Chapter 34
thirty-four
. . .
Axel
I’d stood up for Easton today in a beautiful ceremony, and the entire time, I thought about Wren. I thought about our future. I thought about how I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.
I’d gotten a text from her after the dressage portion of the competition.
She said it had gone okay, and she was sitting in fourth place after day one.
I’d called her before I went into the reception, and she didn’t sound like herself.
She said that Coach Sharky had been upset with her performance, and her father barely spoke to her after she’d put Wrax in the stall for the day.
She was back in the room with Jillian, and she said she was going to try to rest up for tomorrow.
But something was off with Wren, and I felt uneasy about it.
“You look like you’re a million miles away. What’s going on?” Bridger asked as he pulled up a chair beside me at the table where I was sipping my beer.
“Everything’s fine. Great wedding. It was nice of you to let them throw their wedding here.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Stop bullshitting me and tell me what’s going on,” he said, just as my brother walked over and sat on the other side of me.
“Yeah, something is off with you tonight. Have you heard from Wren? How’d she do on day one?” Archer asked.
I blew out a breath. “She’s been off. I don’t know what it is. She said today didn’t go great, but she’s sitting in fourth place, which is fucking amazing! But she’s got a coach and a dad who both ride her ass, and I just feel bad that I’m not there to support her, you know?”
“So go there,” Bridger said.
“Dude. We’re in the middle of Easton’s wedding.”
“Dude. They’re married,” Archer said. “Fly there tonight and you’ll be there for the last two days of her competition. If you think she needs you, then you should trust your gut.”
I nodded before pulling out my phone to check flights, but Bridger’s hand smacked mine, knocking my phone to the floor.
“What the fuck was that?” I hissed before reaching down to grab it.
He kicked it with his foot so it was even farther away.
“You have a cousin with a private plane and a pilot. Why the fuck are you searching flights?”
“Because I’m flying alone, jackass. I’m not going to have the plane fly only me across the country,” I grumped before picking up my phone and sitting back down.
“This is an emergency. You need to get there quickly.” He typed into his phone. “You can take it both ways. Whatever you need. Just stop trying to figure everything out for yourself. We’ve got your back, you know that.”
“That’ll save you the time of sitting at the airport,” Archer added. “With the time change, if you leave in the next two hours, you’ll be there in the morning before she starts.”
“Lars already responded. He can be ready to go at midnight tonight. You can stay for cake and then go pack a bag and head to the hangar. You’ve got a six-hour flight and a three-hour time change, so you’ll be there by nine a.m. tomorrow.”
I nodded. “Thank you, B. And you don’t think Easton will care if I bow out early?”
“What won’t Easton care about?” Easton chuckled as he moved in front of me and crossed his arms over his chest.
I filled him in on what was happening, and a wide grin spread across his face. “I’m glad you finally admitted you’re miserable going this long without seeing her. I’m happy you were here for the ceremony, but get the hell out of here and go see your girl.”
“Lars isn’t ready yet, so he can have cake first. That is, if you ever decide to slice it and let the rest of us eat it,” Bridger griped.
“Damn, you are such a hangry bastard. We’re doing cake next,” Easton said with a laugh.
And that’s exactly what I did. I ate some cake. Hugged everyone goodbye. And then I hauled ass to my house to pack a bag, and I made it just in time to the hangar before we took off.
I thanked Lars profusely for flying me when we landed in New York. And I laughed when I saw a car waiting for me right on the runway, with a man holding a sign that read: Stubborn Ass.
“I’m guessing my cousin sent you?” I asked the older man, and he chuckled.
“You must be Axel?”
“Yep.” I loaded my bag and gave him the address, and I checked my phone to see a missed text from Wren.
I hadn’t told her I was coming. I wanted to surprise her. She had enough on her plate right now.
Hey baby. Thinking of you this morning. Deep breaths. Just go out there and have fun. Tune out all those voices and just enjoy being there with Wrax the way you always have.
Wren
Thank you. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. I feel at peace this morning. I’m dying to hear more about the wedding. Thanks for sending all those photos. I just had breakfast, and I need to go check on Wrax.
All right. Check in when you can, okay? Good luck. I love you.
And then I sent her the words I knew she needed to hear this morning.
That’s my Horse Girl, sitting up high. She shines brighter than all the stars in the sky. Soaring through the air, with strength and grace. Try to catch her, and she’ll put you in your place. She’s got big dreams, just watch her fly. In a heartbeat, she’ll pass you by.
Wren
I love you, Cowboy.
I tucked my phone in my pocket as we drove the short distance to the competition site.
Once I arrived, I tipped the driver and thanked him for the ride. He gave me his cell phone number and told me to text him when I was ready to be picked up tomorrow evening.
