Read Online Secretariat Reborn by Susan Klaus - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Klaus
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Kate’s rudeness and sarcasm, but had never been subjected to her vicious name-calling and threats. It surprised him. Furthermore, it gave him a good taste of what would happen if he actually left her. He flung his wet bangs out of his eyes.
Always figured men were spineless jerks when they used a note or text message to break up. Now I’m not so sure
.
At the track, Christian parked in front of Ed Price’s barn and walked to his colt’s stall. Hunter stuck his head out immediately for a caress.
“Hey, boy, remember me?” he said and stepped into the stall. “How’ve they been treating you?” Stroking the colt’s neck, he noticed the new shorter coat. The full-body clip kept the horse cooler in the Florida heat. He ran his hand across the animal’s withers and first two ribs.
“You’ve lost a little weight.” Next he examined a few cuts on the front of Hunter’s back legs. “What happened here?” He left the stall, looking for Jorge. He found the groom in a stall several doors down from Hunter’s, tending a charcoal filly with silver-dappled rings on her rump. Her mane and tail were also silvery white. Jorge picked up a pail and poured ice into the loose wraps on the filly’s front legs.
“Hi, Jorge,” Christian said. “What’re you doing?”
“Hello, Mr. Roberts. I take care of this row of horses, and thisfilly is in the eighth race. I must keep her legs cool. I call her my sweetheart.” When the filly nuzzled his face, he smiled. “You see? She loves me. She will do anything if asked and has won many big races. She will win today.”
“She’s a beauty.” Christian reached in and petted the filly. “So how’s my colt doing? Is he eating all right?”
“He finishes all his grain and is doing well. He is very calm. Already he goes to the racetrack. He breezed the other day, and I heard the exercise rider tell Mr. Price that your colt is a Cadillac.”
“A Cadillac?” Christian knitted his brows. “Does that mean he’s slow?”
“No, it is very good, Mr. Roberts. It means he is no cheap horse.”
“That’s great. Look, I’m staying at the track hotel and want to see him exercise in the morning. What time does he go?”
“Between five thirty and six,” said Jorge. “I will tell Mr. Price you are here and wish to see your horse gallop in the morning. We will wait until you arrive.”
Christian nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He thought about asking Jorge about Hunter’s cuts and weight loss, but figured he’d wait for his expensive trainer to explain. He walked back to Hunter. The colt curled and smacked his lips, normally the gesture of a foal when begging for food or acceptance from a strange horse.
“What do you want, more petting?”
Hunter tossed his head up and down as if he understood.
“I’ll be damned.” Christian chuckled. He spent another half hour fooling with Hunter until the colt had enough and began eating his hay.
Christian left the track and returned to the dark hotel room. He found Kate sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring at the TV. She wore a black silk robe, and her wet hair was wrapped in a towel. On the sheets before her were plates of a half-eaten shrimp cocktail and salad.
She glanced up at him. “I ordered you a BLT.”
“Thanks,” he said and stepped out of his shoes. He walked to the window and opened the curtains. “You don’t want to see the horses? They’re racing right below us.”
“I saw them, but I don’t watch horses unless I have a bet on one. Could you close the curtains? I can’t see the TV with the glare.”
“Sure.” He took his sandwich off a tray and joined her on the bed. Leaning against a pillow and the headboard, he sat with his legs stretched out, ate, and watched a corny sitcom on the TV.
Kate curled up next to him. “Chris, I’m sorry I screamed at you earlier and calling you names. I freaked out, thinking I was losing you. I’ve had boyfriends, but never been in love like
Always figured men were spineless jerks when they used a note or text message to break up. Now I’m not so sure
.
At the track, Christian parked in front of Ed Price’s barn and walked to his colt’s stall. Hunter stuck his head out immediately for a caress.
“Hey, boy, remember me?” he said and stepped into the stall. “How’ve they been treating you?” Stroking the colt’s neck, he noticed the new shorter coat. The full-body clip kept the horse cooler in the Florida heat. He ran his hand across the animal’s withers and first two ribs.
“You’ve lost a little weight.” Next he examined a few cuts on the front of Hunter’s back legs. “What happened here?” He left the stall, looking for Jorge. He found the groom in a stall several doors down from Hunter’s, tending a charcoal filly with silver-dappled rings on her rump. Her mane and tail were also silvery white. Jorge picked up a pail and poured ice into the loose wraps on the filly’s front legs.
“Hi, Jorge,” Christian said. “What’re you doing?”
“Hello, Mr. Roberts. I take care of this row of horses, and thisfilly is in the eighth race. I must keep her legs cool. I call her my sweetheart.” When the filly nuzzled his face, he smiled. “You see? She loves me. She will do anything if asked and has won many big races. She will win today.”
“She’s a beauty.” Christian reached in and petted the filly. “So how’s my colt doing? Is he eating all right?”
“He finishes all his grain and is doing well. He is very calm. Already he goes to the racetrack. He breezed the other day, and I heard the exercise rider tell Mr. Price that your colt is a Cadillac.”
“A Cadillac?” Christian knitted his brows. “Does that mean he’s slow?”
“No, it is very good, Mr. Roberts. It means he is no cheap horse.”
“That’s great. Look, I’m staying at the track hotel and want to see him exercise in the morning. What time does he go?”
“Between five thirty and six,” said Jorge. “I will tell Mr. Price you are here and wish to see your horse gallop in the morning. We will wait until you arrive.”
Christian nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He thought about asking Jorge about Hunter’s cuts and weight loss, but figured he’d wait for his expensive trainer to explain. He walked back to Hunter. The colt curled and smacked his lips, normally the gesture of a foal when begging for food or acceptance from a strange horse.
“What do you want, more petting?”
Hunter tossed his head up and down as if he understood.
“I’ll be damned.” Christian chuckled. He spent another half hour fooling with Hunter until the colt had enough and began eating his hay.
Christian left the track and returned to the dark hotel room. He found Kate sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring at the TV. She wore a black silk robe, and her wet hair was wrapped in a towel. On the sheets before her were plates of a half-eaten shrimp cocktail and salad.
She glanced up at him. “I ordered you a BLT.”
“Thanks,” he said and stepped out of his shoes. He walked to the window and opened the curtains. “You don’t want to see the horses? They’re racing right below us.”
“I saw them, but I don’t watch horses unless I have a bet on one. Could you close the curtains? I can’t see the TV with the glare.”
“Sure.” He took his sandwich off a tray and joined her on the bed. Leaning against a pillow and the headboard, he sat with his legs stretched out, ate, and watched a corny sitcom on the TV.
Kate curled up next to him. “Chris, I’m sorry I screamed at you earlier and calling you names. I freaked out, thinking I was losing you. I’ve had boyfriends, but never been in love like
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