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"He’s a fast horse," I reply "He just has so up to do"

"He should be better than this He’s bred froot a bad start out of the gate"

"Star’s been gate-trained a couple ti so close, I can count the freckles on his nose See the flecks of gray in his blue eyes "I love Star, but my father thinks I should sell him to recoup some of the cost Cut hts Moonshadow bucking and squealing, trying to get away froet back to me I s hard and try to focus on the present

"Please don’t sell Star," I say quietly "Crotchety as he is, I like hiht now ’cause I can’t sell hi stud fee deal Nobody will respect et him in shape for the race at Keeneland next weekend"

Iin his space just like pushy Star "Does this ot the exercise rider job?"

He steps closer, invading ot the job"

"Yay!" I squeal and ju my arms around his neck My heart swells at the trust Jack is putting in o, ently pats , then?"

"Yes, sir"

"Stop calling azes intostops The wind stops rustling the grass We both stop breathing The only thing that keeps on are the twinkling stars

Heat floods ainst the white fence "Hey," he says His fingertips grazerab his shoulders to holda ainst ht us here?

I push hi?" hehis hands around my waist

"Jack, no"

At the word no he jerks his hands away and holds them up "Wow, you really don’t want to kiss me, eh?"

"You’re my boss"

His eyes flutter open wide and he takes a step back "Shit, I’ He doesn’t have to worry about what other people would say "Why is the rich, gorgeous Jack Goodwin kissing a girl like her? Heher because she works at Cedar Hill She’s convenient" He doesn’t have to worry about his father getting fired if he’s caught kissing me On top of that, after he bad hi he says? Just like all rich people

Jack nervously scratches his nose "I’m sorry Can we pretend this never happened? My dad’ll be pissed at me"

Without a word, I abandon Jack by the pasture, haul ass back to Hillcrest, and rush intothe door shut behindby the door I reach my bed in two steps and collapse

Jack Goodwin just tried to kissup I’ve fooled around before--I even had a regular thing going with this guy Adaether once, but not even the cheap wine coolers we drank before ht I want my first time to be with someone I love and respect

I cradle my stuffed bear If I’d stayed out by the pasture, if I hadn’t pushed Jack away, he would’ve kissed me

And I’et Star in shape for his next race

If he doesn’t win this tiood chance Mr Goodill convince Jack to sell hiain

So, on Mondaybefore school, I meet Gael for my first day of work as an exercise rider at Cedar Hill

"Congratulations on the job, draives me my schedule I’m to take Minerva, Star, and Echoes of Summer out for exercise I will ride each horse for about twentythe horse off to a hot-walker to cool down before it gets a bath and food

First I take Minerva out onto the track, warm her up, then turn the other direction and race around the turf to avoid a traffic ja finished with Minerva, Jack appears on the edge of the track, riding Wrigley He pulls his cowboy hat off, waves it at the staff, and puts it back on Most guysat 5:30 a on the track and in the barns

When I trot past, riding Minerva, I discover that Mr Serious is back He avoids , Savannah"

"Good ht’s almost kiss

I drop Minerva off with a hot-walker then retrieve Star from Greenbriar He flicks his ears forward and approachesto respect my space

"Good boy" I take his lead and direct him out onto the track He seems happy and carefree today We trot around the track two times and then head over to the clocker’s tower

"I’m ready," I tell Gael so he can ti a ballistic reat run When I’, and Mr Goodwin has joined them He whistles and claps too

"Time?" I call out to Gael