Mansfield Ranch (2 page)

Are we back to this again? Great
. I started to head toward the stable.

“Lilly, wait.”

Chapter Two: Forfeit

I didn’t wait, but Sean was faster. He pushed his hand against the stable door just as I was opening it. “Lilly, don’t get mad.”

I pulled, but the door wouldn’t budge. With a sigh, I turned around to face him. Sean’s hand didn’t leave its spot just above my head.

We were in the shadows again, but this time I could make out his dark eyes drilling into mine. I looked down at his coat and mumbled, “I’m not mad, okay? So open the door.”

“Yes, you are.”

Grr
. “No, I’m not.”
Why doesn’t anyone ever believe me around here?
“Look.” I folded my arms for emphasis. “I’m not mad. I’m just tired of having the same argument with you every day. Wait—” I raised one hand to stop him from commenting. “I know you mean well. I know you care about me, and worry about me, and everything. I—I just wanna be me, okay? I can’t be somebody I’m not. I can’t. And if being somebody else is the only way I’m gonna get someone to notice me, it’s not worth it, no matter what you say.”

“Lilly.” Sean brought his other hand up under my chin and raised it until my gaze met his. “I’m not asking you to be someone you’re not. Really. You’re perfect the way you are. I’m just saying you could let yourself get noticed every now and then. You know, let another guy see the real you. Not hide behind—”

I pushed his hand away from my face. “I’m not hiding behind your sisters.”

“They’re your sisters too.”

I rolled my eyes.
Yeah, try telling
them
that
. “I’m just not gonna throw myself at guys like they do. It’s annoying and fake, and . . . and . . . I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation,” I finished lamely.

Sean grinned and shook his head. “Well, you know what? I don’t care what you say. I’m going to make sure he
does
notice you.”

What does that mean?
“Who?” I feigned ignorance and hoped my horror didn’t show.

Sean didn’t buy it for a second. “Harrison Crawford.”

“Oh.”

“He’s great. And I’ll think you guys are really going to get along.”

I’d officially begun to panic.
Wasn’t it against the laws of nature for guys to be matchmakers?
Sean was the last person I wanted to dictate my nonexistent love life. Never mind the fact that I’d just wished on that candle to go on a date—for some reason, it didn’t seem right that the date would be set up by Sean, of all people. I tried another tactic. “What if Alexis and Lauren like him? What then?” 

A flash of annoyance sparked across his features. “They get everybody. This is your turn—you deserve this.”

“But Sean—”

“I’m tired of everyone around here not noticing you—not seeing you. Just because you weren’t born into our family doesn’t mean that you’re any different from the rest of us.”

“Here we go again,” I mumbled under my breath.

“I’m serious. You’ve got to stop hiding when everyone else is around. Speak up. Laugh. Share your opinion—”

I didn’t even try to keep the whine out of my voice. “All of which aren’t very easy for me to do.”

“But how else is Harrison supposed to notice you? He’s gonna be hugely popular. I know it, just by talking to him for a few minutes—soon every girl in this whole city is going to be after him.”

“Except me.”

“Lilly!”

“Sean!” I mimicked. “Look, I don’t want him, okay? I don’t even care what he looks like—or whatever. If he’s gonna be massively popular, let your sisters have him. Let every girl here have him. I’ll take Princess Buttercup and wait till my prince rescues me from all these fake people.”

“Your prince?” Sean grinned.

Ugh! Did I just say that out loud? Seriously
? I was grateful it was dark so he couldn’t see me blush. “Yes, prince. What? Didn’t you know that girls think about them?”

He chuckled. The deep sound caused my eyes to meet his full-on. “Lilly? Are you hiding a romantic streak under that tomboy defiance of yours?”

I couldn’t help it. I giggled. For as much as I wasn’t a girly-girl, the last thing anyone could call me was a tomboy—and Sean knew it. Me and sports? Yeah, we didn’t mesh well—unless it meant on the back of a strong, fast horse. Now
that
was a sport I could get in to. Horseback riding was my only escape. I knew and loved every square inch of property the Benallys owned. Most days, if my foster family couldn’t find me, that’s where I was, riding on Mansfield Ranch, their hundred-and-fifty-acre spread. It was marvelous. I couldn’t do anything wrong out there. I mean, I couldn’t say the wrong thing when company was over, or wear the wrong outfit, or trip and break expensive vases from England—er, long story. I could be me, Lilly Price—not the girl who was fostered eight years ago. Just me.

“All right, all right,” Sean muttered as he brought me in for a hug. “I give. You win. I’ll leave you alone for now.”

