MILLIONAIRE'S SHOT: Second Chance Romance (3 page)

Turning, she scanned the crowd for Gramps. His denim checkered shirt should be easy to spot in this glamorous section. But he was out of sight. Didn’t matter though. She knew his destination. The ponies were tethered to the right of the clubhouse, and Santiago and his team would be gathered there, grabbing a breather before the second half.

Of course Alex might be there as well. Unlike many players, he always oversaw each of the Sutherland ponies, not relying solely on his grooms. That sense of responsibility had been one of the things that had drawn them together.

And ultimately pushed them apart.

She steeled her shoulders, ignoring the fluttering in her chest, and stepped onto the grass on the other side of the canopy. It was halftime and the crowd was sparser here. Many spectators were out on the field, helping repair the torn turf by following the age-old tradition of stomping divots.

She forced her stride to remain confident, even though her legs felt leaden and she wished her grandfather hadn’t insisted on visiting Santiago today. A groom pushed past, carrying a replacement girth and hurrying toward a row of horses. Activity was always frenzied between chukkas, like a pit stop at a car track.

She walked toward the row of tethered animals, searching for her grandfather. Praying she wouldn’t see Alex. She’d vowed never to return to the Club, but sorting out what had happened with the mare was too important. Qualified buyers were scarce. Top players often owned a string of ten animals, an impossible investment for the casual rider, so selling four ponies to a collegiate team was huge for Gramps. Well worth swallowing her pride and facing the happy couple.

And their daughter.

Besides, Rachel probably wouldn’t even recognize her. Just because Cassie thought about them on occasion didn’t mean they wasted one moment of their privileged lives thinking about her.

I love you, Cass. But a baby changes everything
. Alex’s words still haunted her, the torment on his face forever seared on her soul.

She jammed her hands in her pockets. She hadn’t come home to brood, only to support Gramps. Having Santiago show off the mare was critical. A top rider brought out the best in a horse while a bad rider made it appear rank and badly trained. Hopefully Santiago would agree to ride Ginger at the next match, and people would forget today’s poor impression.

She could hear Gramps’ voice now. Luckily it wasn’t too loud, so obviously he was doing his best to be diplomatic. He was speaking to a tall dark-haired man in white pants and a turquoise shirt. An attentive groom rushed up and passed the man a bottle of water.

Her grandfather shot her a relieved smile as she approached. “This is Santiago,” he said, making the introductions. “And this is my granddaughter, Cassie. She used to play polo. Now she trains riders and horses for the movies.”

“If you turn out horses as well as your grandfather,” Santiago said, flashing her a polite smile, “they are lucky to have you.” He took a swig of water and looked back at her grandfather. “I intended to ride your mare today but we had to shuffle some horses at the last minute.”

“But you’ll give Ginger a try in next week’s game?” Gramps asked.

“Yes,” Santiago said. “Rachel no longer wants to ride her so that won’t be a problem.”

“Good,” Gramps said, blowing out a sigh of relief. “Because we both know the mare is much better than what people saw today. It’s unfortunate
she
fell off.”

Santiago gave a diplomatic smile. His eyes cut beyond her grandfather and his teeth flashed even whiter. It was the type of dazzling smile that movie stars perfected. Cassie had developed a knack for assessing genuine emotion and she sensed right away this man was a master at turning on the charm. He was focused on impressing someone…but obviously not them.

She followed his gaze, looking past the muscled hindquarters of the line of polo ponies, past the smell of boot polish and horse sweat and saddle soap. The excited chatter faded away. And she could only stare.

Rachel Sutherland must have changed her clothes because despite her tumble to the grass, her white pants were immaculate. So was her face. Her figure. Her hair. She hadn’t turned fat or ugly. In fact, she looked exactly the same. If Ralph Lauren needed a glamorous female polo model, she definitely ticked all the boxes. No wonder Alex had chosen her.

Cassie jerked her head away. She didn’t see Alex. Nor did she want to. She just wanted to escape these beautiful people and go home with her grandfather and figure out the best way to help him retire. A way that would ensure they’d never have to live apart again.

Next week Santiago would ride their mare and Ginger would have a brilliant game and then the college would buy Gramps’ horses and he could finally shed his responsibility. He’d never been away from his barn for more than a weekend. Had never even had a real vacation.

