Page 18 of Hats off to Love

“How?”

“Well, it rained that night so they are saying it was a lightning strike, but one can’t help but wonder if that’s the truth.”

She’s not wrong. With being just a couple weeks out from the Derby, stranger things have happened, and everyone knows to be on guard.

“How sad.” I think about the family and how lovely they are and Black Bandit. I saw him in a pre-Derby championship race, and he was such a pretty horse.

“Yes. There were over a dozen horses that didn’t make it out.”

I gasp at the heartbreak Mr. and Mrs. Heikkinen must be feeling. “What about Black Bandit?”

“He was one of the lucky ones. So was Daffodil”—the filly they had planned on running in the Kentucky Oaks—“but both suffered severe smoke inhalation and won’t be able to run.”

Barn fires rarely happen anymore. I guess anything can eventually catch on fire, but with advancements made to the thoroughbred barns, it’s unlikely. Then again, Shaded Oaks is one of the oldest farms in the area. Their history is what makes them so popular for tours, and I know they’ve kept a lot of the original integrity of the farm for appearance’s sake, but it just blows my mind that a fire can still happen in a structure housing millions of dollars’ worth of horses.

“Was the barn still made out of wood?” I ask her, leaning against the counter.

“I’m not sure, although a lot of barns still are.”

Ace’s barn is brick and mortar, with concrete blocks for the interior and exterior. Each stall has a metal gate, lighting, and a sprinkler system in case of something like this happening. It’s also continually updated as advancements come out for the health and safety of the occupants.

My heart sinks. Those poor horses.

At the front of the house, the doorbell rings, and I force myself to push away the devastation.

My mother leans in to kiss me on the cheek. “Go ahead with Molly, I’ll meet you there,” she says, giving me one of her motherly smiles.

After one last hug, I quickly make my way to the front and open the door. There on the other side are Molly and her new beau Austin. Their arms are wrapped around each other and both are grinning at me. I grin back, my gaze halting on Molly’s.

Sometimes she looks so much like Stokes it catches me off guard. Granted, she highlights her light brown hair, making the color different, but when it’s pulled back and her eyes are homed in on me, the similarities are uncanny.

Tonight, she’s so happy she’s glowing, and my heart expands for my dearest friend. It’s easy to see how much this new guy means to her, and how much she wants everyone to welcome him.

“You look like a nerdy Clark Kent,” I tell him, looking him over from head to toe, and he chuckles.

He has on a sharp black suit with a black tie. His hair is dark, slicked to the side, and he’s wearing a pair of black-framed glasses.

“You must be Rosie,” he says as he steps forward to shake my hand.

“The one and only.” I return the greeting and smile at him.

Molly is so smitten I swear she is looking at him with hearts, wedding dresses, and babies in her eyes.

“Are you ready to go?” she asks, rolling up on her toes in excitement. Her dress is gold, and the two of them look incredible together.

“I am!” I reach down to grab my bag.

Tonight is going to be a great night.

8

When I was sixteen, Molly and I decided we were not going to hide behind the tent, but we were going to actually attend the party. Without telling either mother, we bought dresses and got dressed in her room, and twenty minutes after the party started, we walked up to the entrance of the tent like we owned the place.

Of course Birdie was surprised to see us, but she told us we looked beautiful and welcomed us with open arms. Stokes, on the other hand—I’m not so sure I’d ever seen him frown so hard. His scowl bordered on murderous, but I felt so pretty I didn’t even care. I wasn’t going to let him ruin my night, and just to stick it to him, because I knew he wouldn’t even dream of stepping out of line with all of the industry people around, I danced with some of his friends.

Tonight, that same scowl is directed at the three of us as we approach the tent. Rather, I should say it’s directed toward Austin, who is walking between us and now arm in arm with both of us.

“Mother,” Molly says as we stop in front of them. I let go of him so Molly can properly introduce her new guy. “I’d like you to meet Austin.”