Out of the Ashes
Saying Goodbye
Alexa King stared out the window of the limousine at what was left of Grandessa Farms. Her father had started with nothing and built an empire on the back of a horse bound for slaughter. Hannibal had been one of the nastiest, meanest horses in the industry. Her father had taken one look at the horse and knew that somewhere in the messed up broken horse there was a champion. After bidding a couple hundred bucks he rented a field and set the horse loose. It had taken months of hard work to build up the horse’s trust, but when he was finished Adam King had his very own champion.
Hannibal ran his heart out every time he set foot on the track and people took notice. Some believed that Adam had some kind of magic touch, while others claimed he was drugging the horse. The truth was simple: Hannibal had been abused and mishandled. All the horse had ever needed was someone to come along and show him a little kindness and love. After he left the track Hannibal went on to sire multiple stakes and graded stakes winners until his unexpected death at 15.
Adam Kind had never forgotten the horse that made all of his dreams possible or the horses that had come along after them. So when a forest fire raged through the farm destroying his dreams he had done everything he could to rescue his beloved horses even when it meant leaving his daughter an orphan.
“I know this is hard on you Lexie,” the man sitting across from her said softly.
Adam King and Jason Clark had been friends since their freshman year of high school. When Adam learned he would be a father and his girlfriend was planning an abortion they convinced her together that Adam could raise their child on his own if only she would give him a chance.
After high school they had gone their separate ways, but after Jason graduated from law school Adam was there to offer his own support. He was Jason’s first client and most important. It was no surprise when Adam asked him to look after Lexie if something ever happened. Neither of them believed that day would come, but it had and Jason refused to fail his best friend.
“I don’t understand why we can’t just rebuild. I’m sixteen, old enough to emancipate myself. I could easily run the place,” the dark haired brunette responded. Her sad green eyes drove a stake through his heart. She deserved so much better than this.
“Lexie most of the stock was lost in the fire. Only a few survived and they were severely injured. On top of that you may be old enough to be emancipated, but you are nowhere near ready to run a thoroughbred farm on your own,” he replied.
“I could hire someone to help run it, to teach me,” she replied.
“Lex listen to me. The cost of rebuilding the farm alone right now would bankrupt you. I am not telling you we have to sell the farm. If you want I can even find someone to look after the horses that survived the fire, but sweetheart you need a fresh start. You need time to heal. I will protect what is left of the estate, invest what I can, and when you are ready I will help you rebuild your father’s legacy.” It broke his heart that he couldn’t give her what she wanted. Life really sucked sometimes and he really wondered if boarding school was the right choice. He couldn’t understand why his friend was so insistent that Alexa attended Amber Ridge.
“Fine, but boarding school?” she asked him softly.
“I know sweet heart. Emily and I would rather have you with us, but your dad seemed to think it was the next best place to Grandessa. He has a plan Lexie. I don’t know what it is or why. Maybe he thought the equestrian programs might help you work through your grief,” he explained.
“I doubt it,” she answered and spent the rest of the trip in silence.
Hannibal ran his heart out every time he set foot on the track and people took notice. Some believed that Adam had some kind of magic touch, while others claimed he was drugging the horse. The truth was simple: Hannibal had been abused and mishandled. All the horse had ever needed was someone to come along and show him a little kindness and love. After he left the track Hannibal went on to sire multiple stakes and graded stakes winners until his unexpected death at 15.
Adam Kind had never forgotten the horse that made all of his dreams possible or the horses that had come along after them. So when a forest fire raged through the farm destroying his dreams he had done everything he could to rescue his beloved horses even when it meant leaving his daughter an orphan.
“I know this is hard on you Lexie,” the man sitting across from her said softly.
Adam King and Jason Clark had been friends since their freshman year of high school. When Adam learned he would be a father and his girlfriend was planning an abortion they convinced her together that Adam could raise their child on his own if only she would give him a chance.
After high school they had gone their separate ways, but after Jason graduated from law school Adam was there to offer his own support. He was Jason’s first client and most important. It was no surprise when Adam asked him to look after Lexie if something ever happened. Neither of them believed that day would come, but it had and Jason refused to fail his best friend.
“I don’t understand why we can’t just rebuild. I’m sixteen, old enough to emancipate myself. I could easily run the place,” the dark haired brunette responded. Her sad green eyes drove a stake through his heart. She deserved so much better than this.
“Lexie most of the stock was lost in the fire. Only a few survived and they were severely injured. On top of that you may be old enough to be emancipated, but you are nowhere near ready to run a thoroughbred farm on your own,” he replied.
“I could hire someone to help run it, to teach me,” she replied.
“Lex listen to me. The cost of rebuilding the farm alone right now would bankrupt you. I am not telling you we have to sell the farm. If you want I can even find someone to look after the horses that survived the fire, but sweetheart you need a fresh start. You need time to heal. I will protect what is left of the estate, invest what I can, and when you are ready I will help you rebuild your father’s legacy.” It broke his heart that he couldn’t give her what she wanted. Life really sucked sometimes and he really wondered if boarding school was the right choice. He couldn’t understand why his friend was so insistent that Alexa attended Amber Ridge.
“Fine, but boarding school?” she asked him softly.
“I know sweet heart. Emily and I would rather have you with us, but your dad seemed to think it was the next best place to Grandessa. He has a plan Lexie. I don’t know what it is or why. Maybe he thought the equestrian programs might help you work through your grief,” he explained.
“I doubt it,” she answered and spent the rest of the trip in silence.