Jockeying for You Read Online Free PDF Page B

smile she hoped wasn’t too unsure.
    “Good. I’m pleased to tell you I got you your stall. Handsome Dancer should be arriving here around three o’clock.”
    Her eyebrows shot up. “He is? You did?” She felt herself wince and immediately shut up. I must sound like a moron.
    Instead of treating at her with derision for her childlike outburst, he gave a large grin. “You’re impressed, huh?”
    “Quite frankly, yes. You can pull off the impossible. It must be good to be king.”
    He roared with laughter. “Quite.” He composed himself after a minute and gave her a look that seemed rich with meaning. “No queen though. Yet.”
    Ryder felt her face flush. Not knowing how to respond, she chose the business route. “I’ll be here at three o’clock sharp to get Handsome set up. And please tell Emanuel to find me when he gets the chance.”
    “Will do.” Jake walked away before she had a chance to babble on, which was good. Unfortunately, his fast departure left her feeling surprisingly empty.
    “Will do what?”
    Ryder was startled at the sudden question and whirled around to find Mindy standing there. “Can you stop doing that?” Ryder demanded.
    “Doing what?” Mindy blinked innocently.
    “Popping up out of nowhere.”
    Mindy shook her head. “You’re mistaking me for Lenny. He’s the one who pops up out of nowhere. Me, on the other hand, I walk over to you in these big ol’ boots, noisy as all get-out. You’re just too caught up in Mr. Gorgeous to have heard me.”
    “I’m sure that wasn’t it. We were talking business.”
    “For someone talking business you were looking pretty misty-eyed. Admit it. Jake Carter is hot.”
    True to form, Lenny appeared from around a corner. The dark, wet spots on his denim shirt and pants made it clear he’d been washing down horses. “Mindy, don’t you have something to do? I know Ryder does. She’s got a ton of business to attend to. All business.”
    “Good luck with your chastity belt, Ry,” Mindy quipped before turning to go.
    “That lady’s got some nerve,” Lenny muttered as Mindy took off in a jaunty strut, no doubt to annoy Lenny even more. “If she costs you a professional relationship with an important owner like Jake Carter, Mindy will have to answer to me.”
    “It’s okay, Lenny. You know Mindy likes to joke around. There’s not a lot of females here to spar with, so she likes teasing me.”
    Lenny placed his muscular arms on his hips and frowned. “I don’t like her talking to you so much. Or me, for that matter. That gal is trouble.”
    Ryder put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re getting grouchy in your old age, you know. She’s only having fun. I don’t mind if it’s at my expense.” She dropped a kiss on his forehead and practically felt his mood lighten. When she let go he took off with a strut in his step.
    Ryder was less happy. She had winced at Mindy’s words. Was her friend right? It had been quite a while since she’d had a date, but that didn’t mean she wore a chastity belt. Did it? She’d gone out with Pete a year or two ago. That counted, right? Not that there had been more than a handful of dates. Pete was a nice enough guy, but when he needed too much of her time she had bolted. The only thing that mattered was getting herself established as a horse trainer. To finally be a success at something .
    Her thoughts were interrupted by a purposeful cough from a little man with light brown skin and dark brown eyes. His brown hair was cropped tight to his head, a mere whisper of a crown. From his diminutive stature, Ryder guessed he was a jockey. Currently dressed in denim, the man no doubt felt more at home wearing racing silks. “Excuse me, I’m here to see Ryder Hannon. Do you know where she is?”
    There was a faint trace of Spanish accent in his voice. It made his words melodious.
    “I’m Ryder Hannon.” She turned her head and called out, “Lenny!”
    The old man was back in an instant. He folded his arms