“Hi,” Rachel replied, glancing quickly at Cam and blushing slightly.
Carole hid a smile. She couldn’t really blame the younger girl for staring—guys as good-looking as Cam didn’t hang around Pine Hollow every day of the week. “What’s up?” she asked the younger girl.
Rachel shrugged. “Oh, nothing,” she said. “Um, my friends and I were just in the tack room talking about the Starlight Ride.” She glanced wistfully at Starlight, who was giving Cam a suspicious look as he teased a few bits of straw out of the gelding’s forelock. “May just told me how Starlight got his name,” she added softly. “That’s pretty cool. I heard you were the torchbearer that year, right?”
Carole nodded. She had been the torchbearer for several years before she’d graduated from the intermediate class, but she didn’t bother to mention that. It would only sound like bragging, since the job of torchbearer was always given to the best overall intermediate or beginning rider for that year. “Uh-huh,” she said instead. “It was a real honor to be picked. Who did Max choose this year?” Normally Carole would have known the answer, but that year, because of her grounding, she was a little out of touch with the day-to-day details of the stable.
Rachel was blushing again. “Me,” she admitted. “I get to be the torchbearer this year. It’s my first time.”
“Congratulations!” Carole said, honestly happy for the younger girl. Rachel was a terrific rider and a terrific young horsewoman—she’d proved that by taking excellent care of Starlight during Carole’s grounding. “You totally deserve it, Rachel. Really.”
“Thanks.” Rachel smiled bashfully, then shot a quick glance behind Carole.
For a second Carole thought that Rachel was looking at Cam. But then she realized she was actually peeking at Starlight.
Aha, Carole thought with a secret smile. Now I’m starting to see what she’s up to.
“Hey, Rachel,” she said, keeping her voice casual. “I just had a great idea. Why don’t you ride Starlight in the Starlight Ride this year?”
Rachel gasped. “Really?” she asked, her voice so high and excited that it was almost a squeak. “You mean it, Carole?”
Carole nodded. “Absolutely,” she declared. “Starlight would be totally honored to carry this year’s torchbearer.” Normally, as a Pine Hollow employee, Carole was expected to ride along with the younger students on the Starlight Ride. For the past couple of years, she and Ben and Denise had accompanied the riders to keep an eye on things and deal with any problems that arose on the trail while Max and Red drove into town with the hay and other refreshments. But this year Carole wasn’t technically an employee anymore. She doubted that her father would allow her to go along, even for fun.
This way, Starlight will get to hold up the tradition for both of us, she thought, smiling at the gleeful expression on Rachel’s face as she gave the big bay gelding a hug. And I know it would mean a lot to Rachel. She’s almost as crazy about him as I am.
“Thank you, Carole!” Rachel cried breathlessly. “Thank you, thank you! I have to go tell my friends about this!” She hugged Starlight once more, then raced off down the hall.
Just this once, Carole decided not to bother yelling after her to say that running wasn’t allowed in the stable. Instead she turned to face Cam as Rachel scurried around the corner at the end of the aisle. To Carole’s surprise, Cam didn’t return her contented smile. In fact, his handsome face looked downright disapproving.
“What did you do that for?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” Carole raised both eyebrows in surprise. “She loves Starlight. It was totally obvious she was hinting around to be able to ride him on the big night. And she deserves to—she’s really helped me out with him lately.”
Cam didn’t look convinced. “Whatever,” he said. “I’m sure she’s very deserving and all. It’s just that, well, I was sort of hoping we could go on the Starlight Ride. You know, together.” He stepped over and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her to him until their faces were only inches apart. “I thought it sounded very romantic,” he murmured.
Carole felt her heart flutter, the way it always did when she was so close to Cam. “Oh,” she said breathlessly. “Um, it would be great if we could go together.”
She let her eyes drift halfway shut, waiting for Cam to kiss her. But instead he merely shrugged and released her, turning back toward Starlight. “It just seems like you’d want to ride Starlight yourself,” he muttered.
