A Horse for Kate (Horses and Friends Book 1)

by Miralee Ferrell

  To Kate, my darling granddaughter.

  I hope by the time you’re old enough

  to read these books,

  you’ll love horses and reading as much as I do.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  P.S.

  Secrets for Your Diary

  A Fun Cake for Horse Lovers

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Sneak Peek at Book Two: Silver Spurs

  Books by Miralee Ferrell

  Extras

  Horses and Friends Series

  A Horse for Kate

  Silver Spurs (Summer 2015)

  Mystery Rider (Fall 2015)

  Blue Ribbon Trail Ride (Spring 2016)

  Chapter One

  Upper Hood River Valley, Odell, Oregon

  Mid-March

  This was the absolute worst day of Kate Ferris’s life. Ever. She hunkered deeper into the backseat of her family’s Subaru Outback and glared out the window at the passing scenery. Why did God allow her dad to lose his job in Spokane? And even more important, why hadn’t He answered her prayer about staying in the only home she’d known all her life? She dreaded trying to make new friends in this strange place. Staying at her old home with her dog and her family was so much easier.

  Her six-year-old brother sat up and thumped on the window. “Horses, Kate. Look.” The words were flat and expressionless, but Peter emphasized each one with another tap on the window.

  Kate removed her earbuds and peered where he pointed. “Cool.” A pasture extended from the two-lane road and off toward the looming, snowcapped Mount Hood. “How many do you see?”

  “Eleven.” He pressed his nose tight against the glass. “Four more. Look.”

  Kate grinned, amazed once again at his ability with numbers. His autism kept him from communicating in other ways, but ask how many of something he saw, and he got it right every time. “What colors are they?”

  Peter hunched down in the seat, and the humming started again.

  Kate’s mother draped her arm across the edge of the front seat and glanced back. “How many brown ones, Pete?”

  “Six.” He kept his face toward the road and gently rocked in time to the tune he hummed.

  Dad smiled at Kate’s mom. “Don’t worry, Nan. He’s going to be happier once he’s out in the country. It’ll be so much better than being cooped up in that small house.”

  Kate reached over the backseat into the rear compartment and stroked the coat of their German shepherd. The dog licked her hand as though sensing her distress. “Rufus will be happy too.” Everyone will be happy but me. “It feels like we’ve been in this car for days.”

  Her dad laughed. “It’s only been six hours since we left, Kate. We’ll be home in another five minutes.”

  “It’s not home, Dad. I still don’t see why you couldn’t have gotten a job in Spokane so I could stay at my school. It’s not fair that I had to leave halfway through the year. I know Grandpa Cooper left the farm to Mom, but I don’t see why you couldn’t sell it and not move.”

  Her mom quirked an eyebrow. “Things aren’t selling well right now. Dad’s been out of work for so long, we couldn’t afford to stay in Spokane. We’ll get back on our feet sooner by not having to make a house payment.”

  “Yeah, I know, and I’m glad it’ll be easier. So does that mean I can get a horse?” Kate blurted the question even though she figured she knew the answer. “I know, no horse. You have to pay for a special teacher for Pete.”

  “That’s something he needs.” Her mother’s voice was soft but firm. “And a horse is the least of the expense. We’d need tack, feed, shoes, and so much more.”

  “But I need a horse. At least let me take lessons. If we’d stayed in Spokane, I could have kept working at the stables and taking lessons.”

  Dad slowed the car and turned on his blinker. “Let’s talk about this later, all right? We’re here.”

  Kate got her first glimpse of the farm in years and gasped. Because Grandpa had moved to assisted living when she was seven years old, she could barely remember this place. Hope filled her heart as she took in the wood-sided structure that seemed to go on forever. A barn. No, from the huge size, it more closely resembled a boarding stable or indoor arena. She barely glanced at the two-story farm house covered with peeling white paint. Getting inside that barn was all that mattered. White-washed wood fences surrounded three large paddocks, and pasture stretched out beyond. She shut her eyes, envisioning lush, green grass sprouting in another month or so.

  When the car stopped, she swung open the back door and stepped out—right into a shallow puddle. “Dad! You parked in the mud.” She kicked the toe of a sneaker against the back tire. “Gross.”

  “Sorry, Kate. Get Rufus out, okay? I’ll grab our bags.”

  Kate walked around the car, opened the rear door, and grabbed her dog’s collar. “Rufus, you big goof. Quit licking Pete’s face.” The shepherd landed beside her, and she motioned to her younger brother. “Time to get out, Pete. But watch where you step.”

  Kate moved to the open side door and extended her hand, but her brother didn’t move. He continued to rock, hum, and stare out the opposite window. Worry pricked Kate’s heart. She hated seeing Pete upset—it didn’t seem fair. “Mom?”

  Her mother stepped close and touched Pete’s chin. He didn’t pull back, but Kate saw him flinch. “Come on, honey.” Mom waited patiently until Pete swung his legs out, but the humming continued.

