Chapter 3

Jake's cruddy Ford pulled in front of the Forsters' house six minutes after Sam called him. He killed the engine and jumped out.

Sam was still inside getting a grocery list from Gram when he came in the door, backtracking when he saw Grace to wipe his boots.

"Hey, Mrs. Forster." Sam heard him say, and she pulled on her shoes and picked up Cody and walked into the kitchen.

Jake grinned at Sam's little brother. Usually the baby would grab at Jake's Stetson or reach for him, but now he only smiled his angelic baby smile.

"Jakey!" he blubbered. "Damn!"

Gram gave a shocked gasp. Sam tried to control her bubbling laughter, and Cody, seeing Jake and Sam's exchanged startled glance, started squealing the word over and over, and suddenly Gram grabbed him out of Sam's arms.

"No, no!" she scolded the boy. "Don't say that." Gram's face still was completely shocked, and so was Jakes.

Sam wished she had a camera. Jake's face was a contorted mixture of amusement and astonishment. "He, um, repeats everything we say." Sam explained to a bemused Jake.

"Oh." Jake replied. "Well, I guess we should go."

Gram had Cody in the high chair. She bit her lip, and Sam wondered if that was really a glimpse of laughter that passed her face.

Once the two teenagers were in Jake's smothering hot truck, Sam fell into a fit of laughter. Jake joined in. "Man, Brat, what have you been teaching your brother?" Jake asked, shaking his head.

Sam chuckled and told him about Wyatt. She turned the key and gunned the motor and they about flew over the bridge. Sam saw Pepper standing by the barn with his jaw hanging open.

"Ease off!" Jake yelled.

Sam did, and soon they returned to a normal speed. "What do you wanna do, Brat, get us arrested?"

"No." Sam said truthfully. "I'm trying to total your pick-up."

Sam saw Jake grin a tiny smile out of the corner of her eye. "So," Sam said awkwardly. "I hope you didn't have any really important chores you were suppose to be doing at your house."

"Nah, ridin' with a crazy driver is way better," Jake said, and Sam smiled. "I was muckin' out Witch's stall. After you called, I got Quinn to do it."

Sam nodded, trying to concentrate on her driving across the Nevadan desert. Every five seconds she would check the speedometer to make sure she wasn't going over sixty-five. Finally, after that action had been repeated too many times, Jake stopped her.

"Gee, Brat, don't hafta be that paranoid about drivin'-" Jake halted as Sam pressed down on the accelerator harder, making the truck speed up to seventy miles an hour.

"Remember when you started driving and you'd always make me shut up?" Sam retorted, slowing down ten mph.

"How could I have forgot, Brat?" Jake laughed. "You almost ran me off the road with your yakkin'."

Sam then saw the small town of Alkali ahead of her, and she slammed on the brakes. Jake compressed a laugh, and Sam turned red. She crept into a parking place at the Phil's Fill-up and stopped.

Since Sam looked so mad, Jake tried to reassure her. "You did great, Brat, for a first time, that is."

Instead of punching him in the arm like she normally would have, Sam grinned slyly. Jake was afraid of what she would do. He felt a small cool hand grab his and squeeze it gently. Jake almost had a heart attack.

Before he knew it, Sam was out of the truck and already walking towards the small store. He bewilderedly took after her.

"Paper cups, in a pack of exactly forty-five; Fourth of July napkins, small dill pickles, three two liters of pop; two of Mug Root Beer and two of Sierra Mist …" Sam read off of the list Gram had given her.

She and Jake split up the list and ten minutes later, had everything, including the screws for the stall door.

"Wow, that was fast." Sam sighed, relieved. "We got everything. Did you remember the mayonnaise?" she asked Jake.

"Yep."

Sam took the items to the cashier, who was some stocky guy, and gasped when she saw who it was. "Darrell?"

"'Sup, Sammy darlin'! Hey, Jake." he grinned.

Sam returned the grin. "I thought you worked for Diamond K..."

"-He's also takin' a part time job." Jake told Sam.

"Yeah, gotta earn some money if I'm gonna buy a truck." Darrell said. "But I still do work for Kenworthys'. Yesterday I helped Jen feed those yellow horses of hers. I gave 'em grass and sesame seeds."

Sam laughed. "You mean hay and oats?"

"That too," Darrell said, ringing up their items. "Hey, you havin' a Fourth of July party or what?"

"We are." Sam declared. "I'll ask Gram if you can come." she offered.

Darrell half-grinned. "Thanks, darlin', but ya don't have to."

"Well-" Sam hesitated.

"I already got invited by Jen."

"Oh." Sam said.

Jake grabbed Sam's arm and pointed to the clock. "We'd better get goin', Dar. See ya later."

"Adios, peeps." Darrell called, as they grabbed their purchases and took them out to Jake's vehicle. Sam set the bags by the seats of the truck, and started to step in.

Jake stopped her, by grabbing her hand quickly. "We still have time. You wanna go to Clara's and pick up some icecream?"

"Sure." Sam agreed, slamming the doors shut. Ice cream would taste so refreshing on a boiling summer day like this. She and Jake walked across the road to Clara's Diner, and were greeted kindly by Clara as soon as the jingling door closed behind them.

"What can I do for you two?" the vibrant blond asked as soon as they sat down. Sam noticed there wasn't very many people.

"I'll have a medium chocolate cone." Replied Sam. Hah, Jake couldn't tease her now about her cone dripping. She was wearing torn shorts and a brown T-shirt, since she'd been working earlier.

"Your pineapple upside down cake." Jake told the waitress. While they waited for Clara to make up their orders, Sam thought about the Phantom.

"I haven't seen him for a week." Sam realized she was talking out loud. "Za-Phantom, that is."

Jake looked up. "So?"

"I was just saying…"

"It doesn't always mean he's in trouble, Brat. He's a wild horse, for gosh sake." Jake told her, like she was a little girl.

Sam's eyes narrowed. "I'm not a little kid, Jake. I know he's a wild horse, but-"

"But what?" Jake finished.

"Oh, never mind." Sam muttered, biting her lip.

Clara came back then with their ice cream, and Sam and Jake started talking about the Darton County Fair.

"I'm showing Tempest." Sam announced to him, licking her chocolate cone.

Jake widened his eyes. "Huh." was all he said.

"So, aren't you going to say something?" Sam asked eagerly.

Jake couldn't help but grin. "Great going, Brat, I'm so excited for ya."

Sam was satisfied. For awhile the two of them sat in silence, eating their snack. Sam sighed. "Jake, Dad thinks it's stupid that you're entering the rodeo."

"He's replacing me with you, Sam. I'll be fine." Jake said.

"I know, I know. Do you promise to not ride any horse out of Phantom's herd?" Sam didn't want Jake or any of Blackie's group to be disrupted.

Jake nodded, finishing up his pineapple cake. "Trust me, Brat, I'm not gonna let them use the Phantom's herd. Now how about you finish that dripping cone before it completely caves in?"