One Brave Summer (Quartz Creek Ranch)

by Amber J. Keyser

  “He’s a good horse,” said Fletch. “You’ll figure him out.”

  Paley couldn’t meet his eyes. She had already figured Prince out. Just like those girls in Denver, he didn’t need her and didn’t like her. She’d been wrong to expect anything else.

  Chapter Four

  Paley plodded after Leila as she crossed the footbridge over Quartz Creek and walked toward the two bunkhouses. The boys shared one small cabin with Fletch, and the girls got the other.

  When Paley’s parents had dropped her off before lunch, she had only had time to toss her duffel bag on one of the two bunk beds. This was her chance to unpack. Madison and Sundee were playing cards at the small table. When Paley and Leila entered, Madison flashed a big smile. “What did you think of Prince?”

  “He should be on a calendar,” said Leila.

  “I know, right? He is one handsome horse,” said Madison. “And tricky too. One time Paul was mending the fence, and he left his truck in the pasture. Prince found a bag of grain in the back of the truck and helped himself.” Madison shuffled the deck of cards and kept talking. “Mr. Bridle calls Prince his backup horse. Of course, he’s got about five of those.”

  Leila and Sundee cracked up.

  Paley unzipped her duffel and began unloading. Sundee had claimed a top bunk. Leila’s things were strewn across the twin bed near the window. She was pretty messy for someone who looked so perfect.

  “We left you the top drawer,” said Leila, pointing to the dresser on one wall. “And you have this shelf here for your little stuff. There’s a spot for you in the bathroom, too.”

  “Thanks,” said Paley. She piled her clothes into the drawer and lined up her books, the Totoro flashlight, and an Altoids tin full of barrettes on the shelf.

  She sat on the bed and stared at her empty hands. They itched for a keyboard and mouse. This whole ranch thing was too much. She wasn’t a bad kid. She didn’t belong here. Paley snuck a look at the other girls. Sundee was dealing Leila in for a new game of gin rummy. They looked nice enough, but Paley couldn’t help wondering what they’d done to end up here. She tucked her hands into her armpits and let her chin slump on her chest. She wouldn’t have caused her parents any trouble this summer. All she needed was Dragonfyre, and everything would have been fine.

  Madison sat down next to her, smelling faintly of chlorine. She was a swimmer, Paley remembered, and had the strong arms and shoulders to prove it.

  “How did it go with Prince?” Madison asked.

  Paley shook her head. “He doesn’t like me.”

  “Pshaw!” Madison waved off Paley’s words and put on a posh British accent. “He’s a bit of a snob. That’s all. We’ll whip him into shape.”

  “I don’t know anything about horses.”

  Madison patted her knee. “I hope not!” Paley looked at her, surprised. That made no sense. “If you knew a lot,” the trainer continued, “I wouldn’t get to teach you, and that wouldn’t be much fun for me, would it?”

  “Uh . . . I don’t know.”

  Madison laughed. “Well, I do. Learning to ride is the best thing ever, and Prince is a superstar. You’ll see.” She stood and surveyed the bunkhouse. “Ladies, we have neglected a very important duty.”

  “I hate cleaning,” Leila blurted. All eyes flew to her bed.

  “We can see that,” said Sundee, laying down three queens.

  Madison made a show of pulling the door to her room shut as if she had an even bigger mess to hide. “We need a cabin name,” she announced. “It’s a ranch tradition, and the boys are way ahead of us.”

  “What did they pick?” asked Sundee.

  “Rainbow Pony Snipers.”

  Even Paley had to laugh. That was a ridiculous name. No doubt Bryce had suggested the sniper part. That seemed right up his alley.

  “How about the Horse Girls?” said Sundee.

  Paley tried not to wince. “Maybe something a little tougher sounding?”

  “Like what?” Sundee sounded miffed.

  “Dragon Riders? Goblin Slayers?”

  Sundee and Leila both frowned at her.

  “Okay. Maybe not.”

  “You don’t have to decide right now,” said Madison, “but think about it.”

