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  Tori shuffled forward. “Okay, okay. You’re awful bossy.”

  “You’ll be glad in a few minutes.” Kate reached for the royal-blue halter and matching rope hanging on a horseshoe hook next to the stall door. She slid the door open, then slipped a carrot out of her jeans pocket and handed it to her snuffling mare, who always seemed to know when treats were near. “There you go. You’ll get more later, girl.”

  Tori jogged to the tack room, brought back the box of brushes, and set them down. She made another trip, returning with the saddle and pad. “When are you gonna tell me what you’re up to?”

  Kate rushed through grooming her horse, then tossed the brush into the box and swung the saddle pad onto Capri’s back, ignoring her friend’s question. Tori’ll love this. I just know it! “Grab her bridle with the snaffle bit and a lunge line. Oh, and my helmet.”

  “Sure thing, boss.” Tori shot her a mystified look and disappeared into the tack room again. She came back with the helmet, bridle, and lunge line clutched in her hands. She set the helmet on top of the grooming tools and waited till Kate cinched the saddle and reached for the bridle. “Enough already. Spill.”

  Kate grinned. “You’re going to ride Capri too. I’m sharing her with you!” Why hadn’t she thought of this before? Her friend wanted a horse in the worst way, and she was right. Her parents couldn’t afford one. Best friends were supposed to share everything—secrets, dreams, clothes. So why not a horse?

  Tori backed up a step. “No way. I’m a beginner, and she’s a lot of horse.”

  Kate dangled the coiled, thirty-foot lunge line with confidence. “That’s what this is for, silly. I’m not going to turn you loose on my horse. We’ll walk her around in a circle today so you can get used to her. By the time we have a trainer and boarders wanting lessons, you’ll be ready.”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t ridden much.”

  “Just put the helmet on and quit worrying.” Kate grabbed the black helmet and shoved it into Tori’s hands. “Breeches would be better, since they’re more comfortable, and I wish we had English chaps so the stirrup leathers won’t pinch your calves, but your boots and jeans will work. Besides, you won’t be riding long enough or fast enough to be bothered. I think you’re set.”

  Kate slipped the bit into Capri’s mouth and slid the headstall over her ears. After securing the straps, Kate snapped the lunge line to the circular bit ring. “Come on.” She led her mare into the arena and stopped her next to a mounting block. Capri stood with her head down, apparently not too excited about her second ride of the day. “Use this to step up on. You won’t pull the saddle off that way.”

  Tori walked up the three-step mounting block, then paused. “Do you want me to hold the reins?”

  “Sure, but not very tight. Go on. Swing up.”

  Her friend did as she was told and settled gingerly into the saddle. She picked up the reins, pushed her feet into the iron stirrups, and smiled. “This isn’t so bad. But you know I’ve only been taking lessons on Lulu at the other barn, and Capri is a lot taller than a pony.”

  Kate laughed. “Yeah. Capri is over sixteen hands. You ready?” Her excitement built. This was one of the best ideas she’d had in a long time. They could share Capri when they took lessons, and Tori wouldn’t feel left out all the time.

  “I guess.”

  “You’ll be fine.” Kate moved to the inside of the arena and clucked. Capri walked forward, ears flicking and tail swishing. This was easy. Pride swelled in Kate’s heart. She’d made the right decision sharing with Tori. There was nothing to being a trainer or giving lessons to a beginner. As long as Capri was secured with a lunge line, nothing could happen.

  The mare walked at a sedate pace around the perimeter two times, and Kate made a decision. Tori sat comfortably and seemed to be enjoying herself. “I’m going to ask her to trot.”

  “No! I don’t want to. I’ve only ridden Lulu a few times, and she’s short and feels different.” Tori grabbed the front of the English saddle as Capri moved into a faster gait. Tori’s body bounced with the horse’s motion, and her legs slapped the saddle fenders. “Stop her, Kate.”

  “Whoa.” Kate yanked the line and stepped toward her mare, but Capri didn’t listen. She snorted, shook her head, and picked up her pace, settling into a canter.

  “Kate!” Tori’s voice rose to a shriek, and she leaned over the mare’s neck, gripping her mane. “I want off right now.”

  Fear shot through Kate. “Pull back on the reins.” She walked a couple of feet closer to the center of the circle. “Capri. Whoa, girl. Easy.” The horse skittered sideways away from Kate, giving a hop-skip as Kate edged closer.

  Tori’s inside foot bounced out of the stirrup, and her other foot continued to slap the mare’s side. “I’m falling!”

  “Hold on to her mane, Tori. Grip with your legs and hold on. I’ll stop her.” Kate tugged hard on the lunge line, praying Capri would listen.

  Tori tipped to the side, and Kate watched in horror as her friend slid off the horse and onto the ground. “Tori!” She dropped the line and ran toward the center of the arena. Her heart slammed against the inside of her chest. “Are you hurt?”

  Kate’s stomach lurched when her friend didn’t answer. The dirt was deep there. Tori couldn’t be hurt—she just couldn’t be! But why wasn’t she getting up? Capri slowed and stopped halfway down the arena by the rail, her head hanging and the reins dangling. The mare was seemingly content to do nothing now that she’d unloaded her rider.

  Kate skidded to a halt next to Tori, her hands shaking. Tori lay on the ground with her eyes closed. Suddenly she coughed. “Can’t breathe.”

  “I’ll get Mom. Don’t move.” Kate raced across the arena and headed for the house. Her best friend couldn’t be seriously hurt. It would be all her fault if she was. Kate almost stopped running, but there was no time now to reflect on what Mom or Dad would say. Why didn’t I think things through before I did something so foolish?

  A minute later, Kate flew across the arena with her mother on her heels. Mom was always telling Kate she was too impulsive. Kate knew Capri acted up sometimes, but she’d been so sure that the mare would behave herself on the lunge line. She’d envisioned herself as a trainer—stupid, that’s what she was.

  “Tori, are you alive?” She bent over Tori and peered into her friend’s eyes. At least they were open now. That was a good sign. “Can you talk?”

  “I guess so.” Tori drew in a hard breath and coughed again.

  Mom knelt and smoothed Tori’s hair off her forehead. “Where does it hurt, honey?”

  “All over.”

  Kate tried to hold back the tears. “Can you move your legs?”

  Tori shifted her position on the ground and rotated her ankles, then bent her knees. “My legs are okay, I guess.”

  Mom blew a strand of hair out of her eyes before turning to Kate. “What in the world happened here? Why was Tori riding Capri?”

  “It was my idea, Mom. I made her do it. I’m so sorry.” Tears brimmed over Kate’s lower eyelashes and trickled down her face, but she didn’t care. She’d been brain-dead to think she could give Tori lessons.

  Tori pushed up on one elbow. “No, you didn’t. I wanted to.”

  Kate would have loved nothing more than to believe that, but she had to be honest, especially after the way she’d acted. “Nuh-uh.” She shook her head. “You said she looked too big, and you were scared, but I didn’t listen. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. You don’t hate me, do you?”

  “Of course not. You’re my best friend. I’d never hate you. Now help me up.”

  Mom placed her arm under Tori’s shoulders and helped her sit. “Are you sure? How are you feeling?”

  “A lot better. I think hitting the ground knocked the wind out of my lungs. I don’t hurt anywhere now.” She reached her hand toward Kate. “Come on. Pul
l me up.”

  Relief flooded Kate, and she grinned. “Cool. Then I guess we should catch Capri and unsaddle her.”

  “No, young lady.” Mom glared up at Kate. “You’ll catch Capri and unsaddle her, not Tori. She needs to rest. Better yet, I’ll drive her home. She could have been seriously injured. No more letting anyone ride your horse without checking with me first. Understood?”

  “Yes, Mom.” Kate kicked at a clod of dirt. The relief she’d felt evaporated. Tori said she felt fine, but dread wormed its way into Kate’s mind. What if this accident had crippled her friend? Kate suddenly felt sick. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she whispered to Tori.

  Tori scowled. “Knock it off. I’m fine.” She glanced at Kate’s mother. “Mrs. Ferris, I appreciate you wanting to take me home, but I’m really okay.”

  Kate stared at her friend for another long moment, wanting to be sure. At the stubborn little tilt of Tori’s chin, Kate’s tense shoulders relaxed. “Good.” She swung toward her mom. “This is why we need a trainer. It wouldn’t have happened if we had someone at our barn giving us real lessons instead of me trying to teach Tori.”

