Summer Love

chapter 16

THE NEXT DAY

"Where's Annie? She didn't get suspended from the team." I asked once Sawyer, Tiana and I were finished warming up for practice.

"Wait, you don't know?" Tiana questioned.

"NO..."

"Lindsey got so mad that she was suspended so she convinced her mom to take their horses to Alta Hills and joined that team. She also convinced Annie to go with her."

"What? So we just lost our team? And why was I not notified about this?"

"Sorry I thought you knew. I thought your dad would have told you." Sawyer says this time.

"UGH! What could go more wrong. Ever since I joined this team, everything started going south."

"NO! Ever since you joined the team, we have done better than we ever have before. We don't need Lindsey or Annie."

"Sawyer! Are you blind? There's only three of us, to qualify for nationals as a team, we need at least four riders. Where are we going to find another rider by this weekend? We don't have time to requit another rider!" I said exasperatedly. We were all silent for a while, then Kari walked into the arena.

"So from hearing that small rant, I'm guessing you guys heard about Lindsey and Annie. Correct?" We nodded and kept quiet. "Well I have a proposition, but I need everyone to agree with it. I propose that we have Codie ride in both divisions."

"Yeah! But is that allowed?" Tiana asked.

"I just got it checked off with the show committee. As long as she isn't riding the same horse in both divisions, then she will be just fine. And all points will go towards individual awards, and team awards. So... Codie, what do you say?" Kari finishes.

"NO! Absolutely not! I just joined this team, I shouldn't be the one to ride two horses. Sawyer has been on the team longer than I have. I think he should ride in both divisions."

"NO, Codie. You deserve this. After what you have gone through, not just this last week, but over the last six years! I won't do it, and Tiana and Kari both think it should be you, so just do it. It's our last show before we start jumping ranks. We can maybe try and find someone to fill Lindsey's spot by then if you don't want to do it any longer. How does that sound?" Sawyer explained to me, while also looking at Kari to make sure the information was correct. She nodded and I sighed.

"I can't! I don't even have a horse to ride."

"Would you do it if I could find you a horse?" Kari asked.

"Yeah, but where will you find a horse on such short notice?"

"You leave that to me. Now let's get jumping. I've got a lot of work to do after this." Kari said clapping her hands at us. And thus our practice began.

<><><><><><><><><><><>

I was currently in the house waiting with Sawyer. Kari had told us after our lesson that she would call a few friends she had and see if she could find some horses for me to try. So Sawyer agreed to wait for the call from Kari saying we were good. I was so nervous. My dad has been locked up in his office all day, trying to figure out how we will be able to keep the place running without the money from the Sprouse family. They had five horses here. Two were in full training with Kari, and then I gave lessons to Alicyn, and Lindsey was on the riding team. But not just that, we lost Annie's horse too. I hate seeing my dad this way, and I wish there was something I could do to help him, but I can't.

"Stop worrying. Kari will find you a horse, and everything will work out." Sawyer whispered in my ear. He was currently rubbing my back while I tried not to stress. I sat up and pecked him on the cheek..

"Thank you. You're the best you know that?"

"Yeah I do, because I have an amazing girlfriend to remind me all the time." He said pulling me into his chest and kissing me on the top of me head. At that moment I realized that I was so far in love with this man that there was no sight of getting out. I pulled out of his arms slightly and lifted my leg over his lap so that I was straddling him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his face closer to me.

"Thank you so much." I kissed him long and hard. His hands came to waist and sat there comfortable. After some time the kiss got a little deeper. His hands snaked around to the small of my back and started massaging my back slightly. It felt so good until he hit a knot on the right side of my back and I gasped in pain. Sawyer pulled back.

"What's wrong" He asked with wide eyes.

"Just a knot in my back. Could you be a peach and get it out?"

"But won't that hurt?"

"Yeah, but now that I know it's there, it will bug me all day."

"Alright. Just because I know how stressed you are." I got off of his lap and laid over his lap again. He positioned me so that my back was in perfect reach for him. He started rubbing, and I tensed up as he got closer to the knot. "Right here?" He asked pushing on it. I hissed and hit his arm.

"Don't hurt me on purpose. Get it done." I grumbled at him. He brought his left hand down in front of my face.

"Here, squeeze my hand when it hurts."

"I don't want to break your hand."

"You won't. It might hurt me, but nothing I can't handle." He said and grabbed my hand before I could reject his offer. He started massaging my back again and when he came to the knot I grabbed his hand tight in mine. Sawyer continued massaging until the pain went away and I could sigh in relief.

"Thank you so much. You're the best." I sat up again next to him and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. We sat in a comfortable silence until a shrill ringing went off in the kitchen.

"I'll get it." Sawyer said standing up to retrieve the phone. Not even a minute later he ran back to me and pulled me on my feet and led me to my room. "Kari just called and said you have horses to try. They will be here in about an hour. You have to get ready."

I laughed. "If I didn't know better, I would have thought you were a girl. I am ready. All I have to do is put my boots on."

"No Codie, these are really nice horses. You have to dress nice so these people want to let you use their horse, maybe even sponsor our barn." My jaw dropped.

"Sponsor us? Seriously?" Sawyer nodded his head. "Oh gosh. I think I'm going to be sick." I said as I felt my face grow pale.

"NO, no, no. You'll be fine. Everyone already knows you are one of the best riders in the zone!"

"I've been to one show! How the heck do people know that?"

"It's obvious Codie! They looked at all the articles about you online."

"What are you talking about Sawyer? What articles?" I asked taking a seat on my bed.

"Several writers wrote articles about you because you had been off the circuit for six years, and now you are back on one of the top teams, and you are winning! You have to be an amazing rider for people to want to write several articles about you. Now all these people that are coming in an hour would kill for you to ride and show their horses. And if you choose someone's horse and you win, or do well, business will be booming here yet again!" I just stared at Sawyer with a small smile slowly creeping up my face.

"Really?" Sawyer nodded. "Well sweet cheeks. Let's find somethin' to blow these owners minds." I said in an overly sweet southern accent and I dragged Sawyer into my closet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Double update! How awesome is that?! Comment if you are liking my story!