It was the night before Jacy’s 17^th birthday, and Cody had dropped by. He had asked her if she wanted to go for a walk. Melissa had tried to persuade her by telling she needed help with her homework. But Jacy had told her to work on it, and she would look over it when she returned. Even Melissa’s poutiness didn’t work.

They strolled down the street as it was beginning to get dusk. Some folks might think it strange that Cody and Jacy were walking with a horse in between them. It had been Jacy’s idea. Cody had a hold of the halter, and Jacy had her hand on Trixsy’s neck.

Trixsy was a wonderful horse. Jacy liked her very much. She was very gentle. Jacy knew this because Cody had let her ride her several times around town. She had fallen in love with the horse, but it wasn’t only because she was serene, but it was because Cody let her ride Trixsy, and that made her feel good inside, very special. He had told her that no one else had ever rode Trixsy before, and that had made her feel even more special. And because Trixsy was a connection with Cody, that’s why Jacy loved her, too. Two other prominent things that Cody owed were a horse named Prankster and a rifle. Jacy didn’t care for rifles much, and Prankster was a stubborn horse that wouldn’t let anyone else ride him besides Cody.

Breaking into her thoughts, Cody said, "So tomorrow’s your birthday."

Surprised Jacy asked, "How did you know that?"

"A little birdie told me." Cody’s eyes lit up as he face spread out into a mischievously grin.

Jacy smiled. "Now if you had said Trixsy had told you, I might have believed you. So who told you?"

"Darn! I’ll have to remember that. Ok! Ike told me." Seeing the question all over Jacy’s face, he continued, "He said he had overheard you and Melissa talking about it."

"He did. Why that snoop!" Jacy exclaimed but not at all angry.

"He wasn’t snooping. He just happened to be in hearing distance." Cody felt he should come to Ike’s defense since he was the tattletale.

"Ok! So now you know." Jacy stopped by the livery corral, and Cody and Trixsy stopped, too.

"What’s your plans for tomorrow?" Cody wanted to ask her if she would consider doing something with him but he wanted to bring it up casually.

"Rest and relaxation! I have most of tomorrow’s paper done, and Melissa is going to finish it for me. She just has to put some little filler articles in it that I’ve wrote. So I’m going to pack me a picnic lunch and ride Braids somewhere and forget about work for one whole day. Melissa was the one who suggested it. She has been very considerate lately."

"Would you like some company?" Cody sweetly asked.

"Who? The little birdie?"

Cody grinned. Jacy loved his smile. When he smiled he looked so boyish cute. That’s what had physically attracted her to him in the first place. Though she had to admit that Jimmy was cute and had a boyish grin, too, but she seldom saw him smile. And Jimmy didn’t talk much that made him mysterious, and of course that was intriguing but . . . but seeing Cody flashing his smile most of the time made her feel as though every thing in the world was alright.

"I was thinking of me." Cody answered.

"I’d like that!" Jacy smiled. "Well, it’s getting late. I guess I should get back and help Melissa.

Cody and Trixsy walked Jacy home. Cody held her right hand palm down and kissed the top of it. "I’ll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, you shall. Say 10 a.m.?" Jacy inquired.

"I’d come earlier if you’d have me?" Cody grinned.

Jacy smiled, "I think ten will be good enough." Jacy opened the door and stood in the doorway as Cody rode Trixsy off into the night.

The next morning Jacy was a bundle of nerves. She kept going to the door and opening it. Poking her head out every so often, and then returning to the kitchen to make sure had packed everything into the basket. She knew it wasn’t time for Cody, but she was eager to begin her Birthday with Cody. It was twenty minutes to ten, and she heard a knock on the door. She looped the picnic basket on her left arm and rushed to answer it. There was Cody.

As soon as she opened the door, Cody said, "I’m sorry I’m early, but I just couldn’t stay away from the Birthday Girl much longer."

Jacy’s body was tingling all over as she looped her right arm around his left one, and they strolled off the boardwalk. "Cody why do you have both of your horses here?"

"I thought you might like to ride Trixsy today?" Cody knew how much Jacy liked her.

She planted a peck on Cody’s cheek, and said, "I’d love to. Thank you!"