For now?
“Thanks.” My voice was muffled by his coat.

Sean’s hugs were the best. He always knew right when I needed one, too.

I needed one.

“So, are you ready to meet Princess Buttercup?”

I pulled away. “Are you gonna move so I can?”

“Nope.”

“No?”

Sean ducked his head and pulled a long scarf from his coat pocket. “Well, I was gonna make you wear this as a blindfold, but I guess since you already figured it out . . .” He stepped away from the door and pulled it open for me.

I walked inside and quickly switched on the lights. Four stalls down, there was a large purple bow hanging on the handle. I could just make out Princess Buttercup’s shiny brown back and the top of her black mane.

A few of the horses whinnied at our arrival, and Princess Buttercup stuck her head over the stall to see what the commotion was about.

She was beautiful!

“Oh, my gosh, Sean!” I gasped. “She’s even prettier than her pictures. Wow! Look at her star. I love her star!” I slowly walked up to the mare and rubbed at the white patch on her forehead. It looked like the perfect place for a unicorn horn—if she had one.

Princess Buttercup snorted softly and nuzzled her nose into the crook of my arm. It was love at first sight.

“Hello, pretty girl. You are the prettiest horse in the whole world. Do you know that?”

The horse neighed in agreement and nuzzled me, looking for the carrot she could smell. I giggled. “You, missy, are a scamp. Yes, you are.” When I reached into my pocket to pull out the carrot, she nodded and nudged me again, pushing me back a step. I laughed. I could hear Sean chuckling too, but I didn’t look at him. “So, Buttercup. I hear you like carrots. Do you?”

She snorted in agreement as I brought my palm forward with the carrot flat across the top. Instantly the carrot was gone. My fingers stroked the hair out of her eyes as she nudged and prodded me again.

“I don’t have any more, you greedy thing.” I stood on my tiptoes and mock-whispered in her ear. “Sean has the other one. Promise. You’ll just have to beg it off him.” I heard Sean chuckle again as I smoothed her long, shiny nose. She was one of the sweetest, friendliest three-year-olds I’d ever known. I still couldn’t believe her owner was willing to get rid of her.

“Here ya go,” Sean muttered as he brought over the promised carrot. His other hand trailed reassuringly down her cheek and neck. “Remember me? Yeah, the really nice guy. The one you couldn’t get enough of yesterday.” Princess Buttercup grunted her agreement and accepted the carrot without hesitation. Within two chomps, it was gone. She instantly began to reach and prod into his chest too. Sean chuckled. “Oh-oh! You are greedy, aren’t you?” 

 “I can’t believe how perfect she is, Sean.” I shook my head and rubbed my palm down her neck. “Thank you so much! I just love her. Did you have any idea she’d be this gentle?”

“No. She is a good girl, isn’t she?” He grinned. “Even the guys were impressed by how obedient and happy she was.”

I smiled. I was a proud mom.

“We had no problems at all loading her.” Sean lifted the latch, swinging the door open and stepping aside so I could go into the stall. “So, what do ya say? You up for a morning ride?”

“Yes!”

By the time I ran back from the house, where I’d changed into my jeans, Sean had Princess Buttercup saddled and ready to go. He was just tightening the leather strap to Midnight’s saddle when I approached.

“Are you up for a race?” I teased, knowing full well his gelding could outpace Buttercup in a heartbeat.

“Sure. You ready to tell me what you wished for?” His smug smile put me back in my place. “You do realize that when I win, you’re going to have to tell me.”

“Whatever!” I threw back at him and pulled myself up into the saddle. “Are you so insecure that you’ve got to take something from me too? Isn’t winning enough?”

“Whoa!” He grinned. “You know darn well that if you ever won anything, you’d so make me pay up with something good—admit it.”

Dang! I would
. “No, I wouldn’t. I’m nicer than you, remember?” Clutching the reins, I walked the mare around in a couple of circles, allowing her to get the feel of me.

“Nice? I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Midnight whinnied slightly and danced under him. I could tell the stallion was eager to show off for Princess Buttercup. Not that I blamed him—she sure was a beautiful horse.

“Are you done yet?”

“Yeah, I think so. She’s so graceful, isn’t she?”

“So you ready to lose the race and share that wish with me?” He grinned his most charming smile right at me as I came up next to Midnight.

No
. Then all at once, something came over me. I wasn’t sure what—maybe it was the excitement of the new morning or maybe it was the glint in Sean’s eye, daring me to accept his challenge, but positive I wouldn’t. I don’t know what it was, but something struck me.
Bring it on
. “You’re so going down, cowboy.”

***

“Come on, