Blue Ribbon Summer by Catherine Hapka

in a circle. “But Foxy is bending better today—nice work.”
    Brooke hardly heard the compliment. Foxy had just spurted forward again, even though Brooke was sure she hadn’t moved her legs at all.
    â€œWatch it!” Livi exclaimed, pulling her horse to a halt just in time to avoid a collision.
    â€œSorry,” Brooke muttered, wrestling Foxy into a circle to slow her down. But the mare didn’t settle until theystarted some gymnastic exercises over low jumps, which Foxy actually seemed to enjoy. By then, however, Brooke’s own mood had soured beyond repair.
    â€œNice riding, everyone,” Robin said after the girls had all gone through the exercise for the third or fourth time. “We’ll quit there.”
    â€œReally?” Paige sounded disappointed. “I was hoping we’d finally do some higher jumps today.”
    â€œIt’s not about the height of the jumps, Paige,” Robin said.
    She started lecturing about basics and the foundations of riding, but Brooke wasn’t really listening. Would the other girls already be jumping three-foot courses if she wasn’t here? The thought made her wince.
    As the whole group left the ring, Robin checked her watch. “Abby’s going to be late today, so you guys are on your own while I teach the olders’ lesson,” she said. “How about if you take a walk to the farm stand after you put your horses away? It would be nice to have some fresh peaches for dessert.”
    â€œYou mean the farm stand up the road where that cutehigh school boy works?” Livi brightened. “I’m in!”
    â€œMe too,” Hannah and Paige chorused.
    Brooke didn’t say anything until after all the horses were untacked, groomed, and turned out into the pasture. As the other girls set out for the driveway, she hung back.
    â€œI think I’ll skip the walk,” she called. “I didn’t have time for a shower this morning, and I thought I’d take one now.”
    â€œAre you sure?” Paige asked. “The guy who works there is really cute!”
    â€œLet her stay.” Hannah adjusted her ponytail and wet her lips. “I don’t need any more competition.”
    Livi laughed. “Catch you later, Brooke.”

    Half an hour later, Brooke toweled off her hair as she stepped out of the steamy bunkhouse bathroom. Her long, hot shower had actually improved her mood a little—and abruptly running out of hot water at the end had finally chased away the last of her lingering sleepiness.
    As she wandered over to her bunk in search of cleanclothes, she heard raised voices drifting in from outside.
    It was Robin and Preston. Once again they were involved in a heated discussion, this time in what they probably thought was a private spot behind the barn. Didn’t the two of them ever do anything but argue? Brooke froze, clutching her towel and wishing they’d move on.
    â€œAnd if you’re going to sell, this is the time to do it,” Preston was saying forcefully. “The offer won’t be there forever.”
    Brooke flashed back to what the girls had told her the night before—that Preston had wanted to help Robin sell the farm. But that had happened ages ago, and Robin had said no, hadn’t she?
    â€œI’m just not ready to commit,” Robin said. “Your friend might be on a tight schedule, but this is my home.”
    â€œI know, I know. But you’ve been complaining about being short on funds, and the developer really wants to move on this—there’s a huge demand for high-end condos in this area, and most of the landowners won’t budge. If you’re the first one to jump on this offer, you can pretty much write your own ticket.”
    Brooke gasped, almost dropping her towel. Was Preston seriously suggesting that Robin sell the farm so that someone could tear it down and build a bunch of ugly condos?
    â€œAnd I told you, I don’t