  Dad stretched his arms to the sky and rotated his head. “Feels good.” Then he reached inside the rear compartment and grabbed two small overnight cases. “You kids ready to see the house? Pete’s never seen it, and I’m not sure how much you remember, Kate.”

  She shook her head. “Who cares about a house when there’s a barn and corrals? You didn’t tell me the barn was so big, Mom. There’s tons of room for a horse.”

  Her father ruffled her hair. “I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed, sweetie. You can look inside, but watch your step. There’s a lot of junk in there, odds and ends, and thousands of cobwebs. The barn’s only been used for storage for years.”

  “I’m not worried about a few spiders or junk.” She patted her leg, and the shepherd bounded over, almost knocking her down in his excitement. “I’ll take Rufus.”

  Dad nodded. “Be careful. He doesn’t know this is his new home yet, and we don’t want him running away.”

  Kate brushed a lock from her face, pulled off her scrunchie, then swept her brown, curly hair into a ponytail again. “Okay. Come on, Rufus. Stay close.” She smiled at her family. Nothing about a barn could disappoint her. Just having one felt like a miracle. After all, barns were for horses, and she’d wanted a horse of her own forever.

  Dodging another puddle, she headed t
oward the barn. She’d hated leaving her friends in Spokane and had worked hard to keep from resenting her parents for moving their family, but this discovery might very well make up for it—at least a little bit.

  She opened the door, and the rusty hinges squealed as though saying she was entering a new world. It was going to be an awesome adventure—she could barely wait to get started!

  Kate stared into the semidarkness and waited for her eyes to adjust to the dust-laden light filtering through the small windows high up on the walls. The barn had potential, and the large, empty space filled her head with ideas. The best one she could come up with: She’d meet a girl here who loved horses as much as she did … a girl with a sense of adventure. Together they would transform this place into an elegant riding stable. For the gazillionth time Kate wished Pete could share her excitement at a new discovery. What fun it would be to share this place with her brother and explore it together.

  Her excitement dimmed a little as she peered through the gloom. What a mess! The metal bars set in the upper half of the stall doors were thick with cobwebs. Dust and grime clung to every surface, and the stalls had been used as a dumping ground for broken-down items too numerous to count.

  She grabbed the bars of a stall and looked inside—an old bike with flat tires, a stack of oil cans, a rusty wheelbarrow, and a grubby easy chair that appeared to have been gnawed by rats. She shuddered and glanced at her feet. If that chair was an indication, there must be a lot of mice living in this place. Mice and not rats, she hoped. Even the windows were covered with dirt. Mom had said something about Grandpa liking to collect stuff, but this was crazy.

  Kate kicked a flattened can out of her way and wandered to the end of the alleyway that fronted six stalls, with the indoor arena just beyond a half gate. At least the alleyway and indoor arena were empty. She peered across the wide arena, wishing the overhead lights were on. They were all probably burned out, since it didn’t seem like anyone had cared for this barn in a long time. From what she could see, there were another four stalls on the other side of the arena and a closed door leading into some kind of room.

  Kate swung open the half gate and jogged across the packed dirt. One good thing, she thought. It’s been so many years since horses were here, I don’t have to worry about stepping in anything unpleasant.

  The gate on the far side was open, and Kate headed across the alleyway into a room that didn’t look like a stall. “Cool!”

  Rushing forward, she gazed at the dirt-encrusted English bridle hanging on a wood peg. She blew on it, then sneezed. “Dumb idea, Kate.”

  Spotting a box of rags in the corner behind an old metal desk and chair, she grabbed the cleanest one and wiped the bridle until leather showed through. “Awesome.” She breathed the word, hardly believing her luck.

  Now all she needed was the saddle and a horse to go with it.

  Chapter Two

  Four days later

  Kate stood at the door to Odell Middle School, wishing she’d accepted her mother’s offer to go with her the first day. Squaring her shoulders and shifting her backpack to her left arm, she grabbed the door and swung it open. She was almost thirteen, for goodness’ sake, and not a baby, so she’d better quit acting like one. Thankfully Mom had come over on Friday afternoon to get her enrolled. Too bad Dad had gone to work that day, and Kate had to stay home and watch Pete. It might have made things easier if she could have come along and seen the school ahead of time.

  She heaved a sigh of relief. At least she wasn’t late. Dad had insisted on dropping her off, but tonight she’d ride the bus home. She’d rather walk, since it wasn’t that far, but Mom didn’t want her to the first couple of days. Kate had seen pastures loaded with horses between here and home. It would be fun to stop and see if one would come to the fence.

  Locker doors slammed and kids gathered in clusters, laughing and clowning around, reminding Kate of her middle school back home. If only she were there with her friends and not in a strange place. Odell Middle School was so much smaller than she was used to—only one story, and it didn’t even cover a city block.

  The area had one thing going for it—the horses she’d seen. Maybe she could get on the Internet and see if there were any riding stables nearby. If they ever got the Internet hooked up at home. Maybe the library would have a computer she could use on her lunch break.

