[OPEN] dirt road romance;;

[Connor Lee Hayes]

your daddy didn't like me much,
and your momma told you not to rush
into love with a boy like me,
who is always thinkin' bout one thing
but they didn't know she had a wild side,
and it was dying to come alive;;

Ten years ago, Connor thought he'd be settled down and married by the age of thirty. Maybe even a kid on the way. And yet here he was, in a new town with a brand new puppy. He didn't have a jockey yet for his horses, and he was hardly settled into his new home. Boxes still lined his hallways full of pictures and decorations. He had only unpacked the necessary stuff and got three of his horses settled into the race barn, and the other mare settled into the regular barn. The mare in the regular barn had injured herself slightly on the track, so he retired her. Once she was healed, he began training her in English riding. So far, she was doing really well. But besides his horses and his pup, Connor hadn't really met anyone.

He had been able to hire an exercise rider for his racers, but she wasn't quite fit for the job of an actual jockey. The girl was sweet though, and she was a hard worker. Just what Connor's biggest value was. Hard work. He hated slackers and he hated being behind deadlines he set for himself. This man was very punctual, and you could always count on him being on time. Connor had been raised by both of his parents, doing nothing but farm work and household chores. He was only able to go out with his friends after all of his chores were done, and he had to be back in the early morning for even more chores. His parents had bred and trained their own race horses, and he was expected to help out with them.

Even after the age of eighteen, Connor continued to help out at the farm. He went to college and got a degree in business management. A degree that would help him get pretty much whatever job he wanted. With all of the work on the farm, Connor never really got out to meet anyone special. He wasn't innocent, but he had never been in a serious relationship. Work came before his women, and his woman better be doing her fair share. It was the belief he had grown up with, and there wasn't anything that was going to change that opinion, no matter how old school it was. Connor wasn't a jerk. He just liked to have everything done in a specific manner. But other than that, Connor is pretty cool and collected. He was easy to get along with as long as you weren't working with him.

The blue tick coon hound pup barked at the man's feet as they walked down the sidewalk. It was a fairly nice day, and the puppy needed to get outside and play. All of the chores with the horses were done for the time being, and his puppy needed some attention as well. Connor wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew he was hungry. It was hard to get a dog into a restaurant, but if he found one that was slow enough, it might work out. Besides, the puppy was pretty well-mannered, even at his young age. He knew how to behave and follow a strict set of rules laid down by Connor the first day he got him. The pup would make a good hunting dog for someone, maybe even Connor, if he ever got the time to train him in that area. Connor wasn't much of a hunter, but when he felt like it, he could hunt pretty well.

Connor found a restaurant on the slower side, and he pushed open the door. He automatically felt he had been thrown into a '50s movie. It was cozy though. A bit like a truck stop in the '50s, but it worked for him. Nobody seemed to mind the puppy trailing after the man hooked to the leash. The waitress behind the counter eyed the pup, but nodded to Connor as he walked past her and slid into a booth. Diesel, the pup, curled up under the table, making sure to stay out of the way and behave. The man had trained him well. A menu was slid onto the table and the man nodded at the waitress who had brought it to him. "Thank yah, ma'am," his southern drawl rolling across his lips. He gave her a smile, and turned his attention to the menu in front of him, contemplating the lunch he was about to have.

tagged; open
words; seven forty-six.
notes; apparently i had more muse for connor than i thought. could've wrote more, but i figured that was a good place to stop.
lyrics; dirt road romance by outshyne
animals; DIESEL[/font][/color]

[Madeline Marie Knight]

Madeline Knight

1968 Dodge Charger R/T-SE

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In your name I find meaning

Maddie opened the large garage door before slipping under it before it was more than halfway up. She glanced around at the cars that she had, but her eyes landed on the one with the red car-cover on it. The cover was absolutely filthy from collecting dust; she hadn't taken it off since she had it shipped here a couple months ago. She quietly walked down to it, taking a deep breath as she did so. She put her hands on the hood when stopped in front of it; unsure if she really wanted to do this. She swallowed hard as a tear ran down her cheek and she took the cover off slowly, trying to not get any dust on the black paint as it was uncovered. She slid down against the wall, her legs slid up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them, and her eyes just staring at the car. Tears were steadily falling down her face although she made no noises. This was the car that had changed everything.

