CHAPTER NINETEEN
Miranda
Get What You Want
On Thursday eveningMiranda stared at her empty suitcase and the items she’d brought out to pack.Although it was a short trip, there were several types of events from showing the horses, a cocktail party, the auction, and celebratory gala where she hoped to be after making some sales.
So far she had one suit, several blouses, riding gear, jeans, cowboy boots, and several dresses but could she fit it all into one suitcase?But she needed to be ready for anything.There was the breeders’ showcase events where each breeder would show off their horse’s agility, size, and beauty, but then buyers would often stop by breeders’ stables to get a better look at a horse they might be interested in.Some buyers would make an offer to a breeder for exclusive rights before the auction ever took place.
Luckily Wes had confirmed the purchase of five acres, and already transferred the funds, which gave her enough to pay for the registration fees, and the repairs on the barn.But she needed to make some connections and hopefully sales at this auction.She hated to sell that much land, but it was better than having to sell everything.And the Harts agreed to give her five years of rent back with an option to buy the acres back if she could.She just needed to be successful with her Beautiful Beasts.
Which meant accepting Renn’s help, even though it was probably a bad idea because he was her biggest distraction right now.After she ended her last idiotic engagement, she’d sworn off men, and then he showed up, all charming smiles, and muscles like he got paid to work out.But they’d agreed on friendship and he didn’t really know much about her past.If he spent much more time in this town, he was going to find out she was bad news with an even worse reputation.Maybe since he knew he wouldn’t be sticking around he wasn’t worried about her gold-digger reputation.
“Andy, Coach said since you won’t let me play on varsity, he was going to use me to warm the bench all season.Then he kept me after practice to clean the locker room,” Jeremy said storming into her room.“He said that was the only type of playing I would get on JV.”
“That son of a…”
“I’m going to ask Sheriff Hart to speak to him.”
“Jer, we can’t expect Wes to fight all our battles.It’s my responsibility.I’m really sorry your current coach is a vindictive, small-minded, selfish person, but it won’t always be this way.”Her heart broke for Jeremy when all he wanted to do was play football.
“I’m not mad at you—if anything Coach is proving how right you were.He doesn’t care about me, or my growth as a player.He just wanted to use me to win.”
“Oh.”The sting of proud tears had her pulling her little brother in for a hug.
“But I’m not going to take my coach talking smack about my family, or using any of us kids as free labor,” Jeremy said.
“Wait, what do you mean he was talking smack?”
Jeremy cringed.“He said you were too simple to realize I was your meal ticket.”
“That son of a…” Her face warmed with an embarrassed blush.Poor Jeremy didn’t deserve to get punished for his family’s reputation.
“Which is why I’m going to ask Wes to speak to him, man to man.”
Before she could argue Jeremy held up his hand to finish what he wanted to say.
“Look, I promised Renn I wouldn’t give you a hard time about not letting me play varsity, and I understand why now.But the Coach doesn’t, and I hate to say it but his desire to win means he’s going to punish me now.So, I need to have a man, with some alpha energy, to remind the coach that he can’t just push me around.”
“You’re right, and I’m sorry Dad isn’t here to stand up for you.”
“I actually think you stand up for me more than Dad ever would have,” Jeremy said with a cocky smile.
“Okay, if you feel comfortable asking Wes to speak to your coach, I don’t mind.But if you want me to ask Wes I will.”
“I’ll do it.He told me to always be honest with him and never be too proud to ask for help.He said a real man is never afraid to ask for help.”
She gulped back another wave of emotion.Her baby brother was turning into a man right before her eyes and she was so proud of the type of man he was becoming.
“Dang, when did you get so grown up?”She pulled him in for another hug.“I reserve the right to give Coach a piece of my mind when I see him, but I’m also happy to let Wes give him an earful.And I’m tempted to send you to Tybee Beach High next year and let you play on their varsity team just to stick it to Coach.”
Jeremy laughed.“I’m not opposed to that if he’s going to act like a…”
“Ah language.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m so proud of you.I’m in actual awe.”
