Free Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 01 - Dark Horse by Kate Sherwood

know this has been done kind of ass-backward, but I wanted to explain what we’re looking to do with the eventing stuff, and how we’d like for you to be involved.”
    Dan nods. Evan hasn’t even hinted at anything sexual all through lunch, and Dan isn’t sure whether the other man has really given up on that or is just building up for a sneak attack. But Dan ate their meal, so he guesses he should hear their ideas.
    “So, originally we were just planning on buying an eventer for Tat. Honestly, I think the last time you and I talked about this, that’s where we were. But we wanted to keep the horse at our home. We’ve got a big barn and whatever already, but we were going to have to build a dressage ring and a jumping course and a cross-country course.”
    “Naturally,” Dan agrees, and Jeff grins. Maybe Kaminski thinks that investing half a million dollars in top-of-the-line facilities is the only way for his sister to ride her horse, but Jeff and Dan have both apparently grown up in a slightly different world.
    Evan continues unperturbed. “So, when Monty didn’t seem like a good fit, we were going to get another horse. But then Tat said that she really loved Monty, and couldn’t she have him, too, and we could buy an easier horse for her to ride until she gets good enough to ride him.” The fact that Evan seems to have thought this was a reasonable suggestion tells Dan a little more about how different their worlds are.
    “Anyway, I started thinking. It doesn’t make sense to build all these rings and whatever and have just one horse using them.” On that point, at least, Dan is in agreement. Evan continues. “We’ve already got the barn and there’s loads of land, so why not fill the place up? When we heard that Karl and Molly were thinking of getting out of the business, it just seemed like the perfect opportunity.” Evan pauses for a sip of coffee, and Dan waits patiently.
    “So, obviously we can’t have the horses just sitting there. We want to be an eventing stable. Tat can ride one or two of the horses, and Jeff can coach her, but he’s too busy with his other stuff to work for us full-time. And besides, he says he prefers working with people to working just with horses.” Dan wonders if Jeff also prefers to maintain some level of career that is outside the control of his mercurial young friend but doesn’t inquire. “So, I need somebody to train the horses. Somebody who knows what he’s doing, and who I know I can trust.” Evan smiles. “Naturally, I thought of you.”
    Jeff takes over a little. “I know it sounds a little flaky, like he’s just playing around, and he’ll drop it all for the next shiny thing he sees.” Evan shoots Jeff a look, and the man shrugs. “Sorry, kid, but that’s how it sounds.” He turns his attention back to Dan. “But it’s really not like that.” He pulls out a thick leather portfolio and passes it across the table to Dan. Dan looks inquisitively at Jeff, who just nods at the book. “Have a look.”
    Dan opens it up. It’s full of press clippings, letters of reference, testimonials… all evidence of the business acumen and responsibility of Evan T. Kaminski. Evan looks embarrassed, but Jeff just grins. “Evan was born rich, no doubt about that. But he’s been in charge of the family, and the family business, for the last six years. In that time, he’s impressed a lot of people.” Jeff reaches over and grips Evan by the back of the neck, shaking him gently. “But it’s not always easy for a gorgeous twenty-sixyear-old to get people to take him seriously.” Jeff’s grip on Evan’s neck tightens a little. “Especially when he lets his dick lead him around about fifty percent of the time. So we put the portfolio together.”
    Evan looks sheepish, although he hasn’t disagreed with anything, including the dick remark. “We did our homework on the eventing thing, Dan.” He passes another bundle of papers across the table, and Dan looks