When everyone had left the cookout, Sam helped Gram clean up. After that she went out to feed the horses.
"Hey buddy," she said to Ace, as he munched on hay in the paddock.
He turned to her and stuck his nose in her shoulder. She gave him a quick hug and tip toed inside.
In the middle of the night Sam heard a tapping on her window. She got up and looked out the window and saw Jake standing there holding Witch's reins in his right hand, a small pebble held up in his left hand. He motioned for her to be quiet and come down stairs to him. She pulled her flip-flops on and made her way downstairs.
When she got to him he smiled shyly.
"Why couldn't you have waited till tomorrow during the day to smile?" said Sam.
"I just wanted to see you and tell you something."
"I'm listening." Sam said.
"Do you mind if we talk about this somewhere else…" Jake began, heading for the paddock where Ace was tied all saddled.
"Ha-ha, a midnight ride." Sam chuckled, and got her boots from inside the front door.
She and Jake mounted their horses and took off at a gallop once they crossed the bridge.
They slowed down to a walk when they got away from the house.
"Sam…I like you, a lot." He said, pulling Witch in front of Ace to stop her from riding on.
Sam looked at Jake and made eye contact with his big brown eyes. Mustang eyes, she throught.
"And for the past few months you have just been driving me nuts." He continued, without hesitation. "One day I try to tell myself you like me back, and I see the signs but then the next day I don't know what to think. Every time I see you part of me goes crazy because I want you more then I've ever wanted anyone."
Sam sat still, not saying anything.
"I just want to know how you feel, Sam." He said, riding up next to her so his face was two feet from hers.
"I-" she halted Ace to face him, "I love you like a brother, Jake."
"Yeah." He said, but a wolf howling somewhere interrupted him. Ace and Witch threw their heads up and Ace gave a buck. Sam calmed him down, but Jake still reached over to take the reins.
"We have to go back, I never should have brought you out here, you could get hurt. And he took off on Witch at full speed gallop and only stopped when they got to river bend to make sure Sam was safe. Without saying anything after Sam got off Ace, Jake took off again.
"Fuck." Sam kicked a hay bale. "How could I be so stupid? Fuck. Fuck, FUCK!"