Chosen (27 page)

At least in math homework, they were all problems I could solve.

DAD PULLED THE SUV TO A HALT IN WILDEN
Farm's puddle-filled parking lot. The sky couldn't have been any darker or thunder any louder.

It had been pouring since late last night. Usually I loved the rain. But today it felt like a bad omen. I put down my phone, which I'd played with the entire drive. I normally never did that when Dad drove me somewhere.

“What's going on, sweetie?” Dad asked. His eyes searched my face, looking concerned.

“Nothing,” I said, pulling up the hood of my raincoat. “Let's go.”

“Lauren.” Dad reached over and put a hand on my arm. “Talk to me.”

I sighed. The question had been nagging at me all morning, but I hadn't been able to say it out loud.

“What if these horses aren't right, either?” I asked. “What if we look all summer and never find the right one?”

Dad unbuckled his seat belt and turned slightly so he could look at me better. “If today doesn't work out,” he said, “we're going to keep looking. Kim already has more horses lined up for you to try this weekend. I know how scary this is. But you've only ridden three so far, Laur-Bell. I know it can feel discouraging, but it's too early to give up. I'm going to take you to every farm in the area until we find
the
horse for you.”

I smiled. Dad could always make me feel infinitely better.

“You won't go to Canterwood without a horse of your own,” he added. “Remember: getting in was the hardest part—and you already did that! Now all that's left to do is the fun part! Picking out a horse, shopping for your dorm room—all that stuff is the part you're supposed to enjoy! Have fun with this part. It'll be over before you know it. Now, let's go take a look at what Kim and Jeffrey chose for you to try today.”

“I'm ready,” I smiled. And I was.

We got out of the car, hurrying through the rain and dodging puddles as we went. When got inside, I pulled back my hood and shook off my sleeves. I'd put my helmet in a protector bag so it wouldn't get wet.

“Hi, Gregg. Lauren,” Jeffrey said, stepping away from one of the stalls. He had a clipboard in hand. “Right on time! I just finished taking inventory on the hay supply.”

A door slammed in the parking lot and I watched as poor Kim ran through the rain holding a half-broken umbrella. A different groom came over and offered to take our raincoats and umbrellas. We all gladly handed them over.

“I'm sorry, Lauren,” Jeffrey said. “But one of the horses I'd intended for you to ride today came up lame this morning. The vet checked him out and he'll be fine in a couple of weeks, but I'm afraid he's not in any shape for you to try him out.”

“Oh, I'm sorry for your horse,” I said, empathy coming through my veins. I hated when animals got hurt. “I'm glad to hear that he's going to be okay.”

I'd known that
something
was going to go wrong today. I just
knew
I wouldn't be leaving Wilden a horse owner. We passed the hot walker where one of Jeffrey's grooms had five horses hooked up to the mechanical arms walking in a circle.

“Tell us about the horse you do have for Lauren today,” Kim said, addressing Jeffrey.

“She's a new one,” Jeffrey said. “Just got her. She's a Thoroughbred and Dutch Warmblood mix.”

“What's her name?” I asked.

“I haven't even had time to give her one yet,” Jeffrey said. He opened the side entrance to the arena, letting Dad, Kim, and I walk in first.

I looked over and saw Bryan, the groom I'd met last time, holding a stunning gray mare. She was tall—probably sixteen hands—with a delicate face.

“Hi there,” I said, my voice soft.

I held my hand out to her, unable to stop staring. Her coat was the lightest gray and her black muzzle had a pink and white snip. I'd shied away from grays for so long since Skylight and my accident, but there was something irresistible about this horse. Seeing her coat color didn't send me into automatic panic. I saw
her
.

“She's a sweetheart,” Bryan said, smiling.

The mare reached her muzzle toward me, her chin whiskers tickling my palm. I giggled. Her gentle dark brown eyes and long, dark lashes looked gentle as could be. Her mane, thinned and flat against her neck, looked silky.

“How old is she?” I asked.

“Six,” Jeffrey said. “I bought her at an auction a couple of weeks ago. Her previous owner didn't know much about her past—he didn't keep great records on
any
of his horses. But I liked the way she moved, so I bought her anyway. Not something I usually do, but there's something special about her.”

The mare breathed gently into my hand and I moved it to rub her neck. Her coat was glossy under the arena lights and she tipped an ear toward me, seeming to listen to my every breath. My every movement.

“Have any of your riders tried her yet?” Dad asked, a hint of worry detectable in his voice. I wondered if he was thinking of my accident. “I want Lauren to know what to expect.”

“Bryan's ridden her several times,” Jeffrey said. “He hasn't had any problems.”

All I wanted to do was get in the saddle. I could barely contain myself. The mare was sweet, gorgeous, friendly, and gentle.

I put on my helmet and Bryan handed me the reins.

Don't get too excited
, I warned myself. I didn't want to get my hopes up—I hadn't even ridden her yet.

I mounted and sat deep in the saddle. The gray didn't
make even the tiniest of movements until I squeezed my legs against her sides. We crossed the arena at an even walk.

I angled her parallel to the wall.

Thunder rumbled overhead and her ears swiveled, but she didn't lose concentration for one second.