Carole was a little surprised that he would begrudge Rachel something that obviously meant so much to her. After all, he’d seen how excited she’d been at the idea of riding Starlight. But Carole didn’t think about that for long. She was a little overwhelmed at the fact that he was already planning so far ahead—thinking about the two of them being together at Christmas. “It’s no big deal,” she said, hoping that he didn’t think she wasn’t as thrilled as he was at the idea of going on the Starlight Ride together. “It’s just that I’m not sure Dad will let me go. But if he does, I’ll just ride one of Max’s horses. He won’t mind.”
Cam turned around again to face her. “Okay,” he said with a slightly sheepish smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound like a jerk or whatever. It’s just that I want to grab any chance I can to be with you.” He stepped toward her again, taking her hand and yanking her gently after him as he stepped backward into Starlight’s open stall. “Like now, for instance.”
Carole giggled and collapsed against him, turning her face up to meet his kiss. He slid one arm around her waist and turned, pressing her against the side wall of the stall as he covered her face with soft kisses. Carole’s eyes were drifting shut when she heard the sound of footsteps and a snort from Starlight, who was still cross-tied outside. Her eyes flew open again. Cam’s lips had moved on to her neck by then, and she glanced over his shoulder into the aisle, a little embarrassed at the thought of Max catching them making out. She was just in time to see Ben gliding past in the aisle outside. He didn’t look their way, but Carole had the uncomfortable impression that he knew they were there. And that he knew exactly what they were doing.
Cam zeroed in on her lips again, but she ducked aside to avoid the kiss. “Um, we should stop,” she whispered self-consciously. “Starlight …” She gestured vaguely in the direction of her horse.
Cam glanced out the stall door at Starlight, who was dozing contentedly in his cross-ties in the aisle. “He’s fine. It won’t hurt him to stand there for a few minutes.”
“No, really.” Carole couldn’t quite bring herself to meet his gaze. “If Max comes by and sees him out there unattended, he’ll freak.”
Cam shrugged, looking slightly annoyed. But his tone was affable as he spoke. “All right, then let’s get out there and attend to him. Lead the way.”
They returned to their grooming, and a few minutes later Starlight was ready to return to his stall. Once he was settled, Carole and Cam stowed the grooming equipment in the tack trunk in the aisle. Then they headed to the student locker room to pick up their jackets and street shoes.
The locker room was unoccupied, and Carole sat down in front of the row of cubbies to pull off her boots. Normally she kept her things in the stable office along with the rest of the staff. Now that she was on hiatus, she felt strange about doing that, so she was stowing a few things in her friends’ cubbies. As she stood to toss her boots into Lisa’s cubby, Cam sat down on the bench behind her.
“Okay,” he said, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her around. “Now can we get back to what we were doing?”
This time Carole gave in without protest, collapsing limply onto Cam’s lap in her stocking feet as he began nibbling enthusiastically on her earlobe. Why not? she thought a bit defiantly as she wrapped her arms around him. Why should seeing Ben make me feel the least bit weird about being with Cam? Sure, maybe Ben and I kissed once. And maybe up until a few days ago I thought there was a chance we might be more than friends someday. But now I have Cam.
> “Oh, Carole,” Cam murmured with feeling, nuzzling her cheek. “I’m crazy about you.”
With a shiver, Carole turned her face slightly to capture his lips with her own. Cam kissed her back hungrily, burying his hands in her hair. As she sank into the kiss, the image of Ben danced into her mind once more, but this time she banished it quickly. I don’t need to worry about Ben Marlow anymore, she thought dreamily. Now I know what having a real boyfriend is like. And I like the feeling. Just like I like the feeling of kissing Cam.…
TWELVE
“For the fifth time, I don’t care which tie you wear tomorrow night.” Callie rolled her eyes and glanced over at her brother from the passenger’s seat of his car. “I seriously doubt Lisa will notice either way.”
