Kentucky Sunrise Read Online Free PDF

will you finish and wrap up?” Emmie asked, looking around at the greenery that graced the corners of the restaurant. She wanted to remember everything about this first date with Mitch Cunningham, right down to the draperies on the windows and the paintings on the walls.
    Behind her she could hear the clink of silver and crystal. The aroma of fresh coffee wafted her way. She sighed.
    â€œTwo more days. I already have miles of tape on the pastures, the paddocks, and the bluegrass, but I want more. It’s that, from every angle, perspective. I’m going to hang around in town till all your family gets here. We’ll do some shooting that day, then I head back to California. The crew will be staying on to film the Kentucky Derby. Since you’re all going to attend, I’d like to get that on film, too.”
    â€œYou really like what you do, don’t you?” Emmie asked.
    â€œI do. My uncle gave me his old Brownie Hawkeye along with a load of film when I was eight or so. I had over a hundred pictures of my thumb before I got the hang of it. I really enjoyed it. While my friends were playing football and tennis, I was taking their pictures and selling them to the newspapers. It all just evolved. I would imagine I love my profession the way you love working with the horses. I never realized how big those horses were until I got up close to them. I could never in a million years do what you do.”
    Emmie laughed, a light musical sound. “I still take pictures of my thumb when I try to take pictures of Gabby or Cookie, her little dog.” She held out her puffy-looking hand for him to see. When he frowned, she jerked her hand back and put it in her lap. “I couldn’t do what you do, either.”
    â€œDo you know what really stunned me, Emmie?” Mitch said, leaning across the table.
    â€œWhat?” Emmie smiled at the serious look on his face as she wondered what was coming next.
    â€œYour families are all so rich. I thought you’d all be snobs and act like those throw-your-weight-around rich people. The kind I have to deal with all the time in Hollywood. You’re just normal, everyday, nice people. None of you flaunt your money, you don’t wear designer duds, and you don’t drive fancy cars. All of you are generous to a fault. You’ve all had serious setbacks, and tragic things have happened to your family just the way they happen to other people. I find it remarkable. Why are you looking at me like that, Emmie? Everything I said, I meant as a compliment.”
    â€œYes, I know. I guess it’s that ‘rich’ part that bothers me. I don’t think about it. I work for my money and I bank it. I live on my salary, and I support Gabby with my own money. I don’t think about . . . all the rest.”
    â€œThat’s what makes you all so unique. The rest of your family is the same way. All of you give away more than you keep.”
    â€œCan we talk about something else? How is it you aren’t married? Forty-two-year-old men are usually married,” Emmie said, her face rosy with the question.
    â€œI was married once for about ten minutes. I came close a few other times, but I guess I just didn’t meet the right girl. What about you, or is that part of the don’t ask section that takes in Gabby?”
    â€œI’m divorced. I was married a little longer than ten minutes. We were childhood friends so it was inevitable we marry. We did, for all the wrong reasons. My ex lives in Ohio. I haven’t seen or heard from him in years. I’d like to get married again someday. I found marriage to be very comforting. I’ll bet it’s downright cozy if you’re married to the right person.”
    â€œI think you could be right,” Mitch said, throwing his head back and laughing. Emmie smiled. She was flirting and loving every minute of it. She could hardly wait to share this experience with her mother.

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    Hatch