  Mom rose to her feet. “This wouldn’t have happened if you’d asked me if it was all right for Tori to ride Capri. I’d have said no or told you I had to be there to help. You can’t make these decisions on your own, Kate.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Accidents like this can get a barn closed down and make insurance rates go through the roof, not to mention risking the life of a novice rider. Promise me you’ll never do something like this again.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom.” Kate scuffed her toe in the dirt. “But you don’t have to get so mad.”

  Tori dusted off her pants, then leaned over to whisper near Kate’s ear. “Your mom’s right. She might not let us board horses if you keep arguing.”

  “I didn’t think of that,” Kate mumbled low enough so her mother couldn’t hear. She heaved a sigh, knowing she’d been wrong. “I’m really sorry, Mom. I’ll take care of Capri while you drive Tori home.”

  “Good decision.” Her mother tapped each girl’s head in turn. “You gave me a scare. I love you both, and I don’t want anything to happen to either of you.” She wrapped an arm around Tori and drew her close. “Let’s take you home and talk to your mom about riding lessons—and more than just a half hour or an hour a week.”

  “Huh?” Tori raised wide eyes.

  “I think it’s time we see about getting a trainer and opening this barn for business. If you girls are determined to ride, you need to learn the safe way to do so.” She turned to Kate and smiled. “Your dad and I discussed it, and we’ve decided to turn this into a boarding stable if the two of you are willing to help.”

  “Yippee!” Kate shrieked and jumped a foot off the ground. “Colt will too, Mom!” She grabbed Tori’s hands and drew her into a hug. “We’re going to have a real barn. Isn’t that the best thing you’ve ever heard?”

  Tori’s eyes shone. “Totally. Thanks, Mrs. Ferris. I’ll help any way I can.”

  Kate’s mom patted Tori’s back. “I appreciate that. Kate will need to muck stalls and feed the horses, but it shouldn’t take more than an hour or so after school—pretty much like you’ve been doing at the other barn. That is, if your mother will allow you to help, Tori. Kate and I can feed the horses in the mornings, but Kate, it means getting up earlier than you’re used to.”

  Kate hugged herself with joy. “That’s okay, I don’t mind. I bet Colt would want to bring his horse here, if he can work off part of his board. Can we put an ad in the paper tomorrow, Mom?”

  Kate wanted to dance around the arena. Once she took some lessons, she might even get to compete in a show. If I win, maybe Mom and Dad will even notice me more. A twinge of guilt tugged at her. It wasn’t that they ignored her, but Pete took so much of Mom’s time, and Dad worked a lot of hours at his job.

  “Not so fast, young lady. We still have more cleanup to do and shavings and hay to order. Dad and I figured we can start advertising next week. Hopefully we’ll get some boarders soon, since the other barns are pretty full. And after this stunt, your dad and I will have a few extra chores for you as well.”

  Kate hung her head for a moment. “Yeah, okay.” Then it hit her again. Mom had said yes about the barn! She pivoted toward her friend, a hundred ideas bouncing around. “I can’t wait! It’s going to be so much fun, huh, Tori?”

  “Yeah. Only one thing worries me.”

  “What’s that?” Kate couldn’t imagine anything going wrong now. They’d have a trainer and lessons in no time.

  “I heard a couple of the girls in the equestrian club talking about the barns getting full and not having enough room for their horses. They’re so snooty. They have a list of rules on how everything is supposed to be done. I hope none of those girls bring their horses here.”

  “Nah. They’re all in a group across the valley. You wait and see. We’ll only get nice kids at our barn.” A little warning bell went off in Kate’s mind, but she pushed it away. Nothing would rob her of the joy of operating a boarding stable. She knew it was going to be perfect.

  Chapter Three

  Two weeks after Tori’s fall, Kate linked her arm with her friend’s, her cheeks stretched tight from a happy grin. They gazed across the paddock area where a horse backed out of a trailer.

  “Can you believe it’s finally happening?” She squeezed Tori’s arm and whispered, not wanting the new boarder to hear.

  Tori’s head bobbed in agreement. “I know. We got the barn all cleaned, and people are answering your mom’s ad. It’s so cool!”

