Chapter 28
Addison
It had been a couple of days since I arrived in Wellington with Cash and Dahlia for WEF.
I found an amazing groom named Lacey who’d traveled with me to the show.
She was twenty years old, just moved to Primrose Hill, and was completing her college degree in animal science remotely.
She was looking for a training assistant / show groom position and ended up being the perfect fit.
She was a skilled rider and helped me work horses when we weren’t showing.
For shows, she traveled with me to care for the horses as well as ride any of them that I needed help with.
Being a one-woman show was a bit overwhelming at first, so having Lacey eased my workload quite a bit, and I was thrilled that I was able to afford her, given the success of my business.
The long-term plan was that she would take over my children’s lesson program, since her dream job was being a riding instructor and trainer.
She also shadowed me while I was training the younger horses.
Lacey was like a sponge and soaked up everything I taught her.
Jessica and Heather had also decided to join us at the show as part of a girls’ trip away from their families. I was just appreciative of the support, since this was the biggest Prix I’d ever competed in, and my family wasn’t able to attend with everything they had going on.
I was sitting on a tack trunk outside of Cash’s stall, scrolling through my phone, when a voice I’d know from anywhere caught my attention.
“Well, if it isn’t one of the youngest riders competing in the Grand Prix tonight.
” I jumped up off my trunk and lunged into Eli’s arms. He squeezed me tight.
“How’s my favorite duo doing? I heard that you had quite the round a couple of weeks ago in Evergreen River.
” Eli walked over to Cash’s stall, and Cash popped his head out for Eli to rub him.
I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. I was so happy to see my old trainer. “I had no idea that you were going to be here this week. I thought you were here competing during the earlier weeks.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I brought some horses down the first couple of weeks and then took a few weeks off before coming back for the final weeks of the show.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Well, shit, no pressure now that you’re here.”
“Oh, stop, you’re going to do great. I’m just excited to watch you guys go. How’s your new mare doing?”
“She’s incredible. Had a great first show in Evergreen River with her. I didn’t want to show her here, just brought her for some exposure.”
Eli nodded in understanding. “Want to go grab some lunch and catch up? I know how you like to be left alone before your ride.”
I laughed. “It seems everyone knows that. Yeah, let’s go eat. I could use a distraction until game time.”
Eli and I caught up over lunch. His business was booming per usual, and he’d found another “prodigy,” or so he called her, to replace me, but admitted she didn’t have the instincts I had.
I told him all about my business, my clients, my clients’ horses, and how lucky I felt for it to already be as successful as it was.
He said he wasn’t even the least bit surprised that I was the real deal, and I needed to start believing that.
The conversation with my old trainer and friend was just what I needed to get my mind right for tonight’s Prix.
With the field consisting of some of the world’s best, the likes of Lyle Ward, Betsy Frasier, and Kent Miller, I knew that this wasn’t a Prix I would likely win, but I just wanted to put in a well-ridden round.
This was my chance to make a statement for myself, Cash, and my farm in front of some of the most influential trainers and riders in the show jumping world.
I had my show jacket, helmet, and gloves on as I popped in my AirPods to start my usual ritual, a little Notorious B.I.G.
coming through the speakers. I sat down in the chair inside the makeshift tack room and closed my eyes, envisioning the course and the route I had mapped out when I walked it.
This Grand Prix was set higher than the one in Evergreen River.
It was set at 1.6 meters or five feet three inches, and even though I had jumped Cash that height at home, we had never shown at that height.
It also had the most prize money of any Prix I had competed in at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
I liked the course that the course designer came up with.
It was pretty straightforward, but he threw in some tricky combinations.
Lacey walked into the tack room and put a hand on my shoulder to get my attention. I opened my eyes and looked up at her, removing my AirPods. “You need to get on in about five minutes. They are already on the fifth horse.” I nodded, and Lacey made her way back out of the tack room to get Cash.
