13. Mika

13

MIKA

T he energy is high as I walk the line of stalls we’ve been assigned at Saratoga Springs’s famous race track. We have seven box stalls designated for the weekend’s event, all of which were generously bedded by the hands I sent ahead of the trailer to set up.

We pulled in just after dawn, because I like to give the horses as much time to settle in as I can.

“How’s Fate?” I ask, joining Hector at the grooming stall.

Piper’s with the groom already, standing at the filly’s head. Her saddle is cinched to the chestnut’s back as Fate waits expectantly. Her eyes hold that competitive fire that tells me she’s ready for anything, but her energy is steady.

“Ready to go, as always,” Hector confirms, his tone affectionate. He pats her copper chest, then turns back to the shelf of grooming supplies.

“And you?” I ask Piper.

The young jockey beams, her excitement somehow overflowing and simultaneously under careful control. “More than ready,” she assures me, tightening the chin strap of her helmet.

She’s dressed in the Carvers’ signature blue-and-gold silks, and the familiar sight makes my heart squeeze. I’m glad that, even if the Carvers no longer own the barn, they’re still present in spirit. I just hope Alfie doesn’t drive their legacy into the ground. Admittedly, he’s done little to change anything about the program they let me run—another thing to be grateful for, even if my emotions about the new barn owner are conflicted.

“Good.” I give Piper a curt nod and turn my eyes back to the filly as she bobs her head in agreement.

“Is Se?or Bonetti coming to the track today?” Javier asks, a hint of agitation in his voice as he comes up beside me.

The conversations about our new barn owner have continued in whispers since I told the hands to stop gossiping. They know better than to talk about him in front of me unless the conversation is absolutely necessary, but I still catch snippets when they think I’m not listening.

It’s been nearly a week since Alfie’s last visit. At first, I thought the new helipad’s installation meant I would have to endure his presence constantly. But the landing pad has long since set, and he hasn’t been back since I told him I would quit if he kept pushing me. I’m not sure whether to feel relieved or concerned. I don’t like surprises, and it feels like Alfie has been throwing me curve balls since the day we met.

“He hasn’t said one way or the other,” I say in a clipped tone, focusing intently on Fate as I finger-comb her forelock down onto her face. “He knows which races his horses are running, and if he comes, he may just prefer to stay in the clubhouse.” I don’t know why it should bother me, but my stomach sinks at the thought that he might be enjoying the Turf Terrace dining room with his fiancée right now.

Javier gives a sharp nod before dropping the subject, but it stays on my mind. I imagine Alfie will come to see his prize filly race. What proud owner wouldn’t want to watch how his investment’s panning out? But I don’t get the impression that Alfie finds the horses all that interesting, and after a week of his absence, I don’t know what to expect.

Most owners have some kind of ritual like stopping by to wish their horses luck, a routine they follow before every race without fail. Whether it’s out of superstition or a genuine interest in their horses, I’ve never known an owner to avoid the barn on race day. But since Alfie’s not familiar with the horse world, maybe it doesn’t matter to him.

“Let’s put on her bridle,” I say, glancing down at my wristwatch. “I’d rather get her out to the paddock early so she has plenty of time to warm up.”

Hector nods and turns toward the grooming stall wall for the white polyester bridle that stands out so nicely against her red coat.

“How’s our girl?”

The smooth, masculine voice sends a jolt through my body. I tense before slowly turning to find Alfie Bonetti standing behind me. He looks as stylish as ever, in a navy-blue suit and a crisp white shirt. A blue-and-gold tie, tucked neatly beneath the buttons of his blazer, matches the silks he took possession of. As usual, his hair is styled perfectly, with just the right amount of stubble on his jaw to make him look casually sophisticated. His eyes dance as they meet mine, and his lips curve into a smirk that makes my pulse flutter. But my stomach sinks when I spot the delicate young woman on his arm.

