High Hurdles Collection Two by Lauraine Snelling Page B

“And thank you for such a cool day.” Those sea gulls, the boys shrieking, them all laughing—maybe this family thing wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

    Monday afternoon Bridget posted an announcement for a jumping clinic to be held at Wild Horse Ranch in the Napa Valley the second Saturday in April. Hilary Jones stopped right behind DJ as she studied the poster.
    â€œThink you’ll go?” the older girl asked.
    â€œSure want to. What about you?” DJ looked over her shoulder. “Hey, I like your hair that way.”
    Hilary wore her dark hair in dozens of thin braids, each ending in a row of colorful beads.
    â€œDid you do it yourself?”
    Hilary shook her head. “It takes hours at the beauty parlor. And, yes, I’m already registered. You notice who’s teaching? Lendon Gray. I wouldn’t miss seeing him for the world.”
    â€œDon’t you ever have to ask if you can go to things like this?” DJ knew the poster hadn’t been up the day before.
    â€œNot really. My parents know how badly I want to become an internationally known rider. If we don’t already have something important planned, I just write a check and register. I keep the important things in my calendar so I know what’s going on.”
    â€œYou have your own checking account?”
    â€œSure. I’ve had one for a couple of years now. My dad deposits my allowance in it, then I put in any money I earn. Dad said it was important for me to learn how to manage my money now ’cause one day I’m going to have a lot to manage.”
    DJ knew that money wasn’t a problem in Hilary’s family, but she didn’t think they were that wealthy. “How so?”
    â€œHe really believes I’m going to make it into the big time. He’s got my promotional campaign all worked out. Got my name on cereal boxes and all kinds of things. I’m not sure I believe all of that, but you’ve got to have a dream, like Bridget says.”
    DJ stuck her hands in her back jeans pockets. “I close my eyes, and I can see myself at the Olympics.”
    â€œMe too. We’ll be on the team together, you just watch.”
    The flower of desire unfurled in DJ’s heart region. “I want it so much.” The words came out more as a prayer than just a thought.
    Hilary stuck out her hand. “We’ll make Bridget proud.”
    DJ took Hilary’s hand, her skin golden against the mahogany of Hilary’s, both hands strong with hard work and determination. The warm clasp made her think of them as more like sisters than friends. She looked up to read the same feeling in Hilary’s dark eyes.
    The moment hung, like a horse and rider in flight, held up by air and determination alone.
    â€œTogether.”
    Hilary nodded. “Together.”
    Was that what the Apache had felt when they joined as blood brothers? The question played in DJ’s mind on the way back to the barn. Gran called moments like these miracle moments. Couldn’t times like that be a teeny peek into what God had in store for them?
    Today she’d put Patches on the hot walker and start with Omega. What fun it would be to find out what kind of personality the filly had and if she was as smart and sweet as her owner said. DJ stopped in the tack room for a grooming bucket. She’d better get a move on or Andrew would be ready before she was.
    Amy sat on the bench, her saddle beside her as she cleaned one saddle skirt. “How come these can get so dirty with a cover over them?” She dug her rag into the flat can of saddle soap.
    â€œGot me. One good thing about riding English, the saddles have less leather to clean. Do you already have all your stalls done?”
    Amy shook her head. “No wheelbarrow. One’s got a flat tire, and Tony’s using the other.”
    â€œTony? He’s cleaning more than just his horse’s stall?”
    â€œYep, Tony. Guess he