  A couple of feet inside the door, Kate halted next to a high counter separating the entryway from the office and leaned her elbows on the hard surface. Long seconds passed, but no one looked her way. She cleared her throat with no results. “Excuse me?”

  A young woman swung toward her and stared before a smile softened her plain features. “I’m sorry. With all the noise in the hallway, I didn’t hear you. How can I help?”

  The next several minutes were a muddle as Kate studied a school map and listened as Miss Thompson pointed her in the direction of her first class, math. Kate headed down the hall, glancing at the number above each door until she came to the right one. The bell for class sounded as she reached for the knob.

  Her palms grew damp, and she wiped them against her jeans. What would her teacher be like? Back home she’d hated math. She’d never understood how to work her way through a story problem, and algebra baffled her completely. Her teacher had scowled every time he handed back one of her tests. Kate would much rather have classes that taught horsemanship or how to run a barn—now that would be practical. She’d certainly get an A in those.

  Kate cracked the door and peered inside. Twenty pairs of eyes swiveled in her direction, and the teacher’s speech came to an abrupt halt. Kate almost let go of the knob and backpedaled for home.

  Thirty minutes had passed. Nothing terrible had happened, except for the teacher embarrassing Kate by telling her to introduce herself. The kids had all stared for a couple of seconds before Mr. Kyle rapped on his desk for order and returned to his topic. Thankfully he wasn’t covering algebra or story problems today.

  No notes or whispers were making the rounds, and the teacher hadn’t picked on her once. Maybe this school wouldn’t be as bad as she’d expected. One thing surprised her, though. She’d never seen so many Hispanic kids in a class. Her school back home had a multicultural population, but nothing like this. In fact, she’d counted, and there were more Hispanic students in this class than white. She’d never been the minority before, and it felt weird.

  Kate hadn’t realized she’d been staring at a petite, olive-skinned girl across the aisle until the girl turned and glared. Oops. Definitely not the way to make friends. She averted her gaze and prayed the bell would end this class before she did anything else wrong. Another girl stood out in the sea of black and brunette hair—a blonde sitting two rows ahead who tossed her hair and made eyes at the boy across the aisle. That girl probably thought she was pretty and liked to flaunt it, even though she didn’t look all that hot to Kate. Someone else to stay away from.

  The bell sounded as Mr. Kyle gave a homework assignment from the next chapter. Kate flipped to it and groaned. Story problems. Ugh. But how many did he say they needed to do? She stuffed her book under her arm and pivoted toward the front of the class. “Umph.” She rocked back on her heels at the impact of a body against hers.

  The dark-haired girl stepped around her. She wasn’t exactly scowling, but she didn’t seem happy either. She gestured toward the door. “We exit that way.”

  “Sorry. I was going to ask Mr. Kyle a question, but he’s busy.”

  Another Hispanic girl pushed her way past and smirked as she bumped shoulders with her classmate. “Don’t have enough of your own friends, Tori?”

  The girl called Tori glanced at Kate and shrugged. “I can take care of myself, Mia.”

  Mia tossed her dark hair. “I hope so.” She pivoted and headed toward the door but paused long enough to whisper something to another girl, who looked back at Kate and giggled.

&n
bsp; Kate bit her lip to keep it from trembling. She’d better get to her next class, or she’d be late. She removed the schedule from her math book and tried to see it through the moisture blurring her eyes. All she wanted right now was to go home and never come back. She blinked hard, trying to clear her vision. It was no use. She’d probably never find her English class on time. She glanced toward the front of the room. Mr. Kyle was still talking to someone. Ramming the paper into her back pocket, she headed for the door.

  She stepped out of the classroom and scanned both directions.

  “You headed for English Lit?” Tori stood a few feet away, clutching her books.

  Kate stopped, her heart hammering so loudly she was certain the petite girl would hear it. “Yeah, I guess so. If I can find it.”

  A tiny smile quirked one corner of Tori’s mouth. “If we hurry, we can make it before the bell goes off. It’s only two doors down the hall.”

  Maybe there was hope of making a friend after all. Kate followed Tori to the classroom and slipped in after her, then halted as the other girl found her seat in an area with no other empty desks. Kate glanced around, but no one seemed to care about the new girl. She lifted her chin, determined not to show hurt or confusion, and made her way to the front of the room to the one vacant seat. Her heart sank as the blonde girl sitting directly across the aisle shot her a condescending eye roll.

  Kate slumped into the desk chair. Going back to Spokane sounded awfully good right now.

  Chapter Three

  Kate had never been so thankful for a day to end. Three days at this school, and she had yet to make a friend. She’d hoped it might happen after Tori offered to walk her to English Lit, but the girl hadn’t spoken to her again. As Kate had settled into her seat in each new class, she felt a couple dozen pairs of eyes boring into her skull.

  After buttoning her coat up to her neck and tugging on her gloves, she stepped out the front door of the school. What she wouldn’t give right now for Mom to homeschool her. Thankfully her parents had agreed to let her walk home today, since it was only a little under a mile, and she knew the way. The days were getting longer, and it wouldn’t be dark for another three hours, so she had plenty of time to get home.