Chapter 29

Sam and Jen became fast friends after that, even riding together sometimes after school. Sam thought Jen's palomino mare Silk Stockings, called Silly by Jen for her ditsy personality, was beautiful.

Jen confided to Sam that she hated living on the same ranch as Linc Slocum. Sam didn't blame her. She detested the man and how he kept trying to capture the Phantom. So far, he had been thwarted at every turn.

Sam gave most of the credit for that to Brynna Olson. Even though Dad didn't come right out and tell her, Sam suspected he had dated her a couple of times. Dad had left the house all cleaned up, telling her he was going out to dinner. He never said with who which made Sam suspicious.

Gram wouldn't tell her with who either, making her doubly suspicious. Why couldn't he be happy with just her and Gram? Why did he feel he needed to date someone? Hadn't Dad always had bad things to say about the BLM? Why on Earth would he date someone who worked for them?

As unhappy as Sam was about Dad dating Brynna, Sam knew having the woman on her side when it came to wild horses would be beneficial. Maybe she could break them up and still have Brynna on her side. Jen didn't think so and told her so.

"Are you crazy?" Jen had yelped. "You can't try and break up adults. Your dad wouldn't appreciate it."

"No," Sam murmured. "I don't want him getting serious about her though either."

"You could do worse," Jen pointed out.

"At least they're just dating right now," Sam sighed. "It's not like they'll get married."

Jen gave her a look, not believing that Sam actually believed that.

When Sam brought it up to Jake, his attitude was much like Jen's.

"What are you planning on doin'?" Jake asked as the two of them rode one day. It was drizzling. "Brat, you can't interfere with Wyatt's love life."

For a second, all of Sam's sex education came back to her and she gasped. Oh they wouldn't be doing that, would they? She blushed as she looked away from Jake.

Jake knew exactly what Sam was thinking about and he rubbed the back of his neck. He was almost sixteen and his hormones were raging. While he wouldn't say it was the only thing he thought about, it was in the top three. Oh heck, the top two. Okay, okay maybe the top thing right along with horses. Girls and horses. Didn't they sorta go together? If he were honest with himself, he wouldn't even say girls, but he refused to be honest with himself and skirted around it.

"I'm not planning on interfering," Sam insisted. "I just don't understand why he feels the need."

Jake's head whipped around so fast, he almost lost his hat. Teddy Bear, the curly Bashkir under him started to dance under him.

"He has Gram and I for companionship," Sam went on.

Jake almost started to laugh.

Sam saw it on his face.

"Don't you dare laugh at me, Jake Ely," Sam warned him.

"Brat," he choked. Then he got control of himself, making the horse under him behave.

"I'm sure Wyatt loves you and your Gram, but come on," Jake looked at her.

"Not every man is an Ely," Sam snapped. She hurried Ace away from Jake. Jake looked after her in shock. He would bet most guys, old and young were like his brothers. Okay, maybe not all of them, but a lot.

"Sam," Jake urged Teddy after Ace. The little horse was unsure of himself and Jake hated pushing him, but was afraid that Ace would lose his footing in the wet going.

Instead it was Teddy Bear who slipped on the slick surface and crashed to the ground. Sam heard the commotion and turned in her saddle, watching as Jake was pinned under the horse.