Page 1 of Since Day One

Chapter 1

Everything I existed for raged like a breaking storm between my thighs. With my heels clamped to his sides and his sweat in my nostrils, we swayed and rocked to the music of my heartbeat and our ragged breathing, the swish of sand, and the thunder of his hooves.

Silence muffled the echoing rumble as the world spun. Faster. Faster.

Inhale.

Deep breath. One full turn.

Dizzying, dirt flicking up beneath his hooves, we spun faster still.

Exhale.

Two full rotations. My right leg dipped lower, darting away from his side half an inch.

No! Mistake one. Something I never did. Ramming the leg back against the stallion’s side, I gripped the leather reins tighter between my fingers.

Ignore it. Keep moving forward.

But he faltered, stepped out of the tight spin, and threw my weight farther to the right.

No! No! This can’t be happening. Not in the finals.

The championship run, and I screwed up.

A sharp inhale expanded my lungs, too fast, too out of control.

Gasps from the surrounding crowd crashed into my ears, driving me out of my blissful world of art painted upon a dirt-filled arena. Sweat poured down my cheeks as I swayed, and the world tilted, suddenly viewed through a pair of buckling front legs.

A metal horseshoe flung into the air, rammed into my ribcage, and the stallion’s mane flew like hot lava on a wild, unescapable path. There was barely any time to register the dull pain that pulsed through my chest as the leather reins ripped from my fingers. Nothing but a beige blur whizzed in front of my eyes before my right shoulder slammed into the ground. The oxygen tore from my body, my lungs heaved desperately, and a shadow blocked the glaring iridescent stadium lights above me.

And my red chestnut horse collapsed, crushing my legs beneath him.

Silence.

Except for the grunts that vibrated through his body, which pinned me to the dirt; his skin shivered like a thousand flies were tormenting him.

Stars danced fuzzily in my vision, and I pried my mouth open, taking short desperate gasps of crisp air. Not one thought rambled through my mind as my shaking hands clawed at my chest.

Blurry faces appeared above me, their words indistinguishable. Then there was relief as the unbearable weight shifted slightly then finally lifted altogether.

“What—“ Wiping grit from my eyes, I coughed and wheezed, trying desperately to form a coherent sentence. “What happened?”

“Your saddle, Willow. The cinch came loose,” a voice said. A voice I recognized. Kurt. The man who gave me the chance to be here, the man who started me out on this ten-year adventure, crouching down beside me. I closed my eyes again, snorting, and shook the dirt from my face.

“And Moose?” I asked, sucking in a painful breath as calloused fingers gently brushed through my hair. My lungs burned with the forced expansion as I gulped for air, pain popping through my bruised ribs.

“He’s worked up ’n’ lost a shoe, which threw you even more off balance, but we’ll get him home and check on him.”

“I’m so-so-so-sorry,” I stammered, prying my eyes open fully.

A gentle smile caressed his weathered features. “You’re alright, that’s what matters.”

Lifting my right hand from my chest, I chuckled painfully. “This ring finger of mine might need some help.”

Kurt’s eyes darted to my hand where crimson blood dripped warm down my finger. “We’ll get that bandaged up, and you’ll still make it to your flight on time.”

“But she’ll win this year. I failed,“ I whispered, hot tears threatening to slip over the edge of my eyelids.

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