“It’s awesome to be cared about, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I do,” Jake agreed, meaning it.
Chapter 5
When Ryder showed up to the stables the next day, it wasn’t a surprise to see Mindy waiting for her with her usual Cheshire cat smile. What was unusual was the fact that Mindy wasn’t there to spill the details about a night of debauchery. No, Mindy’s purpose was to get Ryder to spill the details of her evening.
“Mindy, are you stalking me or something?” Ryder half-teased. How would you know if I was speaking to Jake Carter late last night?”
“I have my ways.” Mindy smiled mysteriously. When Ryder crossed her arms over her chest and arched an eyebrow, Mindy expelled a loud huff of air. “Oh all right, I’ll ’fess up. My friend Chuck was filling in for the regular concierge at the country club.”
“The same Chuck you always talk about? The one you want to hook up with?”
“Yep. I must mention you a lot to him, too, since he recognized your name.” A slow smile spread across her face. “And he also recognized Jake Carter’s name. So spill.”
“There’s nothing much to say.”
Mindy frowned. “Are you going to give me that? Seriously?”
Ryder sighed. “Yeesh, all right. But there really isn’t that much to it. Jake butt-dialed me and since I could tell he was drunk I called the country club to make sure he had a ride.”
“He butt-dialed you? Why can’t I ever get that lucky?” She pretended to sigh dramatically. “I wish Jake Carter would butt-dial me. He’s sooooo dreamy!”
Ryder bit back a laugh. “Are you done?”
“Hardly.”
“What is it you want to know exactly?”
“Do you two have the hots for each other, or what?”
Ryder bit her lower lip. “I like him,” she said cautiously. “For an owner he’s extremely open to listening to what a trainer has to say.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” Mindy chastised. “I’ve known you a long time. You’re not dead. Why do you act it? Are you allergic to romance or something? Jake is mega hot, huge in this industry, and seems to really be into you.”
Ryder took in Mindy’s words but didn’t answer.
“Come on, Ryder,” Mindy urged. “Love is like horseracing. They’re both gambles. But they’re risks worth taking.”
“What makes you think Jake is ready to gamble on love? He only butt-dialed me, for God’s sakes. You make it sound like he proposed.”
“I’d take a proposition from him any day.”
“Mindy, cut it out, will you? I said proposed not propositioned. ”
Mindy laughed. “Start with one to get to the other.”
Ryder shot her a look.
“Okay, okay,” Mindy relented. “I’m being serious now. You want to blow off the significance of his phone call as a mere butt-dial. Let’s see. Did Jake hang up once you answered? Or did he want to talk to you instead?”
“Talk to me, of course, but it would have been rude otherwise.”
“He could have simply apologized and hung up.”
“He tried.”
“Not hard enough apparently. It wouldn’t have been rude to end the call. Mistakes happen. But he talked to you for a while, didn’t he?” When Ryder bit her bottom lip and stayed silent Mindy pressed more. “What did he say?”
Ryder shook her head.
“Spill,” Mindy insisted.
“He said I’m amazing,” Ryder said so softly it was hard to even hear herself.
“Amazing, huh?” Mindy’s grin was bigger than Texas. “I don’t think he butt-dialed you at all. I bet it was an excuse to talk to you.”
“Mindy, you’re being crazy as—”
“Sure I’m crazy,” Mindy interrupted with a wave. “But I’m not blind. When I saw him stare at you the last time he was here, it was with eyes so hot I’m surprised they didn’t leave scorch marks on your skin. They practically branded you, like you’re a horse from the Wild West.”
“You’re exagger—”
“Nope. I remember it crystal clear. I wish Chuck would look at me that way.” Mindy lowered her
“Yes, I do,” Jake agreed, meaning it.
Chapter 5
When Ryder showed up to the stables the next day, it wasn’t a surprise to see Mindy waiting for her with her usual Cheshire cat smile. What was unusual was the fact that Mindy wasn’t there to spill the details about a night of debauchery. No, Mindy’s purpose was to get Ryder to spill the details of her evening.
“Mindy, are you stalking me or something?” Ryder half-teased. How would you know if I was speaking to Jake Carter late last night?”
“I have my ways.” Mindy smiled mysteriously. When Ryder crossed her arms over her chest and arched an eyebrow, Mindy expelled a loud huff of air. “Oh all right, I’ll ’fess up. My friend Chuck was filling in for the regular concierge at the country club.”
“The same Chuck you always talk about? The one you want to hook up with?”
“Yep. I must mention you a lot to him, too, since he recognized your name.” A slow smile spread across her face. “And he also recognized Jake Carter’s name. So spill.”
“There’s nothing much to say.”
Mindy frowned. “Are you going to give me that? Seriously?”
Ryder sighed. “Yeesh, all right. But there really isn’t that much to it. Jake butt-dialed me and since I could tell he was drunk I called the country club to make sure he had a ride.”
“He butt-dialed you? Why can’t I ever get that lucky?” She pretended to sigh dramatically. “I wish Jake Carter would butt-dial me. He’s sooooo dreamy!”
Ryder bit back a laugh. “Are you done?”
“Hardly.”
“What is it you want to know exactly?”
“Do you two have the hots for each other, or what?”
Ryder bit her lower lip. “I like him,” she said cautiously. “For an owner he’s extremely open to listening to what a trainer has to say.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” Mindy chastised. “I’ve known you a long time. You’re not dead. Why do you act it? Are you allergic to romance or something? Jake is mega hot, huge in this industry, and seems to really be into you.”
Ryder took in Mindy’s words but didn’t answer.
“Come on, Ryder,” Mindy urged. “Love is like horseracing. They’re both gambles. But they’re risks worth taking.”
“What makes you think Jake is ready to gamble on love? He only butt-dialed me, for God’s sakes. You make it sound like he proposed.”
“I’d take a proposition from him any day.”
“Mindy, cut it out, will you? I said proposed not propositioned. ”
Mindy laughed. “Start with one to get to the other.”
Ryder shot her a look.
“Okay, okay,” Mindy relented. “I’m being serious now. You want to blow off the significance of his phone call as a mere butt-dial. Let’s see. Did Jake hang up once you answered? Or did he want to talk to you instead?”
“Talk to me, of course, but it would have been rude otherwise.”
“He could have simply apologized and hung up.”
“He tried.”
“Not hard enough apparently. It wouldn’t have been rude to end the call. Mistakes happen. But he talked to you for a while, didn’t he?” When Ryder bit her bottom lip and stayed silent Mindy pressed more. “What did he say?”
Ryder shook her head.
“Spill,” Mindy insisted.
“He said I’m amazing,” Ryder said so softly it was hard to even hear herself.
“Amazing, huh?” Mindy’s grin was bigger than Texas. “I don’t think he butt-dialed you at all. I bet it was an excuse to talk to you.”
“Mindy, you’re being crazy as—”
“Sure I’m crazy,” Mindy interrupted with a wave. “But I’m not blind. When I saw him stare at you the last time he was here, it was with eyes so hot I’m surprised they didn’t leave scorch marks on your skin. They practically branded you, like you’re a horse from the Wild West.”
“You’re exagger—”
“Nope. I remember it crystal clear. I wish Chuck would look at me that way.” Mindy lowered her
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