  Sundee looked like a squirrel contemplating a nut. “Panda Bears? Cupcake Cowgirls?”

  Leila pretended to gag.

  “How do you know so much about horses?” Paley asked her, still thinking about the easy way Prince had responded to Leila.

  Leila shrugged. “I’ve been riding forever. Doing shows and stuff.” Paley could practically see Leila’s room with the walls covered in those big satin ribbons. No wonder her riding clothes were so fancy. “To tell you the truth,” Leila continued, “competition stopped being fun a long time ago. My mom is big on winning. Real big.”

  Paley wondered what it would be like to be able to ride like that. The only thing she was good at was playing the Blue Elf, and that wasn’t a skill anyone seemed to appreciate. No satin ribbons on her walls for gaming prowess.

  While the other girls continued to suggest cabin names, Paley retreated onto her bunk with the book of Dragonfyre game art she’d brought with her. She loved the way the Bog Queen’s green hair streamed behind her in the water and how her eyes seemed to burn deep down inside. If only she were in Greensward with the Queen chasing fairies, instead of here, where she most definitely did not belong.

  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

  After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room of the big house. Paley drummed her fingers against her thigh. Sundee and Leila were doing a one-thousand-piece puzzle. The box was propped up on one side of the coffee table and showed five white horses galloping in the surf on some tropical beach. Judging from their progress, the girls would be lucky to finish it by the end of the summer. They hadn’t even completed all the edges.

  Cameron had his nose in a book.

  Mr. Bridle and Ma Etty were reading the newspaper.

  Madison and Bryce had driven to town to swim laps.

  Paley checked her watch. Almost eight o’clock. At home, she’d be in her room playing Dragonfyre. At home, she’d have something to do. She fiddled with the remote control for the TV. “Can we watch something?” she asked.

  Ma Etty pulled her reading glasses down to the tip of her nose. “We use that for movie night on Saturdays,” she said. “Otherwise it stays off.”

  Paley put the remote down.

  “Do you want to play cribbage?” Ma Etty asked.

  “I don’t know how.”

  “I’ll show you.”

  “No, thanks.” Shoving little pins in holes did not count as a game. That was just dumb.

  Paley excused herself to go to the bathroom and detoured down the back hallway. The door to the office was ajar. The screen saver on the computer was a slide show of horses, some running, some working, some just standing around looking horsey.

  Paley stepped into the doorway, drawn to the computer. It was old but not that old. It might be able to handle Dragonfyre. All she would have to do is download the program and enter her password. They didn’t really expect her to go all summer without even a glimpse of the Blue Elf, did they?

  She was halfway to the computer when the back door opened, and Madison and Bryce came in. “That was fun,” said Madison. “You’ve got a great backstroke.”

  “Thanks,” said Bryce, walking past the office door without looking in.

  But Madison caught her eye and stopped.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, leaning against the door frame.

  “Uh . . . I was watching the screen saver. Awesome horses, huh?”

  “I guess so.” Madison looked at Paley like she could see right inside her head. “But no kids in the office, okay?”

  Paley nodded and followed Madison to the living room. The Blue Elf fizzled back into cyberspace. Unreachable. She plopped on the couch and pretended to read an issue of Western Horseman. Inside she was going crazy. Thi
s was going to be the longest summer ever.

  “ . . . a pictograph of an archer on horseback . . .”

  Archer? The overheard word pulled Paley out of her sulk. The Bridles were leaning over a section of the newspaper. “It says they jackhammered out the entire panel,” said Mr. Bridle.

  “That’s such a shame.” Ma Etty shook her head. “Why would anyone do that?”

  “Same reason people are stealing those fossils. Big money.”

  Now Sundee perked up. “What did you say about fossils?”

  Mr. Bridle handed over the section of the paper. “People have been stealing Native American artifacts and fossils from this area.”

  “But that’s a violation of the Antiquities Act,” said Sundee, with a shocked look on her face.

  Paley and Leila stared at her like she was speaking Ancient Greek.

