Speaking of which… She tried for casual as she asked, “Did she tell you about what happened to Matt?”
He glanced at her. “What do you know about it?”
Shit. What had Kurt said? “Not many details. Just that he was kidnapped and something about animal smuggling.” She hoped the two events were related.
Arthur nodded. “It was bad.”
Gretchen pulled into the pony club, which was just outside of town. The group of children sat in the centre of the ring, mounted on their horses, listening to Faith. Three barrels were set out in the arena in a triangular shape. Jordan had his horse close to Lara’s, his hands relaxed on the reins, not the least bit prepared if his horse was to get startled. Fear gripped her. How could she warn him without sounding like a hysterical mother?
“Do the kids own their horses?” Arthur asked as they walked towards the seating surrounding the ring.
His question divided her focus. “No. There’s three or four which belong to people in town and Faith received permission for the kids to ride them on Tuesdays. It’s a good solution. The horses get fed and exercised, and the parents don’t have to buy one.” Thankfully. She couldn’t afford a horse.
Lara spotted them and waved. Jordan made a point of turning his head away. Gretchen sighed. “Looks as if Jordan is still angry with me.” Yelling at him to tighten his grip would not go down well. She gritted her teeth. She’d thought she’d escaped this life, the control Kurt had over her with mere words.
“Is he the boy next to Lara?”
“Yeah. How do you know?”
“He has the same blonde hair and your nose.”
She frowned. “My nose?” What an odd thing to notice.
“It turns up a little at the end.” His cheeks reddened, and he looked at the arena. “Are all the kids going out to the Ridge for the sleepover?”
“I think so. How do you know about it?”
He rubbed his knee. “Lara asked me to chaperone.”
Gretchen grinned. “That’s great. There was a remarked lack of volunteers when Faith asked the parents.”
“I didn’t say I agreed.”
She glanced at the young girl who was high-fiving her best friend, Mischa. “You said no to Lara?”
A snort. “Does anyone say no to Lara?”
“I’m pretty sure Darcy’s the only one who can.” The group lined up across from the furthest barrel with Lara at the front. “You ever seen barrel racing?”
Arthur shook his head.
Faith blew a whistle and Lara’s horse exploded into action. She thundered towards the first barrel, sticking to the left and circling the barrel before galloping towards the next barrel and circling it to the right and then circling the final barrel and racing to the finish line.
Fast.
It was the only word for it. Lara leaned low on her horse’s neck and encouraged it all the way. When she reached the finish line, Gretchen let out a breath.
“Wow,” Arthur breathed. “She’s good.”
“She could ride before she could walk,” Gretchen said. “There are a few jealous kids amongst the group.”
Jordan was up next. Gretchen took out her phone to time him, her finger trembling on the start button as she scanned the grounds for anyone not meant to be there. A couple of other parents watched, but aside from that they were empty.
Jordan’s horse wasn’t as explosive off the start and Jordan slowed him too much going around the barrels, but he made a decent time. Gretchen cheered as he crossed the finish line, but he didn’t even look at her.
“Did you and your son have an argument?” Arthur asked.
“Yeah. He thinks he’s old enough to stay by himself before and after school while I’m at work.”
