“Right,” said a deep voice from behind them. “And Summer’s got to ride her in the rattlesnake scene today, and Fancy can’t groom or saddle herself.”
Turning, Carole saw Rick standing across the way with his hands on his hips.
“Aye, aye, sir,” Lisa called, giving him a snappy mock salute. “I’ll have her ready in no time.”
Rick nodded gruffly and strode off.
“Talk about double vision,” Stevie whispered as Rick disappeared around the corner of the shed row. “For a second there, I thought Max had stowed away with us!”
Lisa giggled. “I’d better get to work,” she said. “Much like Max, when Rick gives an order, he means business.”
“Can we help?” Carole volunteered.
“You don’t have to ask twice,” Lisa said quickly. “This is a stable, after all. And you know what that means.”
Stevie let out a mock groan. “Plenty of work for everyone!”
Stevie was grooming a placid gray gelding when Lisa turned up at the door to the stall, looking harried. “Someone needs to warm up Fancy now, but I’m supposed to be getting the tack ready for today’s shoot. Can you help me out?”
“You can count on me,” Stevie replied immediately, tossing the currycomb she was using back in the trunk outside the stall door. She never would have believed it, but the stable chores she’d been doing had made her feel better than anything else on this trip so far. It was wonderful to be in a stable without worrying that Callie and Scott might come in at any moment and remind her of—Stevie shook her head. She wasn’t going to think about any of that. “What do you want me to do?” she asked Lisa. “Tack or warm-up?”
“Warm-up.” Lisa was already leading the way toward Fancy’s stall. “She’s all groomed and saddled and everything. You just need to get her loosened up. Summer should be showing up soon to run through her scene. She’s a little nervous about it and she wants to get in some serious practice.”
“The rattlesnake scene, right? I’d be nervous, too.”
Lisa grinned. “Actually, there’s no real rattlesnake,” she explained. “That’ll be added later by the special effects people. But Fancy—and Summer, of course—will have to act like the snake is right there in front of them.”
Stevie wrinkled her forehead in confusion. “How are they going to do that?” She shrugged. “I mean, Summer can just pretend or whatever, but how do you get a horse to fake something like that?”
“It’s really amazing,” Lisa said as she swung open the door to Fancy’s stall. As promised, the pretty chestnut was saddled and waiting inside. Lisa unfastened the mare’s lead rope and led her outside and down the aisle as Stevie followed. “You may think these horses were all chosen just for their good looks, but actually most of them are trained to within an inch of their lives. Fancy can do all sorts of tricks, including rearing on command and tossing her head with her ears back.”
“Cool!” Stevie looked at the dainty Arabian with new respect. “Do I get to try that?”
Lisa hesitated, then shrugged. “Why not?” she said. “Rick ran her through the motions a couple of days ago, but it couldn’t hurt to make sure she remembers.” She quickly explained the commands that would make the mare do the trick. “Just be careful, okay?”
“Aren’t I always?” Stevie replied, taking the reins from Lisa and giving Fancy a pat on the neck.
“No,” Lisa said with a grin. “That’s why I said it. I’ve got to go. I’ll try to be back before Summer gets here, but if she shows up, stick around in case she needs any help, okay? Good luck!”
“Thanks.” Stevie led the mare toward the dusty practice ring beyond the last shed row. She mounted, then spent a few minutes riding around the ring slowly, getting to know the horse. Lisa had been right to say that Fancy was well trained. Stevie hardly had to give a command before the mare had executed it. When she was confident that the two of them were communicating well, she asked the mare to trot, then canter. Fancy switched leads on signal, shortening and lengthening her stride as soon as Stevie asked.
Finally Stevie was convinced that Fancy was warmed up sufficiently. She took a deep breath. It was time to try the rearing command.
“Just call me Stevie Lake, Hollywood stunt rider,” she murmured. Fancy’s dainty ears flicked back at the sound of her rider’s voice, then forward again alertly.
