Epilogue
Seb
Eleven Months Later
“Seb! Five-minute reminder!”
Chris’s shout echoes across to where I’m showing a prospective boarder the grazing pasture.
I wave in acknowledgment, then turn back to the visitor.
“Sorry, I’m afraid I need to head out. We’re done with the tour, anyway, but do you have any questions I can answer while we walk back?”
The woman, a serious-faced mother in her late forties who plans to finally give her fourteen-year-old daughter a horse this Christmas, purses her lips and falls into step with me.
“I think you’ve covered everything. The schedule of fees is in this folder, isn’t it?” She holds up the glossy manila folder I gave her that has our branding on the front.
“Yes, along with almost everything we’ve discussed and a FAQ sheet—plus our contact details so you can reach out if anything else occurs to you.”
She nods.
“And you think there’s a chance Chris will take her on as a private student?”
This is tricky.
“Her competition results so far are impressive,” I hedge.
“We can definitely enroll her into our advanced dressage and showjumping classes, but Chris may feel that she needs a few more years’ experience in local competition before beginning more intense training. She’s still very young.”
The mother smiles and gives a satisfied nod.
“That’s what I was hoping to hear, rather than a hard sales pitch. Dee has Olympic ambitions, and I’m not going to hold her back, but I won’t let her rush beyond her capabilities either.” We reach the stableyard and stop, and she holds out a hand to me.
“Thanks for the tour, Seb. Hold a place for us, and I’ll give you a call tomorrow to get the paperwork started.”
I thank her and watch her leave, trying not to feel too smug.
“Well?” Chris asks. “That was Dee Caulford’s mum, wasn’t it? I’m sure I recognize her from the circuit.”
“Yes, you do. She’s buying Dee a horse of her own at last and wants to stable it here.”
Chris’s brows shoot up.
“Really? Wonder why not at Mayborough, since that’s where Dee rides.”
I give him a level look, and he grins.
“No way, really? Dee’s joining us here?”
“You’re a big selling point, mate. Dee wants to start competition prep with you, but her mum and I agree that she’ll abide by your decision on when she’s ready.”
“She’s not far off,” he says frankly.
“But we can talk about that later. You need to run or you’ll be late.”
I glance at my watch and swear, then take off running for the house.
“Call if there?—”
“There’s not going to be problems!” he yells after me.
He’s probably right.
Thankfully, I showered before I did the tour, so all I have to do now is switch my boots for shoes and grab my overnight bag.
I’m totally not going to be late.
I am so late.
In my defense, I couldn’t have foretold the massive accident on the Monash, resulting in a ten-car pile-up and all lanes being completely closed for a full ninety minutes.
By the time I realized what had happened, it was too late to exit, so I was stuck there, waiting, and hoping nobody was seriously injured.
By the time I race into Jack’s apartment, tearing off my T-shirt as I go, he’s already long gone.
After all, he’s the host of the ball—he couldn’t arrive late.
But he sent the driver back for me, so as soon as I’m dressed appropriately, I’ll be on my way to join him.
I just have to wrangle these stupid cuff links first.
I’m breathless when I slide into the passenger seat of the car and say, “Let’s go.”
Ladi, Jack’s go-to driver at the private car company, puts the car in gear and teases, “You know you’re supposed to sit in the back, right?”
“Don’t test me, man. I have a long night of sucking up to rich people ahead of me.”
He laughs and we talk about the cricket for the short drive.
I feel like I’ve conquered Everest when I finally walk into the ballroom.
The event is going just as well as last year, except this time, I get smiles and nods and the occasional greeting from people I pass.
Jack and I don’t do a lot of society socializing, but it’s enough that people know who I am.
“Drink?”
I turn to thank the server but find myself being offered a tumbler of scotch by Sarah.
She looks gorgeous in a long, sparkly blue dress, and there’s a laugh in her eyes.
“You’re going to need this,” she warns as I take it.
“I’ve been asked if I think you’d like to join the board of the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria.”
I choke on my sip of scotch.
“What?” I wheeze. “I don’t even garden!”
“Nope, but you manage the gardens at the Vale, and I heard a rumor that they need someone with business acumen now that Lily Messing is retiring.”
Staring at her in dismay, I process that, then knock back the rest of the scotch.
“Okay. I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’s a later problem. Where’s Jack?”
Sarah takes my empty glass and gestures to the left.
“He’s been waiting for you. See you later.” She slips away into the crowd, and I make my way toward the man I love.
He’s laughing at something his brother said—because Malcolm’s surprise visit last year and their subsequent argument were the catalyst for them to reconnect, and even though they’ll never be besties, they’re a lot closer now.
It makes me happy, both for Jack’s sake and because I know Warwick would have liked it.
“Sorry I’m late,” I say as I join them, and Jack grins at me.
“Just glad you made it. Mal here reckoned you were making it up to get out of coming, and now he owes me twenty.”
I raise a brow at Malcolm, who has the grace to look sheepish.
“Sorry?”
“No worries. That twenty’s going to pay for our HSP when we’re done here.” Because every night out is best ended with a kebab and hot chips.
Malcolm snorts. “As if you can’t afford your own, now that the riding school has two Olympians training there. I saw the article in Equestrian Life .”
I try not to look smug but fail.
“Yeah. That was a good one.” To be fair, a lot of that is because of Chris, but I take credit for working with him to implement the programs and facilities he needs.
“Mal,” someone calls, and he lifts a hand.
“I’ll talk to you both later.”
We wave him off, and then Jack turns to smile only at me.
“I’m glad you made it.”
“Me too. I’d never miss your big night. Nervous about the speech?”
He shakes his head.
“Not now that you’re here. How could I be nervous when I’ve got my fiancé to cheer me on?”
I get it.
I feel the same way.
Even the hard things seem more achievable now that I have my own business, spend every day with horses, and love the most amazing man in the world.
And I owe it all to Warwick.
Thanks for reading Saddles & Suits !