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Liam heated both pieces in the microwave and added a scoop of ice cream to each. With Maggie sound asleep, she no longer provided any sort of distraction, and Liam was able to focus his full attention on Hadley.
“I took some video of Electric Slide being worked today. Thought you might be interested in seeing him in action.” He pulled up the footage he’d taken with his phone and extended it her way. “Even though he’s young, I can already tell he has his mother’s work ethic and athleticism. I’d love your opinion on him.”
“You’re the expert,” she reminded him, cupping the phone in her hands.
“Yes, but as I was discussing with my head trainer today, I have too many horses, and I need to figure out which ones I should let go.”
“You’re thinking of selling him?” She looked up from the phone’s screen, her expression concerned.
And with that, Liam knew he’d struck the right chord at last.
* * *
Knowing she shouldn’t care one way or another what Liam did with his horses, Hadley let her gaze be drawn back to the video of the big chestnut colt racing across the arena only to drop his hindquarters and execute a somewhat sloppy sliding stop. His inexperience showed, but she liked his balance and his willingness.
Lolita had been a dream horse. For two years she and Hadley had dominated as barrel racers and scored several championships in the show ring. During that time she’d had several offers to purchase the mare but couldn’t imagine being parted from her.
Until Anna’s accident, when everything changed.
“He’s a nice colt,” she said, making an effort to keep her reply noncommittal. She replayed the video, paying close attention to the horse’s action. He looked so much like his mother. Same three white socks. Same shoulder and hip. Same nose-out gesture when he moved from a lope into a gallop. How many classes had she lost before that little quirk had been addressed?
“Maybe you can give him a try when you come to the barn tomorrow.”
Her stomach tightened as she contemplated how much fun it would be to ride Lolita’s son. But Hadley hadn’t been on a horse in ten years, not since Anna had ended up in a wheelchair. Remorse over her role in what happened to her friend had burdened Hadley for a decade. The only thing that kept her from being overwhelmed by guilt was her vow never to ride again. And that was a small sacrifice compared with what Anna was living with.
“I’m afraid I don’t ride anymore.”
“I’m sure you haven’t lost any of your skills.”
Hadley found dark amusement in his confidence. She was pretty sure any attempt to swing into a saddle would demonstrate just how rusty she was.
“The truth is I don’t want to ride.” She didn’t think Liam would understand her real reason for turning him down.
“But you might enjoy it if only you got back in the saddle.”
The man was as stubborn as he was persuasive, and Hadley wasn’t sure how to discourage him without being rude. “I assure you I wouldn’t. I was pretty crazy about horses when I was young, but it no longer interests me.”
“That’s a shame. You were a really talented rider.”
Her heart gave a little jump. “I really loved it.”
“And it showed. Shannon used to complain about you all the time.” Liam’s intent gaze intensified his allure. “That’s when I started watching you ride, and I figured out why all the other girls lost to you.”
“Lolita.”
“She was a big part of it, but you rode the hell out of her.”
Hadley shook her head. “You said it yourself. Shannon won a lot on Lolita.”
“Yeah, but her times never matched yours.”
The temptation to bask in Liam’s warm regard almost derailed Hadley’s professionalism. The man had such a knack for making a woman feel attractive and desirable. But was he sincere? She’d labeled him a player, but maybe she’d done that to keep from being sucked in by his charm. The way he cared about Maggie made Hadley want to give him the benefit of the doubt. And yet he hadn’t known he’d gotten her mother pregnant. That didn’t exactly illustrate his accountability.
“Does Shannon still own her?” Parting with the mare had been one of the hardest things Hadley had ever done.
“No. She sold her after a couple years.”
“How did you end up with one of her foals?”
“A client of mine in California had him.”
“And Lolita?” For someone who claimed she was no longer interested in anything horse-related, Hadley was asking a lot of questions. But Lolita had been special, and she wanted to hear that the mare had ended up in a good home.
