The wedding party finished the photos and headed into the elegant tent that looked more like a ballroom, with a hanging chandelier, dark blue, cloth-draped tables covered in gleaming silver, crystal, white dishes, and overflowing blue vases with white flowers. Blake found Gillian talking to a few of Ella’s friends.
“Hey pretty lady, come with me.” Blake took her hand, smiled at the other ladies in apology for interrupting, and drew Gillian toward the dance floor.
“The wedding was beautiful. This place is amazing.”
“You’re beautiful. You’re stunning in that dress.”
“I’m so used to you in jeans, I can’t get over how handsome you are in a tux.”
“Only for my brothers—and you—would I wear one of these monkey suits.”
He didn’t know if she got the meaning of what he was trying to tell her, but he hoped she understood that unless it was their wedding, or one of his brothers’, you wouldn’t catch him dead in a tux again.
As instructed, Blake, Caleb, and Dane stood to one side with their ladies. One of Ella’s bridesmaids stood beside Dane, since he didn’t have anyone special in his life right now—or ever.
Someday, the right woman would show up and take him on the ride of his life.
Ella and Gabe walked in to a round of applause. The singer of the country cover band Ella hired announced, “Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Gabe Bowden for their first dance as man and wife.”
They stepped out onto the dance floor and lost themselves in each other’s arms. Halfway through the slow song, Blake, Caleb, and Dane escorted their partners to the dance floor and joined the newlyweds. Over the next few songs, Blake, Caleb, and Dane took turns dancing with the bride—their new sister. Ella danced with their father, making him tear up, and Ella looked forlorn for her lost family. Gabe put the smile right back on her face when he pulled her close for yet another kiss as everyone tapped their spoons to their champagne glasses.
The rest of the night was a lot of food, fun, and more dancing until Gabe shot Ella’s garter right into Dane’s face with a “You’re next, bro.”
Dane shook his head no and swore, “Never going to happen.”
Ella tossed her bouquet to five single ladies, including Gillian. Blake’s mother had nearly dragged her to the dance floor to participate. She caught the bouquet.
“See, that makes more sense,” Dane said and turned to him. “You’re next, bro.”
Gillian stared at him, the bouquet of roses up to her nose as she inhaled their sweet scent.
Yes, she’d make a beautiful bride. His bride.
Chapter 25
Gillian rode over to the track with Jeff beside her. They’d been working secretly with Boots for more than two weeks. The wind caressed her face. She turned her gaze up to the bright blue sky and let the heat of the sun warm her skin. She loved the warmer May temps and riding every day.
She spotted Blake by the rail, watching several horses speeding down the track. He held a stopwatch and a clipboard and wrote down the horses’ times. She rode toward him. Jeff rode Daredevil beside her, an all-black colt that had a wild disposition. Boots was ready to run. He saw the track, and she worked hard to keep him from taking off from under her.
“Hey honey, taking Boots out for a ride?” Blake asked.
“Yes. I’m going to give him what he’s been asking for, for weeks now.”
Blake eyed her atop the horse and turned a penetrating gaze on Jeff. “You aren’t seriously thinking about putting him inside the gates and racing him.”
“Yes. I am.”
“That wasn’t a question. That was my way of saying, hell no. No way. Never going to happen.”
“Blake, Boots is a racehorse. I nursed him back to health. He wants to run. He’ll only let me ride him. He bites the other riders. I want to get him into the gates and race him once. I hope he likes it and lets another rider up on him.”
Blake’s scowl deepened.
“Jeff helped me,” she said.
“Great. Get me killed, why don’t you?” Jeff took a step back from Blake and his murderous glare.
She ignored Jeff and tried to make Blake understand. “He’s ready. He needs a chance to prove himself.”
Blake sucked in a breath, ready to talk her out of this. For her safety. But nothing he said would deter her.
“Gillian, I know how hard you’ve worked to get him to accept you as a rider. I figured you’d keep him as your own. Not race him.”
“Blake, his bloodlines are some of the best on this ranch. He’ll make a great stud, and his babies will grow up to be champions. He’s finally feeling like his old self. He needs to race again.”