Stevie drew her to a stop in the center of the ring. She tried to imagine how an actress like Summer Kirke would mentally prepare for this scene. Perhaps she would close her eyes for a moment and imagine the horrible snake on the ground below. Or maybe she would draw on some fearful experience in her own past to create the proper look of terror.
“Whatever,” Stevie said aloud. She didn’t have to act out the scene. All she had to do was make sure the horse could do her part when the time came.
She settled herself more firmly in the saddle, then gave the signal. As usual, Fancy responded instantly, letting out a loud, sharp whinny and then rising quickly onto her hind legs, her forelegs flailing in the air in front of her as she tossed her head.
“Yeeeee-ha!” Stevie cried gleefully. Under normal circumstances a rearing horse was a scary thing because it meant the rider had lost control. But Stevie knew that Fancy was still very much under her control. The mare wasn’t about to race off or start bucking, trying to unseat her. She wouldn’t rear back so far that she toppled over backward, crushing her. No—Fancy was acting, or at least coming as close to it as an animal could come. And it was fun!
When Fancy’s front hooves hit the ground again, Stevie gave the command once more, enjoying the ride. Then she let the horse settle down for good, giving her an appreciative pat.
“That was fantastic, girl,” she said. “Thanks. Now come on, we’d better quit or you’ll be too tired for your real rider.”
She turned the horse and headed for the gate. She noticed a young woman standing just outside the ring, her hands clutched tightly at her sides.
Stevie’s eyes widened. She recognized Summer Kirke right away. The actress was even more beautiful in person than she looked on the movie screen.
“Hi!” Stevie called, urging Fancy toward her. “My name’s Stevie Lake, and I—”
“You don’t have to introduce yourself to me.” As Stevie got closer, she could see that Summer’s face was pale and upset. “It’s obvious who you are.”
“Huh?” Stevie stopped just inside the gate and slid out of the saddle.
Summer tossed her head, sending her wavy blond hair sliding back over her slender shoulders. Absently, Stevie noticed that the highlights in the star’s hair were the exact shade of Fancy’s mane. “I should have known they’d replace me. I could tell from the start that Rick didn’t think I rode well enough. And you and Fancy certainly seem to get along.”
Stevie was starting to feel very confused. What was Summer talking about? Why would she think she was being replaced just because Stevie was riding her horse? “You don’t understand,” she protested.
“I understand plenty.” Summer’s face crumpled suddenly, and tears started to run down her flawless cheeks. Before Stevie could speak, the actress buried her face in her hands and started sobbing as if her heart would break.
Stevie had never felt so awkward in her life. She looked around desperately for help. Luckily it was heading her way from the shed row at that very moment, in the form of Lisa Atwood. Carole was at Lisa’s heels.
“What’s going on?” Lisa asked breathlessly, rushing up to them. “Summer, what’s wrong?”
“She just started crying,” Stevie said helplessly. “I don’t know what happened. I didn’t do anything.”
Summer raised her tear-streaked face to look at Lisa, and Carole almost gasped aloud. Even in her present state, the young actress was breathtaking. Carole had seen Summer Kirke in the movies, but in real life her beauty was even more astonishing. What could anyone who looked like that possibly have to cry about?
Lisa had her arm around Summe
r’s shoulders and was making soothing noises. “It’s okay, Summer,” she crooned. “Tell me what’s wrong, okay?”
Summer took a deep, shuddery breath and managed to stop crying. “I’m being replaced,” she said in a shaky voice. “Why didn’t you tell me, Lisa? You must have known. It’s because I can’t ride that well, isn’t it?”
“Don’t be silly! You’re a terrific rider,” Lisa said, a look of understanding dawning on her face. “And they’d never replace you. You’re one of the stars of the show!”
Summer glanced over at Stevie with a frown. “Then what’s she doing here?” she said. “Is she a stunt double? I told the director I’d practice the scene until I could do it, but I guess he didn’t believe me.”
Lisa was already shaking her head. “She’s not a stunt double, either,” she assured Summer. “She was just warming up Fancy so she’d be nice and limber when you got here.”
