Page 102 of Beneath Pearly Irish Skies
“Kade!”
He turned his head to look for Ryan. His friend held a fairy cake in one hand and what smelled to be hot apple cider in a paper cup in the other. “Hi, Ryan! Are you having fun?”
“Yes.” His blue eyes were alight with happiness. “I bought a mug from Megan that I’m going to use for a new cocktail. I heard you were going to race today. Kade, I hope you win.”
He put a hand to his friend’s shoulder. “You know I don’t race for that.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “But you could. If you can, why don’t you? Are you afraid to beat your dad? Kade, you can’t keep letting him think he’s stronger than you just because you don’t want to hurt his feelings. You’re a man too. Just like him. Pretending is like lying.”
Studying his friend, he realized what he was saying. Part of him hadn’t wanted his father to see him as an equal because he feared his dad would push him harder to take over the farm. Maybe Ryan was right. “I promised Megan I’d stay with her.”
Ryan took his arm and led him over to the station for the pony rides. “Carrick!”
Kade nudged his friend. “You’re meddling.”
“I’m being a friend,” he said enthusiastically as Carrick led Eve over with the little Hodnett boy beaming in her saddle.
“Hi, Ryan!” Carrick smiled broadly. “Did you check out my fiancée’s paintings?”
“I bought one of your field and the sheep, but what I really wanted was a nude.” Ryan laughed gustily. “She said she didn’t bring them.”
“You’ve taken to some wild ways in Dublin, my friend. What do you need?”
“Kade needs to race to win today, so we need you to enter the race and take care of Megan.”
The silent understanding that had always existed between Kade and Carrick kicked in, and his friend nodded after a moment. “It’s done. Ryan, if you’d enter my name and put a bet down for me with Cormac—on Kade, of course—I’d be grateful.”
Kade groaned as Carrick handed Ryan a wad of euros. “No, not this!”
“Yes, this!” Carrick started to lead the pony back in a circle. “It’s about time. Ryan, you did grand!”
“I did! I did! See you, Kade.”
His friend stuffed the last of his fairy cake in his mouth and started to run off, waving bills in the air.
“What was that all about?” Declan asked, coming up beside him.
When he told him, his friend laughed out loud. “It’s official. I believe St. Kade has been laid to rest. At last! I’m off to find Cormac for a bet.”
He stared after his friend, only for Liam to approach the fencing leading Winston with a little girl Kade didn’t recognize. “Was Carrick telling the truth? Are you finally racing like you’re meant to?”
Kade nodded. He was going to hear about it until the time of the race if this was any indication.
“You’ve finally found the last piece of yourself, away from your father,” Liam said, his gold earring winking as cheekily as his smile. “You and Megan have been on a grand journey. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Neither could he, he realized, as he entered the ring and began to give rides again. Ryan had seen a part of him he’d buried.
His father wasn’t so pleased when he found him shortly afterward. “You’re racing, and people are betting that you’re going to win.”
Shannon hurried over, a grin on her face. “I have to hear this.”
He shot her a look. “Yes, I’m racing. I haven’t made any bets.”
“And you shouldn’t,” his father said. “You’ll only lose money.”
His mouth started to curve, and his grin was unstoppable. “We’ll see about that, Dad.”
Shannon rubbed her hands together. “I can’t wait for this race to start. What happens if I beat you both?”