She sat for a few minutes still staring at the car as old memories flooded her head and she couldn't shake them, until the final one came screaming in. She closed her eyes as she heard the sound of the man's voice ring through her ears as he told her what had happened over the phone. She found herself remembering every thought that went through her head as she had run to her truck and drove the half mile down the road where the charger was flipped and crushed. The paramedics zipped up two body bags as she got out of the truck screaming but she was stopped by two police officers, tears streaming down her face. They died in an accident with that car.

A couple days after her parents death, she had called someone to repair the car, and here it sat, repaired and completely untouched. She hadn't even come back here since she had it shipped in, mostly because she was afraid of the memories it would bring, afraid to face them because she couldn't handle it. She stood up before she brushed herself off and she moved towards it slowly, running her fingertips down the side and to the door handle. She opened it quietly and slid inside, before she shut the door and just sat there. Her hands ran over the steering wheel slowly and she reached for the ignition before turning the key and listening to it start right up.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and slid her aviators on before she revved the engine, making the body and the garage windows shake. She slowly drove it out of the garage before she got out and shut the large door, watching as the inside once again grew dark. She walked back to the car and slid in before shifting into first gear and pulling out of the driveway. She went through the gears down various roads and was loving the way the car drove and sounded, just like it had when daddy drove it. It was his car and to her it would always stay that way so she had been very adamant about getting it back to the same condition as it was prior to the accident.

Maddie found herself driving to the same diner she went to every day for lunch. She was one of their regulars and had become very good friends with the cook and he took care of her very well, so well that she'd walk in and everything would be there waiting. She always tried to come at the same times, usually when he was on break because he liked to come out and sit with her just to chat. They had quite the conversations sometimes and he always made her laugh despite her mood and if he was having a bad day, he'd end up smiling.

The black charger rolled into the parking lot of the diner and she cut off the engine while she just sat there for a minute. Quietly she opened the door and slid out before she shut the door and walked into the diner and hooked a right where she slid into her usual spot. Today she was sporting her black long sleeved t-shirt that said 'Knight's Racing' in white on the back of the sleeves and it said 'Jockey' across the back much like the name on the back of a team jersey. She also wore a pair of light washed jeans and her usual black work boots. She looked around quietly and noticed that there were only a couple people here but it was fairly normal for this time of day, at least when she was here. She smiled as she started to eat her pancakes and they were nice and hot; she loved nothing more than pancakes for lunch and always had since she was a kid. She looked over at the kitchen door with anticipation as the door opened but it was a waitress instead and she quietly walked over to Maddie with a smile. "The cook's out today but he left a note for the fill-in and he said he'd see you tomorrow." Maddie smiled and nodded, continuing to keep her aviators on.

She sighed before she slowly ate her lunch and looked out at the car. So who the hell was she going to talk to today? He had always wanted to see the car, and who wouldn't, but today of all days he was out, and of course, she had driven the car. She took out her phone before looking at the time and took a sip of her water, her dark sunglasses hiding the fact that her blue eyes showed how lonely she really was.

I'm barely holdin' on to you

lyrics; broken by lifehouse

[Connor Lee Hayes]

your daddy didn't like me much,
and your momma told you not to rush
into love with a boy like me,
who is always thinkin' bout one thing
but they didn't know she had a wild side,
and it was dying to come alive;;

The waitress walked over to Connor's table and bent down to scratch the puppy behind the ear. Diesel sat up and snuggled up to the lady. He was a great dog, even at such a young age. She stood up and looked at him, and gave him a smile. 'What'll it be?' she asked, and Connor looked back down at his menu. Everything looked good and sounded good. And being new around town, he didn't know what to expect with the cook's food. He folded up his menu and sighed. "What's good here?" he asked. She offered him the classic burger and fries and he agreed. He also added a side of chicken strips for the pup. Diesel loved his chicken. That dog could eat one raw out of a chicken coop if someone gave him the chance. Even though, at his young age, he was about the size of one.

