“Because when he told the men who ambushed our unit to take me, he started screaming the reason we were there, giving away military secrets in the process. Because of my injury, the rest of my team got me to safety and medical help, but on the way, my team leader was scrambling to report the asshole’s actions to our commanders back home.Ididn’t experience it because I was in the hospital, but when I went back to base it was in a tizzy because of what he did.”
“Damn, you probably don’t know this, but did the bad guys act on what your teammate revealed?”
“They tried to, but because my team leader was on it, we had the heads up and were able to change things. When the insurgents came, we were waitingfor them. Let’s just say that all of our people walked away with nary a scratch. I can’t say that for the other side.”
“Good.” Tony nodded and looked past Ann with a grin. Ann turned and nodded.
“Go, I’ll finish up here.”
“No, I’m paid to do a job, I’ll finish up.” He lifted his hand and called out to Staci. “Come meet, Champ.” He waited until she came closer and smiled when she stayed in the center of the walkway. As she approached, he held out his hand to her. “Let me guess, you’ve never been around horses before?”
“No, heck, I’ve never even been around animals before. Both my parents were allergic. Dad to cats, Mom to dogs.”
“I’m sorry,” Tony said, and with her hand in his, walked her to the stall that Champ had just entered. He talked soothingly to both the horse and Staci as he worked. He removed the blanket, and nodded when Ann approached with a small bucket.
“Carrots?” Staci asked.
“Yes, that’s what we feed them. Champ is a three-year-old that come spring, we’ll have a jockey come out and start to train him more than what he’s getting now.”
“Train?” Staci asked Ann, but her eyes were on Tony as he worked with the horse. Not thinking about it, she reached into the small container and withdrew a carrot stick, stepped forward and held itout to the horse. She laughed when his soft muzzle tickled her hand.
“All the horses here on New Double are race horses. We finally got a track put in, and we’ve been running them as much as we can. However, if we want these horses to earn their keep, then we’ll need to bring professionals in to help train them.”
“Meaning the jockey?”
“Yes, Cole and Clem have been working with these horses for decades. Well, not these particular horses, but their ancestors, if that makes sense.”
“It does. Have any of them won any races?”
“Champ’s grandfather won the Triple Crown in his prime. Three years running.”
“Oh, wow.”
“Yeah, and we’re bringing in the help because the human grandson of the owner of that horse wants Champ, but not before he knows what his potential is.”
“Ah, I understand, he’s not going to blindly purchase a horse based on his lineage. He wants to see if he has what it takes.”
“Correct.” Ann nodded and left the two of them alone. As Staci fed the horse carrots, Tony made sure he was rubbed down, and that he had feed, hay, and water before he patted the horse’s neck before stepping out of the stall. He smiled when Champ stretched his neck toward Staci, and he showed her how to pet him. They stayed with the horse for afew more minutes before Tony turned to look at her.
“Not that I don’t mind, but why are you here?”
“Oh,” she said with a laugh, and gave the last carrot in the container to the horse, then turned her full attention onto Tony.
“I had an excellent day at the office, and I wanted to celebrate by inviting you to my place for dinner. I have this recipe I’m dying to try.”
“But…” Tony looked at her with a smirk when her cheeks turned bright pink.
“But, I don’t have the ingredients, and I don’t know how to cook it. I came here to ask you if you wanted to run into town with me to pick up the ingredients.”
“I can, did you bring the recipe with you?”
“I did,” she said with a laugh as she pulled it from the back pocket of her jeans. Tony took it, read it, and nodded.
“This is doable, let me check out, I’m done for the day, and we can go to my cabin so I can clean up.”
“You don’t mind?”
“No, not as long as you don’t mind that it will be a long night.”
