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The moment had been too magnificent to pass up and Earl, along with the rest of them, had wanted to savor every second of it. He’d been so overcome with emotion that tears coursed down his cheeks during the award ceremony. But he’d remained standing through it all, refusing to take a seat even when his legs began to tremble. Even Cheyenne had cried, smiling as she wiped her tears and peppered kisses all over Another Round’s neck.
The day had been a great one, and no one wanted it to end.
As a continuation of the celebration, they’d all walked Another Round from the Winner’s Circle back to the barn. Another Round had earned a pampering cooldown and a peaceful rest in his stall. Everyone pitched in. Cheyenne and Nancy took the lead, hosing the colt down, soaping him up and massaging his tight muscles, helping him relax after the feverish race.
Jo and Brooks helped as well while Earl and Frankie stood nearby, taking turns patting his neck and rubbing his forehead, whispering praise.
A small crowd had gathered near them, watching the routine quietly so as not to startle Another Round. They admired him from afar, taking pictures and selfies, whispering to one another the qualities they admired most about him.
“You’ve got some new fans, boy,” Cheyenne said, kissing his forehead. “They can’t get enough of you.”
“And that’s how it should be,” Brooks said, rubbing Another Round’s back. “We all knew he was a winner at heart and now so does everyone else.” He looked at Jo, his eyes warm and adoring. “I’d say he earned this win. We all did.”
“I think we should celebrate.” Frankie, her arm looped through Earl’s, supporting him as they stood watching, smiled. “I can check with our hotel,” she said, “and see if the private room is available for a late-evening dinner. We could all be together like we were at Christmas to celebrate our win.”
Jo paused in the act of brushing Another Round’s mane and nodded eagerly. “I think that’d be a perfect way to spend the evening.”
Brooks agreed. There was nothing he wanted more at the moment than to spend time with Jo and the rest of the team who’d helped Another Round cross the finish line first. It was Jo and Earl’s second Derby win but more than likely, the last one for all of them . . . at least for a while. After all their hard work, it was time to celebrate, kick back, and simply enjoy each other’s company.
Three hours later, after Another Round had been returned to his stall for a healthy meal and a well-deserved rest, Brooks had returned to his hotel and now, he stepped out of his own hot shower, toweled off, and dressed in nice jeans and a dress shirt, taking care to comb his hair and adjust his collar neatly to look presentable for dinner despite the fact that all he wanted to do was slip down the hall, knock on Jo’s hotel room door, and sweep her into his arms.
He had, as Earl had suggested, put business first for months now. It was past time he put pleasure first for a change.
Apart from Frankie and Earl, Brooks was the first to arrive downstairs at the hotel restaurant. The staff, excited over Another Round’s recent win, had set aside a private room for them, free of charge, with a complimentary dinner to celebrate. Brooks entered the private room where a large oak table with high-back chairs sat center stage and a wide picture window presented a view of the moonlit grounds outside the restaurant.
“Come take a seat, Brooks,” Frankie said, standing. She’d exchanged her fancy Derby outfit for a more relaxed but equally nice pants suit. She waved her hand toward a seat at the head of the table next to where she and Earl were sitting. “As the boss of this operation, I think you should take the head of the table.”
Brooks smiled, crossed the room, and hugged Frankie. “That’s kind of you, Frankie. But we all know I’m not the boss around here.”
Earl, seated next to Frankie, chuckled, then held up a hand, beckoning Brooks closer. “You know a winner when you see one. You were the first to see it in Another Round. Thank you for bringing us along on this journey.”
Brooks bent and hugged the older man, patting his back. Earl had made remarkable strides of his own over the past few months, working hard to regain his strength and improve his speech.
Brooks, basking in Earl’s rare approval, took a chance, and whispered in his ear, “Now that we’ve gotten the business end of things out of the way, I guess I have your permission to spend a little time with Jo?”
Earl pulled back, his eyes narrowing at Brooks. “For the right reasons?”
Brooks nodded. “Yes, sir. When it comes to Jo, I have nothing but honorable intentions.”
Earl smiled wide and patted his arm. “Then I’d say you’ve earned some free time. You have my permission to set business aside for a while and celebrate instead.”
Brooks straightened and glanced around. “When’s Jo coming down?”
Frankie looked up, her gaze moving toward the entrance to the private room as she nodded. “Right about now, it looks like.”
And sure enough, there she was. Jo stood on the threshold of the private dining room, flanked by Cheyenne, Nancy, and Lee who walked across the room, all smiles, and took seats at the table. Brooks barely noticed though. His eyes were on Jo. The peach dress she wore clung to her shapely curves, her long curls flowed freely over her shoulders, and she wore minimal makeup, her naturally lovely complexion glowing.
Man, she was beautiful.
Jo remained standing on the threshold, a small smile curving her mouth as he walked slowly across the room to join her. “You cleaned up rather nicely,” she said, lifting one hand and smoothing her fingertips across his clean-shaven jaw. “And you look as though you have the world at your feet. You’re quite a sight to behold, Mr. Moore.”
He smiled and dipped his head, his mouth tingling as it brushed the soft shell of her ear. “You almost got it right, Ms. Ellis. Tonight, I’m at your feet.”
Her head turned, her warm cheek briefly brushing his as she whispered teasingly, “You mean, you’re still at my beck and call?”
Unable to resist, he tilted his head and pressed his lips against her temple, kissing her softly and lingering a moment longer, breathing in her sweet scent and savoring the feel of her smooth skin against his lips. “Always. In every way.” Reluctantly, he eased back and bent his arm in her direction. “Shall we join the celebration?”
Her gaze, soft and warm, lingered on his mouth as she answered, “I’d love to.”