Right after the waitress brought him his food, a girl walked in with a jacket that said 'Knight's Racing'. While that could mean any type of racing, around here that usually meant horses. And if there was any kind of luck in this world, she was a jockey needing horses to ride. Diesel continued to chew on his chicken strips, but perked up his ears as the girl walked by. He didn't make any noise and behaved himself. Connor didn't even think the girl noticed the puppy. It was strange how she just slid into a booth where the waitress had put food only seconds before she arrived. It was as if she was a regular that came in everyday at the same time. And now that he thought about it, she probably was. He could've kicked himself for being so blonde.

Connor picked at his burger, and finally noticed the back of the girl's jacket. She was a jockey. Just what he was hurting for bad. He also needed a groomer; but hell, he'd groom the horses himself if he could find a jockey. The horses he owned were great horses. None of them were too rowdy, and they did as they were told, even at such a young age. Goddess could be a bit of a handful at times, but generally they were all good horses. Eventually, when Connor could grow his business up, he'd buy and raise more race horses. But for now, he just had his three race babies and one OTTB mare he used for english riding now and maybe in a couple years, she'd be a broodmare. But she was four years old, and he wanted to get some use out of her for the time being. Angel had injured herself on the track, but she was a wonderful mare.

After picking at his fries some more, Connor grabbed his plate and walked over to the girl. Hopefully, she wouldn't be too offended by him sitting down with her. He whistled for the pup to follow, and Diesel grabbed up his last chicken strip and laid underneath the girl's table. "Hey, sorry to bother you," Connor said, resting his plate on the table. "I'm Connor," he said and extended his hand to her. Usually he wasn't one for being so upfront about meeting people, but she looked like she wasn't waiting for anyone. And he was really desperate to find a jockey. Most of them around here had a load of horses and couldn't ride in every race. His horses were young; all of them were under age three. But they were calm, which was a change from the usual race horse attitude.

tagged; madeline knight.
words; six-hundred one.
notes; (:
lyrics; dirt road romance by outshyne
animals; DIESEL[/font][/color]

[Madeline Marie Knight]

Madeline Knight

1968 Dodge Charger R/T-SE

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In your name I find meaning

Maddie hadn't at all heard the man behind her talking, nor did she hear the chatter of the waitress. Her eyes were too fixated on the car the even think about being able to process sounds or anything else for that matter. She sighed quietly, her legs dangling from the seat and swinging slightly, and her arms folded in front of her. She was barely in tune with the world as the waitress took her plate and Maddie had no idea she had even done it, not even seeing the obvious motion that went on beside her. She was much too caught up in the memories of the car, trying to process feelings, trying to even slightly get a grasp on what she felt, but it was all in vain; she'd never be able to understand.

Her eyes were still focused on the car but she quickly snapped out of it as she heard someone walking towards her. Her eyes landed upon a man, a few years older than her, as he slid into the seat across from her, setting down his plate. She heard him whistle and watched out of the corner of her eye as a puppy went under the table. Cute. And she wasn't just thinking about the puppy. She looked at him from behind her sunglasses as he spoke, and she just kind of waited until he introduced himself, Connor. Well Connor, certainly wasn't hard on the eyes; she quickly got rid of that thought when he extended his hand, her rather small hand met his and shook it. She had a pretty decent grasp and handshake but damn, his hand was huge... She shook that thought from her head too, knowing she should introduce herself.

She put a soft smile on her lips before she spoke. "I'm Maddie, and don't worry, you're not bothering me." Her voice was rather sweet in contrast to the voice she seemed to have lately. She had quickly forgot about the puppy and looked back out to the car. It probably looked like she was expecting someone to get out of it, and in truth she was. She was waiting for this horrible dream to end, for her parents to both step out of the car and come inside. It would never happen, and this was a harsh reality she woke up to morning, usually with a tear in her eye and their last conversation running through her head. It could hardly be called a conversation, in fact, it was a full out verbal fight, something she regretted deeply. Her last words to them were along the lines of, fuck off, I'm fine on my own. Well, here she was, alone, and she most certainly wasn't so fine on her own.

