Stopping in front of Figure Eight’s stall, Ella grabbed a handful of biscuits. Inside, she saw a familiar scene—the stall appeared empty.
“C’mon now,” Ella said. “Get up, silly girl, or there’s no treat!”
Hearing this, Figure Eight scrambled up to her feet, just like that first day, and poked her nose through the stall door. Ella opened it and stepped inside, giving Eight the promised reward.
While Eight chewed, Ella combed her fingers through the paint horse’s beautiful, splotchy mane. Man. She had gotten so lucky, being assigned to Figure Eight. Fast, smart, gorgeous—she was as perfect a horse as you could hope to get.
“Thank you,” Ella said, leaning her head against Eight’s soft, doe-brown neck. Eight stopped chewing and turned her head just a little so she could see Ella’s face. “Thank you for putting up with me. For working so hard. For everything.”
Eight let out a little nicker, like it had been no big deal for her. Ella had to laugh. Then the horse dipped her head, snuffling the ground nervously.
“Don’t worry,” said Ella. “Someone else will come along and want to run just as badly as you do.” She ran her hand down Eight’s forehead, and Eight seemed content with this answer.
It wasn’t until Jordan came looking for her that Ella finally gave Eight the rest of the biscuits, and left the barn for the last time.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Ella and Jordan were on the same flight back to California. They called to each other over the seats until the woman sitting next to Ella insisted Jordan switch places with her. They drew pictures of Figure Eight and Loco Roco for Jordan to show to her siblings.
“Hey,” said Jordan suddenly, as the plane started to descend. She tore a piece of paper out of her notebook and handed it to Ella. “My number. Since I don’t live so far away . . .”
A grin took over Ella’s face. “Yes! I would love to come visit you. I’m sure I can get my dad to drive me out there. Could we ride Mrs. Rose’s horses?”
“I’m sure we can,” said Jordan. “And I can keep teaching you barrels, if you want.” She blushed at that. “And you can meet Antonio!”
That was all Ella needed to hear. If Jordan loved Antonio even a fraction of how much Ella loved Figure Eight, he was sure to be an amazing horse.
“I would love to meet him,” Ella said.
“Maybe we can enter more shows,” added Jordan, boldly.
Ella’s eyes grew wide and eager. “More competitions?” She clapped her hands together. “Definitely yes!”
Jordan burst out laughing. “It’s a deal, then.”
At the airport, five small Jordan look-alikes and one tall one were waiting outside security. The kids swarmed their older sister the second they saw her, shouting, “Jordy! Jordy!” The tall boy, who must have been her brother Olly, stood off to one side as he waited for the youngsters to finish. Then he swooped in to welcome his sister home, picking her up as he hugged her. Ella rather liked looking at Olly, and definitely wouldn’t mind driving out to Clearlake if he was there.
Then Ella recognized Jordan’s mom as she stooped down to hug her daughter. What a big, loving family. Her face was lined with kindness; Ella liked her already.
Ella glanced around the waiting area, looking for her own dad. Then she remembered that he had said he was getting off work late, and would meet her outside.
As usual.
After she picked up her luggage and the McAdam family said good-bye, Ella went out the double doors to wait with her luggage. Eventually the BMW pulled up. Dad was on the phone when she climbed in, arguing with someone about contracts and signatures. He gave her a quick hug and tossed her bag into the trunk, and then they were off.
When he got off the phone, he asked, “How was camp?”
“Great,” Ella said. “I got second place in a barrel race.”
“Only second place?”
She showed him the plaque. “Yeah, Dad. Only second place.”
“Well, good job.”
“Hey, Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I use your phone?”
“What for?”
“I want to call Mom and tell her.”
Her dad took his eyes off the road long enough to turn his head and quirk one eyebrow.
“Your mom?” He handed her the phone and shrugged. “Be my guest.”
She found the number quickly and dialed. It rang three times before her mom answered.
“What is it, Greg?” her mom asked brusquely as she answered.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Oh, Ella! Honey! Hello!” Her mom exhaled a great sigh, and her voice softened. “So nice to hear from you. How was horse camp?”
“You knew?”
“Your dad told me.”
“I won second place in the barrel race.”
“Wow!” Mom laughed. “Amazing. You learned to barrel race in the short time you were there?”
“Yep. I had a good teacher.”
“Ha. I bet you did. You’re a good learner, something any teacher can appreciate. Congratulations, sweetie. I’m so glad you had a good time.”
“I made a new friend, too.”
“Did you?”
“I think you’d like her.”
“I bet I would.”
“Can I come visit you, Mom?”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line.
“I thought you weren’t interested in visiting, Ella.”
“I am now.”
Her mom didn’t answer for a while, as if perhaps expecting Ella to explain herself. She used to hate those pregnant silences. She never understood what Mom was waiting for.
“Mom,” she repeated. “Can I?” She’d explain when she got there.
“Absolutely,” her mom said, sounding like she’d been holding her breath. “Have your dad get you a ticket as soon as you get home, before summer break is over.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“I can’t wait,” her mom said. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” said Ella, for the first time in who knew how long, and hung up the phone.
“Dad?” said Ella.
“Yeah, honey?”
“I need a ticket to go see Mom.”
He gave her a sideways look as if he were saying, sarcastically, So I gathered while I sat here listening.
“Sure,” he said. “Whenever you want.”
They went quiet.
After a while, Ella said, “Dad?”
“Yep?”
“Can you drive me out to Clearlake next week? You can, y’know, watch me ride horses. I’m pretty good.”
“I bet you are, Miss Prize Winner.” He nodded, glancing at Ella and smiling. “Okay. Horseback riding in Clearlake, next Saturday. I’ll block off the whole day. Will you put it in my calendar for me, Ell, sweetie?”
About the Authors
Kiersi Burkhart grew up riding horses on the Colorado Front Range. At sixteen, she attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland and spent her young adult years in beautiful Oregon—until she discovered her sense of adventure was calling her elsewhere. Now she travels around with her best friend, a mutt named Baby, writing fiction for children of all ages.
Amber J. Keyser is happiest when she is in the wilderness with her family. Lucky for her, the rivers and forests of Central Oregon let her paddle, hike, ski, and ride horses right outside her front door. When she isn’t adventuring, Amber writes fiction and nonfiction for young readers and goes running with her dog, Gilda.
Acknowledgments
Big thanks to our agent, Fiona Kenshole, for all the encouragement in the development of this novel; our editor Anna and the rest of the Darby Creek team; and huge thanks to Audra, the best horse teacher there is. Thank you for dropping everything to make sure we did this right, and for teaching Kiersi how to whisper. She needed it.
When she was Ella’s age, Kiersi rode another horse that loved to run: an appaloosa pony named Frosty. Together, th
ey took home many first, second, and third place ribbons in the barrel race. Thank you, Frosty, for being the calm in the storm.
At Top Speed
Cover
Title Page
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
About the Authors
Acknowledgments
Back Cover
At Top Speed (Quartz Creek Ranch) Page 14