Page 74 of Never Quiet

Chapter Sixteen

After more than an hour of horseback rides, Amanda swung up into Juniper’s saddle and her mom did the same with her lovely mare Kisses.

Nate handed Heather to Zoe and Gunner handed Sterling up to Amanda. Smiling at each other, they held the children in front of them as they gradually increased the horses’ speed around the yard. Amanda took the outer circle and Zoe the inner. Each rotation, they passed each other and the kids waved at each other with huge smiles.

Eventually they stopped side by side and demonstrated the training Zoe had worked tirelessly to give all their horses. Holding the children snugly, they cantered to the side together and back the other direction. They pranced forward and back. The horses each stuck a front leg out in a bow and their party guests clapped.

Leaning over, Amanda took Zoe’s free hand and kissed it. “I love you. How lucky I am that you came into my life.”

“Not as lucky as me.” Looking at Sterling, her mom said, “He strikes me as the type to like speed. Why don’t you take him across the field and back?”

Looking down at Sterling, Amanda asked, “What do you think? Shall we let Juniper run?”

“Oh gosh, yes!”

“Hold this right here. That’s the pommel.”

Trotting through the big gate, Amanda nudged Juniper into a run and the horse let loose. She was young and liked speed. They raced across the field, did a cut turn, and raced back. They leapt a section of the old wall that used to exist on the land. Juniper cleared the two-foot obstacle easily.

“I love horses!” Sterling screamed with his arms straight up.

Back in the yard, she dropped easily from the saddle and laughed as Sterling fell on top of her.

Holding him snugly, he kissed her cheek and said, “You are the coolest person on the planet.”

“I’m so flattered. There’s so many cool people…”

“No. No, Amanda. You’re the coolest. I’m sure.”

“You do know who your parents and uncles are, right? I don’t even compete with them. They’re definitely the coolest.” She squeezed him. “Your mom teaches you all that cool stuff. Plus, she’s your mom so she has to have first place for sure.”

Nodding seriously, he sighed. “You’re right. My mom is cool. Alright. You can be in a tie with everyone after my mom.”

“Fair enough.” She looked at a laughing Gunner. “Help. This kid is made of bricks.”

“I know it.” He slung Sterling over his shoulder. “I’m going to tell his mom she’s in first place.”

“Oh, she knows. Moms always know.” Looking at Dylan near the barn, she called, “How about Julia? Is she ready to ride?”

“Not a chance. She’s sleeping on Lizzy who sat down for a second on a bale of hay.”

“The fireworks will wake her up.” She yelled Davis’s name as Zoe handed Heather to their dad and dropped to the ground. Her cousin appeared with a piece of fried chicken. “It’s time for your first riding lesson.”

“Uh uh. I’m good.”

“Don’t be a baby. Let’s go.”

“I’m not getting on that wild beast. No.”

Beside him, Terrance said, “I keep trying to tell her.”

Hand on her hip, she sighed. “Fine. Callie, you up to ride?”

Tugging her lip between her teeth, she said, “Um. I’m kind of scared. It’s really high.”

“I won’t let you get hurt. I promise.”

She nodded and Nate scooped her into his arms. Carrying her to Zoe’s horse, he put her in the saddle and stayed on the other side of her as Amanda got back on Juniper. Taking the reins, she guided her friend around the yard.

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