The Long Ride by Bonnie Bryant

Author:Bonnie Bryant
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781497653832
Publisher: Open Road Media

TEN

Carole slid the final updated notebook onto the shelf above her desk and stretched. She’d finished the work she’d needed to get done, and she could relax because it was noon. Denise would be at the office in a few minutes to relieve her for the day. That meant Carole could go home—or she could wait for her friends and go over to TD’s for something to eat. It wouldn’t be as good as a trail ride would have been, but at least it would be just the three of them. She promised herself for the umpteenth time that she wouldn’t say anything to Stevie about inviting Callie along. Stevie had her reasons and that was that.

As soon as Denise arrived, Carole walked out to the schooling ring. From there, she’d be able to see her friends when they returned from their ride.

Everything at Pine Hollow seemed wonderfully normal on this hot summer day. Max was finishing up a jump class with the beginning riders. The next class was warming up their horses by walking them around the ring, waiting for Max to come teach them equitation. Nearby, Ben waited to help riders untack their horses and groom them. The riders would do all the work—or at least most of it—because that was the way it was done at Pine Hollow, but Ben would be sure it was done correctly.

“A penny for your thoughts,” said a familiar voice.

Carole turned to see Emily Williams grooming her horse, PC, in the stall closest to the door.

“They’re not worth that much,” Carole assured her.

“I’m not so sure about that,” Emily countered. “It takes more than a penny’s worth of thinking to figure out why it was that you skipped the trail ride with your friends today. It wasn’t because you don’t trust me to look after the office.”

“No, of course it wasn’t,” Carole said. “It’s just that something came up.”

“Okay,” Emily said agreeably. “I don’t have to know everything, but that doesn’t keep me from wanting to know everything.”

“Right,” Carole said. She really didn’t want to tell Emily everything that had happened. None of it felt right, and that wasn’t something she wanted to share, even with a good friend. “Can I give you a hand with PC?” she offered.

“No thanks. I thought I’d take advantage of the extra free time I have to give him a first-class grooming. What I didn’t know was how badly he needed it. His idea of the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of summer is to roll in the mud in the little paddock. So it’s been beauty day for Prince Charming.”

Carole peered at her friend. She was wearing a Pine Hollow T-shirt over her riding clothes to keep them clean. Emily supported herself with one crutch while she groomed her horse with one hand. Everything she did took her twice as much effort as it would anybody else, and she still managed to do three times as good a job.

“Pass me the rag, will you?” Emily asked.

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