The cry of a baby woke Sam. She opened her eyes, blinking against the harsh light, as she remembered the events of the past crazy week. Kit. Darby. Harmon Ranch. Cody. And of course, everything related the the pushed thoughts of a certain someone out of her mind as Brynna appeared at her door, holding a gargling Cody in her arms.
"Sorry," she apologized. "Did he wake you?"
Sam nodded as she took in -again- her new baby brother.
"Brynna". Sam's whisper stopped her stepmother as she turned to leave. "Did I dream it all?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer. Brynna's smile reassured Sam just as much as her words did.
"No. No, honey, you didn't."
Sam lay her head back down on her pillow and sighed contentedly.
"Oh, and Happy New Year!" Brynna called from down the hall, and Sam answered enthusiastically. It was going to be a wonderful new year, she could just feel it. Barely a minute later, Gram bustled in, picking up clothes Sam had scattered on her way to bed the night before.
"Breakfast in half an hour, Dear" Gram said as she kissed Sam's forehead. Sam closed her eyes and smiled. That gave her an extra fifteen minutes to enjoy some peace and quiet before the day began. Just as she started drifting again, Dad poked his head through the doorway.
"C'mon sleepyhead, the ice on the water troughs won't break itself."
Sam groaned half-heartedly and pushed back her covers.
Twenty-five minutes later, she was in the kitchen, breathing hard from the chore she had rushed to finish. When she had eaten to her heart's (stomach's?) content, Sam made her way towards the phone. The receiver in hand, she stopped, thinking. Locked in a mental battle between the numbers of her two best friends, Sam finally decided on Jennifer Kenworthy, pushing Jake Ely to the back of her mind - for now.
Sam's hair whipped behind her as she and her little bay mustang, Ace, cantered next to the La Charla river. Leaning low on his neck, Sam urged Ace to go faster. When they approached War Drum Flats, Sam pulled Ace first into a jog, then a walk. She wanted him to save his energy as she was sure Jen would want to race. Sam's face stung from the cold desert wind that lashed out with no mercy on her poor skin. She ignored it though, because she had just seen what she was looking for : the outline of a horse and rider on the horizon. Silk Stockings, Jen's palomino mare, affectionately called Silly, looked almost orange against the white snow. Jen stood up in the stirrups and waved, her blonde braids swinging like pendulums. Sam laughed an, waving back, sent Ace closer to greet her friend.
"So, spill." Jen said as soon as she pulled Silly up next to Ace. "What's going on between you and Jake?"
Sam looked down, embarrassed. "Catch me first," she yelled, hoping to cause a distraction and make Jen forget about her question. Jen growled as Sam rushed off and spurred Silly into a gallop after Ace. When they had cantered enough over the playa and were ready to let the horses rest, the girls stopped and, panting, grinned at each other. If Sam though her plan had worked, which she did, she got no such luck. As soon as they got their breath back, Jen smiled smugly at Sam.
"I knew it. I knew there was something going on between you two!" Then her smile faded and she suddenly looked worried. "Why didn't you want to tell me?" A frown creased a line across Jen's forehead. Sam sighed.
"I didn't tell you because there's nothing to tell. We held hands? That's it, I promise." Jen blinked owlishly at Sam and blurted "But do you want it to be something? Do you like him?" Sam blushed and looked down at her fingers, fiddling with the reins.
"Oh my gosh!" Jen yelled. "You do! You do like him!" She started bouncing up and down in her saddle, making Silly sidestep nervously, her eyes rolling in the back of her head.
"Please don't be mad," Sam mumbled. Jen quit bouncing a minute to look at her.
"Mad?" She cocked her head to one side as she remembered who it was Sam liked. "I'm not mad," Jen said finally "But you do know he's not exactly my favorite person." Sam bowed her head even more.
"But," Jen continued "If he makes you happy, which I can see he does..." she paused. "Then I fully approve. So, Sammy, spill your beans!" Sam looked up, surprised, and smiled at Jen.
"Really?" she asked. Jen nodded and said "Plus, he's hot, and you're pretty. you guys make a good match in almost every way!"
Sam laughed. "He is pretty good-looking, isn't he? And you're right. I am falling for him - badly!" Jennifer started bouncing in her saddle again and she let out an ear-splitting cowgirl yell. That was the last straw for the skittish Silly, who reached for the sky with her forelegs. Jen threw her weight on Silly's neck, forcing the mare to come back to Earth. Jen smiled apologetically at Sam. Then she smiled devilishly at her and said "Follow me!" Jen turned Silly in the opposite direction and trotted off. Confused, Sam followed. About half an hour later, she found herself crossing into a ranch yard. They were at the Three Ponies Ranch. Jake Ely's ranch.