�I wish that were true, Sammy,� Ashleigh said, her voice filled with sadness. She stuck her hands in her back pockets and kicked at a clump of dirt. �If only Charlie were still here.�
Then Ashleigh shook herself out of her reverie and noticed Tor and Yvonne. �Aren�t you going to introduce your friends?� she said gently. It was clear that Samantha was upset.
Sammy smiled sheepishly. �Ashleigh, this is Tor Nelson and Yvonne Ortez.�
Ashleigh smiled at them, then said to Tor, �Doesn�t your father own Nelson Stables?�
Tor nodded. �Yes, he does.�
�How�s he doing?�
�Much better.� Tor smiled, and Sammy noticed that he did seem more relaxed today.
�Ash, we were hoping that maybe between the four of us we could come up with a way to convince Mr. Townsend to change his mind.� Sammy looked at the older girl.
A gust of wind blew through, and sent the loose strands of Ashleigh�s hair whipping around her face. The foursome glanced up at the sky and saw an enormous bank of black, roiling clouds moving in from the west. �I suggest we do it inside somewhere,� Ashleigh said. Her words were punctuated by a bright flash of lightening and a loud clap of thunder.
Horses neighed and whinnied and grooms began running around bringing them inside. They appeared to have things under control, so Yvonne, Ashleigh and Tor followed Sammy up to the McLean�s cottage. Yvonne grabbed her bag from Tor�s truck, and made it in the house just as the rain began.
Samantha led the group into the kitchen, where she set out a plate of cookies and made a pitcher of lemonade. �There�s milk too,� she said as she set the pitcher and four glasses on the table.
Tor went to the refrigerator and retrieved the milk. �What can I say? I�m a dunker.� He poured a glass and the girls laughed at the goofy grin on his face. He took one of each kind of the cookies, then proceeded to crumble the chocolate chip one into the milk. He then noticed the strange look he was getting from Samantha. �I�m weird, I know. You should try it sometime.�
Samantha broke into giggles again as Tor�s expression changed to one of pure bliss. �These are great!� He looked at Samantha. �Did you make them?�
Samantha nodded, suddenly unable to say anything. She knew her ears were turning pink.
�My compliments to the cook.� Tor smiled at Samantha, and Yvonne and Ashleigh exchanged a knowing look. Sparks were flying between the two, and Yvonne could tell that Tor thought Samantha was pretty special.
Ashleigh knew she had to steer the conversation back to its original purpose. �Sammy, did you have any ideas about what we can do?�
Samantha took a cookie from the plate and nibbled on it. It was an oatmeal raisin cookie, her mother�s favorite. �Well, I was thinking that if we could just get Pride to relax on the track and be the sweetie he is in the paddock, he could actually win.�
Ashleigh sighed. �That will take time I don�t have.�
Samantha nodded in agreement, looking rather miserable.
�Sammy, could you ride him some?� Yvonne asked.
�I don�t know if Dad would let me.� Samantha knew that every time she mounted a Thoroughbred, her father was afraid something would happen to her, just like something had happened to her mother.
Ashleigh�s brow creased in a frown as she thought. �If we can get Mr. Townsend to agree to letting us work with Pride exclusively, I�ll try talking to your dad, Samantha.�
Sammy smiled her thanks. �It�s worth a try, I guess.�
The others nodded their agreement, then they began to plan a strategy that could work.
Later that evening, Sam and Yvonne were in Sammy�s room. �How long have you known Tor?� Sammy asked.
�Three years. I think he likes you.� Yvonne watched her new friend�s ears turn pink.
�You really think so?� Sammy couldn�t resist asking.
Yvonne nodded. �I�ve never seen him look that way at anyone else.�
�I like him a lot. He�s the first guy I�ve ever met that loves horses as much as I do.�
�He is pretty special,� Yvonne agreed.
Sammy slipped under her covers. �What�s wrong with Mr. Nelson?�
Yvonne zipped her sleeping bag up as Samantha turned the lamp off. �He�s been really sick the last year or so. The doctors haven�t been able to figure out what�s wrong. Tor does just about everything at the stables right now.�
�I remember you saying that. It must be pretty rough on Tor,� Samantha commented.
�Yeah, they�re really close.�
The two talked for a few more minutes, then agreed it was time to go to sleep. They both planned to watch the morning works, and five-thirty came early.
Chapter 6
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Thoroughbred Main
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