“It’s good to see you Amber. We were worried about you at school. We thought you were sick or something,” Shannah said.
“Nope. I’m fine.” Amber cast a glance at Rachael.
“Good to hear.” Shannah added, “So what are your plans for the holidays?”
“I’m trying to make new friends and all. Clay and I broke up. I thought it was time to start seeing other people.”
Only a few weeks ago, Amber thought she could be pregnant. Now she’s single? Something doesn’t add up.
“That’s a bummer,” Shannah said with empathy. “Gabe and I broke up once.” She smiled. “Then we worked it out and ended up getting back together. It’s been that way since.”
“Not us. This is a permanent break-up,” Amber confided. “I’m glad I ran into you guys here. It gives me a chance to give you some other big news.”
“Really? Like what?” Shannah asked.
Rachael dreaded the answer to this question, afraid she knew what the big news was already.
“I’m transferring to a new school—a Christian school over in Sarasota. My mom thinks it will be good for me.”
“Wow. That is big news.” Rachael tried to not sound too shocked. “A Christian school.”
“Yep. That’s where I met Shannon. I toured there a few weeks ago, before school let out. I think the smaller class sizes and overall school size might be a good fit.”
Shannah lifted a brow. “I never pegged you for the Christian school type.”
“Me neither, but change is good. Right?”
“Sure. We wish you the best of luck,” Rachael said. “We’ll miss you. If you guys will excuse me, I have to run down to the water to check on my little brother.” She pivoted and walked away.
“Wait up, Rachael. I’ll go with you,” Amber volunteered.
“Okay.”
They walked a few steps in silence before Rachael said, “I’m so glad to see you’re okay. I’ve been really worried since that day in the locker room.”
“I’m fine, really. I wasn’t ‘you know what.’ So everything is fine.”
“That’s great to hear. I didn’t tell anyone, either. I wanted you to know that.” Technically that was the truth. Travis had guessed her friend was pregnant, but she had never told either her father or Travis who exactly the friend was.
“No. I know you didn’t. You’re a good friend, Rachael.” Amber, suddenly teary-eyed, hugged Rachael. “I have to go soon, but I’ll be in touch. I promise.”
“Good luck at your new school. I know you’ll do well.”
Rachael was at the water’s edge when Shannah came down to join her.
“That’s a bummer about Amber leaving our school. I really liked her. She was a straight-shooter.”
“Yep, but hopefully it will be a lot of fun for her.”
“I guess so.” Shannah frowned. “I can’t help but wonder what happened. One day we see her crying. The next day she’s absent for over a week. Then we bump into her at the beach. She and Clay have broken up, and she’s going to a Christian school? You don’t think this is at all odd?”
Rachael swallowed hard. “Nope. Not at all. Maybe the Christian school offers a better education. We’re juniors. We have to start thinking of these things now. Maybe her parents thought all of us heathens were a bad influence.” She tried to lighten the mood.
“You a heathen? Yeah. Okay, Miss Purity Ring. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that ring! I’ve been waiting for the right time to give you a hard time about it.”
“I actually asked for it. I needed it.” Rachael could feel herself turning lobster red in the sunshine.
“I know what you mean. I think Gabe needs one. He’s one big guy hormone. He’s not being pushy or anything, though.” She grinned. “He hasn’t even dared to bring it up since I dumped him over it the first time.”
“Of course he’s one big hormone. He’s a teenage guy!” Rachael watched Gabe and Michael playing in the surf.
Shannah sobered. “So next week I have to go visit my mom.”
“No offense, Shannah, but I didn’t know you had a mom.”
Shannah’s lips tensed. “Well, I do. She isn’t exactly your typical mom. She had me when she was fourteen. She wasn’t really ready or planning to be a mom. A year after I was born, she split. My dad was young too, but he and my grandfather raised me.”
“When did you start seeing your mom again?”
“A few years ago. She contacted my dad and asked if she could come see me. She was only twenty-eight. It was kind of strange. I feel like she’s more like a friend I would hang out with than my mom.”
