Willow Smoke (5 page)

He
leaned
over
to
get
a
closer
look.
Goosebumps.
Daisy
cocked
her
head
at
the
man.
She
didn’t
get
goosebumps—unless
it
was
in
the
winner’s
circle,
or
maybe
very
early
when
the
sun
was
rising
over the
track.
She
did
not
get
goosebumps
because
of
a
man,
and
particularly
an
older
man.
Although
he
did
look
younger
as
the afternoon wore
on.
Must be the hat.

Nick
shook
his
head.
“You’re
right,
there’s
not enough time. But I definitely want to
learn, if I decide to stay in this game.” He stared blankly at Daisy. “Who has
the best chance in your judgment?”

“MisterJames is the six
to five favorite and on paper looks like the horse to beat.”

“But you don’t think he’ll
win.”

“Nope. He’s a speed
horse, and there are three other speed horses who’ll be battling for the lead.
I think the winner will be a patient horse who can come from behind—like the
ten horse, BreezySurprise
.
I
also
saw
the
favorite
during
his
last
workout. He ran too fast. The exercise
rider
couldn’t
control
him.
I
don’t
think
he
saved
enough
for
the
race.”

“You’re
talking
in
a
language
I
don’t
fully
understand,
but I’m getting the gist of it.
So
what
would
you
bet?”

“If I give you the
winner, it’s only right to
split
the
winnings,”
she
kidded,
wrinkling
up
her
nose.
“I’d
put
two
on
the
ten
to
win.
He’s
eight
to
one,
so he’ll
give
you
a
nice
return,
if he wins.”

“You’re
not
certain?”

“Of course not. This is
horseracing.”

“Okay. Sounds like the
stock market, but
what
the
hell.
I’ll
go
make
the
wager.”

- o -

Daisy
tried
not
to
stare
at
Underwood.
The
man
must
have
an
iron
stomach;
he
had
returned
with
a
salty
pretzel
and
a
box
of
popcorn.
“You
must
really
like
junk
food.”

“Not my typical fare,”
he responded,
offering
her
some
popcorn.
“But
I
like
to
pig
out now and then, particularly when I’m
nervous. I’ll work it off tomorrow.”

She
didn’t
doubt
that.
She
hadn’t
seen
any
spare
fat
on
the
guy.
“They’re
entering
the
gate,”
she
said,
pointing
across
the
infield.

The
starting
bell
clanged
and
the
race
was
off.
Daisy
kept
one
eye
on
the
horses
and
the
other
on
her
enthralled
student.
The
muscles
in
his
neck
tightened
and
his
eyes
narrowed.
He
stood
when
everyone
else
stood
to
get
a
better
view
of
the
horses
coming
down
the
homestretch.
Unlike
most
fans,
he
said
nothing.
His
mouth
fell
open
when
the
number
ten
horse
swept
past
the
favorite
in
the
final
sixteenth
to
win
easily.
At
least
he
wasn’t
going
to
be
one
of
those
gushy
fans
who
screamed
at
their
favorite
horse
when
he
got
stuck
in
the
middle
of
the
pack.
Daisy
liked
that.

He
turned
and
caught
her
up
in
a
bear
hug;
his
lips
brushed
her
cheek.
Before
she
had
a
chance
to
pound
his
shoulder
she
was
back
on
her
feet.
His
grin
split
his
face in two.

“That
was
spectacular,”
he
hollered,
leaving
his
arm
around
her
shoulders.
“I’ve
never
seen
anything
like
it.
Such
power.
Determination.
Guts. My God, why
didn’t
somebody
tell
me
about
this
before?”

She
watched
Underwood
nod
at
the
horse
standing
in
the
winners
circle
as
if
he
were
acknowledging
a
champion.
What
did
the
man
really
see
in
the
horse?

Certainly, more than the
casual fan.
Whatever,
she
was
thrilled,
and
it
didn’t
even
bother her that he hadn’t let her go.

“And
you,”
he
said,
staring
at
her
with
bright
shining
eyes,
“you’re
a
guru.
You
had
that race pegged.”

Flushed
by
his
admiration,
Daisy
countered,
“Just
don’t
count
on
that
happening.
We
lose
more
often
than
we
win.”

“Yeah, but what a thrill
it is to win. I
couldn’t
believe
how
that
horse
was
straining
to
get
ahead.
So
do
I
collect
our
winnings
now?”

“Sure.
I
don’t
see
another
worthwhile
bet
until
the
fifth
race.
I’ll
handicap
that
one
while
you’re
gone.”

- o -

Daisy
glanced
up
from
the
Form
when
Nick
returned.
He
sat
down
looking
quite
pleased
with
himself.
Once
she’d
finished
her
handicapping,
she
set
the
papers
down
and
sipped
her
drink.
She
leaned
back
and
swept
her
eyes
across
the
tote
board,
the
pond,
and
the
horses
coming
onto
the
track.

She
took
a
deep
breath
and
let
it
out
slowly.
This
was
about
as
good
as
it
got.
She
didn’t
spend
enough
time
sitting
in
the
stands
and
appreciating
the
races.
Usually,
there
wasn’t
enough
opportunity.

Clearly,
Underwood
was
enjoying
his
first
day
at
the
races.
The
odds
of
keeping
RainbowBlaze
had
rocketed.
Daisy’s
skin
warmed.

“Oh,”
Underwood
said,
reaching
into
his
pocket. “I forgot. Your share of the
winnings.”

Daisy
held
out
her
palm
and
he
placed
in
it
a stack of bills. Her mouth went dry.
Her
eyebrows
narrowed.
“What’s
this?”
she
managed
to
say.