Read Online Taking The Reins (The Rosewoods Book 1) by Katrina Abbott - Free Book Online Page A

a dean who I’d never met but who seemed to hate me anyway.
    Yep, definitely a pity party, I thought.
    I sniffled and wiped my eyes on the cuff of my hoodie.
    “Pathetic,” I muttered.
    “What’s pathetic?” I heard from behind me, startling me.
    I spun around on Brady, pressing my palm to my chest to try to ease my racing heart. “Stop doing that!”
    Wearing a navy and green flannel shirt and what appeared to be his signature jeans, he held up his hands in the universal symbol for ‘what did I do?’
    “You scared me half to death,” I explained.
    He gave me a wide-eyed look. “I could say the same of you. I come in here to lock up and here you are, lurking around. For the second time, I might add.”
    “I’m not lurking,” I said, stuffing my hands into my hoodie pockets, reminded of the fruit I’d brought for the horses.
    Brady’s eyes glanced down at my belly and he nodded at it. “Are those billiard balls in there or are you happy to see me?”
    My face heated up instantly and I’m sure it burned a delightful crimson at his not-so-innocent joke. In answer, I pulled out an apple. “For the horses,” I choked out.
    Smooth, Brooklyn.
    He gave me a knowing grin and then the smile dissolved as he looked closer, stepping toward me. I began to fidget as it suddenly felt like he was looking right through me. “Hey. Are you okay?”
    My first instinct was to nod and wave him off. But apparently he’d asked the perfect question to unlock my mouth, and then words just started falling out.
    “No. I’m not okay.” I said, jerking my thumb toward the bulletin board. “I just went to sign up for the team and found out the practices are at the same time as my stupid community service assignment. I won’t be able to join after all. And of course, it’s the one thing at this school I was actually looking forward to.”
    Then, because my display wasn’t pathetic enough, tears eked out of my eyes, rolling down my face and I could do nothing to stop them but swipe at them with my hoodie sleeve. Embarrassed, I dropped my head, staring at my shoes, unable to bring myself to look at Brady. I was probably doing him a favor, since he was probably calculating the path of least resistance to get away from me.
    “Hey, hey,” he said, from right in front of me, making my head snap up toward him. His stunning amber eyes were intent on mine, concerned.
    He reached out as though to touch my shoulder, but hesitated and dropped his arm, shoving his hand into his jeans pocket instead. “It’s okay. You can fix this.”
    I shook my head. “I don’t think so. My friends said the dean never lets people change their assignments, no matter what.”
    “No matter what?” he asked.
    “That’s what they said.” I wasn’t about to tell him their exact words. Or that Emmie’d called her a dragon; she was Brady’s employer, after all.
    “She can be a bit...rigid,” he admitted, the right corner of his mouth twitching up into a tiny smile.
    “That’s diplomatic,” I said.
    “Generous,” he replied, with a snort.
    “I’ve heard she’s a dragon,” I blurted out. And then gasped. So much for not trashing his employer. “Sorry!”
    Brady barked out a laugh. “No, don’t apologize. She definitely has dragon-like properties.”
    I felt stupid, but he didn’t seem to mind. “Why don’t you sign up,” he said, pointing at the form.
    I frowned. “I told you, my assignment...” I broke off because he was shaking his head. “What?”
    “I’m sure there’s a way around it.”
    I stared at him. If there was a way around it, it wasn’t coming to me, especially with his eyes so focused on mine. Unwavering. Making me blush again for no reason.
    Swallowing, I turned away, looking at the paper on the wall. “Do you think Coach Fleming would talk to her?”
    “He might.”
    I looked back at him. “Really?”
    He shrugged. “He’s always looking for good candidates for the team. Especially dressage. And,” he paused