I sent Ace after Jake, and pulled up beside him.
"Why are you riding away Jake?" I asked.
"Idunno. Feel like it." he answered, keeping his head down.
He sent Witch into a trot, and I went after him down the trail.
"Well are you self conscious or something? Why did you tell me that if you knew you were going to run away?"
He just kept riding, looking ahead as he went down the long straight path. I couldnt believe what Jake was doing. I also couldnt believe how hot its been lately. Dad said we were in a draught, but I didnt really notice the lack of rainfall.
Jake was like a draught right now. Dry and hot-tempered.
Then, small droplets of water began to pitter patter on my hat, and dampen my legs and arms as I rode after Jake at a fast trot.
The rain came faster now, and was starting to drip in my eyes.
"Jake wait!" I shouted, but he kept trotting away from me.
"Jake...what if I said I'm in love with you too!" i shouted again over the noise of the rain, now pounding at the brim of my hat, and soaking my jeans as well as Ace. poor boy.
I looked up quickly enough to yank Ace to a stop before he rammed into Witch's hindquarters.
Jake was turned in his saddle, staring at me in the eyes.
"What?" he asked.
I wiped the rain away from my face, and spoke again.
"I said, what if I told you that I'm in love with you too Jake. What if I feel the same way?"
The corners of his mouth twitched upward for just a second, and then he looked away.
"Are you lying to me so you wont hurt me Samantha?"
I laughed out loud.
"Isnt it usually the other way around?" i asked.
"Sometimes I gotta do what's best for you, not what you want me to do." he told me, looking down at the ground.
We just sat there on our horses in the rain, waiting for the other to speak next.
"Is that what you're doing now? What's best for me?" I asked quietly, and he looked up at me with his deep mustang eyes.
"I'm doing what I think is best for both of us. Because I've been feelin' this way for a while."
I smiled, drops of water dripping from my chin. Jake reached over and grabbed me around the waist. he yanked by body almost off my horse, and hugged me to him as he kissed me fiercely and desperately on the lips. My arms went around his broad shoulders to keep from slipping to the ground between Witch and Ace, who seemed to understand that this was the perfect moment for them to stand statue-still.
In shock, I tried to pull away. but soon I just gave in, and I let Jake kiss me as long as he wanted to in this rain.
When he pulled away, he gave a small smile, then let me sit back in my saddle.
"Think we should get outta' this rain." Jake mumbled, and steered Witch past me farther down the trail.
I followed closely behind on Ace, who didnt seem to mind the rain too much. It wasnt directed towards his face, we were going with the rain instead of against it.
Jake found a dry spot beneath three huge, tightly-packed pine trees. There was enough room for us and the hoses, so we both dismounted. Jake used a blanket he kept rolled up behind his saddle and tossed it to me.
"It will keep you dry at least. You're lucky its not really cold out." he told me.
I wrapped the blanket around me. One side was fleece, the other side was waterproof material. I sat down against the tree in the middle, at Ace's feet. He lowered his nose and sniffed the blanket all over, then finally stamped a wet hoof and lowered his head to nap. Witch did the same, and Jake came to sit beside me.
"Is it going to be awkward now?" I asked him.
"I dont know. I didnt think about that part." he answered.
We sat in silence for a while after that. Both teenagers thinking within ourselves independently. But both thinking the same thing.
Everything is going to be different now...
"You kids alright?" I jumped from the shout that came from so close by.
Jake and i both looked up to see Dallas ride up under the dry shade on Amigo, his faithful, old, sorrel gelding.
"Yeah, fine." Jake replied.
"Good, 'cause You two are gonna have to man down the fort tonight. There's a storm rollin' in. The power's out back at River Bend. Wyatt, Grace, and Bryanna left just a bit ago to help Trudy get her place together. I guess lightning struck the barn, and the fire is pretty close to the house." Dallas said, almost all in one breath.
"She need any help?" Jake asked, standing up.
"No, no. You two have to stay here and watch the ranch. Me and the guys have to go keep them cattle from drowning themselves in that river. So get back quick and keep checkin' the phone lines." he told us.
I got up, and mounted Ace almost as quickly as Dallas wheeled Amigo and galloped off through the rain. Jake and I rode at a steady lope down the trail we had taken to get here.
Jake kept Witch at a slow enough pace so that Ace and I could keep up, sloshing through the rain soaked ground in a rush to get back to the ranch.
Why did Gram and Bryanna go with Dad to help? Was the fire that bad? I dont even remember there being any lightning...
We crossed the bridge and came into the ranch yard, everything in place and still looking the same even in this downpour.
We rode right into the barn before we jumped out of the saddle.
I began to loosen Ace's girth when i heard faint squealing, just loud enough to hear above the racket of the rain. Then I remembered what it was.
"Oh my gosh! I left Tempest in the barn corral! and she's all alone with no shelter!" I shouted frantically, then grabbed a lead rope from the tack room and ran out of the barn.
"Tempest! Here baby!" I yelled when i reached the barn corral gate.
The black filly ran to me, squealing that I put her inside; reprimanding me for leaving her out here in the first place. I hooked on the lead rope and lead her back into the barn quickly, and she shook like a wet dog in the doorway; spraying water on me.
"Poor filly, she's soaked." Jake murmured while unsaddling Witch.
I cross tied Tempest in the aisle way and grabbed a clean soft towel from the tack room, and a handful of grain for each horse.
Jake gave grain to Witch and Ace while I ran a towel over Tempest's wet coat. She munched the snack happily, and seemed to enjoy the soft rubbing of the fabric on her body.
When she was dry enough to keep warm, i put her inside her stall with more grain and fresh water, then tended to Ace.
Jake used one of the spare stalls in the barn to house Witch, and Ace welcomed his new neighbor with a whinny.
"Lets get inside and change into something dry." Jake said, grabbing my arm and pulling me with him towards the house.
I followed Jake into the kitchen, and we both stopped and looked at each other.
"I dont know if I have anymore sweatpants that will fit you. But I might be able to find some pajama pants or something." I offered with sympathy.
Jake stayed in the kitchen while I went into my room and looked for something he could wear, then changing into some dry clothes myself. I brought him some blue pajama pants and a gray T-shirt.
He changed in the living room while I made hot dogs in the microwave, and eventually came inside to sit at the kitchen table.
"So i'm just going to pretend you didnt tell me your in love with me Jake..." I said, and whatever Jake was about to say was covered up by my words.
He sighed, and I turned to face him.
"I was about ta say, dont go on pretendin' I never said that." He told me, looking down at the table.
"Okay, then since its your bright idea, how about you tell me what we do next huh?" I replied sarcastically, taking the hot dogs from the microwave.
I placed 2 on each plate, inside buns; then topped them all with ketchup. Jake and i both hated mustard.
"Ask Bryanna." Jake said suddenly.
"What good will that do?" I asked, handing him his lunch on a paper plate.
"Maybe she can help. She wont tell Wyatt if we ask her not to..." He said, and began eating while i sat there, still puzzled...