Fifteen Minutes: A Novel Read Online Free PDF

therapy to her center. Maybe get the program established in the UK. She talked about teaching it to three of their instructors. Which could take a while.”
    Zack’s mind raced. “You mean like . . . move there?”
    “For a year, maybe. Yes.” She hesitated. “Eight students and their families have already signed up. They can’t find a program without a several-year waiting list.”
    “Wow! That’s amazing.” The sun shone higher in the sky, the heat and humidity heavy around them. Reese moving to London? What was happening? This talk was supposed to be about the show, about his audition. He should be assuring her that he’d be home soon and nothing would change. He blinked a few times and tried to clear his head. “How . . . how did they hear about you?”
    She started to explain. Something about the woman knowing Reese’s boss here in Kentucky, and how Reese came highly recommended, one of the best therapeutic horse instructors in the South. And how the London stable wanted someone with experience, someone from Kentucky with a history of horse sense. Her sentences ran together and Zack found himself stuck back at the beginning.
    She’s moving to London?
    They’d been dating since their freshmen year at University of Kentucky. Zack had been an animal science major and Reese competed on the Wildcats dressage team. Double major—special education and equine therapy. Only one thing in all the world wasmore beautiful than seeing Reese ride. Seeing her help special-needs kids find their way on a horse. Kids like his sister AJ.
    Zack used to tease her that if he could ever get her off the back of a horse, he’d marry her. Four years had flown by, and a month ago they graduated. Zack had never loved her more. Their beautiful history—the history they didn’t realize until after they started dating—the way she made him laugh, the very deep beauty of her heart. Her love for special-needs kids and horses and him.
    They hadn’t talked about an exact date. But he’d figured that if the farm were solid again by Christmas, he’d buy her a ring. This was the year he’d been waiting for.
    “Zack?” She moved closer. “Did you hear me?”
    “You’re moving to London?” His mouth was cotton balls and sawdust. He led her into the shade against the side of the house so he could see her eyes. Straight through them. “For a year?”
    “I’m thinking about it.”
    “Why?”
    She allowed a single laugh, one that held her usual grace. “I’m good at it.”
    “I didn’t mean it like that.” Zack’s mind raced as fast as his heart. “No one’s better at what you do.” His mouth felt dry. “I mean . . . why now?”
    “They need me. The kids there . . . they have no one.” She stared at the spot between their feet for a moment before looking at him again. “Maybe it’s God’s timing. You know, with you auditioning.”
    “A whole year?” Zack brushed his hand against the side of her face. If only they could stay in this moment. Without the audition or this crazy London idea. He looked deep into her, all the way to her heart. “You can be good at it right here in Danville.”
    “So can you.”
    Her tone remained kind, but her words took his breath away. “Okay. So you’re serious.”
    Her smile was tinged with sadness. “It’ll be hard to be apart. But right now, I don’t know. Our dreams are maybe taking us in different directions.”
    “London?” He released his hold on her and took a slight step back. “Sure. I mean, I’m happy for you. If your dream is to live in Europe for a year.” The feeling that he’d been hit by a truck lingered. The news had him dazed and off-balance. “I guess . . . I didn’t know.”
    “Right. Like I didn’t know you were going to try out for Fifteen Minutes .” She folded her arms tight in front of her, almost as if she were cold despite the morning heat. “Look, I want you to go. I’ll be your biggest fan, Zack. But you’ll be busy with the show. The