This was it. It was go time. I was going twelfth in the lineup of a massive field of over thirty horses, and somehow I was still one of the youngest riders to compete at this level out of the bunch. I tried to let that fact sink in and give me the confidence that I needed to complete the job.
Lacey led Cash out to me and stopped him in front of the mounting block.
I placed my left foot in the stirrup and swung my right leg over the top of him and settled into my saddle.
I sat there for a minute, taking a deep, calming breath before gathering my reins and heading toward the warm-up ring.
I patted his neck as we walked down the path toward the ring. “Here goes nothing, buddy.”
Eli ended up meeting me down at the warm-up ring to help Lacey set jumps for me and to be the moral support that he knew I needed.
Cash was warming up the same way he did in Evergreen River, which only boosted my confidence.
Even Eli commented on how good he looked.
Once I felt confident in how we were both jumping, I let Cash walk for a couple of laps before heading toward the ingate to the arena to watch the few rounds ahead of me.
Once I stepped up to the ingate, Cash’s ear immediately pricked forward at all the sights and sounds.
I took that second to really take in this moment and soak it all in.
It wasn’t called Saturday Night Lights for nothing—the lights shone brightly onto the massive arena, the stands were filled with spectators, the jumps were vivid and colorful, and gorgeous horses and talented riders showcased spectacular athletic abilities.
It was truly a sight to behold, and I was lucky enough to get to ride in that arena with these accomplished riders and horses.
In that moment, I felt the pressure that I put on myself ease.
I had made it this far. Just being here and getting to ride in this Grand Prix was enough, no matter the outcome, and that feeling truly brought a calmness and a sense of peace over me.
Eli patted Cash’s neck and looked up at me as Lacey ran a rag over my boots to polish them before I entered the ring. “You know where you’re going?”
I barked out a laugh. Eli asked me that question every single time I was about to go into the ring when I used to ride with him, and the nostalgia that it brought back made my chest squeeze.
“Yes, sir.” I gave him my usual response, followed by the customary salute.
He saluted back with the proudest smile overtaking his face. “Go get ’em, kid.” I nodded and trotted Cash into the arena.
As the announcer introduced us to the large crowd, I circled Cash around a few jumps that I thought he might take a peek at.
I heard some particularly loud cheers shouting my name, which caught my attention because it sounded an awful lot like my brother Walker.
I turned my head, and it felt like my heart was lodged in my throat.
Tears immediately pricked the back of my eyes.
I didn’t know how I’d missed them when I entered the ring, but my mom, dad, Walker, Weston, and Ava were in one of the VIP boxes near the ingate.
In the box next to them was Dean, his parents, Archer, and Harper.
I looked at the box holding my family and put my hand over my heart, a huge smile on my face.
My family returned the gesture, and then my eyes shifted over to Dean.
Butterflies immediately took flight at the sight of him.
He had the sexiest smile aimed in my direction, and he blew me a kiss.
I was so caught off guard by the sight of all of them that all I could do was smile and wave.
Harper’s words flashed through my mind. Dean has shown up for you day after day.
I felt like I had finally gained the clarity I needed because I knew in that moment that I didn’t need proof that Dean hadn’t sent those text messages.
Deep down, I knew who Dean was and the kind of man he was.
I knew that I loved him, and after seeing him sitting in that box surrounded by all my friends and family, I was fairly certain that he loved me too.
With everyone I ever wanted in this arena with me, I was ready to get to work. The buzzer signaled me to start, and I moved Cash into a canter to make our approach to the first jump.
The entire course felt like a blur, like I was having an out-of-body experience and just floating above the arena watching it all unfold.
Cash jumped his heart out. He was with me every step of the way, even saved my ass on a couple of jumps.
When we landed off the last jump and the crowd erupted, I hadn’t even realized we’d gone clean.
I turned my focus to the scoreboard, and to my utter shock and surprise, we indeed went clear within the time allowed and were headed to the jump-off.
Honestly, I already felt like I had won at that point, but damn, did it feel good.