Stubborn Hearts by Hutchinson Heidi

Author:Hutchinson, Heidi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, coming of age, horse, chicklit, horse racing, family fued
Publisher: Heidi Hutchinson

part 2

eighteen

“You are the most important person in the world to me.”

Oaklawn Park

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Smarty Jones

January

“I think I'm gonna do it.”

Jesse's eyes slid up from the book he was reading to see Ryan standing in the doorway of the stall. Her hands were half in her jeans pockets, one foot crossed over the other, her blonde hair glowing in the dim light against her black leather jacket.

She was breathtaking.

Every day she changed just a little bit more. She just became more of herself. More sure, confident, more Ryan. The little bits of her that had been hidden away, stunted in their growth, but pushing through the cracked concrete of her outer shell anyway.

Her weight was still an issue for her. She'd lost some of it, gained some back. She didn't let it become something she was ashamed of. It was just something. She still looked fantastic, though he could tell it was frustrating to her. She combated it by exercising, and writing.

The writing was really the trick.

The writing put her head in order. It was so obvious, Jesse was tempted to try it for himself.

They'd been back on the road for eight weeks. Back to the day-to-day, sleeping in stalls, running with Red, who was still the most intense animal Jesse had ever worked with.

He'd been afraid they'd pushed him too hard in the first half of the season. But this magnificent beast was in his best condition ever.

Genetics contributed to a lot of it, it was in his blood. Undoubtedly. Jesse was also meticulous with his care. He didn't believe in race day drugs to drop water to make a horse run faster. That was a way to shorten the career of a horse that would otherwise go forever. They'd already hit the average number of races this season for most career winners.

The world was watching.

What Jesse and Caleb were attempting to do was return the track to a time when horses ran with heart.

Caleb's ambitions weren't completely financial. He wanted to break records. He wanted to do what everyone said couldn't be done. So far? They were doing it.

Ryan by his side. Seeing the things he missed, keeping Red healthy and strong, keeping Jesse healthy and strong... Jesse might be the trainer of their little team, but Red was the heart, and Ryan was the soul.

He didn't want anyone else on earth sharing this moment with him.

“What are you gonna do?” he asked.

She leaned one shoulder against the wall and dipped her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. “I think I'm gonna publish a story and see what happens.”

Jesse felt the grin spread across his face, Ryan smiled in return.

“Does that make me crazy?” she asked.

“No. Of course not.” He gestured with his head for her to join him. She did without hesitation, but he felt it anyway. The distance that never truly left after Louisiana.

“What are you reading?” she asked, sitting down and grabbing his book to bend it up and see the cover. “Ah, the venerable Ernie Bob Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea.

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