  “Who cares about a bunch of old rocks?” asked Bryce.

  Sundee’s eyes looked like they were going to spin out of her head. “Who cares? Who cares?! Patterns of evolution! Ancient climates! Predicting future mass extinctions! Does no one care about science anymore?”

  The room was quiet.

  Leila stifled a giggle. The Bridles exchanged an amused look.

  Cameron put his book down and moved to sit by Sundee. He scanned the newspaper article, then looked up at her and smiled. “I do,” he said. “I care about science.”

  Sundee beamed at him. Bryce started to say something, but Madison quelled him with a look. Paley watched Cameron and Sundee sitting together on the couch, already friends, as if connecting with new people was the easiest thing in the world.

  Paley couldn’t even connect with a horse.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning was Paley’s first real horse lesson. All night she had dreamed of racing through the Greensward, and she woke a little more hopeful. Maybe she could win Prince over. She’d been terrible when she started playing Dragonfyre, but she’d gotten better. A lot better. Maybe Prince could be her steed if she worked really hard.

  Madison had said that’s what lessons were for, so Paley scarfed down her breakfast and was the first one out to the barn. When she entered, all the horses poked their noses over their stall doors and huffed at her, but Paley only had eyes for Prince. He stood at attention, his ears pricked forward, and watched her approach.

  “Good morning, Your Majesty.”

  The huge black horse nodded as if saying, Yes, yes. I know I’m gorgeous.

  Her heart raced the way it did when the Blue Elf was on a quest. Beginnings were exciting. She put her hand up to his nose and stroked him. Everything inside her felt melty like chocolate.

  Fletch found Paley like that, running her fingers along Prince’s silky nose and dreaming. The trainer came up beside her and rested a hand on the side of Prince’s neck. “This is a special horse,” he said in his quiet way.

  “Special how?” Paley asked.

  “Prince doesn’t do anything he doesn’t believe in. Some horses can be forced to behave. You can bend them to your will. Not Prince. If he connects with you, he’ll follow you through storms and worse. You’d be amazed by the things he’s done for Mr. Bridle.”

  “Like what?”

  “Got him out of a wildfire, for one thing.”

  “Wow,” said Paley. “I thought horses were afraid of fire.”

  Fletch scratched between Prince’s ears. “They are.”

  “What else?” Paley stood on her toes to try the ear scratch.

  “One of these days you should ask Mr. Bridle about the time he got Prince to carry a tranquilized black bear.”

  Paley shivered. “Are there bears around here?”

  Fletch chuckled. “Not any you need to worry about. Now let’s get back to your horse.”

  Knowing that Prince had carried a real live bear on his back made Paley even more nervous than she was before. “Um . . . Fletch?”

  “Yeah?”

  “How am I supposed to make Prince believe in me?”

  Fletch smiled at her. “Bring your best self. That’s how we connect with each other. Horse or human. And be tough. That helps too.”

  Paley dropped her hand and stepped back from the stall. “That’s impossible.”

  If she’d said that at home, her mom’s face would have gone droopy, but Fletch kept smiling, sad eyes and all. “You’re up to it,” he said.

  Before she could argue with him, the barn door opened and the noise level rose. Prince turned his nose up at the hubbub of the other kids. Fletch pointed to the halter hanging on a hook by the side of Prince’s stall. “You know what to do. Just like yesterday. Remember that Prince likes to know the plan in advance.”

  Paley took the halter. Red was the perfect color for Prince, so regal against his black coat. She breathed in and out, hoping her breath said, Beautiful, wishing she had a red velvet cape to wear so they would match. She held the halter under Prince’s nose. “This is for you. You’ll be so handsome.”

  He snuffled at the halter. His breath tickled her hand. She hoped he was saying, For you, princess, anything.

  Fletch helped Paley slide the halter over Prince’s ears and buckle it in the right place. He handed Paley the lead rope and opened the stall door for her. When she got close to Prince, Paley thought her heart might burst out of her chest. “Hear ye, hear ye, Prince of All Horses, I am going to hook this to your halter and escort you outside.”

