"Oh my gosh! Sam guess who just bought Gold Dust!" Jen shrieked.
"WHO?!" Sam gripped the phone harder.
"NIKKI JONES! She came through on our tour and Rachel made her bus stop. She came off the bus wearing a cowgirl hat, jeans and boots! She didn't take any crap from Rachel either! Then she saw Rose. Mom was riding her. Nikki walked over let Rose sniff her and lets scratched her ears and didn't even get mad when Rose got slobber all over!"
"Easy, Jen! Breath!" Jen was talking a mile a minute.
"She offered to buy Rose! My mom said no but she offered to let her ride Ryan's new horse. I looked at mom like she was crazy. Ryan's new horse is practically crazy! He's Thoroughbred. He's a dressage champ but when he's not in the ring he bucks and rears. Mom put a western saddle on him and handed her the reins and she swung up onto his back and landed softly I don't even think he knew she was there. She clucked to him and he walked and then she urged him into a canter, and this is where he normally bucks, but she felt it coming and pushed him. She's amazing!"
"Then she saw the fore closer sign and offered to buy it flat out! She liked my mom so much she said she will fix our house up and tear down Linc's and let us live here for free!"
"I'm so happy for you!" Sam sat with a plop in a chair.
"She said she was going to need some horses. Mom told her about your dad's training and Nikki said she was going to come by your place today! So get your butt out here and say hello! We are here!"
Just then a white truck rumbled over the bridge.
"DAD! BRYANNA! GRAM! JAKE!" Sam yelled and ran out the front door. Blaze barked and ran to the truck. The horses in the ten acre pasture jostled against the gate.
A girl with dark brown hair and wearing jeans and a white shirt slid out of the truck followed by Jen and her Dad.
"Jen!" Sam ran to her friend and embraced her with a hug.
"Sam this is Nikki Jones. Nikki this is my very best friend, Sam."
Sam shifted from foot to foot. "So how's it like to be a rock star?"
Nikki laughed. "It's good. As a matter of fact I'm going to build a practice stage on my new ranch."
"Speaking of new ranch, what are you going to call it?" Sam watched Jake climb out of the round pen.
"I was thinking of keeping it. I'm not sure yet." Nikki's attention shifted. "This must be your father. Please to meet your Mr. Forester." Nikki strode over with a cowgirl swagger and shook hands with dad.
Jake strode over. Star whinnied and kicked in the round pen.
Nikki jogged to the round pen and climbed the fence rails.
"I wouldn't do that!" Jake shouted.
"I won't go in. I just want to see this one man hurricane." Nikki tossed her hat to the ground.
"More like one horse." Jed said.
"I want him. I'll pay you two thousand." Nikki didn't even turn around. "Once he's done with training of course."
My dad's jaw literally dropped. Jake rubbed the back of his neck.
My dad finally spoke up. "That horse isn't worth that. He is hardly worth four hundred. "
"I know. Anyone with a brain would know that, but I also know you're a rancher," She spun around and jumped off the fence. She strode to dad and stood tall. She squared her shoulders. "and I know that ranching is a tough business, and that money is tight. My whole family is practically ranchers." She went back and got her hat. I got a good look at her then. Her star quality went away and she became a real cowgirl. Her jaw clenched, her eyes hardened, her stance said that she wasn't backing down.
"I can't let you. It would go against my raising." He took off his hat and rubbed the back of his neck.
Nikki crossed her arms and slouched back. She was settling in for a long wait. Sam glanced back and forth. They were BOTH really stubborn.
Dad finally sighed and put his hat back on. "Alright, fine. He'll be ready in a week."
Nikki straightened and put her hair up. "Alright, then, Now what do you say Sam, Jen and I go for a ride, since they are going to be my only friends here my age. "
Jake stared at her."You're only sixteen?" Jake was shocked.
"Yes. I know I look a lot older but what I lack in age I make up in riding!" She walked to the ten acre pasture fence. "Which ones can we ride?"
" I'll take Ace, Jen you'll probably want Jeepers, and Nikki we'll give you Strawberry." Just then strawberry decided she didn't like Nikki. She came up and nipped her right in the arm.
Nikki flicked her in the nose. Strawberry reared and ran to the back of the pasture as if she'd been stabbed. Jake, Jed, and Dad ran over.
"I'm so sorry I flicked her. It was my first thought." Nikki looked sick. "Please let me apologize to her and check her over."
"You are not going anywhere till we get you fixed up." Dad said. Jake held her arm in the light for dad to look at. Dad shook his head and Jed ran inside to get gram.
Gram hovered with a wash cloth and a pack of ice. Nikki was almost to tears but she was trying to pass herself off as fine. Her pocket started to vibrate. Nikki reached into her pocket and flipped it open but Gram snatched it and shut it.
"I'm going to take care of you first." Nikki was wise not to argue.