Amy walked Spartan back to his stall glancing at the loft stairs. She didn't want to invade Ty's personal space but she has noticed last week that Ty had kept the collage magazines. She just couldn't seem to get them off her mind since her talk with Tim. She had said she wanted more. She wanted to work with horses like her mother had. She had thought that there wasn't a need for schooling past what was mandatory. Heck, if Jack would have let her she would have dropped out before graduating. It was a miracle she even graduated. Her grades were terrible. But now the idea of the equine science course sounded interesting. A way to meet more people her own age. A way to enhance her skills. She closed and latched the pen giving Spartan a piece of her apple. Ty wouldn't be home from work for a few hours. She darted up the stairs needing to get the University of Calgary's catalog.
"I am so happy your free to help me today." Lisa said as she and Amy entered her stable. "Rain has been acting up lately and my trainer can't seem to figure out what's going on."
"I'm happy to help, Lisa. Has there been any changes?"
"No. Same jockey. Same food." She said puzzled.
Amy leaned against the stall watching Rain. "Anything happen at the track last week?"
"Not that I know of. He placed second." Lisa looked over at Amy. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm not sure. Has Scott vetted him?" She rubbed Rain's neck.
"My vet said nothing was wrong. Every horse is checked before and after a race. So it's nothing physical."
"Okay, well I'll work him in the round pen for bit. See how he takes to me."
"Thanks, sweetheart." She patted her back and walked toward her office.
"What's the matter boy?" Amy asked as she opened the stall door. The horse was super friendly and didn't seem fazed by her. It sure was a mystery as to why he was acting up.
Amy's phone rang startling Rain. He reared up causing Amy to stumble back falling onto her butt. She sighed watching as the horse ran away from her. She stayed on the ground as she answered her phone. "Hey, dad."
"I was wondering if you could come by the track. I got a rider I think would he perfect for Storm."
"I'm working with a client horse. I can't." She said standing up brushing herself off.
"Oh...okay." Tim paused.
"Look, Dad. I can come back after if that's okay." She remembered she had dinner plans with Ty.
"Well, I'm here now." He was clearly aggravated.
"I can't just up and leave."
"Well, you were the one who said you wanted me to run the riders by you first. Which is becoming more of a hassle then it's worth."
"I'm sorry but I do have a job. You know? Or did you forget?" She grabbed the lead line getting mad herself. The hour of work she probably put in for nothing.
"Fine. I'll talk to him myself." Tim said before hanging up.
Amy sighed watching Rain run around the pen. She shoved her phone back in her pocket.
"Hey. You okay?" Ty reached across the table to grab Amy's hand and get her attention.
"Uh?" Amy looked up at him.
"You haven't said a work since we got here and you keep poking at your salad."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry." She said setting her fork down and grabbing a breadstick. Breaking a piece off and shoving it into her mouth.
"Is it the restaurant?" Ty asked looking over his shoulder.
"No, it's beautiful. Fancy. I'm fine." She said going back to her salad.
But Ty could tell something was up. He smoothed the front of his shirt. "Is it me?" He asked quietly.
"What? No. Of course not." She said her eyes darting back up at him.
"Then what's wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing. The restaurant is great." She could see she hurt Ty's feelings.
"Are you sure?"
"Ty, I love you. I'll scream it if you need me to. I am not embarrassed. Tonight has been amazing." She grabbed his hand.
"Then what's on your mind?"
"Just work and my dad. But we don't have to talk about it here."
"Amy, what else are we going to talk about? I just spend the last 20 minutes telling you about a bike repair. I thought if anything I bored you." He chuckled.
"Okay, so it was a bit dry. But the look on your face when you talk about a motorcycle is worth it. Besides how many horse stories have I shared."
"True."
"I don't want to ruin tonight. We can talk about it later." She smiled.
Amy pulled the truck up to the spot near the track the next morning. Her dad's truck wasn't there yet. She sighed as she glanced down at her cell phone seeing the time. She had to be at Lisa's in an hour. She waited a few more minutes tapping her fingers against the stirring wheel before finally getting out. She walked over to Storm's stall and he wasn't there. She turned toward the track spotting a few rider's. She walked slowly to the fence to watch while she waited for her dad. She texted Tim saying she was there. But didn't get anything back. Not unusual for him. She looked up just in time to jump back as a jockey darted too close to the fencing. She swore they were gonna crash threw it. "What the hell?" She shouted. Clearly spending too much time with Ty. She leaned back on the fence getting a better look at the horse and rider as they rode off. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves anger coursing threw her. She stormed toward the end gate. "Who do you think you are?" Amy shouted at the man in his late 20's. Just looking at him he looked like an arrogant ass.
The man jumped down tugging on Storm's reins harder then Amy liked. "Excuse me little girl but I am riding. Have you never seen a horse race?" He asked tugging Storm forward. Or forcing was more like it.
Amy reached out and grabbed the lead. "First off, I know way more about horses then you'll know. And second, don't talk down to me."
"As if. Now please, if you don't mind can you let go of my horse?"
"Your horse?"
"Are you deaf too?" He said again trying to walk away but Amy held Storm back.
"This is my horse. I race him and you can do me a favor and let Storm go."
