Seventeen-year-old Chloe Matthews is done with guys, done with her ex, and done with the cowboys of the Grand Teton Mountains. She refuses to get hurt again.
All that matters now are the horses. Every horse Chloe helps is another piece of herself pu...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
About half an hour later, I heard Jack clomping toward the barn before I saw him. He sighed and looked down at his boots. "So, uh, do your tricks work on any horse?"
My eyes narrowed. "Which horse?"
He nodded toward Amber in the front pasture.
"Yeah, right." I shook my head and continued raking.
"Come on, they used to be a great team. Now the horse won't jump." He lowered his voice. "Come out and whisper to him, would you?"
Typical. People always blamed the horse when things weren't going well, forgetting that the rider was half the equation. Most likely, Amber's attitude was messing with the horse. That beautiful, sweet-tempered horse, who through no fault of his own, landed in Amber's possession.
"You must think I'm stupid," I said. "Like I'd actually help Gabby's competition." But I couldn't help glancing toward the pasture. I didn't want to help her, but I really wanted to help him.
"Jumping isn't part of the queen competition." He followed my gaze. "And you want to work with that horse. You can't even help yourself."
I pinned him with my eyes. "Two more stalls, and then I'll come out. Only for the horse."
"I've got the afternoon ride," he said. "Just come out for a few minutes." He swallowed hard. "Please."
"Fine." I shoved the rake against the side of the stall and followed him out. Amber was on her horse in the jumping arena, where the sand was groomed smooth, and jumps were set up in an aggressive course, with some jumps four- and five-feet high. Amber must've been good. Or someone thought she was.
"Jack," Amber whined when she saw me. "Not her."
"Do you want help or not?" Jack said.
She set her jaw. "From someone else."
This was going to be so fun. "Take him through the course," I said. "so I can see what's happening."
Amber didn't answer or make a move.
"Come on, Amber," Jack said. "I don't have time for this. Do what she says, or find another trainer."
Heat flew out of Amber's eyes, first at Jack and then at me. "Fine." It sounded like a growl as she spun her horse around and trotted toward the first jump. It was a low jump, but the horse barely cleared it. The next jump was a little higher. The horse knocked the top pole down with his left hind leg. It looked like Amber had given him the command at the proper time, but I needed to get closer to be sure.
"See?" she said as she jerked the bit against the horses' teeth and skipped the rest of the course. "He can do it. He just won't."
I gritted my teeth and lunged through the split-rail fence. "Ease up on those reins."