Wearing a frilly, red, off-the-shoulder floral-print maxi dress with a white wide-brimmed derby hat and a thick red ribbon to match, she’s gut-wrenchingly stunning. Her mahogany hair falls in perfect waves over her shoulders, shining with luscious verve. And though her makeup is minimal, her features are striking enough that I’m sure she would be just as attractive without it.

Soft eyebrows arch over stunning hazel eyes, and her thick lashes brush her high cheekbones every time she blinks. She’s not what I would expect of a Russian bride. I’d pictured her being more blonde and delicate. But I can see why Alfie would be attracted to her. She’s gorgeous, and her dimpled smile is brimming with a joy that’s almost contagious.

An unexpected flare of jealousy rips through me as I realize this must be Alfie’s fiancée. Why he would even look at me when he’s marrying someone so refined and strikingly dainty, I have no idea. I’m her opposite in almost every way. I’m dirty, rough around the edges, and always dressed pragmatically because I don’t have a lick of fashion sense—nor do I care to develop one when I spend my days getting slobbered on by horses.

Coming face to face with the woman he’s being unfaithful to puts my emotions in a snarl. I’m tempted to warn the poor girl. She deserves to know what he’s capable of, what he’s done and will likely continue to do after they’re married. But I’ve miraculously managed to keep my job so far, and I know it would be wiser to bite my tongue. During Alfie’s absence this past week, I’ve had time to consider my options, and I came to the conclusion that I want to work with Fate and continue on with this stable of horses badly enough that I’m willing to endure my new boss.

“Mika?” Alfie says.

I start as I realize I’ve been staring at the beautiful young woman on his arm. Shifting my gaze back to Alfie, I find him watching me expectantly. I never answered his question, did I? “Good. Fate’s been great.” I clear my throat in an attempt to get my voice under control. “She traveled nicely this morning, and her energy is high, but not nervous. She’s ready for her race, which is scheduled to start shortly.”

I look pointedly back at my watch, but my eyes travel surreptitiously back to Alfie’s fiancée. She seems too taken with Fate to have noticed my odd behavior. She gives Alfie a questioning glance, and he nods encouragingly. Releasing his elbow, she steps forward and puts her hand beneath the filly’s soft nose.

The fashionable young woman must know what she’s doing around horses because she holds out her palm, fingers pressed together in a soft cup to allow Fate to sniff her without mistaking her for a carrot.

And when Fate flares her nostrils, wiggling the tip of her nose against the girl’s palm, Alfie’s fiancée lets out a soft, delighted giggle. Seeming oblivious to the possibility of getting dirty, the girl steps close to stroke Fate’s forehead as the filly lowers it—a sign of trust not everyone earns from my wild child. And she doesn’t bat an eye when several white hairs from Fate’s star come loose and land on her pretty dress .

Despite the ugly knot of jealousy I can’t quite seem to squash, I find it hard not to like Alfie’s future bride. She has a gentle, natural touch and is clearly at home with animals. Not to mention, she seems fully invested in showering Fate with some much-deserved affection. It dawns on me then that Fate might have been intended as a gift, that Alfie came to buy her for his fiancée, and my confusion intensifies.

Stunned into silence, I observe the exchange.

Did I dream it all up?

I would be sorely tempted to consider the possibility if the feeling of his lips against mine weren’t seared into my memory, if the thought of his hand down my pants didn’t send a shiver up my spine. Just thinking about it makes my skin feverish, and my lips tingle with the ghost of his kiss. But it seems almost impossible to believe that the man who came on to me so brazenly is the same man standing in front of me right now. Anyone who saw him with his fiancée would say he genuinely loves the girl currently smothering my top athlete with adoration.

Alfie seems to notice Hector’s frozen uncertainty as the groom waits to bridle Fate. Piper shifts awkwardly on her feet, not saying anything but also aware that I told Hector to finish tacking Fate up. Alfie gets the young woman’s attention by tapping her bare shoulder, and she turns to beam at him, her full-lipped smile as model-worthy as his. Hers is no less charming but glaringly more genuine than the one he uses for everyone but her.