She looked back at cute Conner before thinking. What was he here for? And why was he going to talk to her? So she decided to ask. "So, is there something I can help you with?" Her voice was still sweet but she was kind of hoping to get right to business. If he wanted to just chat, that'd be fine but she most certainly needed to know if this pertained to business.

I'm barely holdin' on to you

lyrics; broken by lifehouse

[Connor Lee Hayes]

your daddy didn't like me much,
and your momma told you not to rush
into love with a boy like me,
who is always thinkin' bout one thing
but they didn't know she had a wild side,
and it was dying to come alive;;

Honestly, Connor wasn't usually this desperate for business. He was a hard worker and an honest man. He just wanted to get things done right and on time. He wasn't hard to work with or work for as long as the person was ready to work. But usually when it came down to the races, most jockeys were ready to work. They needed or wanted the money, and liked the thrill of being on the horses back. Connor wasn't worried about the money so much, but he liked the business aspect of the racing career. Especially because it was dealing with something he loved. Horses were a lot of work and took a lot of time, but he was ready to handle that. He had grown up in the family business of racing and had fallen in love with it. There was nothing stopping him from continuing his dream. Well, other than the fact he didn't have a jockey.

If he wasn't so big, and it wasn't looked down upon in the racing community, he'd race his own horses. Although, at his size, he'd slow the poor things down. He wasn't built to be a jockey. Lilliana could be a stand in for a jockey if he really got desperate, but she didn't even have her license. He'd have to pay her to get that, and then she'd have to go through quite a bit of training. And Connor just didn't have the time for that. Neither did Lilly, for that matter. She had her own horses and shows to worry about. Maybe he'd hire her to show Angel as well. He wasn't quite coordinate for English. He was more of a western rider, but he did okay in English competitions. He could train a horse to do almost anything, but when it came to competing and riding himself, he just wasn't very good at it.

The girl across the table introduced herself as Maddie. So far, she seemed nice, but slightly distracted. Usually people would say something when a dog is in the restaurant. However, back home, he had a bar he went to every weekend to hang out where there was a dog that stayed in the bar. The customers were able to let the dog in and out, and it was an everyday thing. But around here, dogs weren't usually in restaurants. There had to be something bothering the girl, but Connor wasn't going to mention anything. He followed her gaze to the car she was staring at out the window. It was a stunning car, but he was more of a truck man. Even if someone offered him an older muscle car, he probably wouldn't take it. His trucks were his life, and that was all he had ever drove.

Was there something she could help him with? Of course there was. On the back of her jacket, it said jockey. So hopefully, it was a slightly older jacket, and she needed horses to ride. It was always about business with Connor. "Actually, yes," he said, trying to approach this in the best possible way. "I couldn't help but notice the back of your jacket," he said. "I own Hayes racing, and I'm currently looking for a jockey to ride my three horses," he said, hoping she wasn't going to turn him away. When he walked into the restaurant, he never imagined a business opportunity would walk in the doors behind him. It was just a matter of what she had going on. If he got turned down, he didn't know what he'd do. He needed a jockey for the horses. They needed a steady rider on the track.

tagged; madeline knight.
words; six-hundred thirteen.
notes; (:
lyrics; dirt road romance by outshyne
animals; DIESEL[/font][/color]

[Madeline Marie Knight]

Madeline Knight

1968 Dodge Charger R/T-SE

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In your name I find meaning

Maddie wanted to kick herself for even asking. Of course this was about business, nobody ever seemed to want to talk to her about anything but that, so she wasn't sure why she had even thought that maybe he just wanted to talk. She swung her legs quietly as he got around to what he had interrupted her to ask. Shocking... He needed a jockey. She sighed before looking down at her hands, already knowing her answer, but she wasn't quite sure how she had already come up with it.

What exactly was holding her back from taking rides again? Was it because it reminded her too much of them? Or perhaps because she just wasn't into it? No, that couldn't be it; she lived for the track, for that unforgettable sound of a horse breathing as it breezed. Yeah, that really was not it. She knew the reason, she just didn't want to admit it. She did everything within her power to keep her moods from affecting her rides, but lately, she hadn't been doing so well with that and she found herself not up to her standards.

