Why not? She’d been single for a while—too long, really, now that she thought about it—and Scott seemed pretty cool. Definitely a lot more intriguing than the same old boring guys she’d gone to school with forever, anyway.
Not that she was looking for anything serious here. After all, she and Scott lived on opposite coasts. But still—what was the harm in a fun little fling?
Kate stared at her history textbook. The words swam before her eyes, seeming to rearrange themselves into nonsense syllables. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second and then opened them, glancing down at the indoor ring, where a large pony hunter was loping around the course.
“Ugh!” Zara muttered beside her. “Who ever decided to torture people by forcing them to learn algebra, anyway?”
She slammed her book shut with a bang. Kate glanced over. The two of them were the only Pelham Lane juniors hanging out in their usual study spot in the top few rows of the stands. Fitz had gone to find some food, Summer and Marissa had gotten bored and gone off to shop at the vendors’ booths, and Kate wasn’t sure where Tommi was. It felt a little strange to be alone with Zara. She was definitely part of the gang now, but she and Kate didn’t hang out together much unless Tommi was there too, or Fitz, or some of the others.
Zara heaved a sigh and shoved her books away, leaning back against the row behind her and stretching her legs out
onto the seats below. “Pony hunters,” she said, glancing at the ring. “Okay, that might be the only thing even more boring than algebra.”
Kate smiled uncertainly. Sometimes she still couldn’t tell when Zara was joking. “Is algebra all you have left?” she asked, her gaze drifting back to her own textbook.
“Nah.” Zara flicked a speck of hay off her jeans. “I’ve got a bunch of Spanish vocab to memorize, and some history essay questions, I think. Oh yeah, and I haven’t even cracked open
The Scarlet Letter
yet, and I’m supposed to have the whole thing read by Monday.” She made a face. “It’s like our teachers don’t want us to have any fun while we’re away, so they pile on as much work as they possibly can.”
“I know what you mean.” Kate bit her lip, her mind skittering over her own list of unfinished homework. “So what are you going to do if you don’t get everything done in time?”
“What am I going to do?” Zara laughed, seeming surprised by the question. “I don’t know. Get yelled at by my teachers, I guess? Why do you think I’m doing algebra first? Ms. Rivera can
really
yell.”
She didn’t sound too worried. Kate wished she knew what that felt like. It was hard to be carefree when she knew the rest of her Indoor season might depend on keeping her teachers happy. Which reminded her, she shouldn’t be sitting around chatting. Soon it would be time to start mixing the evening feed, and then she was supposed to school a couple of children’s hunters to get them ready to show tomorrow, and after that there were about a million other things to do. Kate couldn’t imagine when she’d find time to get back to her homework.
And she still had too much to hope to finish it all on the drive back up to New York.
Way
too much.
Her eyes had barely settled back on the page when her phone buzzed. “Is that you or me?” Zara asked, scrabbling for her bag.
“Me, I think. I hope it’s not Miguel.” Kate pulled out her phone. She sighed with relief when she saw that the text wasn’t from the head groom. “It’s Tommi.”
“Tommi? Where is that girl, anyway?” Zara sat up and looked at Kate’s phone. “She disappeared right after her hack class earlier, and I haven’t seen her since.”
Kate scanned the text. “She’s trying out a horse in the outdoor schooling ring in, like, five minutes. She wants me to come watch and give her my opinion.” She looked up at Zara. “I bet it’s that greenie from Kara Parodi’s barn. Fitz heard about it and thought it might work for Tommi’s next project.”
“What are we waiting for?” Zara hopped to her feet, grabbed her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. “Let’s go check it out.”
“But …” Kate hesitated, glancing at her history textbook. And the chemistry notes bulging out of her backpack. And the stack of other books and papers, most of which she’d barely touched.
Zara was already halfway down the stands. Shoving her backpack out of the way under the bench, Kate followed. She wasn’t getting much done here anyway. Maybe a break would help clear her mind.
The day had gone gloomier since the last time Kate was outside, with massive gray clouds on the horizon signaling rain. But it was dry at the moment, and several people were riding in the
outdoor schooling ring. Among them was a woman on a nice-looking liver chestnut with three white legs and a star. Tommi was standing at the rail watching the pair as they walked on a loose rein.
She glanced over as Kate and Zara joined her. “Oh good, you got my text,” she said, sounding distracted. “Kara just got on.”
Kate nodded, her eyes on the horse. “How old is it? Looks young.”