I’d only brought a duffle bag, which I slung over my shoulder as I maneuvered through the crowd.
A man on a loudspeaker was making announcements, and I knew Wren was going to be called any minute.
Today was cross-country, which was the most dangerous event, but she’d always come alive during this phase.
I heard her name being called out, and the crowd cheered wildly as I started jogging toward the arena just as she and Wrax trotted out.
She didn’t see me, and that was okay.
I was here.
I’d made it.
The cross-country phase was designed to test the horse and its rider across the board. Stamina, jumping, obstacles—all of it. And Wren and Wrax had always shined here. And I loved watching my girl come to life.
“Axel,” Coach Sharky said as he stepped up beside me. “I didn’t know you were coming today.”
“Neither did I. It was a last-minute decision.” I didn’t turn to look at him. I stared straight ahead at Wren, just as she started.
Damn, my girl was such a badass. She took off all fierce and full of fire as I looked up at the clock.
Time was an element in this phase.
Over fences. Through water, and around sharp turns.
She was completely focused.
Free and full of joy.
Just doing her thing.
“Come on,” Coach Sharky hissed beside me as his hands gripped the post where we were standing. “Come on. That fucking horse better not lose momentum.”
I wasn’t sure if he even realized that he’d said it aloud.
I just watched, tilting left as she took a sharp turn, as if I were out there with her.
Her jumps were clean. Hell, she was complete perfection.
And when she finished the grueling course, the crowd made it known that she’d impressed the hell out of them.
She waved before trotting to start to leave the ring, when her eyes met mine.
Her mouth fell open, and she climbed off Wrax and handed his reins to Coach Sharky as she launched herself into my arms.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, breathless.
“You’re here.”
She bit her bottom lip as she slid down my body, just as her score was announced.
A perfect score. A clear round and no time penalties. This course was particularly challenging to complete in the optimum time.
“Yes!” her coach said, pumping his fist. “I think you’re going to be the only one who can come in under time on this course.”
She nodded, and I noticed a clear disconnect between Coach Sharky and her.
At least on her end.
I knew Wren well, and she wasn’t fully in with this guy.
Her father walked over with Chrissy beside him. She was holding an oversized umbrella over her head, which I guessed was for blocking the sun. But she looked a little ridiculous carrying this thing around.
“A perfect score. That’s my girl,” her father said as he wrapped her up in a hug.
“Hey, Axel.” Collin extended a hand, and I shook it. “I thought you’d be at the wedding?”
“I left late last night after we finished up the reception, and I arrived this morning to surprise her.”
“I love surprises,” Chrissy said.
“Then perhaps I should surprise you with a smaller umbrella for tomorrow,” Charles said as he offered me a hand. “Nice to see you, Axel.”
I nodded and forced a smile. I didn’t like the pressure that her father put on her, but I knew this was her family, and I’d need to make an effort to keep the peace.
“Best surprise ever,” Wren said as her fingers intertwined with mine, and she took Wrax’s reins back.
“You should probably get him out of the heat,” Coach Sharky said to her father as they both watched the next athlete start.
He turned to Wren. “I’m just hoping he’s got the energy to rally again tomorrow, because I have a hunch it’s going to come down to two people. You and Jacques. Just as I suspected.”
“We’ll be back,” Wren called out.
“No. I want you inside and resting. Out of the heat.”
She paused and then turned around. “I’m coming back to watch Jillian and Jacques. And then I’ll get out of the sun.” She held his stare.
Atta girl.
I couldn’t help but smirk at the confused look on his face, but he gave her a curt nod before his gaze met mine.
If he thought he was going to intimidate me, he was sorely fucking mistaken. I winked at him before I turned and walked away with my girl by my side.
And everything felt right again.
We left Wrax in his stall after she’d praised the hell out of him, and I did the same. Some professional groomers were there, all ready to give Wrax some well-deserved pampering. After a bit of conversation, we made our way back out there to watch a few of her friends and competitors.
At the end of the day, Coach Sharky’s calculations were correct. Jacques was in the first position, and Wren had closed the gap, her score just a tenth of a point behind his.
She’d dominated the cross-country phase, and it showed.
We had dinner with a few of her friends, and Collin came along with us. He was definitely trying to mend his relationship with his sister. I couldn’t fault the dude for trying.
“She seems a million times better now that you’re here,” he said to me as he sipped his beer.
“Yeah? Well, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“You make her happy, Axel.” He set his mug down on the table. “She deserves that.”
“She does.” My voice was unwavering.
“I’d like to play the big brother role and tell you that you best not hurt her, but I don’t seem to be in a position to be saying that.” He snorted.
“You don’t need to worry about that. It’s not in my DNA to hurt Wren. That girl owns me.”
“Yeah. She always has.”
Damn straight.