Silver Spurs Read Online Free Page A

and not having enough room for their horses. They’re so snooty. They have a list of rules on how everything is supposed to be done. I hope none of those girls bring their horses here.”
    â€œNah. They’re all in a group across the valley. You wait and see. We’ll only get nice kids at our barn.” A little warning bell went off in Kate’s mind, but she pushed it away. Nothing would rob her of the joy of operating a boarding stable. She knew it was going to be perfect.

Chapter Three
    Two weeks after Tori’s fall, Kate linked her arm with her friend’s, her cheeks stretched tight from a happy grin. They gazed across the paddock area where a horse backed out of a trailer.
    â€œCan you believe it’s finally happening?” She squeezed Tori’s arm and whispered, not wanting the new boarder to hear.
    Tori’s head bobbed in agreement. “I know. We got the barn all cleaned, and people are answering your mom’s ad. It’s so cool!”
    â€œYeah, and Dad even gave up his time off on Saturday to paint the tack room and put up new shelves.” She heaved a satisfied sigh. “Mom says we have two more horses coming tomorrow.”
    â€œDo you know who they belong to?”
    Kate shrugged. “I was so excited that I didn’t think about asking. My parents said if we get at least four students, it’ll be enough to talk to a trainer about lessons. Plus, Colt said he’d move his horse over too, and do chores for part of his board.” She tugged Tori forward as the horse disappeared into the barn. “Isn’t that gelding beautiful?”
    â€œYeah. He’s a Thoroughbred, right?”
    Kate eyed the horse, noting the long, lean body and the prominent withers. “Yeah. I’ll bet he’s almost seventeen hands, ’cause he looks taller than Capri.”
    Tori gave a visible shudder. “I’d hate to fall off him . It was far enough to the ground on Capri.”
    Kate bit her lip. She still felt like a jerk for forcing her friend to ride when she knew Tori was scared. “I’m sorry you got hurt.”
    Tori elbowed her in the side. “You’ve said that, like, a hundred times now, so stop it. It’s not like you pushed me off your horse.”
    Kate smiled. Why couldn’t everyone be as understanding as Tori? This past week Kate had had a run-in with a couple of girls at school. She still smarted over a remark one of them—Melissa Tolbert—had made. Melissa had been the snottiest to Kate since she’d moved to Odell in March. “Okay. Come on. Let’s introduce ourselves and find out the horse’s name. I’m not sure if the man who walked him in is the owner or just the person who drove the truck.”
    â€œI heard a car drive up and park on the other side of the barn a couple of minutes ago.” Tori pointed toward the gravel parking area outside the big sliding doors. “It could be the owners.”
    A door opened on the side of the barn, and Kate’s mom poked her head out. “Kate! Can you and Tori come here? I’d like you to show our new boarder where to put her horse while her mother fills out the forms.”
    â€œSure, Mom.” Kate beckoned to Tori. “Come on. Maybe they’ll let us groom their horse if they can’t come every day.”
    â€œThat would be awesome.” Tori slipped through the open door ahead of Kate, then skidded to a halt. “What’s she doing here?”
    â€œWho?” Kate stepped up beside Tori and looked where she pointed. Kate’s jaw dropped, and she quickly covered her mouth to keep from saying something she shouldn’t.
    She couldn’t believe who was holding the gelding’s lead rope—Melissa Tolbert. The girl who regularly dissed Kate … and had gone out of her way to do the same thing to Tori after Tori befriended Kate.
    At that moment, Melissa’s eyes met Kate’s, and they