Summer didn’t look convinced. She looked at Stevie again. “But she’s got my coloring, and we’re about the same height …” She bit her lip. “I see her exercising my horse—what am I supposed to think?”
“I’m so sorry about the confusion,” Lisa said reassuringly. “Actually, Summer, this is my friend Stevie. She’s just visiting for the day, and I asked her to help out with Fancy. I should have introduced you earlier.”
“Oh.” Finally Summer looked mollified. A small, slightly embarrassed smile played over her full lips. “She’s a friend of yours?”
“That’s right.”
Carole heaved a sigh of relief as Lisa explained their presence to Summer. Lisa had managed to defuse an explosive situation. She was impressed. It seemed there was more to this job than just stable chores.
For a moment she wondered why on earth Summer had jumped to such a silly conclusion about Stevie, even if their hair was approximately the same shade. It didn’t make much sense.
But she forgot all about that question as Lisa introduced her and Summer reached for her hand. I’m shaking hands with a real movie star! Carole thought gleefully. If only those bratty Pony Clubbers could see me now!
This was just the kind of showbiz experience she’d been hoping for. It would make a fantastic story to think about back at Pine Hollow when she was mucking out stalls and figuring out feeding schedules.
She pushed those thoughts out of her mind. She wasn’t going to think about her chores back home until she had to, and in the meantime, she was determined to squeeze every ounce of glamour and excitement she could out of this trip.
At least until the Big One hit.
SEVEN
“Ready for a break? They’re about to do a run-through of this afternoon’s scene and I thought you might want to watch.”
“We are so there!” Stevie jumped up quickly from her seat on the floor of the tack room, where she was polishing a handful of bits.
Carole got up, too. “Is this that rattlesnake scene?”
Lisa shook her head. “Summer’s the only one in that scene, and she likes to avoid public run-throughs whenever she can,” she explained. “The scene they’re doing now is actually one of Skye’s big romantic encounters.” She winked drolly. “He’s been moaning and groaning about it all morning, but when I stopped by his trailer a few minutes ago he was brushing his teeth like there’s no tomorrow.”
Stevie felt that now familiar twinge of concern. What was Lisa doing stopping by Skye’s trailer? She was a stable hand—she was supposed to work with horses, not people. Especially not incredibly good-looking male people.
“Are there any horses in this scene?” Carole asked.
Lisa grinned. “Glad you asked. I’m supposed to bring them out right now. Any volunteers to help me?”
Soon the three girls and Rick were leading out four tacked-up horses, including Skye’s mount, Topsy. Lisa went first, heading to the set for the remote camping spot where romantic young Devon Drake liked to take his love interests. It consisted of a ring of rocks around a fire pit, with a couple of large logs and boulders scattered nearby to serve as seating. Wildflowers peeked out of the grassy lawn, and a thickly forested rocky slope formed a backdrop. It would be a pretty romantic spot, Stevie guessed, if it weren’t for the semicircle of huge cameras and lights that stood just a few feet away. Not to mention the crowd of people milling around, shouting directions at one another and generally causing a racket. Rick immediately broke off from the rest of them in search of Jeremiah Jamison, whose horse he was leading.
Stevie glanced over her shoulder at Topsy, who was following her calmly toward the chaotic scene. “I guess you’re used to this, huh, boy?” She couldn’t help thinking that the hot, noisy, dusty set was an unnatural place for horses—not like the calm, quiet fields and shady paddocks of Pine Hollow.
Skye had just spotted her and was hurrying over. He was in full makeup and dressed in an outfit that could only be his show costume—leather chaps and a Western shirt unbuttoned halfway down his muscular chest.
She did her best not to smirk. “Looking good, Skye,” she said. “Maybe after work you can give me some makeup tips. I’ve been searching for a new mascara. …”
Carole, who had just walked up with a huge but rather timid black gelding in tow, rolled her eyes. “Don’t listen to her, Skye. She just doesn’t understand the world of show business.” She paused. “Actually, though, I thought this was a run-through. Isn’t that like a rehearsal? They’re not taping it, are they?”
