Born In The Saddle - Quicksilver Stud - Book 1 (#wattys2016)

Chapter 3

I heard the doorbell go and instantly I felt nervous. He was here. In the house. A walking, talking reminder of the man I'd lost. I sat in the middle of my bed and decided I wasn't moving. I don't care how good that chicken dinner smells. Tonight stomach you're going to have to go hungry.

The sound of fast approaching footsteps, flying up the staircase, made me tense even more. Until suddenly my door went flying open and Amber came bowling in. All big smiles, bright shiny eyes and a thick piece of straw sticking out of her ponytail.

'Hey, there you are. Dinner's nearly ready. So this is your old room huh?' It took a second for my muddled brain to catch up with the words that flowed out of her mouth so enthusiastically. Despite only meeting properly for the first time a couple of hours earlier, Amber's boundless, cheerful energy was hard not to warm to.

'Yep.'

'Has it changed much?' She asked jumping onto the end of my bed.

'Nope. Well, there's a few less pictures on the wall.' I noted, running my eyes across the pin pricks in the wall where I used to have horse posters pinned up. I probably should thank Maggie for taking those down for me. 'But everything else is the same.'

'Cool. Your make ups really good.' She gushed,  jumping topics so quickly she could have gotten whiplash. 'Do you always wear it?'

'Er, yeah, I guess it's become kind of a habit.' Instinctively my eyes flicked to the mirror on the wall to check my appearance. Dark hazel eyes, that perfectly matched the colour of my hair, stared back. 'Look good, feel good. That's my mums motto.'

'Will you teach me some time? I'm not very good with that kind of thing. Dad would probably have a fit though.' She chuckled softly.

'Of course I will.'

'And are those real Levi's?'

'Uh-huh.'

'Wow. So, it's your birthday in a few weeks right?'

'Yeah. August 25th.'

'We're the same age you know. Although I'm November 18th so if you go to Thornley High we'd be in different years.'

'Well, I'm not moving back anyway. I'm only here for the summer.'

'Pity. If you did go to Thornley you'd be in the same year as Harry.'

'Harry?' I asked curiously.

'Oh, Harry's...' Amber stopped gushing and her cheeks flushed a bright rosy colour.

'Oh Harry's....' I grinned and winked at her making us both chuckle.

'No, it's not like that. Harry's just....a friend. He helps at the stables so he can keep his horse Ernie here. He's the only boy in the yard. Well apart from Connor.'

'Who's Con....' I started to ask but got cut off by Amber's lively nature.

'So when are you coming riding?' She asked bluntly.

'Oh. Erm, I'm not. I don't ride anymore.' Amber looked so startled it was like I'd suddenly grown an extra head.

'You what? But dad said how good you are.' I shrugged, struggling to find an answer.

'You can have a go on Phoebe if you like. To get back into in. She's my pony. Dad brought her over from New Zealand when we moved.' As Amber spoke it suddenly occurred to me how little I actually knew about Clay's side of the family.

'Your dad taught you?' I asked.

'Uh-huh. Been riding nearly as long as you have. Not sure I'm a natural though, but I try. And I love so I guess that's what counts, right?'