Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
God, he looks good. The evening has turned a little chilly and he’s wearing a black fleece pullover with the Blackburn farm logo embroidered in red over the left chest area.
His dark hair is mussed, as if he’s spent all day raking his fingers through it in consternation. I know that he doesn’t take an active role in training the riders anymore, but he is at every show. In particular, he’s always ringside when the kids ride to have an extra pair of watchful eyes on them and to be ready to give advice when needed.
I didn’t just come to watch Carmen but stayed the rest of the day with my sister to cheer on all the Blackburn riders. Sylvie and Carmen hung out and I had an amazing time watching the girls. Every time a Blackburn rider was in the ring, Ethan was there, watching and helping the other trainers as necessary. I kept my eyes on him far too long, and any time I thought he might even glance my way, I averted my gaze.
To my knowledge, he never looked back over at me the way he did during Carmen’s ride, but I can’t be sure since I was too nervous to verify.
Now that I think about it, there is definitely nothing there. He’s just a friendly man and that’s the only reason he’s standing beside me now.
Never one to be less than a hundred percent honest, I hold up my beer and grimace. “Enjoying everything but the beer. My sister gave it to me and I hate beer.”
Chuckling, Ethan pulls the bottle from my hand and brings it to his mouth. There is something very intimate about him not having a care in the world that I’ve been drinking from it. He tips it back and pulls on the amber liquid as I watch, mesmerized.
His eyes twinkle when he asks, “What do you like to drink?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Wine is my go-to.”
“Most of these events are all about the beer and liquor, but I know just the place to get what you need.” Ethan takes me by the elbow and steers me through the crowd to a large table in the corner where a bunch of people sit. I immediately recognize Ethan’s sister, Kat, as well as his parents, Fi and Tommy Blackburn. They all wave and smile their greetings.
“Red or white?” Ethan asks.
“White,” I reply.
Ethan moves around the table and bends at the waist. I can’t see what he’s doing but he pops back up with a bottle of chilled white wine.
In response to my widened eyes, Ethan grins and nods down. “Family cooler of the good stuff. Mom and Kat are wine drinkers.”
“Well,” I say, looking down at Fi who is beaming back at me, “thank you for sharing.”
“Sláinte,” Fi says in her pert Irish accent.
Ethan produces a clear plastic cup and pours it three-quarters full before handing it to me, then taps the tip of the beer bottle against my drink. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” I murmur and take a sip.
Fi reaches her hand out and touches my forearm. “Carmen rode brilliantly today. I know you’re dead proud.”
“Very proud,” I say, and nod toward Kat who is in conversation with a woman I don’t know, but she’s wearing a sweatshirt bearing another farm’s logo, so I assume perhaps another trainer. “Your daughter is a genius at teaching kids.”
Fi beams at the compliment. “All my kids are. Take after their pa.” Then she nods at Ethan. “I wish I could get that one back to training because he’s the best out of all of them. Unfortunately, he’s tops at everything, so he’s got way too many priorities ahead of that.”
I tip my face Ethan’s way to see if that compliment pleases or bothers him, but I find nothing other than a fond smile leveled back at his mother.
Fi’s gaze slides off to the side and she stands from the table. “Ah, excuse me. I see Susan and I’ve got to have a word with her about the bachelor auction tomorrow night.”
As his mother hustles off, I turn a questioning gaze to Ethan. “Bachelor auction?”
Ethan grimaces. “It’s something the country club does every year to raise money for literacy, mostly to provide reading resources for underprivileged kids. She tries to recruit me and my brothers every year to put ourselves up for auction for a date with the highest bidder.”
I laugh. “Tries to recruit?”
Ethan returns a sly smile. “Well, she succeeds where Trey and Wade are concerned but she’s never gotten me on the block. She knows I’ll revolt.”
“I thought you were a confirmed bachelor,” I tease. “So that means you are well suited for a bachelor auction.”
I expect Ethan to deny how well suited he would be to such a thing but instead he turns the tables on me. “What makes you think I’m a confirmed bachelor?”