“I can imagine. So now you are going to see her?”
“Pretty much. The really bizarre part is she’s married now, and I have a half sister. She’s only two and super cute. It’s just strange.”
“Shannah, do you mind if I ask you something personal?”
“Nope. Ask away. If I don’t want to answer it, I won’t.”
“Remember that day and the ‘it’ conversation, when you called yourself a ‘late bloomer’? Is that why? Because of your mom, I mean?”
Shannah nodded. “That’s exactly it. My mom’s life was changed forever by ‘it.’ I don’t want to wind up like that. The worst part is, she missed out on my childhood. She doesn’t even know me. Not really.”
Rachael hugged her friend. “It’s never too late. Look at this as a new beginning. I can’t wait for my dad to get out of prison. I think that will be like a new beginning for us as a family. A fresh start.”
Rachael and Shannah had never shared so openly.
It was nice.
*
The following week Shannah left to stay with her mother, and Rachael decided it was time to face her fears and start training on Creamsicle again. She had only ridden her once working cows, and that was completely different than racing barrels. Today she and Michael would set to work on training and timing Rachael to see if she could find her rhythm again.
“Are you sure this is such a good idea?” Michael asked.
“I’m sure. It’s time I put the fear behind me and started really riding again.”
“Okay. If you say so,” Michael mumbled.
Rachael heard a truck pull into the driveway. It was Tristan. Rachael hadn’t run into him since her near arrest for trespassing on his property.
He got out of his truck and walked over to the round pen. He placed his elbows on the top board.
Rachael rode over to where he stood. “Hi, Tristan. It’s nice to see you again.” In her heart Rachael knew this day would come. Another meeting with Tristan and, as he’d said, “Under better circumstances.” Rachael truly felt badly over the trespassing incident. Even though she’d tried to explain her side, she wasn’t sure he had believed her.
“Good to see you, Rachael. So I see you are back in that proverbial saddle for another go. Would you like some help?”
Rachael knew Tristan was a horse expert, and she welcomed any advice he could give her. “Certainly.”
“Okay. Let’s see you take her through a run.” He climbed to the top rail and perched there.
Rachael loped Creamsicle around the barrels. She knew her time must be horrible, but she was trying to get comfortable again.
“Again.” Tristan nodded.
Rachael went through the pattern again. And again. And again. Her time steadily improved according to Michael, who was in charge of the stopwatch.
After three hours on horseback, Rachael knew she was going to be sore.
“Let’s call it quits for the day. I’ll give you and Michael a ride home.”
Rachael walked to the barn to unsaddle Creamsicle. “Travis and his family are out of town,” she explained.
“I know. I got a call from JJ that he saw you from the road here in the round pen. Travis sent me over to make sure you didn’t get yourself killed.” He winked.
“Killed! That Travis! I’m not an idiot.”
“Still fighting, I see,” Tristan teas
ed.
“No. Not usually. We’ve been dating for a few months now.”
“So I heard.” Tristan took Creamsicle from Rachael and led her out to the pasture. He expertly removed her headstall and brought it back into the tack room, where he hung it up. “Come on, let’s go,” he called over to Michael.
Michael insisted on riding in the back of the truck. While this made Rachael really nervous, Tristan told him he could.
“We’re only going a few miles, Rachael. No interstates or reckless driving. I promise.”
“Okay,” Rachael conceded. Then she said softly, “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Go ’head.”
“I apologize for trespassing on your land. I never meant to. I didn’t realize I was trespassing—or shroomin’, for that matter.”
“Apology accepted. I know, Rachael, because Melinda wrote a lengthy letter explaining everything.”
“Really?” Rachael was shocked.
“Yes, really. She even took credit for the fact that you were there as an unwilling, unknowing accomplice. She said she wasn’t proud of the many mistakes she’s made. I think she has turned a corner.”
“I’m so glad to hear that. I’ve been avoiding her for months because hanging around her seems to bring me nothing but trouble.”
