Читать книгу Dreaming of Tomorrow - Susan Kohler - Страница 11

Chapter Four

Along with the fried chicken, there was homemade coleslaw and potato salad, and a crisp green salad, biscuits with honey and butter, and chocolate cake. There was also some carrot and celery sticks, and cottage cheese. They sat there talking companionably while they ate.

“This looks fantastic.” She sipped her beer then asked, “Do you always eat this well at horse shows?”

“Not usually,” David smiled back at her. “I just had my sister’s RV this time. She travels a lot. She also cooked the lunch, by the way.”

“Then shouldn’t we save some for her?” Emily asked.

“Not much, she cooked it for me.” He smiled. “She loves to cook but she has a really small appetite. Thank goodness.”

“I’ll echo that.” Emily grinned at him.

“So what do you think of your first horse show?” David asked her.

“Well, it’s hot, dirty, long and yet fast paced.” She paused. “I like it except for these darn jeans. I thought they were supposed to be comfortable but these are stiff as a board.”

“Wash them several times with lots of fabric softener.” David paused for a long swallow of his cola. “Not all horse shows are like this. Apart from gymkhana events, there are equitation events where horses are judged for their manners and riders are judged for their seat and hands. Those events are run in both Western and English divisions. They can be almost boring to watch unless you know what to look for. Then there’s also show jumping, dressage and so on. This is just the tip of the iceberg.” He looked at her with mischief in his eyes. “I already told you about the differences between horse shows and most other sports.”

“Well, yes, you sit on poor innocent animals while you compete,” Emily teased, then continued, “and men and women compete against each other as equals.”

“It’s a bit different in the judged events. There are trainers involved, and the trainers get clients by having their students win. So, of course, in some cases there can be favoritism. Still, there’s a feeling of fair play for the most part. Most of the judged events have all the riders in the arena at once.” David smiled. “That makes it harder to cheer on your competition.”

“Back to gymkhana, do you like competing against women?” she asked, a teasing note in her voice.

“I don’t mind competing against women unless they beat me,” David grinned, “and believe me, that happens more often than I care to admit.”

“What do you do when you’re not riding in horse shows?” Emily asked.

“I’m a lawyer, mainly corporate these days but I also do a bit of entertainment law.” He shook his head ruefully. “I used to do criminal defense, but I got tired of defending so many people who really did the terrible things they were accused of doing. Many times I thought they should be in prison or worse, which made it hard to give them the kind of defense I was obligated to give them and still sleep at night. What do you do?”

“I don’t work now, I have obligations at home. I was just finishing my B.A. in business, going part-time, when things got so, um, messed up,” Emily told him, the sadness in her eyes deepening.

“What do you mean messed up?” David asked tenderly, sensing her sadness. “You mentioned something before.”

“Well, I have to take care of my parents,” she admitted. “They’re both sick.”

“Both? That’s tough. Tell me about them.” His sympathy was sudden and real.

“Well, it’s how life goes.” She took a gulp of her soda and then explained, “My dad is a great guy, gentle and caring, and very funny. He’s got this fantastic smile and a great sense of humor. He also has cancer, terminal cancer. He hasn’t got very long.”

Her voice cracked, but she gathered herself and continued, “My mother recently had a stroke, probably partially due to the stress of my dad’s illness. She recovered the use of her limbs and her speech, but her mind is just not the same. She slips in and out of reality.”

“So you’re the caregiver for both of them?” he asked gently. “How did you get away today? Wait, I remember, you said Laura was staying with your folks.”

“Yes.” Emily was still quiet, reminded of her parent’s problems.

“She’s an inveterate matchmaker. Did she mention anyone before you came? Tell you about any of the club regulars? Anything like that?” he asked quickly.

“Not really.” She shook off her sadness and grinned impishly. “She just mentioned that I should look out for a hunk named David.” She paused, watching his eyes widen in surprise.

“Oh! Do you think she meant you?” she asked ingenuously.

“I can’t answer that.” He grinned. “If I say no, you might agree with me and that would crush my fragile ego, and if I said yes, I’d sound really conceited.”

“Or truthful,” Emily said.

“Thanks,” David said smiling. “So does that mean you’ll have dinner with me tonight after the show?”

“I can’t,” Emily said sadly. “I have to stay with my folks.”

“Laura would be glad to stay with them,” he grinned at her, “just tell her that her matchmaking worked.”

“You don’t want me to tell Laura that,” Emily said with a touch of humor. “She’ll believe it and she’ll be like a shark smelling blood in the water, ruthless and relentless.”

“Who said she shouldn’t believe it?” Dave grabbed another piece of chicken. “Do you think it’s so hard to believe that I’m interested in you?”