  “Yeah, and Dad even gave up his time off on Saturday to paint the tack room and put up new shelves.” She heaved a satisfied sigh. “Mom says we have two more horses coming tomorrow.”

  “Do you know who they belong to?”

  Kate shrugged. “I was so excited that I didn’t think about asking. My parents said if we get at least four students, it’ll be enough to talk to a trainer about lessons. Plus, Colt said he’d move his horse over too, and do chores for part of his board.” She tugged Tori forward as the horse disappeared into the barn. “Isn’t that gelding beautiful?”

  “Yeah. He’s a Thoroughbred, right?”

  Kate eyed the horse, noting the long, lean body and the prominent withers. “Yeah. I’ll bet he’s almost seventeen hands, ’cause he looks taller than Capri.”

  Tori gave a visible shudder. “I’d hate to fall off him. It was far enough to the ground on Capri.”

  Kate bit her lip. She still felt like a jerk for forcing her friend to ride when she knew Tori was scared. “I’m sorry you got hurt.”

  Tori elbowed her in the side. “You’ve said that, like, a hundred times now, so stop it. It’s not like you pushed me off your horse.”

  Kate smiled. Why couldn’t everyone be as understanding as Tori? This past week Kate had had a run-in with a couple of girls at school. She still smarted over a remark one of them—Melissa Tolbert—had made. Melissa had been the snottiest to Kate since she’d moved to Odell in March. “Okay. Come on. Let’s introduce ourselves and find out the horse’s name. I’m not sure if the man who walked him in is the owner or just the person who drove the truck.”

  “I heard a car drive up and park on the other side of the barn a couple of minutes ago.” Tori pointed toward the gravel parking area outside the big sliding doors. “It could be the owners.”

  A door opened on the side of the barn, and Kate’s mom poked her head out. “Kate! Can you and Tori come here? I’d like you to show our new boarder where to put her horse while her mother fills out the forms.”

  “Sure, Mom.” Kate beckoned to Tori. “Come on. Maybe they’ll let us groom their horse if they can’t come every day.”

  “That would be awesome.” Tori slipped through the open door ahead of Kate, then skidded to a halt. “What’s she doing here?”
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  “Who?” Kate stepped up beside Tori and looked where she pointed. Kate’s jaw dropped, and she quickly covered her mouth to keep from saying something she shouldn’t.

  She couldn’t believe who was holding the gelding’s lead rope—Melissa Tolbert. The girl who regularly dissed Kate … and had gone out of her way to do the same thing to Tori after Tori befriended Kate.

  At that moment, Melissa’s eyes met Kate’s, and they widened. Melissa swiveled toward a tall brunette woman who looked as if she could have been Melissa’s older sister. “Mom, this isn’t a good idea.”

  Kate opened her mouth, wanting nothing more than to put the girl in her place, then snapped it shut and gritted her teeth. This was a customer. A rude one, but still a customer. Right now they needed all the business they could get. She mustered a smile. “Hey, Melissa. Nice horse.” It sounded lame even to her, but it was all she could force out.

  “Hmmph.” Melissa’s dark-blonde curls bounced on her shoulders as she swung away from Kate. “Mom, are you sure this is the only barn with an opening? I don’t want to leave Mocha with”—she flipped the end of the rope toward Kate and Tori and scowled—“inexperienced people. They might not know how to take proper care of a Thoroughbred.”

  Mrs. Tolbert cast a look at Kate’s mom, who stared at Melissa. Mrs. Tolbert inclined her head. “Forgive my daughter. She’s disappointed she can’t board her mare where most of the Pony Club members board their horses, and the owners are very exacting in their care and meet the members’ expectations.”

  Melissa spun on her heel and frowned. “It’s not necessary for you to apologize for me, Mom.” She waved her hand around, then turned toward Kate’s mom. “I suppose we don’t have a lot of choice right now, but I do hope you’ll do everything the same way the members of our Pony Club have been taught.”

  Melissa’s mom gave her a tolerant smile. “There might be an opening at another facility in a couple of months, but we’ll make do here for now.” She turned to Kate’s mom. “You will have a quality trainer coming in to give lessons, won’t you? I’d hate to have to trailer Mocha across town.”