Chapter 121

The manager of the equestrian center was totally freaking out. Mr. Elliot had personally told him to keep a close eye on Miss Charisse—make sure she didn't get hurt. At first, he thought, "How bad could it be? It's just a friendly competition between a couple of rich girls. Nothing life-threatening." But the moment Charisse hit the track, all those thoughts went out the window. The way she rode—like she had zero fear and nothing to lose—gave him serious anxiety. Each time she and the stallion, Emberwind, took flight over an obstacle, he felt like his heart dropped straight to the ground. I mean—was this girl trying to get herself killed? The format of her match with Alyssa was a point-based challenge. Every successful jump scored her points, and the more complex the jump, the more it was worth. Alyssa picked the jumps she was most comfortable with—ones seasoned riders would still find pretty tough. She looked polished and precise, clearly someone who'd been training since her diaper da