Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
The door that led to the family kitchen opened, and Geraldine, our housekeeper, popped her head through. “Five minutes, boys!” she shouted, then her eyes widened when they landed on me. “Jasper! It’s so lovely to see you, sweetheart!” Her smile was warm and made me feel like a child again.
Geraldine was in her midseventies and had long since been asked to retire with a very comfortable retirement package. But we Knightons were her entire life, and she refused to leave. I’d be lying if that didn’t make me happy. This place would lose its heart without her.
“Looking good, Geraldine,” I said.
She came toward me, batting away the compliment. She hugged me close, then kissed me on my cheek. In her usual blunt way, she said, “You need a shower and a good shave, my boy. You look terrible.”
I laughed, then nodded. “I’ll get right on that, Geraldine.” She nodded happily, then rushed back into the kitchen. At this point, Geraldine was the only parental figure most of us had left. My uncle Edward—Forrest, Felix, and Atticus’s dad—died of cancer when we were younger. Their mother now resided in Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, and rarely came to visit. She had never liked it here at Golden Oaks and actively avoided it.
“Jas?” My heart stuttered as my sister’s voice came from behind me, only to fall when I saw her enter the room in her wheelchair.
“Genny,” I said, and rushed over to her. She held out her arms, and I wrapped myself around her.
Mouth meeting my ear, she said, “I’m just too tired from physio to use my crutches tonight. Don’t panic.” I squeezed my sister hard, then pulled back. “I could read the worry in your face.”
I blew out a long breath. I would never look at Genevieve and not feel guilty, but I was happy she was improving with her daily physio. Her chances of walking again unaided were fifty-fifty. But as I looked at her light-brown hair and blue eyes, she looked really well. I wasn’t sure if that meant anything. We Knightons were good at masking our pain.
“Here we go!” Geraldine’s voice came through the kitchen. I helped Genny take her place at the table beside me. My cousins all sat on the opposite side. I glanced to the chair beside Genny.
“Where is . . .” I went to say, when the door to the dining room opened and Leon rushed through.
“Sorry I’m late!” he said and quickly took his seat next to Genny. He dropped a kiss on her cheek, then did a double take when he saw me at the table too. “Jasper!” he said and leaned behind Genny to offer me his hand. When I shook it, he said, “It’s so good to see you, man.” His eyes brightened. “Ready for training again yet? It’s not too late for this season.”
I laughed at his vain attempt to get me back on the team. Since I’d stepped back, he hadn’t once stopped trying to get me back on board. “I’m not coming back, Leon.” I pointed at Forrest, who was busy yanking the serving bowl of mashed potatoes back off Atticus before he consumed the lot. “This one forced me to come to dinner.”
Forrest raised an eyebrow at me but was completely unapologetic by the shrug of his shoulders. Genny’s hand landed on my arm. “I’m glad he did.” Her eyes looked sad when she said, “I miss you. We all do.”
I leaned over and kissed the side of her head. Genny then turned to Leon. “Were you busy today?”
“I’ve been organizing the new show jumping horses for tomorrow. This season’s riders have arrived, and we’ll assign them their mounts in the morning.” I listened to Leon, trying to ignore the pang of jealousy in my chest. “I’ve been studying past competitions to observe the riders’ styles, see anything that we particularly need to work on.” Leon nodded his head enthusiastically. “They look good. I think they’ll be a great addition to our team.”
Leon was the best show jumping trainer on the planet, bar none. He had been here at Golden Oaks since a teen as a boarding rider and was an excellent competitor. But he chose the trainer route, and I thank God he did. I was the rider I was because of him. Same for Genny, Atticus, and Forrest.
“Hallie Oakley and Sage—”
“Miller,” Atticus blurted, finishing my sentence for me. All eyes fell on my youngest cousin. A wide smile stretched on his face. “Sage fucking Miller.”
I frowned at my cousin’s reaction. I had also signed off on Hallie and Sage to be the new faces of Knighton Equestrian, the apparel company I had started years back when I was still competing. I had money that I had inherited, generational wealth that comfortably sat in the billions, but my ever-growing personal brand had made me a multimillionaire in my own right. Hallie Oakley and Sage Miller were two of the most impressive show jumpers on the scene right now. When Leon told me they were coming to ride for us, my artistic director at Knighton Equestrian had convinced me to sign them for modeling my new products too.