Chapter 65 – Planning
When Nathan and Doug got down to the stable they didn't see Jack. They saw that Honey and Bandit were in holding pens near the sand ring, but no sight of Jack.
"Excuse me." Doug asked one of the hands. "Have you see Jack?"
The hand shook his head and went about his work. Doug and Nathan decided to go greet the horses that were still stalled. When they walked toward Ghost, Nathan saw Carlo.
"Carlo." Nathan said. "Just the young man I was looking for."
"What can I do for you Nathan?" Carlo asked.
"First." Nathan said. "Have you see Jack?"
"He took his phone and went in the office." Carlo said.
Nathan looked at Doug, but Doug just shrugged his shoulders so Nathan figured something was up.
"Thank you." Nathan said. "Now, let me introduce you to Doug Burke. He is the person that owns Ghost."
"Nice to met you, Sir." Carlo said.
"Enough with the sir." Doug said. "You can call me Doug. Thank you so much for helping with Ghost. I know that he can be a handful."
"Oh he is fine." Carlo said. "He is really just a big baby. Aren't you (talking to the horse)."
While he was talking, Carlo was scratching Ghost's muzzle. Again, Doug and Nathan exchanged a look, but this time the were both smiling. As much as Doug loved Ghost he knew that like Athena, he didn't like many people so the fact that he was like putty with Carlo was good.
"Yes, he is." Doug said. "Especially with people that he likes."
"I already fed the horses." Carlo said. "Jack was brushing them out before he took a phone call."
"Thank you." Nathan said. "We will finish. And thank you again for taking care of things last night. I meant to get back down here."
"Not a problem." Carlo said. "Uncle said you were busy with a family dinner, since Mr Thornton arrived yesterday."
"Well thank you anyway." Nathan said.
Carlo walked away and they went to greet the horses. Nathan wanted to check Ghost over and see how he was going. He also wanted to show Doug what was going on. As they approached the horse, he nickered to both of them and when Doug got close enough Ghost nudged Doug's midsection.
"What boy?" Doug said. "I got nothing for you."
When he realized he wasn't going to get another treat, Ghost stomped his foot and threw his head back. Nathan couldn't help but let out a little chuckle. Nathan went to greet Athena when she stuck her head over her stall looking for some attention. Doug was surprised when Athena greeted Nathan and let him pet her.
Gran followed Thomas to the home office to give him the password. Elizabeth and Lee finished clearing the dishes from the table and got the dishwasher started. Lee then went downstairs and got his phone, Jack's computer and the notebook that he had seen Jack writing in before. He also took a moment to check something with his mother before he headed back up. He brought everything up to the table to work with Elizabeth. When he got there, Elizabeth had her phone and computer as well. She also had a file.
"What is that?" Lee asked.
"Gran's records from the last show." Elizabeth said.
"That will be helpful." Lee said.
As Lee had quickly discovered, Jack had set up an account for them to be able to order things. Lee had shown Elizabeth and after a few quick back and forth messages between Lee and one of the Thornton accountants, it was determined that Jack had set it up with his own money and that he would deal with getting paid back later. The accountant had also let Lee know that Jack had set up an event so people could register and pay with either or a credit card. Lee was impressed with how much Jack had done. Lee let the accountant know that he and Elizabeth were handling things, the accountant had let him know that he had already emailed Jack and everything was set and both were already listed as authorized account users. Lee got the numbers that they would need if they ordered anything or if the people wanted they could send a bill the accountant and they would take care of it. Lee thanked the accountant for his help and let him know that they would be in touch.
They worked for a bit while Gran was working in the kitchen. After a few moments of getting organized, Elizabeth turned to Lee.
"Lee." Elizabeth said.
"Yes." Lee said looking up.
"I was wondering if I could ask you something." Elizabeth said.
"Ask away." Lee said. "If I know I will tell you if I can."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "So I know that you are close with Jack. I was just wondering … well has he … I know that we have talked about some things."
"Elizabeth." Lee said. "Stop take a deep breath. Jack has never done anything like this before. Yes, he has dated in the past, but they have never been serious. Besides that, I have never seen him look at anyone the way that he looks at you. He has also never said 'I love you' to any other girl. I promise that he will always try to be a gentleman and never push you, but he struggling with what he is feeling and what he is experiencing."
"Did he say something?" Elizabeth asked.
