Chapter 2

"Samantha!" called Brynna from the porch. "Wyatt, it's time to eat!"

" Eat, Eat." repeated Cody, who was fidgeting in Sam's step-mother's arms. Lately the eight month olds' favorite activity was duplicating whatever anyone said. If he wasn't a baby, it could get him in trouble, thought Sam. When Wyatt had smashed his thumb the other day in the door he had said 'damn', in which Cody repeated several times gleefully, earning a glare from Gram.

Sam sprinted towards the house. She had been helping her dad repair one of the stalls. Jake hadn't come today, since he was busy at Three Ponies. Sam was dying to brag that she had signed up Tempest for the animal judging at the fair.

"Heavens, child, wash those filthy hands!" Gram tsked, pushing Sam away from the table.

Sam quickly poured some soup from the kitchen sink into her hands and began scrubbing. She didn't want lunch to drag out forever. If she and Wyatt got done fixing the stall, she'd probably get the chance to take out Ace and try to find the Phantom.

The mysterious magical stallion hadn't been seen by Sam for a week. Mostly it was 'cuz she was so busy with chores and went to sleep exhausted every night.

"Sam, you've been staring at that cabinet for the past minute. Is there something wrong with it?" Brynna asked, coming over by Sam.

Sam blinked embarrassedly and shut off the water. Quickly, she sat down at the table. She suppressed a groan at the sandwiches and carrots. They'd been eating that for the past three days for noon, which was also 'cuz Gram was too busy cleaning for the Fourth of July picnic that'd be held at the Forsters'.

"Sammy!" squealed Cody, breaking another one of Sam's daydreams. "Sammy, eat!"

Wyatt grinned at his young son. "That's right, Samantha. Your food's not gettin' any riper."

Gram rolled her eyes. "I'll have Sam go to town today."

Sam had just recently got her driver's permit, and was required to drive fifty hours by next June. She was terrible on the road, and even Gram seemed weary to let her go alone. She had already been pulled over once with Jake, during his dumb lesson, and she didn't even wanna get into that.

"I can't wait until Fourth of July!" exclaimed Brynna. "I heard they're shooting off fireworks in Alkali. Trudy Allen said that they used some of Linc Slocum's money that was donated to the town."

"Of course he didn't donate that himself." Gram added. "But still. That means we'll get to see them. And if they were generous enough with his money, they'll be good."

Wyatt bit into a ham and cheese sandwich and said, "Who're we invitin'?"

"The Kenworthys', the Elys'," Gram started, and snuck a glance at Sam when she said Elys'. Sam pretended not to notice. "-Preston and Trudy, Heck, Clara…the usual people."

"Kit's home again." Wyatt announced. "He plans to watch Jake in the rodeo."

Jake was 'tryin' out his hand' in the Darton Fair rodeo and he was planning to ride a wild horse, instead of bulls, as Kit did. Sam figured he'd have enough experience, and bruises, to win.

"Fool idea." Wyatt said stiffly. "And you- Sam- are not gonna get involved with it."

Sam glanced at her dad's stony expression in surprise. "I know, I never said I was!"

"It's like askin' to be killed." Wyatt muttered so quietly that Sam almost didn't hear.

Gram interrupted. "You know Sam's going to be busy with Tempest. And did you hear about the prize you could win?" she asked Sam cheerfully. Before Sam could answer, she said, "For the best behaved filly you could win a whopping two-hundred dollars!"

"More of Linc's "donated" money?" Sam asked, eating the last grape.

Brynna giggled. "Probably."

"Yeah, heard he's havin' quite the time up in that jail. Payin' all his debts and all." Wyatt informed. "Still struttin' his cowboy attire. I heard that one of his cellmates told someone that if he'd have a penny every time Slocum said a stupid western saying, he'd have bailed himself out already."

….

"Crap." Pepper muttered under his breath after he dropped the screw on the ground and it rolled away. Sam looked around for a second.

"Looks like it's gone." she admitted. "And finding it would be like finding a needle in a haystack."

Pepper bit his lip. "There's no more." he said in his Idaho accent. "I guess when you're up in Alkali you'll hafta pick up some more."

Sam was relieved. Wyatt had made Pepper help Sam while he went out on the range. Now maybe she could postpone the stall-repairing until tomorrow. "I'll go ask Gram if I should go." she yelled, running to the house.

Once she got into the cooler house, Sam explained the situation to Gram, who was watching Cody and attempting to clean. "Call up Jake." her grandma advised, looking busy. "He has his license. Pepper doesn't have a license, and I'm too busy, so have him take you- if he's not to busy."

Sam nodded, reaching for the cordless kitchen phone. "Hey, Mrs. - I mean, Maxine." Sam said when Jake's mother answered at Three Ponies Ranch.

"Samantha!" Maxine exclaimed. "How are you?"

Sam grinned. "I'm doing great. How about you?"

Maxine laughed. "I'm pretty hot, but otherwise, fine."

The stifling hot July day wasn't any different than any other summer day. It was so hot Sam had seen a few mirages already today.

"So, I suspect you want to talk to Jake?" Maxine asked, and Sam detected that interested scheming sound that Brynna and Gram usually had, when talking about Jake.

"Uh, yeah. I got my permit, and I'm supposed to run up to Alkali because everyone else is busy." Sam wanted to clear up any suspicious rumors that could start.

"He's right here." Maxine said. "See you on the 4th, Sam!"

Sam tapped her fingers impatiently while waiting for Jake to answer. Obviously Jake was not "right there".

"Brat?" Jake's annoyed voice finally greeted. Sam knew he loathed talking on the pho ne. Especially since Sam could hear Maxine scolding him for calling her Brat.

"Why hello, Jake!" Sam said sarcastically. "How is your day holding up?"

She could almost hear Jake roll his eyes. "It was fine 'til you called."

"Jeez, you grump. I just wanted to know if you could take me to Alkali, since I can't drive alone."

"You can't drive, period." Jake said jokingly.

"And your answer is?" Sam replied, sighing.

Jake pretended to consider. "I guess I can…"

"Thanks a lot, see ya." Sam interrupted quickly. Gram was starting to look at her suspiciously. Nothing's gonna change, Sam told herself, Even if Jake and I are going out.

Still, she wondered if he was just putting up a front so his brothers wouldn't tease him, or was he still going to treat her like an immature little girl?