pretty sure of the answer.
“All I really did was ride along with him, and even if it had been more, well, I can’t see one teensy act of heroism erasing what Gram and Dad see as a gigantic mistake.”
The end-of-lunch bell rang through the cafeteria. Sam swallowed the last of her soda and stood. “Better go,” she said. “Who knows what they’d do to me if I added tardiness to my criminal record.”
It was a crummy day to teach Rachel to ride.
When Sam arrived home from school, Gram was in a chatty mood. She announced that Jake had been released from the hospital and was resting in his own bed at Three Ponies Ranch. Of course, Sam couldn’t go see him, since Rachel would be arriving soon.
Gram told Sam that Dad and Dallas were on the range, checking the runny-nosed steers. They could have used Sam’s help, since Jake was missing from the crew, but they’d ridden out without her because she’d still been at school.
Gram was most excited about her weekend plans. She, Dad, and Brynna were going to the county fair. Gram would compete in the fried chicken cook-offand Dad would meet Brynna’s parents.
Sam felt herself staring dully at Gram. She knew it was significant that Brynna wanted to introduce Dad to her parents, but she had no comment. All this information was making her tired. Her eyelids drooped, begging for sleep.
Instead, Sam stood in the drizzle, watching Rachel try to corner Ace and halter him. She felt impatient with them both.
“I don’t see why I can’t use the pinto one.” Rachel stood in the barn corral. Sweetheart crowded up behind her, and Ace was doing everything he could to escape the halter Rachel was pushing at him.
“Because you can’t,” Sam explained. “And if you expect to get out of there anytime soon, you need to put the lead rope over his neck, like I told you, and reach over the top of his head, like I told you, and slip his nose into that round part. He’s not going to do it for you.”
Rachel wasn’t used to following orders, that was for sure. Even as she did what Sam asked, sort of, she grumbled. “I’d rather ride a ‘loud-colored’ horse. That’s what I read attracts attention to a queen candidate. Ha!”
At last she’d buckled the halter over Ace’s head. The glare the gelding gave Sam didn’t need words to explain how annoying he found this entire exercise.
“For what I’m paying you,” Rachel went on, “the least you can do is have the horse saddled and readywhen I get here. And I’d prefer one without a scar on his neck.”
A dozen responses hammered through Sam’s mind, but she picked the calmest one as she opened the gate.
“This builds the horse’s confidence in you, so he’ll do what you ask later. Lead him through, Rachel.”
Sam figured there was no reason to explain Rachel would never earn the trust of a smart horse like Ace.
“Besides,” Sam said as they went to the hitching rail, “I don’t think they just present you with a horse--hold the rope with two hands, one closer to his chin--and tell you to do your stuff when you’re trying out as a rodeo queen.”
“I should find out,” Rachel said. “That could save a lot of time. Where’s the saddle?”
Sam took the lead rope from Rachel and tied Ace. “In the tack room,” she said. “I’ll show you.”
Sam piled the saddle and blanket on Rachel’s arms and slung Ace’s bridle over her shoulder.
“I am not a pack animal,” Rachel said, her British accent surfacing with scorn.
This is not going to work . Sam gritted her teeth to keep from saying it. Only the tiny possibility that she’d be more patient when she’d had more sleep kept ‘Sam from telling Rachel to go home.
And the fun had just begun.
Ace planted a hoof on the toe of one of Rachel’snew boots. She whimpered.
Ace sidestepped, eyes rolling white. Rachel dropped the saddle.
Ace flung himself to the end of the lead rope, pretending the snaffle was a terrifying foreign object. Rachel recoiled
“All I really did was ride along with him, and even if it had been more, well, I can’t see one teensy act of heroism erasing what Gram and Dad see as a gigantic mistake.”
The end-of-lunch bell rang through the cafeteria. Sam swallowed the last of her soda and stood. “Better go,” she said. “Who knows what they’d do to me if I added tardiness to my criminal record.”
It was a crummy day to teach Rachel to ride.
When Sam arrived home from school, Gram was in a chatty mood. She announced that Jake had been released from the hospital and was resting in his own bed at Three Ponies Ranch. Of course, Sam couldn’t go see him, since Rachel would be arriving soon.
Gram told Sam that Dad and Dallas were on the range, checking the runny-nosed steers. They could have used Sam’s help, since Jake was missing from the crew, but they’d ridden out without her because she’d still been at school.
Gram was most excited about her weekend plans. She, Dad, and Brynna were going to the county fair. Gram would compete in the fried chicken cook-offand Dad would meet Brynna’s parents.
Sam felt herself staring dully at Gram. She knew it was significant that Brynna wanted to introduce Dad to her parents, but she had no comment. All this information was making her tired. Her eyelids drooped, begging for sleep.
Instead, Sam stood in the drizzle, watching Rachel try to corner Ace and halter him. She felt impatient with them both.
“I don’t see why I can’t use the pinto one.” Rachel stood in the barn corral. Sweetheart crowded up behind her, and Ace was doing everything he could to escape the halter Rachel was pushing at him.
“Because you can’t,” Sam explained. “And if you expect to get out of there anytime soon, you need to put the lead rope over his neck, like I told you, and reach over the top of his head, like I told you, and slip his nose into that round part. He’s not going to do it for you.”
Rachel wasn’t used to following orders, that was for sure. Even as she did what Sam asked, sort of, she grumbled. “I’d rather ride a ‘loud-colored’ horse. That’s what I read attracts attention to a queen candidate. Ha!”
At last she’d buckled the halter over Ace’s head. The glare the gelding gave Sam didn’t need words to explain how annoying he found this entire exercise.
“For what I’m paying you,” Rachel went on, “the least you can do is have the horse saddled and readywhen I get here. And I’d prefer one without a scar on his neck.”
A dozen responses hammered through Sam’s mind, but she picked the calmest one as she opened the gate.
“This builds the horse’s confidence in you, so he’ll do what you ask later. Lead him through, Rachel.”
Sam figured there was no reason to explain Rachel would never earn the trust of a smart horse like Ace.
“Besides,” Sam said as they went to the hitching rail, “I don’t think they just present you with a horse--hold the rope with two hands, one closer to his chin--and tell you to do your stuff when you’re trying out as a rodeo queen.”
“I should find out,” Rachel said. “That could save a lot of time. Where’s the saddle?”
Sam took the lead rope from Rachel and tied Ace. “In the tack room,” she said. “I’ll show you.”
Sam piled the saddle and blanket on Rachel’s arms and slung Ace’s bridle over her shoulder.
“I am not a pack animal,” Rachel said, her British accent surfacing with scorn.
This is not going to work . Sam gritted her teeth to keep from saying it. Only the tiny possibility that she’d be more patient when she’d had more sleep kept ‘Sam from telling Rachel to go home.
And the fun had just begun.
Ace planted a hoof on the toe of one of Rachel’snew boots. She whimpered.
Ace sidestepped, eyes rolling white. Rachel dropped the saddle.
Ace flung himself to the end of the lead rope, pretending the snaffle was a terrifying foreign object. Rachel recoiled
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