The Glory Game by Janet Dailey Read Free Book Online Page B

at the Palermo Race Track in Buenos Aires.Then a horsebreeder had hired him—a horsebreeder and weekend polo player. He’d had his first taste of the game as a last-minute substitute for one of the players. He had filled in for others on several occasions after that, practicing in the meantime while he exercised the owner’s horses.
    It had been a long way, Raul realized. Yet the dream was still before him—the ten-goal rating that would make him a master of the game. That had thus far eluded him. He tapped the padded helmet against the side of his leg and headed toward the section where his horses were stabled, the blood-red bay pony in tow.
    Cars and trucks towing horse trailers hummed steadily along the road that bordered one side of the polo field. Some players remained at the picket line, their voices punctuating the drone of vehicles as they talked with family and friends. Here and there a groom led a group of horses to the stables while their snortings and whickerings mingled with the other sounds. All of it combined to prevent Rob from hearing Luz approach.
    She paused a minute to study him as he wiped down the sweat-damp sorrel pony. He appeared absorbed in the task, but Luz noted the forceful pressure in his strokes. His thoughts were far from what he was doing. She wished that she knew what she could say to console him that wouldn’t sound banal or preaching. When he’d been a youngster with troubles, she could hold him on her lap and assure him it would all work out all right, and he’d believe her. But not anymore. He had reached the age of reason, and she was no longer the final authority. Being the mother of an adult—or near adult—was so frustrating, because they no longer listened.
    The sorrel Thoroughbred turned its head, pricking its ears in her direction, and whinnied in recognition. Luz saw Rob look up and fixed a quick smile in place as she strode forward.
    â€œHi,” she offered warmly and watched his head dip in a mute rejection of any sympathy. Hurt by the unintentional rebuff, Luz lowered her chin slightly so the wide brim of her straw sunhat shaded more of her face. She walked to the front of the horse, transferring her attention to it. “How’s my baby?” she crooned and rubbed its poll. It nuzzled the knotted sleeves of her sweater in front, responding to the caress of her voice and hand. “Sorry, but I don’t have any sugar for you this time,Copper.” Gently, she scratched the top of its satin nose and glanced sideways at Rob. “He played well today.”
    â€œYeah.” He didn’t look at her, his face smooth of any expression.
    â€œIt was a tough game.” Luz eyed him. “Do you want to talk about it?”
    â€œNo. It’s over and we lost.”
    But she knew it wasn’t that cut and dried emotionally. “Where’s Trisha?”
    â€œAt the horse trailer. She should be back soon for the rest of the horses.” He cast an absent glance over his shoulder as if expecting to see her.
    Luz gave the sorrel one last pat and moved away to saunter closer to Rob. She thrust her hands in the side pockets of her slacks, assuming a casual stance. “I suppose right now you’re wishing we had accepted your Uncle Mike’s invitation to spend the midterm break at their chalet in Gstaad. You could be skiing in Switzerland instead.”
    â€œNo, I’m not,” he denied in a voice flattened of feeling. He made one last swipe over a sleek flank before folding the chamois in half.
    â€œWhy not? If we’d gone, you wouldn’t have played in the tournament, and you would have missed feeling as miserable and rotten as you do now. Why would you want to go through all this when you could be having a good time on the slopes?” Luz reasoned.
    â€œBecause I wanted to play!” Rob flashed her an impatient look at what he saw as a lack of understanding on her part.
    Luz smiled faintly.