"Tempest!"
Looking around frantically, Sam's heart sank when there was still no sign of the black filly.
"Jake, where could she be?" Sam said, frustrated.
Jake glanced annoyingly at her. "We just started ten minutes ago, Sam. It'll take longer than that."
For Sam that wasn't enough. "What if something has already happened to her? What if she was eaten by a cougar? Oh, Jake!"
"Calm down!" Jake snapped. He didn't have time for Sam's dramatics. Plus, he really didn't want her to start getting all weepy around him. Then she'd be off on her own.
But then he remembered their kiss. Brows furrowed and looking at Sam, Jake knew she didn't remember what happened that night.
Should he tell her?
Sighing, Jake looked ahead and tried to focus on catching Tempest. When Witch swung her head up as a leaf blew past, he shortened his reigns and asked for a slow and steady jog.
Sam brushed past them at a fast paced lope.
"Figures," Jake mumbled under his breath.
"Tempest!" Sam shouted so loud Jake winced. "Where are you, baby? Poor baby."
Jake rolled his eyes but got cut short when he heard bushes rustling to the left. And then he heard a squeal.
Out of a bundle of prickly bushes came Tempest, trotting toward him squealing almost as loud as Sam had when she had been shouting her name. Again, Jake winced.
"Sam, your filly!"
When he realized she was too far ahead to hear, he shouted, "Sam, come get your filly now before she breaks my ear drums!"
At that, Sam swung Ace around and loped toward Jake.
"Do you wanna rope her or should I?" Jake asked patiently.
Surprised, Sam slowed Ace down to a complete stop and stared at Jake. For a change, Jake Ely wasn't being overprotective of her. But maybe that was because he thought she could use some practice, or a warm up, now that she had her memory back.
"I'll do it."
Jake nodded and watched as Sam unclipped the rope attached to the saddle horn. He had taught her to rope that time before she went camping with her friend Jen to rope some cattle. Jake wanted to see if she had progressed.
Biting her lip in concentration, Sam swung the lariat in circles above her head before letting it fly freely in the air and land perfectly around Tempest's neck.
Proud of herself, Sam smiled. "Not like you thought it would turn out on my first try, huh?"
Sam noticed the corner of Jake's mouth rising in a smile and laughed.
"You've sure progressed, that's all I can say."
At first when Sam tugged on the rope to make Tempest walk alongside Ace, she refused. Sam knew talking sweet-talk to her sassy filly was the only way to get her to budge.
"C'mon, my pretty girl, it's time to go home." Harder this time, Sam pulled on the rope. "Your mother is waiting." Sam let out a sigh of relief when Tempest pricked up her shiny, black ears at the mention of Dark Sunshine and finally trotted beside her and Ace.
All this time Jake was thinking about whether he should tell her or not. Would it hurt their friendship? Did he even like her? But if he didn't, then why'd he kiss her? A mixture of anger and confusion flowed through his mind and he wanted badly for it to stop.
"Sam-"
"I'm guessing Witch already had her baby," Sam said at almost the exact same time Jake had begun to talk.
"Uh..Actually, she hasn't."
"What?" Sam said in disbelief. "But..how long has it been since that night I came over? Two weeks? Wouldn't she have already given birth by now?"
Sam wanted to slap herself when she suddenly noticed Jake was riding Witch. Of course she hadn't given birth yet.
"It turned out the vet was way off," Jake said, saying it like she was slow, "Dr. Scott couldn't make it since he was dealing with another emergency, but I was desperate, so I called this guy who I'd heard bad things about. He was the only other one."
"And?" Sam said.
"Witch is still pregnant, but she won't be giving birth until maybe two months from now I'd say."
Sam nodded, looking at the black mare. Alive and full of spirit, Witch looked more herself than ever. Maybe getting all that extra attention had made her happier.
Jake opened his mouth about to tell Sam when he noticed they were now walking across the bridge to River Bend. As soon as Sam said "Thanks", his shoulders sagged in disappointment.
"And sorry I accused you of letting Tempest loose," Sam said, looking over her shoulder. "I just hope I find out whoever is guilty of really writing that note..'cause when I do, I'll-"
Jake hushed Sam up but not before she made a fist and punched it through the air. Shaking his head in disagreement, Jake said, "Don't go too far."
Sam sighed, used to him always being overprotective. "I won't."
Though it was hard, Jake finally managed to turn Witch around and head for Three Ponies. When he looked back, Sam was already out of sight, probably in the barn putting Tempest back. As if thinking of how to tell Sam wasn't already hard on his mind, there was also his brothers. We're they okay? And Wyatt had fired him after he caught him and Sam kissing. There was no excuse going there tomorrow; he would have to tell Sam flat out that they needed to talk. But first he would have to take her somewhere far from her ranch..if Wyatt saw them together again, he would probably be furious.
Next thing Jake knew, he was at his house. Hopping off Witch and turning her out to the pasture, he then went inside, lay on his bed, and thought of Sam.
"Tomorrow will be interesting," He said, then rolled over and went to sleep.