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I hang out with Star the rest of the day, cleaning up his ht, I went to dinner with Alex at the Cracker Barrel, and we had a good ti aveto a ht we kiss for real I don’tfor so over the fence, I watch Star chase a filly, teasing her, and then he gets ornery and squeals when a yearling colt tries to play with hi ey-pink sunset, I totally lose track of tiet ready for my date, and that’s when I hear footsteps behind me I look over my shoulder to find Jack dressed in his co-sleeved tee

"It’s late We should put Star and the others back in their stalls"

"Aet to ride Star in the Dixiana Derby next week?" I ask

Jack sniffles, watching Star roll around in the grass grunting "We’ll have to see what conditions are like that day"

What he means is he has to see what his father says How ridiculous

"Why are you hoht"

He folds his hands together on top of the fence and studies the horses "There’s nobody I want to go out with"

"Not even Colton or Vanessa or Kelsey?"

"Don’t feel like it" He looks at s back over tosound and pauses a few feet away I cluck ue The horse turns his focus fro between us Star nuzzles against Jack’s cheek and nips at his hair

Jack scratches the colt’s face "Aw, thanks, buddy"

Bright stars poke through the lovely pink-orange sunset as Jack and I stand together, petting the horse I wish he could show the sae that Star just did Will Jack ever shove aside the things that scare hi the way, Jack walks me back to Hillcrest

"Can we talk later?" he asks quietly "We could meet out by the lake?"

I shake et into another situation where we ht hook up, no matter how much I want it

"Please?" he asks softly "Just as friends?"

"Jack," I say in a tiny voice "Don’t…I told you, I can’t I have plans"

"I need to talk to you about so…I need you, as a friend, you know?"

How could this end well?

"I got you so" He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a weathered, tiny box, and hands it to ifts I want to race his horse, I want him to support me in front of his father, I want him to man up

He nods at the white box With shaky hands, I carefully open it to discover a silver chain with two charms: a horse and a horseshoe The chain is kind of rusted, but it’s delicate and pretty No guy has ever given

"It belonged to randmother," Jack says quietly "She had red hair and loved horses Just like you"

My lips tremble as I stare at the bracelet "I can’t take this"

Jack frees it fro it "But it’s perfect for you…and it ave you Please keep it"

Mom toldin my history says that Jack is a player, that he only wants oes and gives randether

I could see a guy giving an expensive, new piece of jewelry to a girl he wants to entice into bed, but not a family heirloom

"It’s beautiful…"

"You kno i my nose "Then you understand what this braceletwhat to say

He peeks up at me under his eyelashes "Ithe bracelet "But I need , Rory asks me to dinner at Tennessee Ballers

As soon as we sit down at our table, he pushes his new scene under irl--who are partners fighting for the same promotion, but they’re also secretly in love with each other

"Will you read h his papers He’s looking for an agent to sell his screenplays to Hollywood "I want to send it out tonight"

"Yeah, after I finish reading this scene"