Samantha Forster sat at the kitchen table with her fingers drumming on its wooden surface. Gram stood before the oven as she re-adjusted the heat on her potatoes. As soon as she was finished she whirled around and placed her hands firmly on her hips.
"Lands sakes Samantha go outside and do something at least, you're driving me mad."
Sam glanced up at the ticking clock before she responded.
"But Brynna has something really important to talk to me about, and I want to find out as soon as she gets here."
"She won't be home for another ten minutes or so. That gives you just enough time to weed the garden, now go!"
Sighing Sam stood and walked over to the screen door. She pulled on her work boots and stepped out into the early spring day. A cool breeze blew across the yard of River Bend Ranch as Sam stepped off the porch and knelt down before the garden. As she started to tug and pull at the annoying weeds her mind wandered back to what Brynna had to tell her. Earlier on the phone she had sounded really urgent and almost immediately her mind had jumped to the conclusion that the phantom was in trouble. Sam chewed on her lower lip as her thoughts wondered through all the possible scenarios that could have happened to him. She pictured his glossy white coat covered in blood as he ran from a hungry cougar. She saw the fear in his eyes as he fought against a tight strangling rope that was cutting into his neck. The chickens squawked as a shadow fell over Sam. She turned around expecting to see Brynna and was surprised to find Jake's tall, broad shouldered form looming over her.
"What are you doing here?" She asked as she stood and brushed her dirty hands against her jeans.
"Hello to you too."
Sam glared up at Jake as she moved her hands to rest them sternly on her hips.
"It's only the third week of May, you should still be at college."
"Brynna called this morning and asked me if I could come back, it sounded urgent so I came back home for the weekend."
Sam raised her eyebrows, Brynna had called Jake too. Now she was really worried about what Brynna had to tell them. She looked passed Jake and noticed that a rugged old chevy truck was parked a few feet away. Jake followed her gaze and smiled.
"You like it? I got it for a pretty penny, but she's all mine."
Sam stepped passed him and walked over to the red truck. Some rust was covering the area above the wheels, and some of the paint was flaking but other wise it looked good.
"Where did you get it?"
"One of my college buddies was selling it."
Sam nodded as she starred at the truck, though she wasn't really seeing it, her mind was else where as she thought about Brynna's news. Jake reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. He opened his mouth to speak but then shut it almost immediately. Sam looked up at him and decided to help him along.
"What's up?"
Jake looked away from her as he jammed his hands into his jean pockets. He shrugged his shoulders and spun on his heel. Sam looked after him as he started towards the barn. She ran to keep up with his long stride and fell into step beside him. She looked up at his face, but it held no expression. Confused she set her lips into a thin line as they headed into the darkness of the barn. Jake walked towards the steps that lead to the hay loft and bounded up them. Sam froze at the bottom. Why was he acting so strange? The two of them hadn't seen each other since Christmas break because he had gone on vacation with his college friends for spring break. Could something have happened? She starred up the steps afraid to go after him. What if he was running away from her for a reason? Sighing she jammed the toe of her boot into the concrete floor. Shaking her head she decided to leave him alone. She walked out of the barn just as Brynna's truck came rolling over the bridge that marked the entrance to the ranch. Sam walked up to her step-mother as she stepped out of her truck. Brynna's hair was still pulled back in a tight French braid and her uniform wasn't the least bit wrinkled as she approached she glanced over at the new truck and then at Sam with a questioning look.
"It's Jake's new truck."
"Oh nice, where is he?"
"Hay loft."
"Okay, well can you bring him out here, we mind as well get started."
Get started? Sam nodded her head as she doubled back and headed up the wooden stairs. When she came up into the dim loft she had to stop a minute to let her eyes adjust. As she looked around the packed loft, she spotted Jake's large silhouette sitting on a bale across the stuffy area.
"Jake, Brynna's here."
She saw Jake nod his head as he stood and walked across the loft, hunched at the shoulders so that he wouldn't bash his head on the ceiling. As he silently passed by her, Sam felt a wave of negativity hit her and her stomach clenched. She looked after Jake as he walked down the stairs and out of the barn. Had she done something wrong? Her mind spun as she approached Jake and Brynna who were standing on the porch. As she leaned against the railing as far away from Jake as she could get Brynna gave her a quizzical look but dismissed it as she spoke.
"Thank you for coming back on such short notice Jake, I hope you didn't have anything important going on at college."
Jake shook his head and she continued.
"The reason why I called you and I called Sam is because I received a message from the head in Washington and they are sending a professional precision team rider to work with the girls and there mustangs during the HARP workshop this summer. She will be arriving today and I am going to need both of your help with this, especially since Cody is becoming a handful."
"A professional precision team rider?" Sam asked as she looked at Brynna.
"Her name is Regina Shaw and she has been riding in precision teams since she was twelve-'' Sam arched an eyebrow "A precision team is a team of riders, usually girls, who wear matching cowgirl outfits and carry flags. They ride to music in a routine before an audience. Precision riding requires great teamwork and horsemanship, and that is what the head is hoping to add to the HARP program."
"So what will she be doing exactly?" Jake asked as he crossed one ankle over the other.
"Well she'll be making a precision team out of the girls and their mustangs."
Jake arched any eyebrow and Sam screeched.
"What? How is she going to do that? Those girls are barely able to ride at a trot when they leave here."
"I don't know but I can't argue with the head, and it's worth a shot. Now I'll need you two to help Regina get settled in and just show her how thinks work around here. She has a lot to learn before the summer."
"Where will she be staying?" Sam asked.
"In the bunkhouse with the HARP girls."
Just as Sam was about to ask another question aloud whaling sounded from inside the house.
"Cody must be awake. Don't worry about it Grace I'll get him!" Brynna called as she disappeared inside the house and left Sam and Jake standing alone on the porch.
Sam sneaked a peek at him but he avoided her gaze. Sam's heart fell as he walked past her and down towards his truck. She watched him go as a large truck and trailer slowed on the highway and turned onto the bridge. The ranch's boarder collie Blaze got up from his nap on the cowboys bunkhouse porch and came sprinting across the yard barking. Sam walked off the porch and headed towards the new vehicle as he parked a few feet away from Jake's. Jake beat her to the truck as the driver stepped out. The petite young woman smiled and shook Jake's hand as Sam came up beside him. Her hair was a dark shade of red and it fell down her back in a wave of lose ringlets.
"Hi my name is Regina, I'm here for the HARP program."
Sam felt a ping of jealous as Regina smiled warmly at Jake, her captivating blue eyes sparkling. Regina was beautiful and she was obviously taking an interest in Jake. This day just kept getting better and better.