I said I had to meet Daniel at the ring and get up on my horse. Dad kissed me on the cheek and wished me luck. For once Steve Gorton didn’t have much choice but to do the same.
I was about to make the turn toward the pedestrian bridge when I stopped and turned around. Blaine must have already gone inside.
Just my dad and Steve Gorton now.
Then I saw Dad lean close to Gorton and say something into his ear and pat him on the shoulder before leaving him there, Gorton staring at Dad’s back until he disappeared into the tent.
FORTY-ONE
THURSDAY HAD BEEN all about getting to the Grand Prix. Tonight’s first order of business was to get to the jump-off.
“How do you feel?” Daniel said after Coronado and I had done some light jumping in the ring.
“Like I want to throw up,” I said.
“I’m being serious,” he said, as if Daniel Ortega were ever anything but.
“So am I,” I said.
“Matthew next, followed by Andrew Welles,” the starter said. “Then Rich.”
Rich Grayson. Appropriate first name. His father was the fourth or fifth wealthiest guy in the country.
He’ll be fine wherever he finishes tonight, I thought. Or doesn’t finish.
He’ll be pissed. He’s as competitive as I am. But his life won’t change at all.
“Then Tyler four,” the starter said, “Eric five. Becky six.”
“Just a little more jumping, please,” Daniel said. “Don’t forget to use your legs as well as your hands.”
If I wasn’t calm, he was. It made me feel better. The way seeing Dad had made me feel better. The two men in my life, I thought. Only one of them official.
Maybe Daniel and I would never be official. But I was glad he was here. He was smart. He was good. He only wanted the best for me. And even though I hated to admit it, he probably did know me better than I knew myself.
After Daniel signaled me to stop, I walked Coronado over to the fence.
“At least I haven’t seen Gorton down here,” I said.
“He is not even worth thinking about right now,” Daniel said. “He does not matter. The course matters. It is difficult, but it is fair.”
“Yeah,” I said. “But the jump-off was designed by some sick, twisted monster.”
“What jump-off?” he said.
Daniel being Daniel. He was telling me that all that mattered in the world right now were the next sixteen jumps.
“Eric next,” the starter said. “Then Becky.”
Time coming at me fast now.
“Breathe,” Daniel said.
“Easy for you to say,” I said.
I heard a cheer from inside the International, then a groan, then heard the PA announcer saying that Eric Glynn had gone clean until the last jump.
The in-gate now for Coronado and me. Daniel next to us. I heard the announcer say Coronado was next in the ring, and then we walked out there and went into a trot around the outside of the course. Then I slowed him down to a walk and took one last look at the course, using a finger to map it out in the air in front of me.
We headed for the first jump. When we were six strides out, I heard the buzzer, which meant I’d passed the sensor and the clock was starting.
Cleared the first one.
Then the second.
We were into it now.
Sometimes a rider knew how much horse was under saddle on a given night. And sometimes it was a charade leading up to a big, hot mess.
Tonight I knew.
I knew.
The first combination came up on us now, right in the middle of the course. About the same place where I’d given Coronado a crap distance and he’d plowed through the jump and stopped and sent me flying.
Not tonight.
Takeoff. Landing. Takeoff. Landing.
Perfect.
Yeah, I thought. Yeah.
Now you’re riding.
Two jumps on the tent side of the course. Gave him the right distance on both. Felt him clip the second jump. Closest I’d come yet to putting a rail on the ground. The rail stayed up. Into the far corner now, underneath the big screen, going into the second half of the course. Running easy. But running hot, too.
First tough rollback for us. Cut the turn as sharply as I could. Knife through butter. Squared him up. Cleared the jump with plenty of room to spare.
Two more jumps before the most dangerous double. Got over them clean. Now the double, the two jumps so close to each other riders thought of them as one piece. Like 15A and 15B.
I was talking to Coronado now.
“Hey…hey…HEY!”
Landed the first jump clean.
“Up!”