Off to the Races

On the day of DD’s first race, Billie feels nervous despite her confidence in the horse’s ability. She has planned ways to get DD to qualify for a major derby without forcing him to compete too frequently, but she is worried  about the unknown jockey that Cole has forced them to use. She also laments that her friendship with Vaughn has “fizzled” after several canceled weekly dinners.

Billie relaxes a little at the racetrack. Violet also seems nervous, though Hank is cheerful as ever. Billie heads off to meet Vaughn and the new jockey, Patrick Cassel. She admires Vaughn’s appearance but then flinches when Patrick alludes to her past as “Canada’s long-lost princess” (140). She also meets Cole, whom she finds “downright glacial.” The brothers leave together.

Billie is annoyed that Patrick seems unimpressed by DD. The two snipe at one another, but Billie is relieved when Patrick agrees to follow her plan for DD. She advises him on the best strategy for handling the horse, and she strictly warns Patrick against using a whip, which frightens DD even though it doesn’t hurt him.

Vaughn watches DD race. Patrick, unbeknownst to Vaughn, ignores Billie’s advice about the whip. When Patrick applies the whip to DD at the end of the race, the horse speeds up and wins. After the race, Vaughn grumbles inwardly over the praise that Patrick receives, as he believes that these accolades belong to Billie.

Furious over Patrick’s use of the whip, Billie storms into the room and smacks Patrick hard on his bottom with the same whip that he used on DD. Patrick yelps. Billie yells at him for ignoring her instructions, and he retorts that “it shouldn’t surprise [him] that Victor Farrington’s daughter is just as trashy as he is” (152). Vaughn is astonished to realize that Billie’s father is a disgraced prime minster. Billie continues reprimanding Patrick, telling him that he will never again get to ride one of her horses. Billie then shouts at Cole for using DD to “win brownie points in [his] billionaire-baby sandbox” (152). Cole furiously contends that DD is actually his horse, but Billie retorts that she was the one who made DD a contender for a major title.

When Billie storms out, Vaughn follows her, but she asks to be left alone. He agrees, though he wants to comfort her. Hank and Vaughn both approve of Billie’s ferocity in protecting DD. When Vaughn approaches her, Billie snaps at him about allegedly flirting with another woman. In response, Vaughn kisses her. When he apologies and tries to pull back, Billie kisses him back. They bicker even as they kiss, which increases their desire for one another.

Billie wavers between criticizing herself for the foolishness of kissing her boss and relishing how appealing she found the kiss itself. She hurriedly returns to DD, who has been trembling with fear after being whipped. The vet that Hank summoned to inspect DD reports that the horse is frightened but uninjured. Violet is uncharacteristically furious about Patrick’s mistreatment of the horse. She is appalled when Billie admits to hitting Patrick, but her concern is for Billie, not for the jockey.

Billie gives DD treats and affection and then takes him home. His sweetness toward her makes her feel guilty that she didn’t fight harder to ensure that he would be working with a reputable jockey. She cries, feeling overwhelmed by the day and by her fear that her actions will get her fired.

Billie gets up every two hours during the night to check on DD, which leaves her exhausted the next day. She is distressed when she sees him lying on his side, as this behavior can indicate an emergent condition in horses. The silence from his stomach indicates a digestive issue. She urges him to his feet, and he rises with extreme effort. Billie calls Hank to summon help and then prods DD to keep walking, which will help his condition. Violet quickly comes running with medicine, much to Billie’s relief. She asks Hank to keep Vaughn away, as she is still annoyed with him, though she knows that Hank will have to report DD’s illness. Hank reluctantly agrees.

Vaughn struggles to sort through Dermot’s possessions as he ruminates on the previous night with Billie and the information about her family. He feels betrayed that she didn’t tell him about her past. He calls Cole for information, knowing that his brother would have checked into her background. Cole admits to knowing that Billie is “the daughter of [their] most scandalous and infamous commander-in-chief” (172), but he didn’t think this was important, given her competence with horses. He also comments that he “didn’t expect [Vaughn] to fall in love with the psycho” (172).

Vaughn denies loving Billie and feels betrayed that she, Cole, and Hank were all keeping this information from him. Cole accuses Vaughn of being immature in his binary view of people as either good or bad. He explains that he withheld the information about Billie’s past because he felt that it wasn’t his place to compromise her “fresh start.” Vaughn calls Hank to reprimand him, but Hank tells him that he is too busy handling DD’s illness. He also states that Billie has refused to leave the horse alone, not even to eat or sleep.