The man was surprised by her tone and that she knew the horses name. "Look I don't know what you think..."
"Amy Fleming. Please get your grubby hands off my horse." She was fuming by now. "And if you ever touch him with force again I'll make sure you never race again." She narrowed her eyes at him and nudged Storm forward again surprising the man.
"Fine! Whatever." He shouted at her as she walked away.
Tim came into the gate in a rushed, almost late pace. He seem Amy's face as she walked up to him. "Honey?"
"Find another guy." She shoved Storm's lead line at him.
"What? Why?" He asked watching her walk away getting into Jack's truck.
The jockey walked past Tim. "I quit." He shouted.
Tim was left standing there wondering what happened.
Jack pushed his sleeves up and grabbed the bottle. He looked up when Ty entered the barn. "Hey, Jack. You seen Amy?" He asked walked toward him.
"No, not since this morning. She had to meet Tim at the race track then get to Lisa's. She's got a full day."
"What are you doing?" He asked
"Inoculating the horses."
"Don't a vet do that?" He asked eyeing the bottles.
"Sure, if you've got a few hundred dollars to throw away. Amy and I manage just fine. Plus it saves Scott a trip out here." He measured the liquid into the needle.
"Scott's still a vet?"
"Of course. Who else would he be?" Jack looked up at him after giving the current horse the injection. He shook his head and laughed.
"Want help?"
"Really? You? You wanna get your hands dirty?" Jack joked.
"Very funny. Have you seen how dirty I get at work?"
"Shouldn't you be at work?"
"Nope, day off. Which is why I was wondering where Amy was." He shrugged.
"Here. Try measuring the next needle."
"You sure?" He took the stuff from Jack.
"You know what, maybe I'll measure and you can give it." He said second guessing.
"Sure." He handed the stuff back.
"I am so mad!" Amy said storming into the barn startling both Ty and Jack who hasn't even heard the truck.
"What happened? I thought you'd be at Lisa's."
"Oh I was going to until my dad screwed everything up."
"That sounds about like Tim Fleming." Jack said trying not to laugh. His granddaughter wasn't as amused at the situation as he was.
"He hired a rider without my permission and the guy was a complete ass. And that's not the worse part. Dad told me he wanted me to look over Storm since he hasn't been ridden in awhile. He lied. He never mentioned the little practice session his jockey was planning." She crossed her arms over her chest and let out a long sigh.
"I'm sorry, Amy." Ty said wrapping his arms around her.
"I shouldn't be surprised." She said quietly unfolding her arms from between them to wrap around Ty. She buried her head into his shoulder.
"Why don't you two go calm down and maybe Ty could help you with Lisa's horse." Jack said watching the couple.
"But I was going to help you." Ty objected.
"I got it covered. Go." He smiled at Ty, Amy was faced the other direction.
"Okay. Thanks, Jack."
Amy broke away from Ty as they watched Rain. Ty stayed leaning against the fence. "You know this reminds me of when you worked so hard to get Spartan into the trailer."
Amy turned to face him. "You're never going to let me live that down."
"Waking me up in the middle of the night." He ignored her as he continued his rant.
"Okay, so I've come a long way since then. Besides that's not all you seen me do." She walked up to him from inside the fenced area.
"Whatever you say." He wrinkled his nose.
Amy scoffed. "Come on, Rain. Let's run." She said turning back and waving her arms to get him running. If she was going to gain his trust they would have to do a join up. Maybe Ty looked like a distraction but Amy had never felt more relaxed. His presence had always grounded her. She closed her eyes listening to the hoofs in the dirt. She felt 15 again. She opened her eyes to see Rain had stopped and was near the fence at Ty. Ty of course was petting him.
"Well, that didn't work." She sighed. "I don't get it." She joined them at the fence.
"He seems okay to me. Easily distracted maybe."
Amy jumped up on the first rail. "He's been placing every show up until now. Lisa said nothing's changed in his routine or food. So what could make him change?" She honestly was puzzled. And it took a lot for her to easily run out of ideas. He seemed like the perfect horse on the inside and out. She couldn't find anything wrong.
"What are you going to tell Lisa?"
"Honestly, I have no idea. She hired me to fix him or at least get it the bottom of his issue."
Ty grabbed her arm. "If anyone can fix him you can."
"I can't even get him to join up."
"Don't be so hard in yourself. You've only been working with him for a few days."
"What if I've lost my touch?" Amy sighed again running her hand across her forehead.
Ty had left work early today. He agreed to work Saturday if his boss let him go early. He had a few errands he needed to run that would be worth the crappy weekend shift. He wasn't exactly looking forward to breaking that to Amy but the outcome of it was worth it. He parked his bike on the street. Straightening his shirt and leaving his helmet behind feeling like he was on a job interview. He swallowed hard as he walked down the sidewalk and into the jewelry store. He already stuck out like a sore thumb. The place looked way more expensive then the website showed. There was a man in a business suit looking at bracelets and a women in the corner who looked up at the sound of the door already gocking at him. He was use to being judged. His appearance didn't exactly scream good guy. He unzipped his leather jacket as he made his way to the counter. The man in the suit sliding away as if he was going to hold the place up. Ty cleared his throat and spoke. "Hi, I'm interested in an engagement ring."