Bareback(14)
Jessica tried hard to focus on what Skyler was saying, but it was getting difficult. She despaired at the heat she felt flush her cheeks as Skyler’s hands moved higher up her thigh. But Skyler seemed oblivious, frowning as she resumed her probing back toward the knee, her manner exact and clinical.
“I’ll also want to talk periodically with your physical therapist so I can coordinate what we’re doing with what he is asking you to do. So, you need to let him know it is okay to discuss your case with me.”
“Okay.” Jessica was less than enthusiastic. She liked her privacy. “I’ve been riding on it for five weeks now, and jumping for about two weeks. It’s been holding up fine.”
Skyler was skeptical, but it wasn’t her job to give a prognosis for Jessica’s knee. Her job was to train her for the Olympic trials. If the leg didn’t hold up, it wouldn’t be because she hadn’t given it her best as a trainer. “We’ll start at seven tomorrow morning in the indoor ring. I want to see you warm him up and run him through the dressage moves.”
“Thank you. I promise you won’t be sorry.” Jessica slid her leg off the firm length of Skyler’s thigh and stood, not sure what else to say. She felt drained, but elated too.
As she pulled up her jeans, Skyler asked, “If you see Kate, would you mind telling her I want to talk to her about our last grain shipment before I leave?”
“Sure, I think she’s upstairs. I’ll send her down.”
Skyler waited, staring uneasily out the window. She was crazy agreeing to this and she intended to say so, not that Kate would listen. Surely she knew deep down that Jessica had almost no chance. It seemed cruel to let her hope for the impossible.
“What’s up, Sky?” Kate strolled across the room toward her.
Skyler dug an invoice out of her pocket. “That last shipment of grain you got from Emerson’s has maggots in it. You need to call them to come back and get it.”
Kate let out a disgusted snort. “That’s the second time this year. I think it is time to take them off our vendor list.”
“You won’t get any argument from me.”
“So?” Kate met her eyes. “What do you think?”
“About the maggots?”
“About Jess’s chances.”
Skyler took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You don’t want to know what I think.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Kate, you may be right about Jessica having the skill and the heart to do this, but she isn’t being honest with herself. That knee isn’t ready to hold up to the kind of training we’ll need to do.”
“We can’t be certain about that,” Kate said stubbornly. “Athletes come back from serious injuries all the time.”
“It’s not just the injury.” Skyler let her frustration show a little. “This process was hard for me when I did it. Not only did I have two good knees, I was used to life being hard. I was mentally tough. Forget her leg, I think Jess is still too mentally fragile from the trauma of the accident. You should have seen her zone out on me when I mentioned it.”
Kate rested a shoulder against the window frame. “My first instinct is to protect her from hurting herself more, but this is her decision, not ours. If we don’t help her, she’ll just go to someone else who won’t care as much about her welfare.”
“I’ll put her through the training she’ll need to win. Just don’t blame me if she falls short. I’m not a miracle worker.”
“I’m just asking you to give her your best, Sky.” Kate’s tone brooked no further argument. “Your best, and nothing short of it.”
Jessica sagged against the wall just outside the living room door. Skyler’s words scalded her, rubbing every tender nerve raw. She retreated hastily down the hallway as she heard the two women approaching. Taking cover in the kitchen, she poured some juice. Her hand shook as she held the glass. Skyler didn’t believe in her. Arrogant son of a bitch. I’ll show Her Royal Highness. Even Kate sounded unconvinced.
She would show them both just how little they knew. She hadn’t survived that day to spend the rest of her life mourning for all she’d lost. Her horse. Her strength. Her confidence. There was one thing she hadn’t lost. Her dream.