Thoroughbreds and Trailer Trash Read Online Free Page B

the massage room?”
    “Down the hall, to the left. But Jenna wants people to knock before entering.”
    He strode down the hall and pushed the door open, deliberately not knocking. Jenna glanced up from a thick textbook, her eyes flashing with annoyance. “Hey, Burke. Next time knock. Don’t scare my horse.”
    “There’s no horse in here.”
    Her smile was slightly mischievous. “But you didn’t know that. Have a seat.”
    He didn’t like to be offered anything that was already his, but it had been a tiring day and she, at least, wasn’t uptight. He stretched out his legs, folded his arms behind his head and watched her through narrowed lids. Rather odd to have a textbook beside her. None of the other technicians had books.
    “Studying for something?” he asked.
    Her hesitation was almost imperceptible but it was there. “I have my massage diploma but I’m finishing my…equine sports certificate.”
    “Burke policy is to increase salary with all post secondary education.”
    Interest flared in her blue eyes. “Yes, I heard. Actually, I’m pretty much finished. So that’s a ten percent increase, right?”
    “That’s right. How many horses can you massage a day?”
    “As many as you want.” She laughed. “And it also depends on what’s wrong with them and how quiet they are.”
    “I need an exact time for scheduling. Is there an appointment book somewhere?” Massage was probably the least important treatment offered with less tangible results. If the profit margin was negligible, he intended to drop the service. Not that he’d tell her, not yet. And for now, it would increase profits to squeeze in as many massages as possible.
    “Of course, there’s an appointment book. Wally keeps it up to date.” She subtly shifted on the chair, but his senses were honed and he knew the signs of guilt. “Would you like to see the next patient?” She gestured at the end doors. “Molly will be arriving soon.”
    And indeed Molly did arrive. He’d never seen such an ugly mare, with cow hocks, a swayback and a dragging left hip. “Jesus, why don’t we just shoot her,” he said.
    “Shush, Burke. You’ll hurt her feelings.”
    The handler’s eyes widened. Jenna really shouldn’t be telling him to shush—and she definitely shouldn’t be calling him Burke—but he was too stunned by the horse to bother with a reprimand. This unsightly animal couldn’t possibly be a Thoroughbred.
    Jenna dragged a blue plastic block behind the horse’s hindquarters and stepped up. He hadn’t seen many massages before, but the ones he’d viewed had always started at the front. Maybe she was doing a shorter version since the horse was evidently on its last legs.
    Made perfect sense, he decided.
    “Is this a ship-in?” He cautiously lifted the mare’s front lip, surprised to see a tattoo. Old and faded, but clearly a tattoo. Definitely a Thoroughbred.
    “Molly’s more like a lead-in,” Jenna said with a smile. “Now please stop talking. I need to concentrate on my patient.”
    Her face set in concentration as her hands moved slowly down the horse’s rump. The mare’s trusting eye followed as Jenna circled to her side—clearly the mare believed she was in competent hands. Always a good sign.
    But he was puzzled by Jenna’s technique. This was like no massage he’d ever seen. “What exactly are you doing over the sacrum?”
    She shot him a warning frown. “Be quiet, Burke.”
    He tightened his mouth and scowled at the attendant who ducked his head and scraped the rubber matting with his boot. At least one of the people in this room was respectful.
    “There,” Jenna pronounced, stepping gracefully off the block. “She should move better now.”
    Derek snorted. If this were Wally’s clientele, no wonder Three Brooks operated in the red. He doubted anything could improve this nag, and it wouldn’t help the Center’s image to have animals collapsing in the aisles.
    Clip, clop . His eyes widened as the mare