angel. Trust me. I’m rarely wrong about these things.”
I nodded, unable to speak. Angel . . . Jasper had left the safety of his private box to stand beside me and talk me through this. I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, anything, just to hear him speak again, but Leon patted Huxley’s rear, and said, “You’re up, Hallie. Best of luck.”
I tore my gaze off Jasper and back to the arena. Completing my own prejumping ritual, I checked my chin strap, checked the girth, pressed my heels down in my stirrups, then looked to Mila, who was already waiting with my water. Smiling, she handed me the bottle, and I took a long drink. Taking it back from me, she patted Huxley’s neck and said, “Fly, boy!” before giving me a good luck nod.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened my posture, and said, “Walk on, baby boy,” to Huxley, only for Jasper to squeeze my calf in support as I passed. Shivers broke out all over my body. His simple touch filled me with confidence.
As I walked through the tunnel to the arena, hearing the announcer saying my name and credentials and Huxley’s statistics, I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. Leon walked beside me, peeling off at the in-gate to watch from the viewing plinth. My heart thundered when I saw Jasper go with him.
He left the box to watch me.
What did it mean?
As I entered the arena, my heart jumped in my chest. Taking another deep breath, I moved Huxley into a trot and circled the arena to get my bearings. I focused on the jumps, going through the course in my mind. “Are you ready, milord?” I said to Huxley, the audience melting away to nothing around me. I listened to the sound of Huxley’s steady breath as we broke into a canter.
Then my nerves fell away. It was just me, Huxley, and the jumps right now. I’d visualized this course while in the practice ring, something I’d done my entire career. In my head, I’d already achieved a clear. Now I just had to bring it to fruition.
The horn sounded, telling us to begin. “We’re off, milord,” I said, as I turned into the first fence. “You can do this, baby boy.” I gave him rein and let my boy do what he did best. As we landed, any nerves I had left turned into pure excitement. “Amazing, milord, now we need another,” I said, as we turned to fence two. Sage was right. It was electric out here.