“I’m not recommending that you hang out with her. Not in the least. She runs with a wild crowd, and you’re not that kind of young lady. That being said, I think it may be time to forgive and forget…just not hang out with. It can be done. I’ve seen it.”
“Thanks, Tristan.”
Who is Tristan anyway? He rides in and out of my life giving great advice. He’s like the big brother I never had. No wonder Maysie has a crush on him. Maybe she will date him someday!
*
Rachael rode Creamsicle all week and the following week as well. She’d gotten up to full speed under Tristan’s tutelage. Now all she had to do was perfect her turns to shave precious seconds off of her time. Her timing was always good going into her first turn, but her second turn presented a challenge. Either her leg wasn’t in tight enough on her girth strap, or she made her horse turn way outside of the barrel, hit the barrel, knock the barrel over, or even run clear past the barrel.
“This barrel-racing thing is harder than it looks,” she griped after coming across the finish line with her worst time of the day.
“Let’s call it quits today, cowgirl. Besides, your cowboy is home.” Tristan jerked his head in the direction of the driveway.
Rachael saw Travis’s parents’ SUV making its way down the long winding driveway. She jumped down off of Creamsicle and led her out of the round pen.
“Let Michael and I take care of her. You go say hi.”
Tristan put his arm around Michael’s shoulders, and they headed to the barn.
Rachael ran up to Travis when he got out and gave him a big hug. He shocked her by going in for the kiss—in front of his parents! She pulled back and gave him a horrified look.
He shook his head, grinning. “They know we kiss, Rachael.”
His father climbed out and walked by them. “We’ve all seen the Highlights Reel, Rachael.”
“Hi, honey,” Mrs. Baxter said sweetly.
“Was that Tristan helping you, Rachael?” Maysie asked eagerly.
“Sure was.” Rachael smiled and winked at Travis.
“He’s too old for you, Maysie,” Travis chided.
“I’m seventeen now,” she protested.
“You have a boyfriend,” Rachael reminded her.
“Not any more. Adam dumped me.” She sounded excited.
“You don’t seem too upset about it.”
“I’m not. Bye, lovebirds.” Maysie gave a wave. “See y’all later. I’m going to clean the barn.”
“Is Michael out there?” Travis asked.
“Yes. Why?”
“He can chaperone.” Travis smiled.
“Quit, Travis. Tristan is not interested in Maysie. She’s only seventeen.”
“Don’t be so sure. I think he’s just waiting for her to be legal. Once she turns eighteen, he’ll ask her out. I half expect them to get married. Of course, he wouldn’t admit as much, but give it a year. I can tell when a guy likes my sister, and he likes her.”
“But he’s way too much of a gentleman to go after her now.”
“Of course. He also knows our father would kill him. No. He’ll have to bide his time.”
“Are you always this protective?”
“You haven’t even begun to see protective.”
“Oh, quit, Travis Baxter.”
*
A few hours later Maysie came in. “Come on, Rachael, I’ll run you home.”
“No, I’ll run her home,” Travis interjected.
“No, Travis. I’ll run her home.”
Maysie and Travis exchanged knowing looks. Rachael knew something was going on, but she wasn’t sure what.
Mr. Baxter joined in and bellowed, “Why don’t you both run her home? I haven’t installed that motion-detector game cam in Travis’s truck yet that Rachael requested. Y’all need a chaperone.”
Travis and his father cracked up.
Rachael stared at Travis. As they all walked outside, she muttered under her breath, “Quit telling your dad everything.”
“You tell your dad everything. It’s not any different,” Travis reasoned. “He likes teasing you.”
Rachael decided she was being far too sensitive. They all climbed in and started for home.
“So, Rachael, I have something to tell you,” Maysie started to say.
Travis looked at her with the I warned you not to say anything look.
“Travis asked me not to tell you, but, you know, the whole sisters over misters thing. Anyhow, while we were in Park City we ran into Colten.”
“Okay,” Rachael said unenthusiastically. What did she care? She had an amazing boyfriend, and she didn’t want Colten back, ever.