  He tipped his head closer to Paley and waited while she did so. When she clicked her tongue to ask him to move forward, he strode beside her.

  “You’re doing great,” said Fletch, leading the way into the outdoor arena behind the barn. “I like that confidence. Keep it up.”

  Paley’s stomach flip-flopped. She’d felt confident the day she’d shown up for the gaming club at her new school. And that hadn’t gone well.

  Not at all.

  “Hang tight a minute,” said Fletch. “I’m going to help Madison get everyone else out here.”

  Alone in the arena, Paley’s confidence faltered. Was she supposed to tie Prince up or something? He pranced down the fence trying to get to a big clump of green grass at the next post. She tried to tug him back, but instead he pulled her along with him. She stood next to him while he ate, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

  The other kids were leading their horses into the arena. At the sound of hooves and jingling harnesses, Prince extricated his head from between the fence rails. He gave the others a particularly haughty look before dipping his head to snuffle her shoulder. His breath tickled her neck. He poked his nose at her pockets.

  That meant he liked her, right? Maybe this would turn out okay.

  “Dude,” said Madison, coming up beside them and pushing Prince’s nose away from Paley, “are you being a pain?”

  He snorted.

  “Don’t let him do that. That’s a personal space problem.”

  “I . . . uh . . .” Paley stammered. “I thought that meant we were getting to know each other.”

  “It means he hopes you have treats in that pocket of yours. He’s being naughty.”

  Paley’s chin dropped to her chest.

  “Okay, everyone.” Madison clapped her hands to get their attention. “Our lesson today is about personal space. It’s important with horses—and boyfriends,” Madison added with an over-the-top wink.

  Fletch groaned at her joke. Leila laughed out loud.

  “Sundee is going to show all of you how to maintain personal space.” Madison gestured to Sundee, who was standing next to a butter-colored mare. “Face your horse. Step close, and then ask your horse to step backward by flicking the lead rope side to side.”

  Sundee nodded and gave the lead rope attached to her horse’s halter a quick shake. The metal clasp on the halter rattled, and immediately the horse took a step backward. She stood watching Sundee with her ears pricked forward.

  “Excellent,” Madison said. “She’s paying close attention to you.”

  Su
ndee beamed like a fairy-tale princess.

  “I want everyone to spread out and practice,” said Madison.

  Across the arena, Leila had her pony walking backward like it was the easiest thing in the world. Madison headed over to Bryce and Cameron, who were arguing about something.

  Paley turned to Prince. “Okay, Your Majesty. We’re going to walk back.” She tried to sound confident, but her stomach was full of jitters. Why would this horse listen to her? The only thing she knew anything about was a make-believe game, which, as her dad was always pointing out, did no one any good.

  “Ready?” she asked, looking dubiously at the rope in her hands.

  Prince’s ears poked forward at her.

  She shook the lead rope. It swung back and forth like a limp jump rope.

  Prince stared at her but didn’t move.

  “Face him and hold the lead rope so there’s plenty of slack,” said Fletch, ambling up beside her. “More flick of the wrist.”

  Paley tried again. The red rope wobbled through the air. Prince looked both bored and big. She had to crick her neck up to really look at him. Why would he do anything for a pipsqueak like her?

  “Come on, Paley,” Fletch urged. “Don’t let him be in charge.”

  Sweat trickled down her neck. “I can’t,” she stammered. Prince swung his head around to scratch an itchy spot on his back, jerking the lead rope through her hands.

  “You need to be the boss.”

  Paley wanted to drop the rope and run. It was just like at her new school. She’d tried to say hello to a few girls. They’d tossed a halfhearted hello her way and gone back to their circle of friends. Why bother trying when they all knew how this was going to end?

  “Steady now. It’s okay,” said Fletch. Paley wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or to the horse. “Let’s do this together.”

  Fletch adjusted the rope in Paley’s hands so it was the right length and then wrapped his hand around Paley’s. Together they gave the rope a quick flick. Prince’s ears shot forward. He stared at them.