imagination.
“Who’s that ?” Fitz sounded much more interested in the girl than he had in the horse.
“What’s she doing here?” Tommi murmured at the same time, shooting Kate a glance. Kate shrugged.
Zara spotted them and hurried forward. “Hey, where’s Jamie?” she demanded. “He was supposed to have a stall waiting for Keeper.”
“Keeper?” Kate echoed uncertainly, glancing at the horse.
“Keeper. Keeping Time.” Zara sounded impatient. “My horse!” She waved a hand at the big chestnut, who was staring around with interest at his new surroundings, ears pricked.
Just then Elliot hurried in from the opposite direction. “Is this the new jumper horse?” he asked Zara politely. “Please come with me—I have his stall ready.”
“What’s going on?” Tommi asked.
If Zara heard her, she didn’t show it. She hurried out after the horse.
A second later, Summer rushed into view from the other direction. “Is she here yet?” she demanded breathlessly.
“Who?” Kate asked.
Summer rolled her eyes. “Duh! Zara Trask!”
“How did you know Zara Trask was here?” Tommi was feeling more confused by the second.
“Are you kidding me? Everyone knows!” Summer exclaimed. “I mean, how huge is it that she’s moving to our barn?”
“She’s what?” Tommi said. “What are you talking about? I thought she lived in LA.”
“Don’t you ever, like, watch the news or check TMZ or anything?” Summer rolled her eyes dramatically. “Her family just moved to New York City so her dad could open some new studio or something. She and her horses are going to be right here at our barn!”
FIVE
“Got everything you need, sweetheart?”
“Yeah.” Zara climbed out of the Mercedes convertible, then leaned back in to grab her bag out of the backseat. “Thanks, Mickey. Pick me up at like five thirty, okay?”
Mickey nodded, flicking his cigarette out over the side of the car and then gunning the engine. He was probably Zara’s favorite member of her father’s entourage, partly because his shaggy black hair and pale, gaunt face made him look like an extra from a zombie movie, but mostly because he was totally chill and never freaked out about any of the stuff she did. And he’d drive her anywhere, anytime, no questions asked.
As the car peeled off down the winding drive, its tires kicking up gravel, Zara headed for the main barn. She’d only been there twice, but she could already tell that Pelham Lane was going to be a major change of pace from LA. It was like some fantasy from one of her mom’s movies. Gorgeous barns, acres of lush grass, miles of perfect whitewashed board fencing, the whole deal. Nothing like the cramped equestrian center back in LA, where horses were lucky to get twenty minutes of turnout a day in one of the riding rings.
Nobody was around when she entered, though she could hear voices from somewhere else in the barn. Turning the opposite direction, she found her way to her stalls. Ellie’s was empty, and Zara guessed someone was getting her ready for their first lesson together.
She checked her watch. The lesson was supposed to start in five minutes. Jamie wanted her to do a private first, which he said was so she and Ellie could get to know each other before they joined group lessons. But this wasn’t Zara’s first barn. She knew he wanted to check her out, make sure she could ride before he threw her in with all his high-powered juniors.
No biggie. Zara didn’t mind proving herself. If there was one thing she could do, it was ride. If Jamie hadn’t figured that out after seeing that test ride, she’d make sure he knew it today.
Figuring she still had plenty of time, she walked down the aisle to say hi to Keeper. The tall chestnut looked up from his hay pile at the sound of her voice, then stepped over to greet her.
“Hey, buddy,” she said, digging a carrot out of her pocket. “How’s the new crib?”
Keeper crunched the treat and then lipped Zara’s
“Who’s that ?” Fitz sounded much more interested in the girl than he had in the horse.
“What’s she doing here?” Tommi murmured at the same time, shooting Kate a glance. Kate shrugged.
Zara spotted them and hurried forward. “Hey, where’s Jamie?” she demanded. “He was supposed to have a stall waiting for Keeper.”
“Keeper?” Kate echoed uncertainly, glancing at the horse.
“Keeper. Keeping Time.” Zara sounded impatient. “My horse!” She waved a hand at the big chestnut, who was staring around with interest at his new surroundings, ears pricked.
Just then Elliot hurried in from the opposite direction. “Is this the new jumper horse?” he asked Zara politely. “Please come with me—I have his stall ready.”
“What’s going on?” Tommi asked.
If Zara heard her, she didn’t show it. She hurried out after the horse.
A second later, Summer rushed into view from the other direction. “Is she here yet?” she demanded breathlessly.
“Who?” Kate asked.
Summer rolled her eyes. “Duh! Zara Trask!”
“How did you know Zara Trask was here?” Tommi was feeling more confused by the second.
“Are you kidding me? Everyone knows!” Summer exclaimed. “I mean, how huge is it that she’s moving to our barn?”
“She’s what?” Tommi said. “What are you talking about? I thought she lived in LA.”
“Don’t you ever, like, watch the news or check TMZ or anything?” Summer rolled her eyes dramatically. “Her family just moved to New York City so her dad could open some new studio or something. She and her horses are going to be right here at our barn!”
FIVE
“Got everything you need, sweetheart?”
“Yeah.” Zara climbed out of the Mercedes convertible, then leaned back in to grab her bag out of the backseat. “Thanks, Mickey. Pick me up at like five thirty, okay?”
Mickey nodded, flicking his cigarette out over the side of the car and then gunning the engine. He was probably Zara’s favorite member of her father’s entourage, partly because his shaggy black hair and pale, gaunt face made him look like an extra from a zombie movie, but mostly because he was totally chill and never freaked out about any of the stuff she did. And he’d drive her anywhere, anytime, no questions asked.
As the car peeled off down the winding drive, its tires kicking up gravel, Zara headed for the main barn. She’d only been there twice, but she could already tell that Pelham Lane was going to be a major change of pace from LA. It was like some fantasy from one of her mom’s movies. Gorgeous barns, acres of lush grass, miles of perfect whitewashed board fencing, the whole deal. Nothing like the cramped equestrian center back in LA, where horses were lucky to get twenty minutes of turnout a day in one of the riding rings.
Nobody was around when she entered, though she could hear voices from somewhere else in the barn. Turning the opposite direction, she found her way to her stalls. Ellie’s was empty, and Zara guessed someone was getting her ready for their first lesson together.
She checked her watch. The lesson was supposed to start in five minutes. Jamie wanted her to do a private first, which he said was so she and Ellie could get to know each other before they joined group lessons. But this wasn’t Zara’s first barn. She knew he wanted to check her out, make sure she could ride before he threw her in with all his high-powered juniors.
No biggie. Zara didn’t mind proving herself. If there was one thing she could do, it was ride. If Jamie hadn’t figured that out after seeing that test ride, she’d make sure he knew it today.
Figuring she still had plenty of time, she walked down the aisle to say hi to Keeper. The tall chestnut looked up from his hay pile at the sound of her voice, then stepped over to greet her.
“Hey, buddy,” she said, digging a carrot out of her pocket. “How’s the new crib?”
Keeper crunched the treat and then lipped Zara’s
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