She didn't want to ruin someones livelihood or loose a horse because she wasn't one hundred percent in the game, no, she could never do that. But then again, she didn't know unless she tried. Maybe some new horses and fresh faces could turn things around a bit? She certainly didn't need the money so it wasn't like she had to keep riding if she found herself distracted. The decision still seemed stuck in her mind, but it was getting budged slowly by the possibilities. What if she would be okay on the track and could get things going again? What if this was the new start she had been trying to create by coming here? She couldn't just ignore the opportunity. Come on, how many people go to get lunch at their usual diner and get asked to do something as important as ride a couple horses in some races? Races either made or broke trainers so this was fairly important in their world. She should be honored to be asked because without the jockeys, there would be no racing, they were almost as important as the horses themselves and here she was... thinking about turning it down. Her parents would not have approved that decision.

She was sure of her answer now but she needed to make sure she didn't change her mind shortly after saying so. "I don't usually do this, but I guess I could make an exception, although there are some stipulations..." She sighed quietly as she seemed to break through that first wall.

I'm barely holdin' on to you

lyrics; broken by lifehouse

[Connor Lee Hayes]

your daddy didn't like me much,
and your momma told you not to rush
into love with a boy like me,
who is always thinkin' bout one thing
but they didn't know she had a wild side,
and it was dying to come alive;;

Connor hated the idea of approaching someone in a small-time diner, practically begging them to take a job. He hated begging for a jockey, but they were so few and far between, Connor didn't think he'd ever find a jockey for the next race. And when one just came strolling through the doors, it was a miracle. Most of the jockeys around here had a list of horses they ride, and couldn't take anymore on, or didn't have the time for any. Sure, he could try to find someone from out of town, but that took money. And that wasn't something he was willing to do just starting out. The horses he owned were raised and trained by himself, bred from horses his parents owned. They were full blood thoroughbred race horses. And he wanted nothing more then to fill their destiny. But he couldn't do that without a jockey.

These horses would make or break him as a trainer. He put all of his effort into getting them ride-able and getting them to work on the track. Maybe that was why he hadn't been able to settle down yet. His career was the first thing on his mind at all times. Women came second, followed closely by a cold beer. Connor knew there was a risk in racing horses, but he was willing to do whatever it took to get him there. There was always the possibility of losing a horse, or failing at being a trainer, and he knew that. So far, he hadn't done too bad with the horses he had raced in previous years. Except for the filly he had to retire early due to an injury on the track. It wasn't a terrible injury, but it made it so she wouldn't race again. Although, she was an exceptional English horse now.

Texas was where Connor grew up. He knew the streets, the way of living and how to act down in the south. You said 'yes ma'am' and 'no sir' and made sure to use your manners. The South was known for being friendly and courteous, and Connor was sure to keep up that belief. So when Maddie said there was some stipulations, he was ready to cater to her every need. "Thank you, ma'am," he said, relieved. "What are your stipulations?" he questioned, ready to give her anything she wanted. Hell, if she wanted it, he'd give her a diamond ring just because she asked. She had basically just told him that he wasn't out of a job just yet, and she was willing to do what nobody around here was able to do lately. "I have an exercise rider that you'll meet in the future. Sweet girl, but talkative. Lilliana Potter," Connor explained. "However, her or I will be your grooms for the time being until I can hire some else."

tagged; open
words; four seventy-eight.
notes; (:
lyrics; dirt road romance by outshyne
animals; DIESEL[/font][/color]

[Madeline Marie Knight]

Madeline Knight

1968 Dodge Charger R/T-SE

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In your name I find meaning

Maddie was slightly shocked at the lack of jockeys around here, especially with the industry that resided here. Addison seemed to have a wide variety of things that went on and there were a rather large number of race horses here so the lack of jockeys was confusing because it wasn't like there was a lack of work. She hadn't even advertised that she was jockey and here she was, accepting rides even though she told herself just days ago that she didn't want to do that yet, that it was too soon still. She wasn't sure what had changed her mind but it kind of felt good to be able to have something to look forward to and lets face it, lately she hadn't had to much to look forward to.

