Chapter 3

Buffy was stretched out on her bed, tapping her fingers against her stomach as she waited for her friend to answer her phone. Then she heard the very alert voice of Willow.

"Hey Willow, I'm back." she said.

"Buffy! I was waiting for you to call." said Willow happily, ready to hear what happened. She didn't get to go to Saratoga with Buffy and her dad because she had several classes to teach. She helped the Summers run their stable and riding school in exchange for boarding her gelding there. Willow show jumped as well and the training area of the school came in handy.

Buffy grinned to herself, "Wait till you hear what I have to tell you. I met the most incorrigible man today."

"Oh spill it girl, then I can tell you how Cordy made a complete fool of herself." said Willow, relaxing against her head board.

Buffy giggled, only a little upset that she missed Cordelia Chase making a fool of herself. Then she began to tell Willow what had happened up in New York.

"Well as you know me and daddy went to talk to a racing trainer, Rupert Giles, about having Sunset trained. And you've heard of William Giles, the jockey right?"

"Right, he rode a horse to win the Triple Crown when he was only 16, it was big in the news." replied Willow, wondering where this was going.

"Well turns out that he's a cocky little bastard. Can you believe that he snubbed me because I show jump and have no interest in racing?" said Buffy staring at the jumping picture on her wall.

Willow grinned, knowing that Buffy was irritated by the jockey's lack of interest in the show jumping area. And the guy, William was probably irritated by her lack of interest in racing. Seemed that they would make a perfect match instead of Buffy being with Riley Finn, one of the world's top three day eventers.

"Sounds like you like him." she teased lightly.

Buffy's lips twisted into a shocked look and she sputtered into the phone, "I do not like him! I dislike him very much! Besides I have a boyfriend. I have Riley."

"Yes and we all know how well that relationship is working." commented Willow dryly.

Buffy sighed and rolled her eyes. It was common knowledge that Riley was around much. He had events to go to and couldn't always be there but he was still a sweetheart. And he loved horses and jumping. He was perfect for her, even if he was a little boring and slow.

"Please Willow, don't start in on the Riley bashing. I know you don't like him."

"Hell its not just me. Cordy doesn't like him either." said Willow with a little giggle, "Or Oz for that matter."

Buffy had to giggle at that. Cordelia Chase was a stuck up snob that cared for only one thing, her horse. She could be crude but she got along with Buffy and Willow strictly because they showed together and shared a love for horses. And Oz was a stable hand at her family's stables who helped them when they needed it and taught beginner classes. And he and Willow had a little thing going on between them.

"Cordy doesn't like anyone other than Emerald. And Oz doesn't like him because you don't. Now please drop it. I love Riley." Buffy pretended not to hear Willows remark and asked her next question, "I'll tell you everything tomorrow when you come over to take care of Galia, ok. Now tell me about Cordy's embarrassing moment."

Willow laughed and proceed to tell her friend about how Cordelia tried to get her horse Emerald to take a five foot oxer and got a refusal, after bragging about how Emerald could take any jump put in front of them. But the funniest part was when Harmony's Pepper went over the same jump without a fuss. The war between Harmony and Cordelia was infamous around the stable, them both rich and beautiful, owning some of the best horses in the stables.

Buffy yawned as Willow was finishing up her story, "…And the Cordy and Harm started to yell and Anya's horse spooked and dumped her. We spent three hours chasing down Demon. That horse was named right, he is a little demon."

"Wish I could have been there. I cant believe my father dragged me off to watch a stupid horse race." sighed Buffy, "Will, I'll see you in the morning. I need some sleep."

"Yeah me to. I've got a exam tomorrow afternoon. Night Buff."

"Night Willow."

The two girls hung up and crawled under their respectful blankets and drifted off to sleep. Downstairs in the Summers household Hank and Joyce were sitting in their office talking about Hank's meeting with Rupert.

"He's got a amazing horse this season. Galahad, out of Finn's Maiden by Ireland's Jewel. They have him running in the Fountain of Youth next weekend. And Rupert told me about a little filly that's by Ireland's Jewel too." said Hank, sipping his coffee.

Joyce smiled at her husband's excitement, "Sounds like they have a good line-up for the three year old season. Did you tell him about Sunset?"

"Yes, him and his son William are going to drive down tomorrow after William's race. Rupert showed interest in the riding school and Sunset. And I don't know about William yet, he and Buffy didn't exactly get along."

Joyce raised her eyes to her daughter's bedroom, "Buffy doesn't get along with a lot of people these days. She's still beating herself up over Glory, even though she tries to hide it. She hasn't ridden since the accident and the doctor says her wrist is healed enough to exercise school horses. She doesn't even teach her old classes. I'm worried about her."

Hank came around and wrapped his arm around his wife, "Don't worry. Buffy will come around. And maybe the new racing business will help her. And as far as her not riding or teaching, she'll get over that and will ride again. She just needs to be pushed. That's all. Everyone has a bad fall and Buffy took hers."

"She's scared of riding and losing another horse." whispered Joyce, resting her head on her husband's shoulder.

Hank hugged her, "She won't. Its late, lets get to bed. Early morning feeding will come sooner than we think."

Joyce nodded and the two headed upstairs to their room where they slept waiting for the alarm to ring and signal morning feeding.

A/N: More Spike in the next chapter I promise. I just needed to bring Joyce and Willow in and introduce other characters. Xander and Faith will be introduced in the next couple chapters.