“Sorry, where are my manners?” Alfie says as he gently guides the young woman back to his side. “I haven’t introduced you yet, have I?” His striking hazel eyes find mine, and my traitorous heart skips a beat when he flashes that winning smile. “Mika, this is my sister, Nina. Nina, Mika is the woman training your new horses.”

Alfie’s fingers move in an intricate dance before his chest, and the girl’s eyes flash down to watch them. It hits me like a sledgehammer, practically knocking me off my feet—he’s using sign language, which means she must be deaf.

Am I hearing things, or did he just call her his sister?

My mind reels as I realize my unexpected flare of jealousy was unnecessary. The wave of heady relief that follows is nearly as baffling. I feel as though Alfie just keeps pulling the rug out from under me. At the same time, several puzzle pieces fall into place. Alfie wasn’t buying Fate as a source of entertainment—which explains his lack of interest in her. He was looking at her for his sister, who’s clearly smitten with the animals. Alfie looks at Nina with such gentle affection—it clearly brings him joy to make her happy. I don’t quite know what to make of it. This man standing before me is someone entirely different from who I imagined Alfie Bonetti to be. I don’t have time to riddle that out before Nina’s fingers are moving at the speed of light, and Alfie translates for me.

“Nina says, ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you. My brother has told me a lot about you, so I feel like I already know you. I’m excited to see how your training philosophy plays out on the track today.’”

Heat pools in my cheeks to hear that Alfie’s been talking about me to his sister.

I try to keep up with my racing thoughts, but it’s too much. Alfie has a sister who he bought a horse for—no, he bought an entire barn for her. He didn’t bring his fiancée to the track, but he did bring his deaf sister, who he’s translating for, to include her in the conversation. Not to mention, apparently, though he hasn’t visited the barn in almost a week, he still felt the need to tell Nina about me. He’s talked about me to the point that she feels like she knows me. That’s a lot to wrap my head around.

I don’t know what to make of Alfie anymore. I took such a dislike to him the day we met, and until now, he’s done little to change my mind. Yes, he paid an outlandish price for the barn, which demonstrated that he wasn’t trying to swindle the Carvers. But even that seemed to have an underlying motive—the message that he could spend whatever it takes to get what he wants. What he did for his sister, on the other hand, seems entirely generous. The only thing he’s getting out of it is the pleasure of her happiness.

Alfie’s playful gaze finds mine once more, and his smile seems more genuine and open, making my pulse quicken. Maybe it’s because my perception of him has changed. Either way, it steals my breath away, and I’m left gaping at my employer as I search for an appropriate response. Before I can find one, the overhead loudspeaker crackles to life, announcing the upcoming race, which means it’s time for Piper to mount up.

“That’s our cue,” I say, pointing up to the speaker tucked into the corner at the top of the barn wall. “We don’t want to miss a race we drove all this way for, right? Nina, it was a pleasure to meet you.” I’m surprised by how sincerely I mean that. Usually, meeting people requires a certain amount of tolerance on my part, but I’m pleasantly surprised to find I actually like Nina, just from the short time I’ve known her.

Nina signs a quick reply before taking my hand, and she doesn’t seem the least bit bothered by my dirty palm.

Alfie translates for me. “She says, ‘It’s wonderful to meet you too. I hope we can become good friends.’”

I glance up at Alfie’s chiseled face, and when our eyes meet, my heart skips another beat.

“Good luck,” he says, speaking for himself this time, though he continues to sign for his sister. “We’ll be rooting for you from the stands. See you in the winner’s circle.”

He winks, and an unexpected wave of giddiness washes through me. Pressing my lips together to avoid saying something embarrassing, I give a curt nod. Nina gives Fate’s nose one last affectionate stroke, then she accepts her brother’s arm as he offers to escort her from the barn. Alfie’s bodyguards follow, and I’ve been so engrossed with the Bonetti siblings, they almost look like they form out of the shadows as they depart. He’s brought a whole team of them today, I note, not just his usual two.

I stare after the Bonetti siblings, dumbfounded, as Hector jumps into action, bridling the red filly.