“Nope,” Skye replied, straight-faced. “You found me out. I just love wearing makeup. Actually, I’m in talks with Natural Beauty to be their new spokesmodel.”
“Stop it, Skye.” Lisa laughed. She had arrived just in time to hear him and halted the chestnut gelding she was leading to explain. “Check out that woman over there—in the light blue suit, see her? She’s a reporter from that new entertainment magazine, Star Struck, and the skinny guy next to her is her photographer.”
“Oh! I get it. They’re doing an article about the show. That’s why everybody’s made up.” Carole craned her neck for a better look. This was so exciting she could hardly stand it. She had never thought of herself as a Hollywood groupie—she had always been too busy with horses for that—but now that she was here, she had to admit that it was just as exciting as she had hoped. Definitely the break I needed from the daily grind, she thought with a smile. She loved Pine Hollow, but it was hardly glamorous, especially when she was carting a load of manure to the manure pit or shoving medication down a recalcitrant horse’s slimy throat.
“I’ll be right back. I want to introduce today’s love interest to her horse.” Lisa nodded toward Skye’s pretty young female guest star, a perky, dark-haired actress Carole recognized from a different TV show. “You guys wait here. Matthew will come for his horse when he’s ready.” She nodded at the big black gelding.
Carole was looking in the other direction. “Wow. Who’s her?”
Lisa turned to see. “Oh, that’s him. Matthew Reeves. I forgot you hadn’t met him yet. He’s the actor who plays Nick Torrence, the son of the rival family that’s out to ruin the Drakes.”
As Lisa headed off with the chestnut gelding, Carole managed to tear her eyes away from the incredible-looking young actor. She didn’t want to miss anything interesting by spending all her time goggling over cute guys, as tempting as it was. “This is amazing,” she told Stevie and Skye. “I never realized it took so many people to make one TV show. I mean, I know we’ve watched some of your shoots before, Skye, but it’s been a while. Anyway, those weren’t right here in Hollywood.”
“Pretty wild, huh?” Skye smiled. “If you want to see something really entertaining, watch the director.” He pointed out a short man with receding brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard. “We’re all convinced he’s afraid of horses, but he won’t admit it.”
Stevie giggled. “You’re kidding. This guy is directing a show that takes place on a ranch and he’s afraid of horses?”
“That’s kind of sad, really. Especially
if he won’t let anyone help him.” Carole wasn’t as amused by the irony of the situation as Stevie seemed to be. She couldn’t imagine being afraid of horses herself, but she understood that some people got very nervous around the huge, powerful creatures. Over the years, she had helped more than one horse-phobic person get over his fears, so she knew it could be done—but only if the person was willing to work to overcome the problem.
Carole watched along with the others as the guest star chatted animatedly at the director, who was keeping a steady eye on the chestnut gelding standing calmly at the young woman’s shoulder. Skye was right, Carole decided. The director looked decidedly uncomfortable, though he was standing his ground. She wondered if his fear was based on a real experience or was just a case of unfamiliarity with horses. That might make a difference in whether he eventually adjusted on his own.…
“Hi there,” said an unfamiliar voice. “You must be new.”
Carole turned—and found herself looking into the sea green eyes of Matthew Reeves. She just gaped for a second. Then, realizing that she must look like a total idiot—or, worse, a hick from Virginia goggling over everything she saw—she clamped her mouth shut firmly and forced a casual smile. “Hi yourself,” she replied. “I am new. I mean, I’m just visiting. I mean—”
Skye came to her rescue. “This is Carole. She’s a friend of Lisa’s.”
“Oh!” Matthew’s smile broadened. “Cool. Any friend of Lisa’s is a friend of mine. So is Conejo ready for his close-up?” He gestured to the horse Carole was leading.
“Conejo?” In her mind, Carole had dubbed the big black gelding Scaredy-Cat because he was so flighty and nervous—though fortunately the crowd of people all around him didn’t seem to be making his state of mind any worse. “Oh, you mean this guy. I didn’t know his real name.” She gave the horse a pat, causing his ears to go back for a second before they swiveled toward a piece of equipment rolling by in front of him.
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