“You think?” Scott frowned at the windshield. “I guess the red one looks better. I’ll have to ask Dad what he thinks. Maybe I can borrow one of his.”
Callie stole another glance at her brother, a little surprised that he was obsessing so much over his wardrobe. He’d been talking about it since they’d left the house a few minutes earlier, headed for the next of Callie’s appointments. It wasn’t like him. He didn’t even get this worked up over what he was going to wear to the prom last year, she thought. Of course, it’s not like there’s too much thought involved when you’re supposed to wear a tux. But still …
She was beginning to wonder if there was more to this date than she’d thought. “So it should be fun,” she commented casually. “The CARL thing, I mean.”
“For sure,” Scott replied enthusiastically, easing up on the gas as a panel truck shifted into the lane ahead of them. They were on local Highway 12, one of the main thoroughfares between Washington, D.C., and outlying towns like Willow Creek. The afternoon rush of commuters heading home from work was already starting, so Scott had to keep his eyes on the road. “It’s going to be a blast. Especially now that I’m going with Lisa. I just hope she has a good time.”
“I’m sure she will,” Callie replied automatically.
That’s four times he’s mentioned her name in the past ten minutes, she thought. Or is it five times? I’ve lost track.
“She’d better.” Scott chuckled. “Otherwise I’m going to have a tough time convincing her to go out with me again.”
Now Callie was sure this was no ordinary date. Her brother wasn’t the type to plan ahead—not when it came to girls, at least. “Wow,” she said. At Scott’s surprised glance, she quickly added, “I just hope Stevie’s not too disappointed.”
“Huh?”
Callie winced, realizing too late what she’d said. “Oh, nothing,” she said quickly.
But Scott was looking over at her again, his blue eyes concerned. “What was that about Stevie?” he asked. “She’s not upset because of the whole Alex thing. Is she? I’d hate to think that I—”
“No, no—and keep your eyes on the road!” Callie said hastily, wishing she’d just kept her mouth shut. Now she was going to have to tell him the truth, or he’d worry endlessly that Stevie was upset with him. He might even confront her about it, and then Callie would really feel like an idiot. “It’s not about that,” she told her brother. “It’s just that, well—” She hesitated, turning to stare at him. “You have to swear you won’t let on that you know.”
“Know what?” Scott asked.
Callie sighed. “Okay. Um, Stevie noticed that you’ve been hanging around Pine Hollow a lot lately, even though you don’t usually ride. And I guess you two must run into each other a lot at school, and I guess she thought that was your doing, too. So she sort of thought—well, she somehow got the idea that you had a crush on her.”
Scott blinked, looking confused for a moment. Then he laughed. “Really?” he cried delightedly. “Stevie thought that I—Oh, that’s too much!” He burst out laughing in earnest.
Callie shot him an uncertain glance. She wasn’t entirely sure she trusted him to keep quiet. When it came to really important secrets, or ones that could hurt someone if they came out, Scott was a vault. But he was much more easily tempted by juicy little secrets like this one, ones that he judged more humorous than hurtful. And she was afraid that this one would fall squarely into the former category. Scott and Stevie enjoyed teasing each other, and this would give him plenty of ammunition.
She opened her mouth to remind him that he had to keep quiet, but before she could say a word, Scott hit his turn signal. “We’re here,” he said.
Glancing ahead, Callie saw the massive red barn of Fair Acres Farm. She had driven past this particular property dozens of times on the way to the airport or her father’s office in the city. But until she’d begun her search for a new endurance horse, she hadn’t realized that Fair Acres even had any horses. She’d thought they dealt exclusively in beef cattle.
I hope this isn’t a waste of time, she thought, glancing out the side window at a herd of grazing Herefords as Scott turned up the drive. Still, Denise saw this horse, and she swore it has endurance potential. And she usually knows what she’s talking about.
That made her feel a little more optimistic. Denise McCaskill was one of the most knowledgeable horsewomen Callie had ever met, and she respected her opinion. If she thought this horse had potential, it was definitely worth a look.
