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Rick wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “How you feeling, pretty lady?”
I squeezed his waist. “Excited. Nervous.”
Carl appeared at my side, kissed my hair. “You’ll be great.”
I stood happily between them, pulled them both close, and Mum looked curiously, but didn’t comment.
“There’s David,” Carl said, and he held up a hand before I could stop him.
My father approached, with hisproperfamily in tow, and my stomach tightened. Olivia and my mum faced off, and you could have cut the air with a knife.
“All set?” my dad asked regardless, and I nodded.
“I hope so.”
Olivia looked twitchy, she took his arm. “We should get going, darling. We can catch Verity at the water jumps if we’re not tardy.”
Urgh.
Seb and Dommie looked at me, and looked at Carl and Rick. They didn’t say a word.
“You could go ahead,” my father said to his wife. “I could catch you up.”
She looked like he’d slapped her, and the shock hit me, right in the belly.
“But we should go together…” she said.
“I’ll stay with Katie awhile. I’d like to meet Samson.”
“But David,” she hissed. “Verity is riding.”
I smiled at my father. “Go,” I said. “See Verity. I’ll introduce you to Samson later, after we’ve ridden.”
“I can stay…” he said, but I shook my head.
“It’s cool, I’ll see you in a bit.”
“If you’re sure.”
“Very,” I took hold of Rick and Carl’s hands. “I have chaperones.”
He grunted, but smiled. “So I see.” He patted Rick’s arm. “Good to see you, Rick.” He shot Carl a grin. “As for you, I see too much of you already.” He slapped Carl on the back as he left, and Carl was smiling.
“I think that went well,” he whispered.
“Hope so,” I said.
And maybe it did. Even Mum didn’t look too bothered. She was more interested in the riders coming onto the final straight than she was in my father.
Maybe, just maybe, things would work themselves out after all.
I was nervous as our time slot arrived. I fastened myself into my body protector and tied my numbered bib, put on my helmet and mounted up for the warm up. I worked Samson through his paces, walk then trot, loosening him up in a slow canter, and slowing him back down again. Carl, Rick and Mum looked on, and I tried to appear more confident than I really was. We’d done a few courses before, Samson and I, but nothing quitelike this. Not competing.
Verity’s time came in. It was good, but not great, not really.
Just shy of twelve minutes.
My spirits soared.
