Ashlyn picked up her phone and put it on speaker. While on the phone, she headed to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. “What’s up?”
“Ashlyn, it’s the weekend. Wanna hang out tomorrow?”
“Where do you want to go?” Ashlyn asked with a chuckle.
“The stables. I haven’t ridden a horse in so long!”
Ashlyn mulled over it for a while and finally agreed. “Okay.”
“Then I’ll go to you at nine o’clock tomorrow morning!”
“Got it. Go to bed early so that you’ll have the energy tomorrow.”
Staying up late every night wasn’t healthy. It was said that it could even lead to hair loss.
After hanging up, Ashlyn drank a glass of warm milk and went back to her room to sleep.
The following morning, Jessie arrived early to pick her up.
It rained a lot in Courtbush in March, but today, it was unusually sunny and bright.
Ashlyn was looking out of the window absentmindedly when Jessie suddenly asked, “So what did you say to Devin that night?”
Ashlyn raised her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
Jessie snorted and took out her phone to look for a specific post. “Look. See for yourself.”
On Jessie’s phone screen was Devin’s last post on Facebook, which was captioned, “The sixteenth day chasing after Ashlyn.”
“Does this mean he’s given up now?”
Jessie sneered. “If so, then he’s a jerk!”
Ashlyn thought about what Devin had said to her the other day. “Yeah. He is a jerk.”
His method of hitting on girls didn’t work on her.
The traffic lights turned green and Ashlyn pointed it out. “You can go now, Jessie.”
Jessie sighed helplessly and gave up questioning her.
It was already half past nine when they arrived at the racecourse. Because it was a Saturday, there were many people there.
It had also been a long time since the last time Ashlyn rode a horse. After galloping around, she felt much better.
Not knowing where Jessie had gone, Ashlyn took a break and went to get some water. Suddenly, she heard her name being called from a distance. “Ashlyn!”
Ashlyn turned to look in the direction of the voice and saw Aiken on horseback.
“What a coincidence! Ashlyn, you can ride, too?”
Aiken was riding a reddish-purple horse. Ashlyn would’ve found him handsome in that moment if it weren’t for the fact that she knew his real character.
Ashlyn glanced at him and said lightly, “No, I don’t.”
Aiken asked in disbelief, “Then what’re you doing here?”
“Just having fun.”
The conversation stalled once more as Aiken was lost for words.
Just then, Jessie also came back. When she saw Aiken, her expression instantly darkened. “Why do we always run into each other?”
Aiken clicked his tongue and asked with a smile, “What’s the matter? Unhappy to see me?”
“Of course. A friend to a scumbag is also a scumbag.”
As soon as Jessie finished speaking, the so-called scumbag, Gordon, also came over on a white horse.
Although he was a scumbag in their eyes, he looked undeniably like a professional on such a magnificent white horse.
Jessie looked at Ashlyn subconsciously. The latter threw the rope to her and announced, “I’m going to get a drink.”
Then she left.
In the lounge, Ashlyn looked at the man walking towards her with an affectionate look in his eyes. “Mr. Stanley, how did you know I was here?”
As she spoke, Devin closed the distance between them. He bent over, bringing his face close to hers. Ashlyn could see her reflection in his eyes, the freckles on his nose, and his thin lips, which were curled up in a smile. “Someone told me that the scenery at the stables today was very beautiful, so I came to have a look.”
He paused and added, “And they were right.”
The man’s eyes were so seductive that Ashlyn couldn’t help but blush.
She tore her gaze away and busied herself by unscrewing the cap on her water bottle. “My friend’s waiting for me.”
Then, without waiting for a response, she walked away.
Devin trotted to catch up to her.
The two of them walked out together. Seeing Devin next to Ashlyn, Jessie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Why is he here?”
“I don’t know either.”
But she didn’t own the place, so she couldn’t stop Devin from coming here.
Still, she had come here to relax and have fun, so she got on her horse. “I’m going to go for a round.”
Then she urged her horse forward.
Jessie also mounted her horse and chased after her, leaving Devin in the dust.
He narrowed his eyes and quickly followed suit.
Ashlyn heard a horse galloping behind her. She thought it was Jessie, so she looked back with a smile, only to find out that it was Devin who had caught up to her.
He was wearing a British-style outfit today with a light brown vest over a white shirt. Sitting atop the horse, he looked very handsome and charming.
Noticing her gaze, Devin winked at her and suggested, “How about a bet, Ashlyn?”
Ashlyn had started riding at the tender age of fifteen. It had been ten years since then. Every time she went riding with Stevie, she was praised for her skill.
She reined in and asked curiously, “What bet?”
“See that white pavilion in the distance? Whoever reaches there first wins!”
Ashlyn glanced at where he was pointing and asked, “What’s at stake?”
“If I win, you have to attend an auction with me next week. If I lose, I won’t pester you for a whole week.”
The bet seemed fair. Ashlyn narrowed her eyes at him and smiled. “Deal.”
Devin glanced at her with a smile. “Three, two, one, go!”
As soon as he finished speaking, two horses bolted simultaneously.
Ashlyn hadn’t raced on a horse in a very long time. The feeling of wind whipping against her face made her feel so alive.
Devin’s horsemanship was better than she had expected. He followed closely, and the two horses were neck and neck.
But Ashlyn refused to lose. She raised her hand and swung the whip fiercely. The horse galloped even faster.
When there were only two hundred meters left, Devin was nearly two meters behind her. Thinking about this, Ashlyn grew complacent. However, just as she smiled to herself, the man’s red horse suddenly bypassed her and galloped forward.
She reacted quickly and rode as fast as she could, but she still lost.
Devin pulled his horse to a stop and looked back at Ashlyn, grinning from ear to ear. “You lost, Ashlyn.”
Ashlyn nodded calmly. “I did.”
Just then, Jessie, who had finally caught up with them, asked, “Ashlyn, why did you guys go so fast?”
Glancing at Devin, Ashlyn smiled and said simply, “Because it’s fun.”
“See you next time, Ashlyn,” Devin said with a faint smile.
“Okay,” Ashlyn replied flatly.
Then Devin trotted away.
Jessie clicked her tongue and shook her head. “There’s something fishy going on between you two!”
“What’re you talking about?”
Ashlyn looked at Jessie questioningly.
“Well? What’s going on between you two?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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