"He didn't need to." Lee said. "I can see it in his eyes. Besides he is my best friend, I am one of a few people that can read him. Doug filled me in on what happened in Central Park. I also talked to Doug and Mr Thornton a bit about what has happened since. All I can say is what I have seen. And from where I am sitting, Jack really loves you and I think that scares him."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked.
"Because he is eighteen." Lee said. "He is eighteen and thinking about marriage, kids and his future for the first time. When I say future I mean more then school and what he is going to do, which I also know that he has been struggling with over at least the last few months, maybe longer. I believe that he is scared that he is moving to fast and that he is going to scare you away. I honestly think that if something happened to you, it would crush him."
"Thank you for telling me." Elizabeth said. "It scares me as well. I have always wanted a husband and a family, but I always thought that they would come after I was done with school. I think it would crush me as well if something happened to Jack."
"Then talk to him." Lee said. "Now can we get back to work?"
"Sure." Elizabeth said. "I will try to talk to him."
Gran had heard what Lee and Elizabeth had been talking about. She didn't comment, but just listened. She had figured that there was a measure of fear from both Jack and Elizabeth, but to hear Lee say it made Gran think twice. She knew that she was going to have to have another conversation with her grandson, but she wasn't sure what she could say to him at that point. She knew that Jack had struggled with things for a while and she wondered if part of it was just growing up, or if there was more to it. From what Gran had heard, she realized that there was more then what Jack had shared with her. She wondered if he was questioning is future and his place in the family. Gran also wondered if he was thinking about taking things in a different direction at school. After a bit, she took a deep breath and offered up a prayer for all involved. She knew that she couldn't do much more, but she also knew that she was going to have to be there for her grandson as much as she possible could while he was there with them. She also knew that if JP was moving forward with Elizabeth then she must have been wrong about the rumors that she had heard years ago or it wasn't Elizabeth.
Nathan and Doug got Ghost and Athena settled outside. Doug was working on brushing out Aphrodite when Jack returned to help muck out the stalls.
"Everything okay?" Doug asked.
"Yep." Jack said.
Jack didn't say anything else, but pulled his gloves on and went about mucking out a stall. They hadn't been working all that long, when Jack's phone went off again. He pulled his gloves off and walked away while starting a conversation with whoever he was talking to. Nathan didn't miss the looks from some of the hands as Jack walked away on his phone. Nathan stopped mucking and looked back at Doug. He could see that Doug was just as confused.
"What is with that look?" Nathan asked.
"I just have never seen Jack like this." Doug said.
"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.
"I have never seen him with his phone around the horses." Doug said. "He has always been so adamant that they not be used around the horses. I mean I have seen have his phone with on a trail ride in case of an emergency, but it has always been on silent. I have never seen him actually have his phone on, much less answer it when he is around the horses."
"Should we be concerned?" Nathan asked.
"Not yet." Doug said. "I am going to see if I can figure out what is going on."
"I will tell you this." Nathan said. "I am taking his phone before he gets on a horse to jump. The last thing that we need is it going off and spooking a horse. I was hired to protect him and that means from himself as well."
"I agree." Doug said.
Nathan and Doug both went back to their work for a moment. Doug took Aphrodite out and when he came back, Jack still wasn't back. Doug stopped at the stall that Nathan was working at.
"I was going to ask you." Doug said. "Why did you put Athena with Honey?"
"Because I am going to jump her." Nathan said without missing a beat.
Doug was speechless for a moment. He had seen Laura jump Athena, but he had never seen anyone else jump her, not even Jack.
"Don't look at me like that." Nathan said without turning around.
"Ok – a – y." Doug said in a low voice.
"Yes, I asked Jack." Nathan said. "She seemed eager and I thought it might be fun."
"As if we didn't have enough to do." Doug said.
"I am not saying that everyone else needs to ride her." Nathan said. "I just want to see something. If doesn't work, it doesn't work. She seemed to really take a shine to me, so I thought it might be fun."
"Okay." Doug said. "She is an excellent jumper. I just have never seen anyone other then Laura jump her, not even Jack."
"I heard as much." Nathan said coming out of the stall. "I just have a feeling about something. Jack gave me permission to try."
Nathan grabbed the new bedding and then walked over to Doug for a second. Nathan didn't feel like he needed to defend what he wanted to do, since Jack had given him permission, but there was something about the look that Doug had given him.
"Look." Nathan said. "I don't know if it will work, but I want to try. She looks like a wonderful horse and she has allowed me to get close to her and from what I hear that is a feat all of its own. If it works, it works. If not there is no harm."
Nathan and Doug were able to finish the stalls before Jack returned.