“Looks like we can park over there.” Callie pointed to a small turnaround where a couple of pickup trucks and a white sedan were parked.
As Scott cut the ignition, Callie was already releasing her seat belt and opening her door. As she climbed out of the car, she caught sight of someone hurrying toward them from the barn. She closed the door behind her and turned, already smiling automatically in greeting.
The smile froze on her face as she recognized the figure heading their way. “George!” she gasped in shock. “What are you doing here?”
George was grinning broadly as he reached the Foresters, his moon-shaped face the picture of self-satisfied glee. “Surprise!” he cried. “I remembered you were coming here today to look at a horse, and I figured I’d stop by in case you needed a second opinion.”
Callie was so stunned that all she could do was open her mouth and close it again. She glanced helplessly at Scott, who looked startled and slightly worried. I can’t believe George is here, Callie thought. I can’t believe how totally inappropriate and weird this is.
“Hello!” a new voice called. “You must be the folks come to look at the horse.”
Callie turned and saw a tall, rail-thin man striding toward them, a ten-gallon hat on his head and a welcoming smile on his weather-beaten face. “Hello,” she said, her mind still too numb from the shock of George’s unexpected appearance to manage anything more.
“This is Callie,” George said, putting a hand on her arm and smiling at the man, then turning his smile in her direction. “Callie, this is Mr. Rayburn. He and his wife own this place. We were just chatting while we were waiting for you, and I told him all about your endurance experience and everything.”
Scott stepped forward and extended his hand to Mr. Rayburn, in the process managing to move between Callie and George and knock George’s hand loose of Callie’s arm. Callie glanced at her brother gratefully as he greeted the farm owner jovially and suggested they head right in to see the horse.
What in the world does George think he’s doing? Callie thought furiously as the entire group trooped into the big red barn. He’s acting like I invited him along or something. No, worse than that. He’s acting like he belongs here. Like it’s totally natural for him to show up like this.
She gritted her teeth as George started telling Mr. Rayburn about the Foresters’ move from the West Coast. What made him think he had the right to barge in on her life all the time? She’d made it perfectly clear that she needed some space. Why couldn’t he seem to understand that?
Soon they stopped in front of a large stall where a rangy little leopard-spot Appaloosa gelding was munching on a rack full of hay. “This here’s Scooby,” Mr. Rayburn said proudly. “Tough as nail
s and sweet as sugar, as my wife likes to say.”
Callie smiled politely, but she hardly even saw the horse standing in front of her. She was too busy trying not to start screaming at George right there in front of the farm owner.
Keep it under control, girl, she told herself firmly, stepping forward automatically to pat Scooby on the neck. Just get through this.
She noticed Scott shooting her worried glances as Mr. Rayburn chatted about the horse, seeming unaware of the tension. George, too, seemed completely oblivious as he stood by with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling complacently.
Somehow Callie managed to maintain control as she stepped into the stall to take a closer look, though she didn’t take in a word that the farm owner was telling her about Scooby. Finally Mr. Rayburn tacked up the horse and led him outside for Callie to try.
Callie was relieved for the chance to swing into the saddle and escape from George, at least momentarily. As she leaned over to adjust her stirrups, she stole a quick look at him. He had walked outside with the others and was gazing at her innocently, as if there were nothing strange about this whole situation.
He’s going to figure out otherwise soon enough, she thought grimly as she signaled for a walk. The horse obeyed, though Callie doubted she would have noticed if he’d decided to trot or gallop or levitate instead. As soon as we’re finished here, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind. This is it. It ends here, once and for all.
She had tightened her grip on the reins without realizing it. Scooby shook his head and flicked his dark-tipped ears back at her. “Sorry,” Callie murmured, loosening the reins and asking for a trot.
Seeming relieved, the horse obliged, his surprisingly long stride carrying them quickly across the paddock. When Callie turned him at the far end, she glanced at her little audience. George was talking to Mr. Rayburn again, and she shuddered to think what he might be saying.
High Stakes Page 15