With a grin Cody took the basket from Jacy and sat it down while he helped her mount up. They rode out to Cricket Creek. For a change Cody didn’t say much. He just enjoyed watching and listening to Jacy talk about the scenery. She seemed to be in a very cheerful mood today. He hoped it was because he was her date. Thinking of dates, he hoped that there would be plenty more in their future. He planned on asking her later today if he could court her. But he would do that at the appropriate time, and right now that wasn’t it.

After walking around the clearing and talking about little things, they decided to have lunch. Everything Cody ate he had to rave about how delicious it was. Jacy couldn’t tell if he was serious or just wanted to make her feel good, or maybe it was both. But in the end she didn’t care what the reason was. Today he was making her feel like the only girl in the world.

"HA! HA! HA!!!" Jacy laughed. This was the third one that Cody had told her about. He just loved to play practical jokes on the other riders. Jacy figured he does it because it’s the way he expresses his love for them. Some people express their feelings in different ways, and as long as Cody didn’t really hurt any of them then she felt that it was alright for him to do it. Besides it also made for great story telling.

Jacy stood up to take a walk and Cody followed her. "I have a Birthday present for you."

Jacy turned to face him, "WHAT!" She was excited. She loved presents.

"Come here!" Cody took her hand and led her to stand in front of Trixsy. He let go of her hand and waited. Jacy folded her hands behind her back and waited. She couldn’t stand it any longer because it seemed like he wasn’t going to say or do anything. "WHAT? WHERE IS IT?"

"Right here!" Cody said.

"Where?" Jacy didn’t know what he was talking about.

"Here!" Cody pointed to Trixsy. Jacy’s mouth fell open, so stunned she couldn’t utter a word. Cody’s mouth curved into his sweet boyish smile as he watched Jacy. "Ike told me you’re looking for a horse. And I know how much you love Trixsy."

"BUT . . . BUT . . . I couldn’t. I couldn’t take your horse."

Cody’s smile faded. "Why not? I want you to have her. She loves you, too, and I know you’ll take very good care of her. Please! I racked my brain trying to figure out what to give you, and then when Ike told me you were looking for a horse. It just came to me that I would like it if you had Trixsy."

Jacy was elated. Filled with joy Jacy threw her arms around Cody, and on tiptoes she hugged him very tightly. Finally, she loosed her grip and her feet went back down to the ground as her head slid down his chest.

Cody held her in his arms and loving rubbed her back and rested his head on hers. "You’re very special to me. I love you very much."

Jacy raised her head and looked into his smiling face. Cody leaned down, and as he was about to plant a kiss on her juicy lips, they were both interrupted by Tally.

"Good afternoon! I hope I’m not interrupting anything." Of course he really was. "I’m sorry to bother you, Jacy, but Melissa told me where you were. I’ve been working on your barn and something has happened that I think you should see.

"What? What’s wrong?" Jacy had been upset about the interruption, but now she was confused and worried about her new home, or rather her new barn. She was still in the process of designing her home with Joshua’s help.

"I think it would be better if you saw it for yourself." Tally replied.

"Alright let me gather my things." Jacy and Cody packed up the picnic basket, mounted up and followed Tally to Jacy’s property.

Jacy knew Tally had been working hard on the barn, and he had two sides of it up already. But as all three of them reined in their horses, Jacy stared in horror at the scene. One side was still up, but the other one had been knocked down and smashed to bits. They all inspected the scene of the crime, but neither one of them could find any evidence as who the culprit was. After a while Jacy decided that it would be best to head back to town and inform the sheriff of the incident.

On the ride back Jacy was silent all the way. When they arrived in town, Jacy, Tally and Cody told Teaspoon what had happened. The sheriff told them he would ride out and take a look around. He couldn’t figure out who would want to do such a thing to Jacy though, and Jacy didn’t have any notions either. She hadn’t made any enemies, not that she knew of any way.

Cody offered to keep Trixsy at the station for her until she got her new homestead finished, and Jacy readily agreed. Cody knew Jacy wasn’t in much of a party mood any more, and after she declined his supper invitation saying that she would rather just go home and rest, Cody rode off with the sheriff.

Tally walked Jacy home and all the way he tried to boost her confidence by telling her that he was sure the sheriff would figure out who had done it and why. And also to reassure her, Tally said that he would keep his eyes and ears open to see if he could find out who had done it.