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.
At the end of class, Tina challenged us to research everyday items we could use as weapons to defend ourselves. So, when I got to the café, I grabbed Mom's iPad before 'Jack Night' started. One site listed household items like frying pans, vases, and candlestick holders.
I glanced around. We had hot coffee pots, heavy bags of coffee beans, and every industrial-strength kitchen utensil known to man. Then there were the weapons in my barn. Pitchforks, metal rakes, shovels. Yes, if Billy showed up, I'd want the showdown to be in my barn.
I felt empowered. Educated. I'd never look at any room the same way again. Even the metal napkin holders set on each cafe table could deliver a healthy whack.
The bells on the front door clinked. I glanced up to see a giggling Amber latched onto Jack's arm as if her life depended on it.
My hackles went up. Straight up. I mean, they would've if I'd had them. The Queen competition couldn't be over soon enough. The closer we came to the competition, the clingier Amber got. I spun around and lurched into the back room. There must be something that needed to be done in there; sweeping, cleaning the oven.
Gabi came in after her shift at the grill when Jack Night was in full swing. "Look at them." She narrowed her eyes. "Thick as thieves." Jack and Amber had their heads stuck together at the table next to his mic, whispering, looking over notes, just like they had at each of Jack's set breaks.
"You've got this," I said with a metallic taste in my mouth. "You own her."
"Then why do I want to hurl?"
"It's just nerves." I wanted to throw up, too, the way Amber's fingers lingered on Jack's shoulder, on the back of his hand.
I commanded my eyes to look only at Gabi. "We're one week away from the competition. Don't get distracted. Focus on yourself, on Cloud Chaser, on making your presentation as authentic and heartfelt as possible."
Gabi groaned. "But they've won the past two years. They know exactly what they're doing."
"So do we."
"Right." She plopped her head on the table.
I jabbed her in the ribs so she'd sit back up. "No showing weakness," I whispered. "Okay, maybe I haven't coached anyone through a competition, but we watched all those YouTube videos. We know what to expect."
"Not the same as being there, experiencing it."
Amber tittered from across the room and I couldn't keep my eyes from glancing up. She and Jack were giving each other a hi-five.
Tara plopped down next to me. "Your face is as green as mine."