“Five,” Tommi replied. “Mare. Just imported from Holland.”
“Nice,” Zara said, leaning her elbows on the rail. “Love all the chrome. That’s the only thing I’d change about Keeper if I could—he hardly has any white on him. Boring.”
Kate watched as the trainer, a brisk woman in her late forties, sent the mare into a trot. The horse looked pretty good, but Kate knew looks could be deceiving—especially with a pro like Kara Parodi in the irons.
“Good trot,” Kate said. “Hard to say how ridable she is till you try her, though.”
Tommi nodded, not taking her eyes off the horse. For the next few minutes Kara put the mare through her paces, ending by popping her over a couple of small jumps. Finally the trainer pulled up in front of the girls.
“She’s not doing courses yet,” Kara said, giving the mare a pat. “She was actually bred for dressage, so they only put the basics on her over in Europe when it comes to jumping. But she’s got talent—someone just needs to work with her a little. Want to take her for a spin?”
“Sure.” Tommi grabbed her helmet, which was sitting on
the bench behind her. Then she ducked into the ring as Kara dismounted.
Kate and Zara watched without talking much as Tommi rode. Kara stayed in the ring, giving Tommi tips on how to bring out the best in the horse. Once again the mare looked pretty good for a greenie, though not quite as steady as she’d seemed with Kara, and Kate noticed Tommi frowning a couple of times. By the time she pulled up, Tommi looked uncertain.
“What do you think?” Kara asked.
“I’m not sure.” Tommi gave the mare a pat, then glanced at Kate. “Do you mind if I have my friend Kate get on for a sec? She’s one of the best riders at Jamie’s barn, and I’d love a second opinion.”
Kara raised an eyebrow as she followed Tommi’s gaze. Kate felt her face go hot, all too aware of her ratty jeans stained with who-knew-what, her lopsided ponytail with hay stuck in it …
“No problem,” Kara said.
Tommi smiled hopefully at Kate. “Do you mind?”
“Sure, that’s fine.” Kate ducked through the fence and walked over to the horse. The mare turned her head to nudge at her curiously, and Kate rubbed the horse’s soft nose.
Tommi swung down from the saddle, then took off her helmet and handed it to Kate. “I think we’re the same size, right?” she said.
“Close enough, I’m sure.” Kate took the helmet rather gingerly. It was the latest model of GPA, which meant it had cost at least five times as much as Kate’s own much more modest brain bucket.
Trying not to think about that, she strapped the helmet on, then accepted a leg up from Tommi while Kara held the horse’s bridle. As soon as she was in the saddle, Kate forgot everything else, focusing on the horse beneath her.
“Good girl,” she murmured as she quickly adjusted her stirrups.
“She likes a light hand,” Kara told her. “Not too much leg either, unless she sees something that confuses her. Then you’ll need to push her.”
“Okay.” Kate picked up the reins and gave the mare a nudge with her legs, sending her into a walk.
Within seconds, Kate knew that the trainer’s comments had been an understatement. The mare was much greener and more difficult to ride than either the trainer or Tommi had made her look. She was also hyperaware of everything around her, from the horse doing trot circles at the other end of the schooling ring to the children’s pony class going on in the main ring across the way to a bird on the fence nearby. Kate had to work to keep the mare’s attention, and while her gaits were free and flowing and she did everything Kate asked, she never really felt relaxed through her body.
“Thanks,” Kate said at last, halting beside Kara. “She’s nice.”
Kara nodded, taking the bridle as Kate dismounted. “Go ahead and talk to Tommi if you want,” the trainer said. “I’ll cool her out.”
“Well?” Tommi asked when Kate walked over.
“She’s—interesting.” Kate took off Tommi’s helmet and handed it back to her. “I mean, she has the movement for hunters, but I’m not sure whether her temperament’s going to be a match. She seems awfully tense—maybe because she’s
young and inexperienced, or maybe just because that’s who she is. Either way, she’s definitely a lot trickier to ride than she looks.”
“That’s what I thought.” Tommi grimaced. “I was kind of hoping it was just me.”
Zara was listening with interest. “So what are you going to do? She’s awfully fancy.”
“I know.” Tommi hesitated, watching the mare walk past with Kara. “The price is good, too. But I need to convince my dad I can make money on the next horse I buy, and I’m not sure this is the horse to do that with.”
“Yeah.” Kate tried not to resent the way Tommi talked so casually about buying and selling a horse like the one in front of them. The price in question might be “good” by Kara Parodi’s standards, or Tommi’s, or Zara’s. That still put her as far out of reach as a brand-new Mercedes for someone like Kate.
