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.
Emily finally dragged herself home around 6:30 that evening. She was exhausted but she walked through the house to see what was happening. She found her father taking a nap on the sofa and she was careful not to wake him. Laura was in the den. After taking a deep look into Emily’s eyes, Laura scouted out her husband. She found Jack in the kitchen with Emily’s mom. They were cooking together and Laura grinned as she made a mental note to call for a pizza. She knew her husband couldn’t cook worth a darn. She told him to watch both of Emily’s parents before the two women went upstairs. Emily had to shower off all traces of horse before the smell made her dad’s allergies act up.
“How was the horse show?” Laura asked, cautiously seeing the trace of familiar sadness in her friend’s eyes. She also saw something else, something she couldn’t quite identify.
“You lied to me, you rat,” Emily told her with a wry grin. “I wouldn’t get near the horses, huh? Well, I had to get right next to the horses. They put me on the gate in the gymkhana arena.”
“Good grief! Didn’t Kate tell them you were not a horse person?” Laura sat on Emily’s bed.
“Kate and Bob weren’t there, I think the kids were sick.” Emily dug into her closet for something to put on after her shower.
Laura quickly called her friend. She talked to Kate for a moment and hung up her