“He wasn’t alone. He had your friend Brittany with him. The one he brought with him on the visit last year.”
Brittany is with Colten? “Well, I don’t care. She’s free to date whomever she wants. She’s single. He’s single. I’m with Travis. It doesn’t matter.”
But what Rachael left unsaid was, It does matter. While she didn’t care about Colten anymore, it was weird for one of her best friends to intentionally go after her ex-boyfriend.
“That’s not all. They were on vacation with his parents. She couldn’t wait to tell me how they started dating last year—right after your Debutante Ball. I shut her up there because that is really uncool for a friend.”
“Uncool. That would be like Shannah going after Adam now, right after you broke up.”
“It shouldn’t bother you.” Travis seemed angry. “Why should it?” He eyed her with the Is there something you want to tell me? look.
“No, it doesn’t bother me in that way, Travis. I couldn’t care less about Colten. But it goes against girl code. You don’t go after your best friend’s ex!”
“Never!” Maysie squealed.
“Must be different for guys, is all I can say.” Travis was ticked.
“No. It’s not any different at all,” Maysie argued. “If you and Rachael broke up tomorrow, and Jason drove over to her house and asked her out, you’d beat him to a pulp.”
“That’s different.”
“Different how?”
“Different in that Rachael and I are in a serious relationship now. A day is a fresh break-up. Recent. Almost a year ago? That is forever ago.”
“Oh, so if half the football team dated Misty you wouldn’t care,” Maysie taunted.
“Of course not! They’ve all ‘dated’ Misty.”
Travis and Maysie were now arguing big time. Rachael sneaked out and went inside with Michael, who had thankfully ridden in the back.
Ten minutes later, after Michael had high-tailed it to his bedroom to play video games, there was a knock at th
e door followed by two voices.
“It’s us.”
Rachael sighed. She might be taking the when you date a guy you date his whole family thing a bit too far, but she loved them both.
“Come in,” she called, “if you promise not to fight.”
They both came in rather meekly and sat at the foot of her bed.
“Let’s start over,” Travis said.
“Yep. As a girl I told Travis you would be upset because even though you hate Colten, Brittany was supposed to be your friend.”
“Exactly. She never even called to check on me after the break-up. Now I know why. She was too busy pursuing Colten, which is fine. I honestly don’t care about that part. But I now know she’s not a loyal friend. I’m upset because I just found out that I lost what I thought was a true friend. That’s all.”
Rachael lay down on the bed. Travis and Maysie lay down too—one on either side of Rachael. Travis reached over and grasped her hand.
“Okay, none of that. I’m in here, remember?” Maysie protested.
“How could we forget?” Travis elbowed Rachael.
But she surprised him by taking Maysie’s side. “Now that you’re single, you can come along on all of our dates as a chaperone.” She winked at Maysie.
Travis’s jaw dropped. “Are you two kidding me? I have to live with this one and share you half the time anyhow. Now I have to share our dates too? We have got to find her a man.”
“Yippee! Tristan!” Maysie cheered.
“Too old. Let’s choose someone who is still in their teens.”
“You said a ‘man,’ Travis. I took you literally.”
“Not funny, Maysie.”
“So while I missed you both and all, I smell like a horse and need a shower.” Rachael jumped up and grabbed clothes from her dresser.
“We’ll be waiting right here when you get out.” Maysie smiled.
Rachael left them and showered. When she returned in a fresh change of clothing, Maysie was gone.
“You made her leave.” Rachael narrowed her eyes at Travis. “Remember she was my friend before you were my boyfriend.”
Travis held his hands up. “I didn’t make her leave. She wanted us to have some ‘alone’ time. That’s all. It was her idea—really.”
Rachael and Travis went out to the living room, and she filled him in on Amber, Shannah, and everything that had happened. He didn’t seem surprised. She never let on about Amber’s recent scare. Rachael had given her word, and she would keep it.
Cowgirl Down (Redneck Debutante) Page 18
