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)
As Huxley launched into the air, three, four, five times, a wide smile was etched onto my face. The sound of Huxley’s hooves on the sand was rhythmic and soothing. The hoofbeats were telling me we were actually here, living out our dream.
As we landed fences eight and nine, I leaned forward and said, “This is the Liverpool, Hux. Most other horses haven’t liked this one, but I know you can do it.” As we cantered toward fence ten, you could feel the tension from the audience as they braced for a refusal. But as Huxley landed, not even batting an eye at the water, we turned to the triple combination. Clearing those with ease, we turned to the final fence. “Now, baby boy, if we clear this fence, we will have our first ever five-star clear. I know you want that as much as I do. Let’s show these people what an amazing boy you are, hey?” Approaching the final fence, I held my breath and let Huxley fly. As his hooves hit the ground and the audience broke into a loud round of applause, I whooped out a happy shout, throwing my fist into the air, then wrapped my arms around his neck, peppering kisses over as much of him as I could reach.
“Good boy!” I said, letting Huxley canter around the arena. “Her first ever clear in a five-star Grand Prix . . .” I heard the commentator say, “. . . which puts her in first place . . .” My head whipped up to the scoreboard. We’d beaten Sage by two seconds, putting her in second place and us in first.
“Huxley!” I said, unable to stop from smiling. “You superstar!”
I headed out of the arena, only to pass by Atticus as he entered the ring. “Git ’er done, Hals!” he said, smiling, and I laughed.
“Good luck,” I said to Atticus. He winked at me and entered the ring.
Leon nodded at me in congratulations as I passed him on the plinth but stayed where he was to watch Atticus jump next. Sage was in the tunnel, waiting for me. I dismounted and she wrapped me in her arms. “Incredible,” she said, and kissed my cheek. Mila had taken hold of Huxley but hugged me with her free arm.
I turned to watch Atticus, only to startle when Jasper appeared before me. He turned to watch his cousin, but leaned in close to say, “You were brilliant, Hallie.” He looked at me from the corner of his eye. “You should be proud.” He paused, like he was fighting saying something else, before he said, “I am. So proud.”
My heart melted. Jasper stood with his arms over his chest, eyes on Atticus and Barnaby. In that moment, I wanted him to hold me, wrap me in his embrace. I felt a little cold when he didn’t.
It was a heady mix in my body, adrenaline from my first five-star Grand Prix, followed by the disappointment of Jasper not holding me in his arms. But I knew he wouldn’t. He was too controlled, too reserved, and frankly, we weren’t together like that. We’d fucked, once. Perhaps that was all it ever would be. I tried to focus on Atticus too, but too many thoughts circled my head. Why had he come to see me? What did it mean?
I was annoying myself with all the internal questions. I wasn’t shy at coming forward. When we were alone, I would just outright ask him. But even me, with my take-no-prisoners attitude, couldn’t help but admit it made me nervous. What if he said it was just a single night? The ache in my heart told me I wished it could be more.
Suddenly, the audience broke into rapturous applause. I blinked and brought myself back to the here and now. “Great,” Sage said, defeatedly, and I looked to the scoreboard. Atticus’s name went straight to the top. He had won. Convincingly.
I didn’t even feel sad. My goal was a clear round. I had done that and managed to secure second place too. With Sage in third, we’d achieved a Knighton sweep.
It felt like a dream.
Atticus came trotting toward us. Leon clapped, for once wearing a wide smile on his face. “Top three!” he said and shook Jasper’s hand. I watched Jasper’s face. He smirked. He was happy, but I caught a flash of sadness in his eyes too.
My heart cracked for him. I just knew he wanted to be in that ring with us. Our fourth member of Team Knighton. He should be. Simply recalling him on Henry back at Golden Oaks . . . He would have wiped the floor with all of us today. Of that I was convinced.
Atticus dismounted, handing Barnaby to Chris after kissing his stallion on the nose. Jasper hugged his cousin, as did Leon. Atticus then faced me. “Sorry, Hals. No hard feelings.”