Alone in the tack room, Raine sank down onto a bench seat near the wall, saddle hugged tight to her stomach.
Shit. She was going back to Denver.
It wasn’t just that she’d have to work with a new trainer she didn’t know, but she’d have to face that arrogant jerk at Uncle Mark’s stable again. She wished she didn’t remember his name. Or the color of his eyes, the way his shirt had molded his broad shoulders, or how her pulse had tripped each time they came face to face.
But she did remember Reyes Torrez. All too well.
He’d featured in numerous girlish fantasies since she was fifteen, and a few more since she’d seen him again last summer. She could hope he’d been fired for some other jackass thing he’d done since then, but given the history between his family and Uncle Mark’s, that was nothing more than a pipe dream.
3
Reyes was bent over checking Morning Glory’s horseshoes when the sound of approaching footsteps had him glancing under his arm. He released the mare’s foot and straightened to face the senator—also his boss. “Afternoon, Mark. I thought you and Janine were heading back to Washington today.”
“We’re on our way out, but I needed to come ask a personal favor before I left.”
“Sure. Name it.” He glanced past his shoulder to see their town car waiting beyond the open doors, their driver and bodyguard leaning against the front passenger door.
“First of all, I’m going to hold you to that,” the senator said with a grin as he stroked his palm along the thoroughbred’s neck. “Second, in the future, you might want to hear the favor before you agree to it.”
Reyes returned his smile. “That’s an ominous warning coming from a politician.”
Mark chuckled. “So true. Anyway, do you remember my niece from Texas who visited last year? She came down to the barn for a ride?”
Now his smile faltered. Raine Diamond. A woman impossible to forget—even though he’d tried over the past ten months.
Following her progress on the jumping circuit is not trying.
Whatever.
“I remember her,” he confirmed cautiously.
“She took a bad spill at the end of last season and got banged up pretty bad.”
Yeah, he’d read about her fall and resulting shoulder surgery. And while she should’ve had plenty of time to heal, she and her champion Trakehner had faulted to the bottom of the board at the first two competitions of the season.
Despite their adversarial encounter last summer, he had sympathy for her—in a general sense, nothing more.
“Sorry to hear that,” he murmured.
Mark gave a solemn nod. “She’s recovered physically, but she’s been having some issues with her horse ever since. My brother called yesterday and asked if you’d be willing to work with them.”
His pulse skipped at the request, and he had to fight to keep his expression neutral. “I work with horses, not people.”
“They’re a package deal.”
“Then I’m not your guy.”
“I told Matt what you’ve done with Janine’s rescue horses, and he seems to think you’d be perfect.”
Reyes frowned in confusion. “Based solely on your word?”
“Well, he is my brother.” A small smile curved his boss’ lips. “And he also overheard you stand up to Raine last summer.”
Oh, shit, seriously? Heat flashed through him at the thought of her father overhearing that exchange. He’d been blunt and rude to knock her down off her high horse, but he’d have kept his mouth shut if he’d known anyone else was around. Maybe.
Knowing Mark knew about their encounter heaped on yet another level of discomfort—although, if it had been a problem, he wouldn’t still have a job. “After that, I’d think I’m the last person he’d want working with his daughter.”
The senator shrugged. “My niece is used to getting her way, and it’s not working with her current trainer.”