"Everything okay?" Nathan asked.
"Yep." Jack said. "Just dealing with some business. Lets go get changed and jump some horses."
They walked to the jockey room to change.
"Jack." Nathan said.
Jack looked up at him from lacing up his boots.
"Please leave your phone here." Nathan said. "I don't want anything to happen while we are riding and I need you head in the ring and not on your phone."
Jack thought for a moment and then grabbed his phone and sent a few texts and then put it back in his locker.
"Happy?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Nathan said.
Before they could go out of the jockey room, Jack's phone beeped and he went to grab it. Doug looked at Jack and then turned to Nathan.
"Lock the door." Doug said.
"I will give you a moment." Nathan said.
"No, stay." Doug said.
Nathan went over and locked the door and then went back to stand near Doug. Doug stood over Jack and grabbed his phone.
"Hey." Jack said standing up.
"No." Doug said. "What the hell is going on? You have never allowed phones around the horses before."
"I told you business." Jack said grabbing his phone back.
Doug stood to his full height which was a couple inches taller then Jack. He looked down on his best friend and growled.
"John Parker Thornton." Doug said. "Don't spin me, because I am calling your bullshit right now. You have never been so busy with so called business when we have been riding, so spill."
"What?" Jack said. "I have things I needed to take care of. I agreed to not take the phone outside while we are jumping. What more do you want from me?"
"For starters the truth." Doug said. "You can't pretend last night just didn't happen. You dropped a couple bombs last night. Not only about you and Elizabeth, but the past as well. I am sure your parents didn't respond to those. Don't lie, because I will know. Now, tell me the truth."
"I am not pretending last night didn't happen." Jack said. "And not, they didn't respond, at least not to my face. They want to act all high and mighty while lying to me, I am not going to put up with it. I had an idea and last night cemented what I was going to do. As pointed out to me last night I was eighteen and I realized that I didn't need anyone's permission to do what I was thinking, so I did it. Some of what I am doing, you already know about Doug. Some you don't, but you are going to have to trust me. It is all tied in and I can't/don't want to talk about it right now. We have been friends for years and I am asking you to trust me. I know what I am doing and I know what I want."
Doug looked at Jack and understanding came over Doug's face. He knew part of what Jack was doing and it was big. He also knew that it might not go over well with everyone else. Doug also knew that Jack knew what he was doing and if he wanted to step up the plans then he was going to no matter what anyone said.
"What did you do?" Nathan asked.
"You will see." Jack said.
Doug and Nathan looked at each other then then back at Jack.
"What?" Jack said. "I didn't do anything illegal or that I wasn't already thinking about. It isn't like I haven't been earning my own money for years. And before you ask, yes I have been talking to my Grandpa John and he is totally on my side. He is actually helping with a few things that I have set in motion over the last twelve hours or so. Again, please don't ask for specifics because I won't give them to you, at least not right now. Besides, if you think about it, you might realize you know more then you think."
"I am going to ask you again." Nathan said. "What did you you do? I don't want to play referee between you and your father."
"You won't have to." Jack said. "If Dad gets out of hand, I will just call Grandpa John."
Jack took a moment to look at the two people standing before him. Nathan was processing and realized what Jack might be talking about.
"Fine." Jack said. "I bought a few things. Now lets go jump some horses."
"What did you buy?" Doug asked.
Jack just turned and gave Doug a dimpled grin. Jack grabbed his helmet and walked out of the jockey room. Doug and Nathan were only a few steps behind Jack after they grabbed their helmets. When they caught up with Jack, Doug grabbed Jack's arm. Doug spun Jack to look at him.
"What did you do?" Doug asked. "You know I trust you, but I need a heads up if you want me to back your play with your father. Which you know I will do. I don't want to get caught and say something that you don't want me. Besides that, when have we ever kept each other in the dark? I know that you can't share everything with me when it comes to business, but you have always talked to me about things."
"I told you." Jack said. "I dealt with some business. I also bought something. Well a couple things actually. And before you start, no I am not telling you what I bought. You will just have to see. I promise, I will tell you when the time is right and now is not that time. I need to handle a few more things before I talk to you or anyone else about what is going on. Please trust me, I have talked to Grandpa John and I have also called Father Mark to talk. Now I thought we were here to jump. We have a competition this weekend and I don't know about you but I intend to win."
Doug shook his head. He had saw the mischievous glint in Jack's eyes. Doug wasn't exactly sure what his best friend was up to, but he knew that they were in for a ride as whatever Jack had in mind played out.