He’d enjoy hanging out with her on the movie set. He’d still be involved with horses but he wouldn’t have to worry about his next customer. Wouldn’t have to get up every morning wondering if a horse would sell in time to pay the feed bill. That freedom alone would ease his stress.

Her boss was always looking for experienced horsemen. They could compare training methods and talk about animals they’d trained and she’d no longer ache to be closer to Gramps. They’d be able to make a real home again and they’d both grow to love California. She opened her hands, determinedly pressing her sweaty palms against her jeans.

“Mr. Edwards? Jake Edwards?”

The voice behind them was imperious, with a slight New York accent, almost exactly as Cassie remembered. She swallowed and turned, wondering if Rachel would even recognize her.

But the stunning woman standing in front of them stared only at Gramps. “I want to advise you that our committee will be sending official notice,” Rachel said. “Your mare is dangerous. Totally unsuitable for this game. She shouldn’t be allowed to step foot on any polo field.”

“I’ll give his mare another chance next week,” Santiago said quickly. “She might have been a little off today.”

“Absolutely not,” Rachel said, her cold eyes still locked on Gramps. “She almost killed me. You must take her back. Our club can’t waste time on inferior animals…or trainers.”

Cassie jerked forward at the slur, but her grandfather grabbed her arm.

“Let’s go, Santiago,” Rachel went on, not deigning to look at Cassie. “We have to mount now.”

She strode away, swinging her mallet like a weapon.

Cassie’s cheeks felt hot and it hurt to breathe. Her grandfather’s hand was digging into her arm and Santiago just stared, clearly surprised but unwilling to annoy his patron.

“I’m sorry,” Santiago said slowly. “But it seems best if you take the mare home. We can try out your horses next year.”

“But the college is buying now,” her grandfather said.

“There is nothing I can do.” Santiago gave them both a dismissive nod, but his expression remained shuttered, his polite smile not reaching his eyes. He turned and followed Rachel like a pet dog.

“Don’t let those people bother you,” Cassie said, her voice quivering. “You’re a great trainer. He knows that. Rachel knows it too. We’ll find another rider. Then everyone will see how good Ginger really is.”

“No,” Gramps said. He still held her forearm. But his grip had weakened and he seemed to be clutching her for balance rather than to restrain. “We need to take Ginger home. Rachel has too much clout. No player would dare give my horses a chance now. And I don’t blame them.”

“But that’s not fair—” Cassie pulled in a painful gulp and stopped talking. Life wasn’t fair. She knew that as well as Gramps. And she was supposed to be the strong one now. “Of course,” she said, pasting on a reassuring smile. “We’ll take Ginger home and figure out another way. We’ll find a different polo club.”

She glanced over her shoulder. Rachel was adjusting a knee guard while a groom knelt at her feet, giving her immaculate leather boots one last polish. She looked objective and totally focused on polo. She probably hadn’t intended to insult Gramps like that. Didn’t realize how disastrous it was to have a horse black listed.

Maybe the situation wasn’t so bad. Santiago could talk to her. Explain that it would be a good move for him to ride Ginger. Everyone wanted the best horses for their team, and clearly the woman didn’t even remember Cassie.

But as she considered that possibility, Rachel’s head swiveled. Her eyes locked with Cassie’s and her expression turned mocking. Despite the woman’s physical perfection there was nothing beautiful about her now. In fact, she looked downright malicious.

Cassie stared back, refusing to be the first to look away. But despite the warmth of the sun, her skin felt cold, clammy. Because it was obvious Rachel did remember her. And it was also clear that despite Cassie’s good intentions, her presence hadn’t helped Gramps. Not one bit. In fact, it was apparent that coming home had only helped draw the ire of a very powerful and vindictive woman.

The clubhouse swelled with applause as Rachel and Santiago cantered their fancy polo ponies back onto the field. A mounted umpire prepared to throw the ball out and start the second half.

“Let’s go home,” Cassie repeated.

She wasn’t interested in watching the rest of the game and couldn’t understand why Gramps still lingered by the terrace. Already club members gave them a wide berth, as if aware of the Sutherland black list and loath to fraternize with the enemy.

