Mountain Mare by Terri Farley

Author:Terri Farley
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2005-09-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“It has to be just window shopping, because I don’t have any money,” Jen said.

Sam kissed Ace on the nose and told him good-bye before the girls headed toward what Lynn had called “the cowgirl mall” in the events center.

“Dad gave me this for expenses,” Sam said, pulling the bill partway out of her jeans pocket. “And I’ll share.”

“Things are awfully expensive here,” Jen grumbled. “But that ought to just about cover two sodas and two corn dogs. Thanks.”

Sam shot a last look down the row of stall doors. Three pairs of dark-brown eyes in palomino, bay, and chocolate faces watched her.

“Don’t you feel just a little weird about leaving Silly and Ace in unfamiliar stalls?” Sam asked.

“This place has better safety standards than home,” Jen said. “And look, the lights are on in the center hall between the stalls, so they can look in and see their neighbors. I refuse to feel guilty. Let’s go.”

First, they stopped at a telephone booth and called River Bend Ranch.

When she talked with Gram, Sam discovered that Brynna had already called Dad. He planned to pick them up after the rodeo, with a trailer for Ace and Silly, at ten o’clock.

Delighted by the night of freedom, Sam shot a clenched fist toward the evening sky and still kept her grip on the phone.

“Samantha,” Gram cautioned as though she could see the small celebration. “If you’re not waiting for him at Gate C at ten on the dot, I can’t be responsible for what happens to the rest of your summer.”

“Jen and I will be there, Gram, with both horses ready to load,” she said. Then, just before she hung up, Sam added, “I promise.”

On their own and giddy, Sam and Jen clambered up the wide concrete stairs to the top of the events center and arrived breathless. A gabble of voices surrounded them. Colorful and crowded booths, full of wonderful things they couldn’t afford, encircled the top story and overlooked a small arena.

The soft plop of hooves came from down below. Loping in figure-eights, sliding to controlled stops, horses warmed up for the rodeo’s opening performance. Almost all the riders were female.

With spangled shirts and long hair streaming from under new cowgirl hats, they would look high-spirited and pretty when they rode in front of the grandstands. Right now, though, the queen candidates, barrel racers, and flag girls concentrated. They rode with skillful grace, working the nerves out of horses that would perform in front of a huge audience tonight.

Breathing in the smell of new leather, Sam and Jen stared at hand-tooled saddles, headstalls, and belts in the first booth.

“Oh, look.” Jen grabbed Sam’s arm and dragged her toward a display of glittering silver jewelry shaped like horses, stars, and coyotes.

“But look at that.” Sam pointed to a rack of scarves, skirts, and T-shirts fringed with suede and glass beads.

In every booth they filled out cards for contests and drawings, even when it seemed silly.

“What are you going to do with—” Jen broke off to read the entry blank Sam was writing on.

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