Blue Ribbon Summer (16 page)

Livi looked just as gloomy as Brooke felt. “Maybe we should give up,” she said. “I mean, we're just kids. What can we possibly do to—”

She cut herself off as Robin hurried in. “Let's move, people,” she said, pulling out her cell phone. “I've got a million things to do today, and we need to stay on schedule. I'll see you in the ring shortly.”

“Okay.” Hannah shot the other girls a worried glance.

Brooke watched Robin disappear into the barn's small office with her phone pressed to her ear. The stable owner had seemed distracted all day. Was that because she was thinking about the sale? She'd been on her phone a lot—was she working out the details with Preston's friend?

No,
Brooke told herself.
Robin told Preston she wouldn't decide until camp was over. We still have time. We just have to think of something that will work!

A few minutes later the girls were in the ring, warming up their horses. Robin hadn't appeared yet, and nobody else was in sight except a boarder hand-grazing her horse on the other side of the driveway.

“I wonder where Preston is?” Livi said as she rode past Brooke. “I haven't seen him since lunch yesterday.”

“Me neither.” Brooke nudged Foxy gently with one leg, steering her around a jump.

“I hope he's not in town today, like, preparing the paperwork to make the sale official,” Livi said.

Paige heard her and rode closer. “No way,” she said. “Robin said she wasn't going to make a decision until Saturday.”

Livi shrugged. “Maybe he talked her into deciding sooner.”

“Shh!” Brooke nodded toward the gate. “Robin's here.”

“All right, girls,” Robin said briskly, striding to the center of the ring. “The end-of-camp show is just three days away, and we still have work to do. Let's begin by focusing on lateral work. You could all use some more practice on that.”

“Yeah, we definitely want to do our best, since it's probably our last show ever,” Livi blurted out. Her eyes immediately went wide, and she took a hand off the reins to cover her mouth. “Oops,” she mumbled.

Robin tilted her head to the side. “Last show ever?” she said. “What are you talking about?”

Livi pulled her hand away. “I don't mean it's our last show
ever
ever,” she said. “Just the last one here at camp.”

“Zip it, Livi,” Hannah muttered.

But Robin stepped closer, and Brooke could tell she
was really focusing on them—maybe for the first time all day. “Hang on, is something going on that I should know about?” Robin asked. “Why do you all look so weird?”

All four girls traded a glance. Brooke took a deep breath. “We know you're thinking about selling the farm,” she said.

“What?” Robin's eyes widened in shock. “How did you find out?”

“I overheard you talking to Preston last week,” Brooke admitted, clutching the reins so tightly that Foxy took a step backward. “It was an accident—I'm sorry.”

“You can't sell Pocomoke Stables to some horrible condo builder!” Paige cried.

“Yeah,” Hannah agreed. “If you give us a little more time, we can help you come up with a plan. We've been thinking about it nonstop for like the past week, and—”

“I know!” Livi blurted out. “Maybe you could try asking for money on the Internet—I heard that works sometimes.”

“Hang on.” Robin held up a hand, and the girls fell silent. An odd little smile played over her face. “You can save your breath with the elaborate plans, girls. Because the place is already sold.”

CHAPTER

BROOKE'S HEART SANK. “WHAT?” SHE
blurted out.

“No!” Livi cried

Hannah shook her head, her expression stormy. “I can't believe it,” she muttered. “Seriously, I can't believe this!”

Robin glanced over her shoulder at the driveway.
Is she looking for Preston?
Brooke wondered, feeling sick to her stomach. Her gaze was drawn to the horses in the pasture on the other side of the drive, and her eyes filled with tears. It was such a beautiful, peaceful scene. And soon . . .

At that moment there was the roar of a motor, and then a car came up the driveway. It was a station wagon,
so old and decrepit that Brooke couldn't tell what color it had originally been—definitely nothing like Preston's flashy red sports car.

“Aha.” Robin smiled. “I think this will answer any questions you might have.”

Brooke glanced at the other girls. They all looked mystified.

Then Miss Alice climbed out of the car's passenger seat. She spotted the group in the ring and waved, her cane dangling from her hand as she rushed over. Meanwhile, her nephew jumped out of the driver's side.

“Aunt Alice, wait!” he called. “The ground is so uneven, I don't want you to fall. . . .”

Miss Alice ignored him. She reached the fence and leaned her cane against it. “Sorry I'm late,” she told Robin. “My nephew drives like an old lady.”

“No worries, you're right on time.” Robin smiled at Brooke and the others. “Girls, I'd like to introduce you to the new co-owner of Pocomoke Stables, Miss Alice Foster.”

“Co-owner?” Brooke echoed, confused. Visions of Miss Alice and Preston standing side by side, directing a
line of bulldozers, flashed through her head.

“That's right.” Miss Alice sounded pleased. “Robin was kind enough to sell me a half share in this place. Of course, she's the expert, so she'll continue running it as she sees fit. But I'll be here to get in her way and put my two cents in. It'll give me something to do other than knock around my big old house.” She glanced toward the driveway. “Besides, the girls will love helping out around the barn.”

