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Chapter Four

I was unpacking in the guest room, my stomach swimming with amazing chicken and dumplings when Mason and Dan walked in. I looked up, bra in hand. Dan's eyes widened.

"That is the hugest slingshot I've ever seen in my life."

I blushed; Mason looked embarassed. He put his hands on Dan's shoulders and walked him back out. I hurriedly stuffed all my bras and underwear haphazardly in a drawer. Mason came back a few minutes later, his hands in his pockets. I opened another duffel and began to line up my paints.

"Are you still taking those art classes?" he asked.

"No, the instructor didn't really 'get' me, y'know?"

Mason nodded. He studied the mirror above the dresser.

"So...it's still early. I was wondering if you wanted to take Crackers and Firefly out for a ride."

Crackers and Firefly were just two of the horses the Richardsons had. They also had a horse called Fiona, but she was getting old and reserved mostly for lessons. She was as gentle as a kitten.

"Only if I get to ride Firefly," I said. Mason grinned.

"Deal."

I shoved my bags aside and pounded down the stairs after Mason. Kevin looked up from his piano.

"Where you guys going?"

"We're going to take Crackers and Firefly for a ride."

"Go through the meadow, not the woods. Snakes are bad right now."

Mason gave a salute and we broke into a run out of the house, down the porch, and to the barn. By the time we got there, I bent at the waist breathing heavily.

It was just the beginning of summer but it was already hot.

Mason hadn't broken a sweat.

"Try running laps outside with a coach screaming that you're a pansy," he said with a smile. "A run from the house to the barn seems like nothing after that."

I sucked in another breath and straightened up. We each grabbed a saddle and got to work. Firefly was a beautiful horse. She was a light gray that looked white in the right kind of light. Crackers had a crazy coat of about three different colors. He lived up to his name.

"We'll go through the meadow and stop at the pond. Sound good?" Mason asked. I nodded. I placed my foot in the stirrup and swung myself over.

I loved horseback riding. I'm pretty sure I'm the only girl in my hoity-toity high school that knows how to saddle a horse. Most of the girls wouldn't want to chip a nail.

We started off with a slow trot out of the barn. Mason shielded his eyes and squinted out into the distance. I saw the corners of his mouth twitch.

"RACE YA!" he suddenly yelled. His heels dug into Crackers' side and he took off.

"OH! YOU DON'T PLAY FAIR!" I screamed. I leaned forward and dug my heels into Firefly.

A hot summer day doesn't feel quite so hot when you're practically flying on a horse. The sound of the hooves struck a tempo in my ear. Mason was ahead, but not by much. I lifted my butt hoping that less weight would give Firefly a little giddy-up.

It did.

I flashed Mason a smile as I caught up to him.

"Hey, par'dner," I drawled. "HEE-YA!"

I shot ahead. We rounded the corner and I could see the meadow up far ahead.

"C'mon," I urged. I didn't want to look back. I lifted my ass again. Losing was not an option.

The sound of Firefly's hooves on the ground softened when we hit the meadow. I tore around in a big circle before finally coming to a stop by the lake.

I sat back in the saddle and grinned. Mason caught up a couple seconds later. He gave me a weird look. I laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

I swung myself down to the ground and slid my hand down Firefly's mane. She snorted proudly. I saw Mason swing off Crackers.

"Man, things don't change much around here," I said. I sat down at the edge of the pond and rolled up my jeans. Mason sat beside me and did the same.

"Not really. I mean the only big change is they finally knocked down that crappy cabin that used to be over there."

Mason pointed to the west. I looked over. There was nothing but bare land.

Slowly I dipped my feet into the water. It was cold, but not the type of cold where you have to hop around before you try it again. I sank my hands into the grass and leaned back. I tilted my face up to the sun. It was a perfect way to meditate.

"You excited about junior year?"

I opened one eye just a sliver. Mason was staring at me.

"Eh, not really. I'll just be glad to be done with school. What about you?"

I wasn't a bad student, but I wasn't a great student either. I knew Mason was the straight A student. The class clown. Voted 'Most Popular' in his class. That sort of thing.

"Well, I wish it was senior year, but yeah."

I laughed. Mason grinned. He splashed me with his foot.

"HEY!"

I sat up and grabbed a huge handful of water. I tossed it at him. He ducked and it sailed right past.

"I have reflexes like a cat," he said cockily.

"I bet that's what you say to all the girls," I teased. His eyes widened in surprise.

"What?"

I had no clue what I was talking about. It was just a line. I tried to cover and fast.

"Oh c'mon. A future varsity football player doesn't have girls following him around?" I asked.

"I'm not dating anyone," he said quickly. "Are...you?"

I didn't know how the hell the conversation went from talking about an old leveled cabin to dating.

"Am I what?"

Mason swung his feet out of the lake and stretched them out in the grass. He seemed to find his big toe really interesting.

"Are you dating anyone?"

"No. I mean..." I didn't want to sound pathetic. "I've had offers. But I'm busy...y'know...busy."

"Yeah. I've been busy...with football."

I swung my feet out and stretched them out. The sun would dry them in no time.

"So what's with the facial hair?" I blurted out. "You're not going to grow a mustache, right?" It had been bothering the hell out of me. I couldn't take it anymore. Mason touched his face.

"What? No! Uh, I was just going for a little five o'clock shadow."

His eyes met mine. I studied his face. It was hard to believe that he was only going to be sixteen. He looked, well, older.

"I'm glad you're here," he said softly. All of a sudden my stomach twisted. It wasn't a 'I'm going to puke in the lake' type of twisted. It was actually pleasant.

"Me too," I said.

We let our legs dry off and then we unrolled our jeans and took our time riding back to the house. I still had to finish unpacking and then I wanted to sit down with Addy and figure out what I was going to be doing every day. I was determined to be a good employee.

And unlike Mason, I was pretty sure my first day on the job was going to be tomorrow.

Addy might be a good cook, but she was also a no-nonsense boss.