“No,” Gramps said, his stubborn gaze locked on the row of tethered horses. “I need to check Ginger before we leave. I couldn’t get close to her before. But she looked lathered so I want to make sure they’re cooling her out okay. After the throw-out, I can slip back and see her.”

“Okay. But we better not stay long.” She still had to drive her grandfather home, hook up his old trailer then hurry back and pick up Ginger before everyone left. She had the horrible suspicion Rachel was capable of deserting the mare at the polo field. And Ginger would hate being left alone. Any horse would.

She scanned the riders on the field. At least she hadn’t bumped into Alex. Odd he wasn’t playing today. A relief really. Still, she couldn’t control a flash of anger. While her grandfather had never moved in the same social circles as the Sutherlands, he knew them well.

Gramps had always welcomed Alex at his barn, and in his home. At one time he’d been Alex’s mentor, more like an uncle than a trainer. Yet when Gramps needed Alex’s support most, the man turned invisible.

“Where’s Alex?” she asked, struggling to keep her voice light. “Does he play on a different team?”

“I don’t know.” Gramps shrugged, his gaze still locked on the picketed ponies. “Haven’t seen him in years. I imagine he’s in the clubhouse.”

Cassie’s mouth lifted in a rueful smile. Her grandfather rarely worried about people. And he no longer seemed upset about how Rachel had trashed his mare and the repercussions that would create. He was only thinking about Ginger’s welfare and whether Rachel’s grooms were cooling her out properly.

He always worried about the horses first, emphasizing that if a rider was hot and thirsty, the horse probably was too. Alex hadn’t been spared the lectures. But unlike some people, he seemed to relish them, nodding and absorbing every word. Probably because his own parents had left him alone with a string of disinterested housekeepers, and he appreciated any sort of attention.

She jammed her hands in her back pockets, watching as the umpire threw the ball in to start the second half. Santiago quickly gained possession and lobbed Rachel a perfect pass. Rachel swung her mallet and the ball trickled between the goalposts. The clubhouse crowd cheered as if it had been a world-caliber shot.

“Look how she scores when riding a well-trained horse,” someone said.

“Yes,” a man in a dark blazer replied. “Her last mount stunk. The kind of horse that’s good for nothing but dog food.”

Gramps flinched and the horror on his kind face tugged at Cassie’s heart. “Let’s check Ginger now,” she said, sending the idiot in the blazer a withering glare.

They slipped past the ‘Players And Grooms Only’ sign and behind the row of horses. The visiting team had brought extra animals so there were over twenty polo ponies tethered in a line beneath a shaded roof. A few were blanketed with cotton coolers designed to keep their muscles from stiffening. Grooms scurried everywhere, lugging brushes, buckets and bandages. Most of the animals tugged contentedly at their hay nets, aware their time on the polo field was over and that soon they’d be loaded on the trailers and returned to their respective stables.

Then the color of the bandages and blankets changed to an imposing purple and gold. The Sutherland team colors. The horses in this section had a much more elaborate setup with open-air stalls and matching purple hay nets stuffed with alfalfa. Their long tails had been released from their polo knots and brushed out to a silky shine, and it was obvious they received the best of care.

But Gramps’ brow furrowed. “I don’t see Ginger,” he said. “I recognize these three horses from that last chukka. She should be tied with them. But where is she?”

His words trailed off in a disbelieving hiss as both he and Cassie spotted his horse at the same time.

Ginger was tied to the back of a portable toilet a hundred yards from the other animals. She had no shade or hay or water, and a short rope forced her head unnaturally high. Her braided tail was still tied up in a game knot allowing the flies to feast undisturbed.

“Dammit.” Her grandfather charged forward. At the sound of his voice, Ginger nickered, a heartrending sound of welcome and relief.

“I’m sorry, girl.” He fumbled to untie her rope. But his fingers were shaking so much he couldn’t manage the knot.

“Let me do that, Gramps.” Cassie gently pushed his hands away and released the knot. She couldn’t bear to look at her grandfather’s face. Didn’t want to see his torment. If Rachel had wanted to hurt him, this had been effective, even more than slandering his training abilities. But tying a hot horse out in the sun after the mare had valiantly galloped around a field trying to please her inept rider was not only cruel, it was criminal.