Anxious and exhausted, Billie walks with DD, fretting that she doesn’t merit his loyalty. Dr. Thorne, the vet who visited the previous day, arrives and gives the dehydrated DD some intravenous fluids. She encourages Billie to keep the horse walking, hoping that this measure will let them avoid surgical intervention. Billie walks the horse for hours, and after several rounds of IV fluids, DD begins to slowly improve, leaving Dr. Thorne optimistic. She believes that his condition was brought on by stress. Hearing this angers Billie anew.

Billie remains worried and refuses to leave DD even after Hank points out that she has been walking without rest all day. He urges Billie not to blame herself for DD’s condition. He tells her that he sees her as family, which makes her cry. Reluctantly, Hank and Violet leave. Billie notes that DD’s stomach now sounds better and that he seems to be in less pain. She weeps in relief, cuddling against DD’s mane until Vaughn approaches and pulls her away. Vaughn’s consoling embrace makes her feel that he really cares about her.

Vaughn feels heartsick as he watches the normally unflappable Billie break down. He notes the special bond between Billie and DD and is faintly envious that the horse gets to experience the “transformative” power of Billie’s love. He gently teases and cajoles Billie into taking a break and then takes over walking DD. He muses that he finds Billie confusing, as the previous women he dated were only interested in his material wealth; Billie is uninterested in such things. He teases her about her actions toward Patrick but allows her to deflect any references to the kiss that Vaughn and Billie shared.

When Vaughn asks about Billie’s father, she protests that she didn’t speak of her past because she finds it painful to recall being used as a pawn when her father tried to regain public favor following his sex scandal. Vaughn recognizes her pain and doesn’t press for more information, though he offers to listen if she ever wants to talk about her past. He also promises to let her choose DD’s next jockey. As Vaughn continues to walk with DD, he reflects that Billie’s background in the public eye highlights her kindness in not pressuring him to feel any particular way about his grandfather’s scandal and possible guilt.

Vaughn is thrilled when DD defecates, as this indicates that his intestines are no longer blocked. He turns to celebrate with Billie but finds her sleeping. He reflects that he likes all aspects of Billie. As he ponders ways to overcome her emotional walls so that they can be together, she wakes up and celebrates at the sign of DD’s improving health. She embraces Vaughn exuberantly and then facetiously points out that they cannot kiss, as “banging her billionaire playboy boss” would ruin her credibility in the male-dominated industry of horse racing (193). Vaughn is staggered by the realization that a relationship between the two of them would hurt Billie’s career. Despite his sudden urge to flee this disappointment, he stays to help Billie watch over DD.

Billie puzzles over Vaughn’s shift in attitude as they return to her house. He admits to being sad about her reasons for avoiding a relationship. Disarmed by this honesty, Billie holds his hand, ignoring the spark of attraction that she feels. She winces over her disheveled appearance and is astonished when Vaughn calls her beautiful. 

She falls asleep after showering but then wakes hours later when she hears movement in her house. When she investigates, she finds Vaughn looking at photos of the way the press has documented his dating life. She approaches and apologizes for hurting his feelings. She then urges him to talk to her, citing their friendship. He denies that they are friends, which hurts her feelings.

Offended, Billie tries to leave, but Vaughn grabs her hand and explains that he is attracted to her in a way that goes beyond friendship. He contextualizes his media presence, explaining that he goes on “mostly platonic dates” that his matchmaking mother insists on setting up (204). He indicates that he would stop doing this if he had someone he really cared for. Despite her reservations, Billie lets him embrace her. Her arousal overwhelms her, and she grabs for his pants, but he urges her to sit quietly on his lap instead. After a pause in which they reflect on how well they suit one another, they begin kissing. Vaughn urges Billie to explicitly articulate her desires, and he then carries her up to her bedroom.

Vaughn reflects that nothing in his life feels as important as his desire for Billie. He plans to gradually show Billie that she matters more to him than any of the dates with whom he was photographed. He admires her beauty and feels triumphant when she admits to her desires. They have oral sex, and although Vaughn doesn’t pursue his own physical pleasure, he finds the encounter enormously satisfying.