“Why should you be? You’re very nice David, but why would you want to go out with me?” Emily’s eyes dropped. “I mean I saw the picture in the bedroom, the picture of the model. If she’s the type you usually date, I’m not in your league. She’s gorgeous, famous and rich. If that’s the kind of girl you like, why would you want to go out with me?”

“I choose the women I date because of their personalities,” David said tightly. “Looks are nice, but if the personality inside isn’t right, I don’t date the woman. I certainly would never date the woman in that picture.”

“And I wouldn’t date him either. It’d be too tacky.” Emily was startled to see Nikki standing behind her, grinning. “Of course, if David wasn’t my brother, I just might.”

“You’re his sister?” Emily found it hard to believe that the woman standing in front of her, dirty and without make-up, was that same glamorous woman she’d seen in all those magazines but it was undeniable. “But you’re a famous model.”

“He’s still my older brother.” Nicole went over to grab the rest of the carrot sticks out of the refrigerator. She also grabbed a piece of fried chicken. “I have to run. Go out with him, Emily, he’s not so bad. Really. He’s a fairly decent guy with basically good table manners, and some women say he’s a good escort.”

She winked at Emily then continued, “I’ve even heard some of them say he’s good looking, but I can’t see what they’re talking about. All I can say is he’s not too bad, for a brother.”

“Gee thanks.” David scowled at her.

“Anytime.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “Seriously, Emily, he wouldn’t ask you out if he didn’t want to go with you.”

She sat down, peeled the skin off the chicken breast, and began to eat.

They finished eating and David brought out a chocolate cake. He cut a generous piece for himself and one for Emily, then he looked at Nick and raised his eyebrows. She nodded with a smile, holding two fingers out with barely half an inch between them. Her slice was correspondingly small.

“Wow! This is good!” Nick ate her tiny piece of cake very slowly, savoring it intensely.

“It sure is.” David ate his piece with gusto, Emily ate her piece slowly, almost reluctantly.

“I wish I had your willpower, Nicole.” She looked at the model.

“Please call me Nick or Nikki.” She smiled, her famous, dazzling smile. “No one calls me Nicole.”

They heard the announcer call out that the next event would start in fifteen minutes. David then excused himself for a moment to check on Target.

“David, check my horse too,” Nick asked before answering Emily. “If you had as tight a contract as I do, you would,” she told her. “Willpower has nothing to do with it, really. It’s dollars and cents. And I hate it. I like modeling, for now, but I hate the phoniness of it, the feeling that all I am is a collection of body parts. And the feeling that my only value is in this face I show the world.”

“I can see what you mean, but everyone is judged by their appearance, and most are found lacking,” Emily said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

“I know people can be cruel, but David won’t judge you by your appearance.” Nick stood up and began gathering up the plates and putting the leftovers in the small refrigerator. Emily stood up and helped her. “Are you going to go out with him?”

“I don’t know,” Emily whispered.

“What can it hurt?” Nicole smiled softly. “He’s a genuinely nice guy, and I can tell he likes you.”

“Well, okay, I’ll think about it.” Emily smiled back at her.

As soon as Nicole left the RV, Emily’s insecurities began to mount up again. David came back in and told her the events were ready to start.

“David, why would you want to go out with me?” Now that he had asked her out Emily’s thin veneer of confidence had fled completely. “I know I look terrible, I’m dirty and my hair is filthy.”

“So before we go eat, take a bath and put on something nice. I’m not going into a restaurant looking like this either.” He was patient.

“David, it’s not entirely that. I have a lot of responsibilities at home. I may not be able to go out.” Emily used another excuse, but it was a real excuse, based on fact.

“Couldn’t Laura stay with them tonight?” he asked.

“Maybe.” She sighed. “I can ask.”

“If she can’t, I’ll take care of finding someone to stay with them. It sounds to me like you need to go out. So take a shower, wash your hair, and put on something nice.” David smiled. “So when and where can I pick you up?”

“I don’t want you to take me out because you pity me. I know that I’m not very attractive.” Emily paused before continuing. Her voice was low as she finally added the dreaded words, “Besides that, I’m fat.”

“I didn’t ask you out of pity, I really enjoyed being with you today.” David looked at her long and hard, noticing the sadness and low self-esteem she wore like an overcoat. He paused, estimating her weight at well over two hundred pounds, before adding gently, “As for being fat, yes, I guess you are, now that you mention it. I hadn’t really thought about it. Even so, I’ve had a good time talking with you today. I like you and I’d like to go out with you, so who cares? Come on, at least give me your phone number.”

“I’ll write it down and give it to you later,” Emily said as she rushed from the trailer, confused at his words and also by her reaction to them.

She quickly left the RV, walking past David to go to the gate. Nick walked over to David and took her horse’s reins from him. As was her habit she checked the cinch, even though he had tightened it for her, and mounted. He mounted Target and they both rode to the warm-up ring.