I asked her to trot and posted, even though her gait was smooth enough for me to sit. We changed directions and I began to test her. I asked her to halt, which she did—immediately. She stood until I told her to walk again. We went through a few circles and serpentines—her movements flowing and her body supple beneath me.

We went back along the wall. I sat to her trot for a few seconds, then asked her to canter. She changed gaits without hesitation—her canter even. I slowed her, then asked her to back up. She tucked her chin, backing in a straight-arrow line.

I halted her, patting her neck. “Good girl,” I said.

Her neck arched at my touch, her long tail swishing.

If I was going to Canterwood and had plans to compete in dressage, I had to try at least a couple of complicated dressage exercises with her. Nothing that would be overwhelming for her with a new rider, but just enough to give me a feel of what she could do.

I asked her for a working trot, and she moved forward with energy. She stayed collected and supple, sustaining the movement. I moved her into a twenty-meter circle, and her body bent easily. We moved through the circle, and she kept the right spacing as if she'd done a hundred circles.

I eased her to free walk, which was straight and easy. I wondered if she had dressage training—she certainly seemed to know what she was doing.

A slow smile spread over my face. Every inch of my body started telling me that this was right.

She was my horse.

I'd found
my
horse!

“Dad.” With tears in my eyes, I turned her toward Dad, Jeffrey, and Kim. They all grinned at me.

“I think we have a match,” Kim said, patting the sweet mare's shoulder—my sweet mare's shoulder!

“Laur-Bell,” Dad said, his tone teasing. “I can't tell—what do you think?”

I leaned down, wrapping arms around the gray's neck. “I think she's perfect.”

Dad turned to Jeffrey and shook his hand heartily. They moved a few feet away to talk and Kim joined them, but I barely noticed.

I dismounted and looked at the gray. At my horse.
I wrapped my fingers up in her mane, giving her another hug.

She smelled sweet, like grain and hay. When I looked at her, I didn't feel as though I'd be in the arena alone. The mare nuzzled my ear, as if she were going whisper a secret to me.

“Whisper,” I said, trying it out. The word was soft and pretty—just my style. “Whisper,” I said softly into her ear like a secret. She flicked her ear toward me.

“You like that, huh?” I asked, scratching her cheek. I leaned down and pulled out my phone from the only place I had room—one of my boots.

I held the phone so it faced us backward and I put my face next to Whisper's. Before she could move, I pushed the photo button and a soft flash went off on the camera. I examined the picture. Whisper's black-tipped ears pointed forward and she seemed to have been gazing at my phone. I saved it.

“OMIGOD! OMIGOD!” BRIELLE AND ANA
screamed at the same time. I'd dialed them the first second I could.

“I KNOW!” I practically shouted.

Since I'd left Wilden Farm a couple of hours ago, I felt as though I'd consumed ten cups of green tea, one of the most caffeinated of all teas.

Dad had called Mom on the drive home to tell her the news and she'd met me at the door. I told her
everything
about Whisper.

I never wanted to stop talking about her.

“The name is beautiful,” Mom said. “How did you come up with it?”

“I didn't even think before I said it,” I said. “It was so
weird—it was just her name—the way my name is Lauren and Becca is Becca.”

“Lauren!” Ana said, laughing. “Hello!”

“Sorry!” I pulled myself back to the phone conversation. “I can't stop thinking about her. I haven't even told Becca . . . or Charlotte yet. They're still out.”

“They'll be so happy for you,” Brielle said. “Even Charlotte will be nice to you about
that
—it's amazing news!”

“Maybe you're right,” I said, considering this. “I mean, it is a big deal. You guys—I have a horse! I can't wait for you to meet her. You're going to love her!”

“When does she come to Briar Creek?” Ana asked.

“Next week,” I squealed. “We have all summer to get to know each other.”

The thought was as comforting as a hot mug of Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride tea. The next couple of months would give us time to get to know each other and practice together before we both went off to Canterwood.

I heard the front door close and then footsteps on the stairs.

“I've got to go,” I told my besties. “But I'll talk to you guys later—promise.”

Once we all hung up, I left my room and met Becca and Charlotte in the hallway.

“Hey, do you guys have a sec?” I asked.

Charlotte looked up from her phone screen. “
What
? I was just about to call Kieran.”

Becca grinned. “What's up? It's big—I can tell.”

“I tried another horse today,” I said, focusing my eyes on Becca. “And guess what? She was perfect! I have a
horse
!”

“No. Way!” Becca hopped up and down. “
Lauren
!”

“I named her Whisper. She's gray and beautiful and the sweetest horse I've ever met,” I said, barely pausing for air.

“I want to meet her!” Becca yelped. “This is
so
cool.” Becca's gaze shifted to Charlotte. “Isn't that great, Char?”

Charlotte took a breath. “That
is
great,” she said, finally. “I'm glad you got a horse, Lauren.”

She gave me a half-smile and went into her room. Becca hugged me, smelling like she'd been trying a dozen body sprays at the mall.

“Did you take a body spray bath at Bath & Body Works?” I teased.

Becca let go of me and stuck out her tongue. “Ha. But seriously, I'm really excited for you. You know I don't know anything about horses so I don't know the right stuff to ask. The only thing I
do
know is that you know a good horse. I bet Whisper is pretty perfect.”