“Too bad,” Zara said. “Looks like she’d be a fun project for someone.”
Just then Kara came over, the mare trailing along behind her. “Well?” the trainer said.
Tommi smiled. “Thanks for letting me try her, but I’m going to have to pass,” she said. “She’s a bit trickier than I’m looking for right now.”
The trainer nodded, not seeming surprised by Tommi’s response. “Yeah, I’m afraid she’s going to be a tough sell,” she said with a sigh. “Probably not the thing for a young rider like you.”
“Right. Thanks again, though,” Tommi said.
“Uh-huh.” Kara Parodi wasn’t looking at her anymore. Her keen hazel eyes had turned to study Kate. “I just figured out
who you are,” she said. “You’re the girl who’s been riding that big gray in the eq classes lately.”
“Um, yeah,” Kate stammered, unnerved by the way the trainer was looking at her.
“Oh, sorry, I should’ve introduced you,” Tommi put in. “This is Kate Nilsen, Jamie’s working student. She and Fable have been doing awesome in the eq.”
Kara nodded. “You can really ride,” she told Kate. “Are you going to be at Harrisburg?”
“Y-yes?” Kate’s mind flashed briefly to her unfinished schoolwork, but she pushed that aside.
“Great. Any chance you’ll be available to catch-ride?” Kara asked. “I’ve got a student with one too many horses qualified for the Large Juniors, and we’re looking for a rider.”
Kate was stunned. Was she hearing things, or had Kara Parodi just asked her to catch-ride one of her rich clients’ fancy junior hunters? It didn’t make sense. The woman ran a big, busy program. Didn’t she have plenty of juniors in her own barn who’d be willing to step in?
“Kate would be perfect for that!” Tommi spoke up. “She can ride anything.”
“Yeah.” Zara grinned. “Jamie makes her ride the ones that send the rest of us screaming.”
“Terrific.” Kara looked pleased. “I should warn you—the horse in question is a sensitive ride. He’s mostly fine outside, but he can be spooky in new places, especially indoors. And this will be his first time at Harrisburg.” She shook her head. “None of my juniors want to deal with him, so we’re looking for a confident rider who can give him a good experience.”
“No problem,” Tommi said. “Kate’s great at giving confidence to anxious horses. If anyone can handle him, she can.”
“I figured she could after watching her with this girl.” Kara patted the mare, then turned to Kate. “What do you say?”
Kate had no idea how to respond. It would be amazing to get the chance to jump a good horse around in a real division at a big show—especially after a week spent stuck riding only in the schooling ring. And she actually enjoyed a horse that presented a bit of a challenge, so Kara’s description didn’t worry her at all. But wouldn’t it be disloyal to Jamie to ride for another trainer?
“Um, I don’t know,” she stammered. “I’m not sure that—”
“She’ll think about it,” Tommi cut her off. “She has to check in with Jamie, see if the schedule works out.”
“I understand.” Kara checked her watch. “Let me know, all right? The horse will be coming to the show regardless—if you can’t do it, one of my girls will just have to suck it up.” With a quick laugh and a last nod to all three of them, she hurried off with the chestnut mare in tow.
Tommi spun to face Kate. “This is amazing!” she exclaimed. “Now I’m really glad I texted you.”
Kate glanced around to make sure Kara Parodi was out of earshot. “But Kara’s, like, one of Jamie’s biggest rivals. Wouldn’t it be weird for me to ride for her?”
Tommi waved a hand. “It’s no big deal. Happens all the time.”
“Yeah,” Zara agreed. “There was this girl at my old barn who used to catch-ride for everyone, and our trainer was fine with it.”
Tommi nodded. “I bet I even know the horse Kara’s talking
about,” she said. “It’s probably that big bay Trakehner-type thing with the Arabian-looking head. I rode against him at Hounds Hollow in the Older Larges. He’s super fancy, but the girl who owns him tries to slow everything down to a crawl, and he wouldn’t go for that. Almost bucked her off in the under saddle.”
“I think I remember that horse.” Zara’s eyes lit up. “He looked like fun! Kate, you should totally go for it.”
Kate bit her lip. Were her friends right? She just wasn’t sure. Jamie had done so much for her—he was the whole reason she was anywhere near an A circuit show right now. So what if he hadn’t asked her to ride anything fancy at Indoors her first time out? Was that reason enough to go behind his back and accept a ride from someone else?