His pulse thundered as she neared.
He couldn't help it. He reached out for her. She met his hand, and he clasped his palm around hers.
Suddenly, everything felt right in the world.
"I believe congratulations are in order."
She glowed, her smile both bright and shy. She was still trail-worn and covered in dust, but he barely noticed. "Thank you. I never would have made it without your stallion. He's incredible."
He squeezed her hand. "It took your skill as a rider to bring it out in him. I'm proud of you."
A soft flush suffused her cheeks. He wanted to congratulate her properly, but this wasn't the place.
"You remember my mother?" she said softly.
He found himself pulled into a hug by the auburn-haired beauty.
"Thank you for taking care of her," Penny murmured into his shoulder.
He laughed. "The truth is, I would've been lost out there without her. Utterly lost."
Reggie laughed, and Adam was reminded of his manners.
"May I introduce my brother, Reggie, and his fiancée, Miranda Peters? This is Penny White. And this... is Breanna."
Breanna smiled, but Adam felt the tension she carried in her lower back with the hand he’d rested there.
Reggie’s smile was natural. "I only know the basics, and that is that my brother is smitten with you." He held out his hand, and Breanna took it, a blush rising in her cheeks.
"It's lovely to meet you," she murmured. "Adam told me about you."
Reggie quirked a smile, and there was only a hint of pain there.
He'd changed so much since Adam had last spoken to him, maybe a week before the race. Reggie was at peace.
Breanna shook Miranda's hand, her smile tense.
"Have you eaten?" Adam asked. "We were going to get breakfast."
"And talk," Reggie added. He wasn't going to let thisbeing the editor-in-chiefbusiness go. "You should join us." His smile at Adam carried a hint of the mischief from their childhood.
Breanna and her mother exchanged a look. Adam saw Penny reach out and squeeze her daughter's hand.
"I'll stay."
And he and Penny were the only ones who knew how much it cost Breanna to say the words.
"I'll see you back at the hotel." Penny disappeared outside, and a waitress pointed them to a square table in the back corner of the restaurant.
How was Reggie supposed to maneuver the chair all the way over there? There were people seated at the scattered tables throughout, their chairs pushed back and making it almost impossible.
Adam wouldn't have thought to do it, but Miranda cleared the way for Reggie's chair by speaking to several people. Her gentle smile and kindness smoothed the way, but by the time they'd reached the table and Adam had removed one of the chairs so that Reggie could wheel right up to the table, his brother's face was flushed, his knuckles white.
Adam didn't know how to make it better for him. He felt no embarrassment about his brother's condition, but it was obvious that Reggie hated having to ask for special accommodations.
Miranda seated herself, and her hand fell to Reggie's arm with a natural grace. It didn't seem planned or even that she'd registered that Reggie needed to be comforted—though surely she must've recognized his unease. She made it seem as if she just wanted to touch him.
Reggie took a deep breath, and Adam watched his tension drain away.
