Chapter 20
"You can go," Dad told Sam the next day.
"Go where?" Sam was confused.
"With Jake and his brothers," Dad said, giving her a look.
"Camping?" Sam yelped, excited.
"No," Dad shook his head. "To Reno. Didn't you want to go?"
Sam had no idea what he was talking about but she'd never admit it.
"Sure, I can't wait," Sam smiled. She was still clueless and planned on calling Jake once Dad left the house and asking where they were going.
"Just make sure you have your own room," Dad warned her.
"Of course," Sam nodded.
Dad gave her a hug and left. Sam looked out the window watching him as he caught Banjo, tying him to the rail outside the barn.
"Your father trusts you," Brynna told her, coming up behind Sam and putting an arm around her waist.
Sam nodded. "I won't betray that trust," Sam promised.
"I know," Brynna gave her a kiss and headed out the door on her way to work.
Sam waited until she was sure they were both gone before she dialed Three Ponies. Maxine answered the phone.
"Hi Mrs. Ely, is Jake there?" Sam asked.
"Hi Samantha, no honey he's out with his brothers today," Maxine told her.
"Any idea where?" Sam wondered.
"I think Luke mentioned the windmill in the far north pasture," Maxine murmured. "I know he said a windmill, but I'm not sure of the location."
"I'll go look," Sam said. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," Maxine hung up.
Sam wrote a note to let everyone know where she was and hurried out of the house. She wanted to be gone before Gram came in from grocery shopping and assigned her more chores.
She grabbed her tack and called for Ace. She tacked him up in record time and swung up onto her gelding's back. Sam was over the bridge and heading towards the Three Ponies' north pasture.
She let Ace out to run and smiled into the wind.
Finally, she saw the windmill in the distance and it looked like there were specks on it which would be Ely brothers. Sam pulled Ace down to a trot, sucking in a breath at realizing how high up they were. Oh gosh, there was no way she could ever go up that high. Plus the idiots were teasing and joking with each other, she could hear them from where she was.
"Hey Sammy," Quinn shouted.
"Hey Quinn," Sam waved.
"What brings you out here?" Nate asked as he clung to the windmill.
"Ah Dad mentioned that I could go with you," Sam dismounted and left Ace ground tied.
"Yeah?" Bryan whooped.
"Great!" Quinn yelled.
"Yeah great," Sam looked up at Jake. "Where are we going?"
The Ely boys started to laugh.
"You don't know?" Jake asked.
"No I don't know," Sam put her hands on her hips. "Nobody said a word to me, Jake Ely."
"We're going to Reno," Nate told her.
"Well I know we're not going to get married," Sam said saucily.
"Well…," Quinn looked at Jake with a grin.
"Shut up," Jake mumbled under his breath just loud enough for Quinn to hear.
"Well what?" Sam shouted up. "Where are we going?"
"Kit's in town at a rodeo," Jake told her.
"No kidding?" Sam yelped, excitement on her face. "I get to go with you?"
"Duh Sammy," Quinn teased.
"Oh shut up," Sam sniped at him, sticking out her tongue at him.
"Watch that tongue Sammy," Quinn grinned at her. "We're going to be touching tongues in a year."
"You try it and I'll bite it off," Sam warned him.
Jake snorted and Quinn gave him a quelling look.
"I'll taste her before you do, little man," Quinn said under his breath.
That got Jake's attention and his head shot up, giving Quinn a look. Quinn saw the anger in Jake's eyes and thought for a second he might have teased his little brother once too often about Sam.
On top of the windmill, Jake slugged Quinn.
"Jake!" Nate shouted in warning.
Sam screamed underneath as Quinn slipped. Jake and Bryan grabbed him before he could fall. Quinn brushed off Jake's hand in anger.
"You're lucky I don't show you some manners," Quinn touched his lip, and then looking at his finger. He didn't see any blood.
"Both of you knock it off," Nate told them.
Jake and Quinn backed away from each other.
"You're all insane," Sam yelled at them.
"We're Ely brothers," Bryan laughed. "Of course we are."
The rest of the guys laughed with him. Sam just rolled her eyes. Yes they were certifiably insane, but they were going to have fun in Reno. There was no doubt in her mind.