Page 67 of Growing Into Love

My heart lifts. She can do this. She can win.

“Check this out,” Cass calls to me gaily and she increases Gal to a gallop for the last drive, sailing over the oxer and hitting squarely in the landing zone.

I punch the air as I feel a hand on my shoulder, then a familiar voice whispers in my ear. “Maybe you could give me some training too.”

Nigella’s face is far too close to mine, and for one panicked second, I think she’s going to try to kiss me.

“Huh?” I say. I look back at Cass and her eyes go wide with shock. Gal makes a turn toward the next jump but Cass is no longer in control. I can see it in an instant. She’s lost her focus.

As Gal turns, Cass wobbles, loses her balance, and tumbles to the dirt.

“Cass!” I cry, shrugging out of Nigella’s grasp.

“Oops,” Nigella says, chuckling. Her dark eyes meet mine and she grins. “You know, I’m really glad she can still compete. It wouldn’t be the same, winning without beating her.”

A flash of anger ignites in my chest.

“Don’t count your chickens, Nigella,” I say. “Cass is ten times the rider you are.”

Nigella steps forward. “I don’t care what Betty at the front desk says. I don’t believe for a second you’re here as a trainer. You clearly don’t know what the fuck you’re doing. Put one wrong toe out of line and I’ll be reporting you. You can count on it.”

Then she gives another chuckle and saunters away.

NINETEEN

CASS

That.Fucking. Trollop.

Sidling up to Jaz, looking all hungry. I don’t know what she said to him but for a second, I thought they were going to kiss.

“Cass!” Jaz says, hurrying over to me as I scramble to my feet, brushing the dust from my bottom. I clench my teeth, cursing myself for getting distracted.

“I’m okay,” I say.

“That was a big fall,” he says worriedly.

“I’ve fallen off plenty of horses,” I snap, feeling embarrassed.

I won’t lie, I’ve had fantasies of falling from a horse and Jaz is there—usually shirtless—to rescue me and carry me home, like a scene out of Sense and Sensibility. But in not one of those fantasies was Nigella around. I can’t be seen as weak. Even now, I glance to where Carmen is watching me closely as Rosa keeps doing her pole work.

Jaz reaches out for my arm and I swat him away. “Stop it,” I hiss. “I’mfine.”

He seems to cotton on that the other trainers are watching and puts his hands in his pockets. I brush more dust from my legs, my cheeks burning with shame. Gal has wandered off to nibble at the grass around the fence poles and I hurry to get her.

“Need a leg up?” Jaz asks.

“No.”

He glances around. “She’s gone now. Don’t let her get to you. She’s just sore because she knows you can beat her.”

“What did she say to you?” I ask.

“Nothing,” he says, far too quickly.

I glare. “Don’t think I can handle it, do you?”

“What? Cass, come on. She said the usual shit about beating you, that’s all. Who cares? You’ll show her on Friday.”

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