Water Hazard: An Equestrian Women's Lit Story

By Mary Kit Caelsto

On the way to becoming more than friends, Zahra and Rose's relationship faces its first obstacle--Zahra's ex, Sorcha, has resurfaced and is in need of a soft landing. When she shows up earlier than expected and starts giving off mixed signals, Zahra's forced to confront her own feelings for Sorcha. When it appears that her career as a marine biologist is leaving her landlocked, Zahra has to make a choice. Help her ex find her wings, or keep tying her down by comparing her to the past.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mary Kit Caelsto
• Release date: Aug 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9780463605486

Book preview

< Water Hazard >

Cardinal Oaks Book 3

Mary Kit Caelsto

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Also By The Author

Want Free Stories?

Water Hazard

Fox Hunt Inn

Steady On Course Preview

Correction on Course Preview

Spins Are Wild Preview

About the Author

The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. Permission is granted to make ONE backup copy for archival purposes.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

WATER HAZARD

Copyright © Mary Kit Caelsto, 2021

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Cover Art ® 2021

Cover art by Epona Author Solutions

Book formatting by Epona Author Solutions (http://eponaauthorsolutions.com)

Electronic Publication Date: August 2021

This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

Please support horse rescue and rescue organizations. You may just find your next best friend.

Also By The Author

Equestrian Women’s Fiction

Noble Dreams Series

Steady On Course

Standing On Course

Correction On Course

Walking On Course

Course Perfect

Shadbelly Faults

Husband On Board

Double Clear

Riding Double

Rompers and Rosettes

Crossed Rails

International Obstacles

Baby Green

Mare Stare

Future Courses

Western Star Series

(women’s fiction w/ romantic elements)

Spins Are Wild

Turn And Burn

In The Chute

Back In The Saddle

Winning It All

Cardinal Oaks Series

Flying Changes

Field Obstacles

Water Hazard

Sweet Equestrian Romance

Shiloh’s Second Chance

Racehorses and Romance

Riding Home

Claiming His Irish Trainer

His Irish Proposition

Roping Paige

Fantasy/Magic Realism

The Musimagium

Hidden

Tonic Chords

Of Songs & Horns

Of Songs & Paperwork

Chasing Neptune’s Cat

Draco Magus

The Pegasus Project

Pegasus In Flight

Tempus Magic

Radio Arcanum

Mythology

Racing Luck

From the Deep

Bad Luck Titan

Tyche’s Trials

Called to Rota

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Visit https://marykitcaelsto.com/newsletter and sign up for Mary’s newsletter. She offers free serial stories – one equestrian and one fantasy – to her subscribers.

Get even more free stories by becoming a Patreon at https://patreon.com/marykitcaelsto.

Chapter One

Zahra propped her feet on the coffee table, a large bowl of popcorn balanced in her lap. She sipped her lemon water and set her laptop to cast to the large television. Thank goodness for Olympic replays online. For the next two and a half hours she had a front row seat, or at least better than most television viewers, to the eventing cross country course. She’d managed to catch some of the dressage, but like most eventing riders, she preferred the jumping portion. The course in Tokyo looked challenging from the walk-through blogs she’d read and the videos she’d seen. She looked forward to getting a good look at how some of the best riders in the world tackled the obstacles.

She checked her phone, wondering she should text Rose and let her know she was ready to watch. They’d talked about spending time together, but Rose fussed over her dressage scores at the upcoming event in a couple of weeks. She needed practice, she said, and had gone to the barn. That’d been an hour ago.

Zahra smiled. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say Rose was avoiding her since they’d realized they each had feelings for the other. Except, she didn’t think Rose would do that. And they both knew Rose’s dressage scores weren’t what they ought to be. The mare was talented. Her rider, however, lacked consistency.

She flipped a handful of popcorn in her mouth, munching contentedly on the buttery goodness with just a bit of garlic and lime salt. The first rider left the starting box, and she prepared herself to witness a masterclass in riding. The jumps she took in her competition weren’t nearly the size of these, but her heart pounded with the thrill of going over something that large on cross country. It’d be exhilarating, and a little daunting, considering she’d only jumped larger obstacles in show jumping. The rails and standards in an arena were a far cry from more solid obstacles out in a field.

The front door closed and the thud of boots hitting the floor announced Rose’s arrival. A few moments later she sank onto the couch next to Zahra, then reached across and snagged a handful of popcorn. Did I miss anything? she asked.

It just started, Zahra replied. Didn’t miss a thing.

Good. I plan to rewatch the dressage. See if I can pick up some pointers.

Don’t stress about it too much, Zahra said, keeping one eye on the television. She listened to the commentators talk about the horses and riders, listening to them talk the viewers through the jumps. Of course most of the people watching the coverage were equestrians and were familiar with it, but she appreciated the announcer’s attempts to make the sport understandable to the lay person.

You know me. Type A. She reached for another handful of popcorn, and they fell into a companionable silence while the coverage continued.

A quick break in the middle, and Zahra’s cell phone buzzed. She checked it, not expecting any texts, but thought her coach might be making a suggestion. The number was unfamiliar; the name associated with it wasn’t.

I’m coming through and thought I’d stop by and visit. - Sorcha

Zahra’s heart leapt into her throat. She hadn’t seen Sorcha in six years, or maybe seven. The last she knew Sorcha had gone to film in the South Pacific and after that, they’d lost track. It seemed odd she’d try to reconnect now. Unless… No, Zahra refused to finish that thought. She had something good here at Cardinal Oaks with Rose. They’d cleared the air about their budding romantic relationship. She was due to move up a level after the next event. Things couldn’t be going any better.

So why would Sorcha’s arrival bother her so much now. She put her phone on the charger and returned to the couch, ready to hit play again on the equestrian coverage.

You okay? I saw you checking your phone.

Yeah. Just got a text from someone I knew a long time ago. She’s thinking of stopping by and visiting. Zahra glanced away, then put the popcorn back in her lap, as if she could use the bowl to shield herself from an unpleasant past.

That’s good, isn’t it? To reconnect with an old friend. Unless she was more than a friend and things didn’t end well? Rose glanced at her a moment too long.

It had to be the lawyer in her, but damn her for being so perceptive. We were friends, Zahra said, not elaborating on the fact that she almost moved to Australia to say with her or that before Sorcha’s opportunity they’d been on the verge of moving in together. All of that was in the past and had ended in a huge blow up. In the end Sorcha had gone to Australia, and she’d moved to the barn she’d been at before coming to Noble Dreams. She’d thought she’d put it all in the past, but after the text. She just didn’t know.

The look on your face says it was more than that.

Zahra paused the coverage. She couldn’t bury her head and imagine it had never happened. She could ghost Sorcha, but she wasn’t like that. Whatever happened, she needed to face it head on. It was rough. We didn’t part on good terms.

I’m sorry. Do you want to talk about it?

Zahra shook her head. Not right now. Maybe later. I need to figure out what I’m going to say first.

Understandable. Rose reached for Zahra’s hand and tangled their fingers together. I’m here if you need me.

Thanks. Zahra smiled for the first time since receiving