“What’s wrong with Emily?” Nick asked.

“I asked her to dinner and I think it scared her,” David replied. “I don’t think she goes out a lot. She’s worried about both of her parents, because of their health. Also, I don’t think she has a lot of confidence or self-esteem. She thinks she’s unattractive because of her weight.”

“The funny thing is, I’ll bet I could get her a lot of work as a full figure model. She’s got a beautiful face, under the dust. Good bones.” Nicole smiled. “She’d be fun to work with.” Nicole was planning to get out of modeling and into business as a physical trainer. “Let me know if I can help.”

“Thanks Nick.” David hesitated before he asked, “What did you think of her?”

“I liked her,” Nick admitted, “but she seemed sad.”

“Her parents are both ill, her father’s dying of cancer. She’s the sole caregiver.”

“She’s not your usual type, but I think I like her for you.” Nick paused. “I’ll admit, to my shame, that I was surprised when I realized you were interested in her.”

“Me too,” David admitted, “but I am.”

They both looked over at Emily as she stood by the gate letting the twelve and under riders in.

“I mean, all the models that I’ve brought home to meet you. Who knew?” She looked at Emily again, shrugged and sighed. “She has a quality though.”

“It seems like I’m not as shallow as even I thought I was because I looked into her eyes and felt that snap. The one you read about in all your romance novels.” David grinned as they rode towards the warm up pen. “I’m surprised I never felt it before but I did today.”

“Whatever you do, David, be careful not to hurt her. She has a lot of vulnerability and not a lot of experience around someone like you,” Nick reminded him.

“I’m always careful of a woman’s feelings,” David said with just a hint of anger in his tone.

“I know, love, but be extra careful of Emily. She’s different,” Nick said. “And be prepared, some people are going to wonder why a guy like you is out with a fat girl and some of them won’t be shy about saying it out loud, whether Emily can hear it or not.”

Emily was fine running the gate by herself, but David went over to talk to her again when they set up the barrel race. He not only helped her learn more about how to assist the riders but he also explained about the event. He went on to give her more insights, a few humorous, into some of the horses and riders.

“See that big horse tied up over there?” David pointed.

“The brown and white one?” Emily asked.

“He’s a pinto,” David told her. “Watch the rider getting on him.”

Emily was amazed to see a small girl of about four get on the pinto. “That little girl is going to ride that big horse? Is that safe?”

“For most horses, a child like that would be much too young to handle him safely, but that old horse has been around a long time and he has an extraordinary personality, just watch.” David grinned.

The girl’s parents led her to the gate. The girl rode the horse in, waited for the judge’s signal and kicked the old horse. The veteran horse ran through the event with very little direction from the rider. He wasn’t going full speed but he still had a better time than most of the younger riders.

“Don’t ever repeat this but I think that old boy would run just as well without the rider,” David whispered. “He only does one event.”

“Why don’t they buy the kid a pony?” Emily asked.

“Some ponies can be cantankerous,” David told her, “and if they aren’t, they become some kid’s beloved pet. Then when the kid grows up he has to replace his favorite pet with something larger and faster. Guess what happens to the pony then?”

“He gets sold to another kid?” Emily asked.

“If he’s a very lucky pony, but more than likely, he winds up as dog food,” David said grimly.

Finally the conversation left the horses and went back to how their lunch ended.

David caught up with Emily. “Emily, why did you run out like that?”

“Because I don’t want to go out to dinner with you if you’re asking me because of pity,” Emily snapped. Then her voice dropped and she continued, “I know men don’t find me very attractive. And let’s face it you’re gorgeous, you probably date a lot of beautiful women.”

“Emily, you don’t know me very well but I don’t ask anybody out because I pity them. Let’s face it, I have dated a lot of beautiful women. It’s one of the benefits of being related to a model. She brings home friends from work. I’ve learned that beauty is only skin deep. Some of those women are nice enough, some of them are very nice, but some of them are bitchy, or greedy, or just plain dumb. It’s more than looks.” David was finally irritated. “So I am very capable of seeing you for more than your looks. Not that your looks are bad. Even Nicole said you have great bone structure. It’s just too bad that you can’t do the same for me. You don’t seem to see more than my looks. If we’re talking about judging someone by their appearance, you’re the guilty party. Think it over. I have to get ready for the next event. If you want to go out with me then give me your address. I’ll be here the rest of the day.”

Emily watched him walk away, suddenly feeling alone and more than a little guilty. She wondered if David really meant what he said. Maybe she was the one guilty of judging someone because of his appearance. She worked at the show for the rest of the day without any trouble. After lunch she switched from beer to her usual iced tea so that by the time the show was over she would be able to drive home safely.

She never wrote down her address and phone number. In fact, she avoided speaking to David for the rest of the day.