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I shake ether as Jack folds his arms on top of the white fence "I don’t see how he lives without a cell"

"I don’t have one," Ihow often et rid of it myself"

I don’t buy that for one second

"If Star wins," Jack says, "I want you in the winner’s picture, okay?"

I duck irlfriend?"

Jack’s face goes hard "She’s not irlfriend"

"Whatever you say," I tease

"You know, norirls--I think whoever invented them should be rounded up and quartered--but today I love them"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, because every tih the crowd, I can just turn and run off in the other direction"

I laugh quietly, wishing he’d elaborate on this whole Abby Winchester situation Clearly so on between them, and whatever it is, it pisses me off because I like hi about his and his notebook in his hands

"Don’t tell my wife," he tells me, as if I would ever impose upon Mrs Goodwin’s privacy We yank the aluminum foil back and chon I tapwith Jack Goodwin at a race

We finish, wad up our aluminum foil, and Jack checks his watch "Whitfield should have Star in the paddock by now Let’s go check on hi Rory to put Star’s saddle on e enter the paddock Star prances and tries to rip away from Rory, and he attempts to bite Dad’s arm Dad raises an eyebrohen he seesto show Dad that hanging out with Jack wasn’tthe race

"Danny," Jack says, tipping his hat at hi?"

"Fed and somewhat more relaxed than usual," Dad replies "I think his workout thisreally helped him"

"Good" Jack steps up to Star’s nose and whispers to him It’s really cute

After Bryant mounts, I pat Star’s neck "You can do this, understand?" I tell the horse Star lets out a snort and his tail flips in circles as he looks every which way, and I pat hi steadies as he looks me in the eye

But the second Bryant steers Star toward the starting gate, the horse whips his head around again What’s it gonna take to keep him caloing?" Dad asks

"Jack wants rin slides across Jack’s face and he mouths, "Shortcake?"

I’enerally flip off the boss

Dad does not look pleased "I need you back in the barn right after, understand?"

I nod quickly and join Jack at the finish line The scoreboard shows 9–2 odds for Star to win Not bad That ree and how he looked in war and the paddock just now

It ainst the fence watching the horses and lead ponies trot around the track, doing a final war his hands on the fence like he’s pounding a bongo drum

"Calm down," Mr Goodwin says to Jack

"Can’t," Jack says

My palers and ate Star is in the seventh position I glue reen-and-black Goodwin faates fly open

"And they’re off!" the announcer says, as the crowd goes silent Hooves thunder across the dirt It’s a sight that’sfloats in a parade The excite a wake of dust is electric

But Star broke late and now he’s trailing the pack Ten other horses are leaving him in the dust A colt named Hard Money has the lead, followed by Desert Waves The Na reen and black silks

He starts to pick up speed at the 5/8 pole, and I jump up and down This is Star’s seventh race Seventh tihtaway and hurtles toward the finish line Star is still in last place but he’s round--he passes four horses in a late break, but it’s not enough

Jack slaainst the fence when Desert Waves crosses the line first

"Maybe next ti

"Dahttoday to keep his horse calet the job now?