Brooke looked that way too. Two teenagers had climbed out of the car by now. One was the girl she'd seen on the beach the first time she'd met Miss Alice. The other was a couple of years younger.

“This place is awesome!” the younger teen exclaimed, rushing over to join Miss Alice by the fence. “Hi, Ms. Montgomery.”

“Hello, Nicole.” Robin smiled at the girl. “I'm glad you and your sister could finally come over to see the place. Maybe my campers can give you a tour after their lesson.” She glanced at Brooke and the others. “Nicole and Natalie did some riding back in California, and they're hoping to start up again.”

“Hold on,” Hannah said. “Who are they? What's going on? I don't get it.”

“Keep up, girl,” Miss Alice replied, with a flash of the crankiness Brooke had seen during their first meeting. “I'm buying into the business, and my nephew's daughters are going to learn the value of hard work by helping out in exchange for their riding lessons. It's a good thing all around: keeps the neighborhood safe from development. Helps out a neighbor. Gives me something to do with some extra money I had lying around.” She smiled at Brooke. “Meeting Brooke and Foxy reminded me how much I used to love being around horses. And when Brooke mentioned that Robin was considering selling this place . . .”

“Yes.” Robin raised an eyebrow at Brooke. “Normally, I'd be annoyed that she shared something like that. But in this case, it worked out for the best.”

Brooke ducked her head. “Sorry. I wasn't trying to blab about your business, honest.”

“Yes, give her a break,” Miss Alice advised Robin. “I scared it out of her. I tend to have that effect on young people.”

Natalie, the older teen, had joined her sister by now. “Yeah, you might not want to hang around when new campers show up, Great-Aunt Alice,” she teased her with a grin. “You'll scare all Robin's business away!”

Miss Alice snorted. “Teenagers—so disrespectful these days!” But her blue eyes were twinkling as she winked at Brooke.

“Wow.” Livi glanced from Miss Alice's ratty sweater to her battered car and back again. “Um, so you're spending all your money to save this place?”

“
All
my money?” Miss Alice snorted again. “Hardly!”

“Miss Alice is one of the wealthiest landowners in the area,” Robin informed Livi and the others. “Not that it's any of your business.”

Livi looked sheepish, and Brooke felt the same. She never would have guessed that Miss Alice was rich either.

Dan had joined his daughters at the fence by then. “So this is the famous Brooke, huh?” he asked, smiling at her. “Thank you, young lady. I haven't seen Aunt Alice so happy in years. And it's all thanks to you.”

“Oh, don't be so dramatic, Daniel.” Miss Alice rolled
her eyes. “But you're right, Brooke is the one who made all this happen.”

Robin laughed. “Even if she didn't mean to.”

“Yay, Brooke!” Livi cheered so loudly that her horse sidestepped, putting his ears back. “It's a good thing you came to camp this year!”

“Yeah,” Paige added. “I can't believe how perfectly everything is working out for everyone!”

“Well, almost everyone,” Robin put in. “Poor Preston isn't thrilled with this new turn of events, I'm afraid.” She shrugged. “I suppose he'll get over it eventually.”

Brooke glanced at the other girls. That explained why Preston hadn't been around all day!

Dan checked his watch. “I hate to rush things,” he said apologetically. “But I'd really like to get the paperwork moving before the end of the day. Robin, do you have a moment to go over everything?”

“You mean right now?” Robin hesitated, glancing at the girls. “Well, I'm supposed to be teaching this lesson. . . .”

“Go!” Paige cried, dropping her reins and waving her hands at Robin. “We don't mind!”

Robin glanced at the barn. “I could see if Felicia's around; at least she could supervise your ride, or—”

“Seriously!” Hannah exclaimed. “Get out!”

Robin laughed. “Okay, I hear you. I'm going.” She ducked under the fence and headed toward the house with Dan and Miss Alice.

“Is your dad a lawyer or something?” Brooke asked Natalie and Nicole, who were still leaning on the fence.

“Uh-huh,” Nicole said. “He specializes in real estate law.”

Natalie grinned. “Pretty convenient, huh?”

“Yeah.” Paige glanced at Brooke. “Just one more thing that worked out just like it was supposed to.”

“Except for poor, poor Preston,” Hannah added with a smirk.

“Who's Preston?” Natalie asked as Brooke and the others laughed.

Paige shrugged. “Oh, nobody much,” she said. “Come help us put our horses away and we'll tell you all about him while we give you that tour of the farm Robin was talking about.”

Brooke held her breath as she and Foxy neared the short end of the ring. Using her legs, seat, and hands, Brooke reminded the pony to bend into the turn. Foxy responded perfectly, dropping her head and cantering around in perfect form.

“Okay, girlie,” Brooke whispered. “Last line of the course, coming up!”