Here eyes quickly jumped to his as he thanked her and called her ma'am. It was at that point that her mind stopped, strictly focusing on the ma'am. Ma'am? Sure he was just trying to be polite but, ma'am? Gah, that was one of her biggest pet peeves! She hated being called that! It always made her feel so old and twenty-two certainly was not old. She knew of girls who loved when guys spoke to them like that but she was not one of them, no way. She felt like she needed to let that slide this time, after all, he was only trying to be polite. Unfortunately, she couldn't let it go and after he asked what her stipulations were, it popped right up there on her very short list, but took the first spot. "Stipulation number one, please don't refer to me as Ma'am, it makes me feel very old." She said with a laugh before she got a little more serious. "The rest is pretty typical I think, but I would like to be told about any change of behavior on the track, from a head tossing to shying at the gate after spook, anything and everything. Also, I would like to partake in some part of their daily schedules so I can get to know them. The only other thing I can think of is that I don't get paid unless we place."

She glanced back out the window to the car and then back to him when he spoke again. She honestly wanted to meet the exercise rider, Lilliana. Connor also said that they didn't have a groom, which she didn't particularly care about, she'd help get the ready if she really had to. She was probably one of the easiest jockeys to get along with.. Well, as long as she was in a good mood anyways. "I look forward to meeting her. And I am certainly willing to help out more if need be."

I'm barely holdin' on to you

lyrics; broken by lifehouse

[Connor Lee Hayes]

your daddy didn't like me much,
and your momma told you not to rush
into love with a boy like me,
who is always thinkin' bout one thing
but they didn't know she had a wild side,
and it was dying to come alive;;

Calling someone 'ma'am' was normal for Connor. He had been raised to say 'yes sir' and 'no ma'am'. So when he called Maddie, ma'am, he hadn't even given it a second thought. He nodded at her when she told him not to call her ma'am. "Okay, got it," Connor said, mentally took a note to remember. It would be a little bit of a challenge for him, but not a very difficult one at that. There really wasn't many jockeys in Addison, even though they had a big racing community. It was damn near impossible for him to find a jockey. And when he ran into one just getting lunch, it was a miracle. If she had been wearing someone else's jacket or, god forbid, not taking rides, he would have been screwed. He loved his horses and wanted them to be able to make a career for themselves and for him.

Connor understood wanting to know odd behaviors on the track. This year would be Goddess' first time on the track, besides practice, so he didn't really know if she had any strange behaviors just yet. "You'll be riding two colts and a filly. The two colts are fairly well-behaved on the track, but Charm can get a little impatient at the gate. He just gets a little excited. Every once in awhile, he might throw his head, but not very often. Charm is three years old and it'll be his second year going. Checkers is four, and he's really calm, but he's quick on the track. You won't have to worry about him. However, the filly, Goddess, is two. It's her first year on the track, besides practice. So we don't know how she'll behave during an actual race. But usually, she's really sweet and energetic. She'll probably end up like Charm and be impatient at the gate," Connor spoke and told her everything about all the horses.

He was a bit surprised when she told him she didn't get paid if they didn't place, but he was okay with that. He'd find other ways to pay her if they didn't place. He could buy her lunch and he'd buy her jockey uniform. He wasn't hurting for money at all. "All of my horses are boarded at the racing stable, so you can partake in anything you wish," Connor said, granting her permission to them anytime she wished. "However, if you take Goddess out to the pastures, I have a mare that goes out with her in the main barn," Connor said. "With Wings, or Angel is an OTTB who now does english. But her and Goddess get along great." Lilliana already had permission to partake in their daily activities as well, so Maddie would probably meet her soon. "Lilliana already helps with the daily activities, so I'm sure you'll meet her soon," he said.

tagged; open
words; four seventy-seven.
notes; (:
lyrics; dirt road romance by outshyne
animals; DIESEL[/font][/color]