from slimy horse spit.
A long forty minutes later, Ace stood saddled and bridled.
“If you think I’m going to do this every time I come for a lesson, you’re delusional,” Rachel said as she checked the polish on her fingernails. “I do not like to perspire.”
“Could you girls use some cookies and cocoa?” Gram stood on the porch, smiling.
This was what she needed to keep in mind, Sam told herself. Gram cooking happily in the kitchen, the wide ranch house porch, and horses all around. Money made it possible, and that’s all she needed from Rachel.
“Let’s take a break,” Sam said. “Then we’ll get you up on Ace.”
Sitting on a step, sipping cocoa, Sam stared off toward the ten-acre pasture. Buddy was getting big. Dark Sunshine’s pregnancy was beginning to show. Popcorn grazed beside her, looking content.
“Karla Starr is looking for attractive bucking horses,” Rachel said.
“I know. She was here just yesterday,” Sam said, but she was wondering if the steers with the runnynoses had something contagious. She’d ask Dad if Buddy needed an inoculation.
“Sam.”
Sam stared. Rachel had never called her that.
“Yes?” Sam watched Rachel watch her. “I heard you. Kayla Starr is looking for rough stock. We don’t have any.”
“I’m just saying …” Rachel ran her fingers over the pattern on her cup. She glanced up at Sam, then gave her head a faint shake. “Why should I bother to do you a favor?”
“Rachel, I don’t mean to be dense.” Sam brushed her bangs away from her eyes. “But I don’t know what you’re hinting at.”
“Karla Starr told my father--oh, this is utter nonsense,” Rachel said. “Let’s get back to it, shall we?”
By the time Mrs. Coley came for her, Rachel had made some progress in mounting and dismounting from Ace, but Sam had made none in figuring out the clues Rachel had given her.
She trudged toward the house. Maybe Rachel’s hints would make sense in the morning. Just now, all Sam knew for sure was that she needed a warm bath, cozy pajamas, and sleep.
Chapter Eleven
T hursday was Jake’s birthday.
As Gram drove her over to the Three Ponies Ranch, Sam was not only glad to be getting some time with Jake, she was glad to have a reason for skipping Rachel’s lesson.
Only Jen knew how much Sam disliked the after-school chore.
But it wasn’t for either of the reasons Jen suspected.
True, Ace acted like a brat-horse around, Rachel. He sprinted for the fence rails and tried to rub Rachel off whenever he felt Sam’s attention wander. And Rachel was no better. She protested the lack of a covered arena, whining that any civilized ranch needed one for winter. But Ace’s tricks and Rachel’s stuck-up attitude weren’t what made Sam crazy.
Rachel’s unending hints were the problem.
She was trying to say something about KarlaStarr, but what? Sam tried to connect Rachel’s clues with the fringe from the watering hole and her constant, gnawing worry over the Phantom.
She was hoping that Jake would help her understand. Together, they’d been able to figure out almost anything.
“Welcome to Jake’s lair,” Mrs. Ely announced as she led Sam to the sunporch where her son sat. “He’s cranky as a bear, Sam. We throw him a chunk of raw meat a couple of times a day, but in honor of your visit, I put some iced tea and chips on the table there.” Mrs. Ely hesitated. “You’re the only one he’s agreed to see.”
“I’d be flattered,” Sam joked as Jake glared past her at his mother, “except that he knows I bought him a cool present back when I got that reward.”
As Mrs. Ely and Gram moved off, talking about the county fair and harsh weather, Sam tossed the big, brightly wrapped present toward Jake.
He caught it, but barely, and Sam understood why her friend was so down.
He was embarrassed. His leg was casted straight and jointless. Energetic Jake, who was always bounding off somewhere, couldn’t move without help. His jeans were
A long forty minutes later, Ace stood saddled and bridled.
“If you think I’m going to do this every time I come for a lesson, you’re delusional,” Rachel said as she checked the polish on her fingernails. “I do not like to perspire.”
“Could you girls use some cookies and cocoa?” Gram stood on the porch, smiling.
This was what she needed to keep in mind, Sam told herself. Gram cooking happily in the kitchen, the wide ranch house porch, and horses all around. Money made it possible, and that’s all she needed from Rachel.
“Let’s take a break,” Sam said. “Then we’ll get you up on Ace.”
Sitting on a step, sipping cocoa, Sam stared off toward the ten-acre pasture. Buddy was getting big. Dark Sunshine’s pregnancy was beginning to show. Popcorn grazed beside her, looking content.
“Karla Starr is looking for attractive bucking horses,” Rachel said.
“I know. She was here just yesterday,” Sam said, but she was wondering if the steers with the runnynoses had something contagious. She’d ask Dad if Buddy needed an inoculation.
“Sam.”
Sam stared. Rachel had never called her that.
“Yes?” Sam watched Rachel watch her. “I heard you. Kayla Starr is looking for rough stock. We don’t have any.”
“I’m just saying …” Rachel ran her fingers over the pattern on her cup. She glanced up at Sam, then gave her head a faint shake. “Why should I bother to do you a favor?”
“Rachel, I don’t mean to be dense.” Sam brushed her bangs away from her eyes. “But I don’t know what you’re hinting at.”
“Karla Starr told my father--oh, this is utter nonsense,” Rachel said. “Let’s get back to it, shall we?”
By the time Mrs. Coley came for her, Rachel had made some progress in mounting and dismounting from Ace, but Sam had made none in figuring out the clues Rachel had given her.
She trudged toward the house. Maybe Rachel’s hints would make sense in the morning. Just now, all Sam knew for sure was that she needed a warm bath, cozy pajamas, and sleep.
Chapter Eleven
T hursday was Jake’s birthday.
As Gram drove her over to the Three Ponies Ranch, Sam was not only glad to be getting some time with Jake, she was glad to have a reason for skipping Rachel’s lesson.
Only Jen knew how much Sam disliked the after-school chore.
But it wasn’t for either of the reasons Jen suspected.
True, Ace acted like a brat-horse around, Rachel. He sprinted for the fence rails and tried to rub Rachel off whenever he felt Sam’s attention wander. And Rachel was no better. She protested the lack of a covered arena, whining that any civilized ranch needed one for winter. But Ace’s tricks and Rachel’s stuck-up attitude weren’t what made Sam crazy.
Rachel’s unending hints were the problem.
She was trying to say something about KarlaStarr, but what? Sam tried to connect Rachel’s clues with the fringe from the watering hole and her constant, gnawing worry over the Phantom.
She was hoping that Jake would help her understand. Together, they’d been able to figure out almost anything.
“Welcome to Jake’s lair,” Mrs. Ely announced as she led Sam to the sunporch where her son sat. “He’s cranky as a bear, Sam. We throw him a chunk of raw meat a couple of times a day, but in honor of your visit, I put some iced tea and chips on the table there.” Mrs. Ely hesitated. “You’re the only one he’s agreed to see.”
“I’d be flattered,” Sam joked as Jake glared past her at his mother, “except that he knows I bought him a cool present back when I got that reward.”
As Mrs. Ely and Gram moved off, talking about the county fair and harsh weather, Sam tossed the big, brightly wrapped present toward Jake.
He caught it, but barely, and Sam understood why her friend was so down.
He was embarrassed. His leg was casted straight and jointless. Energetic Jake, who was always bounding off somewhere, couldn’t move without help. His jeans were
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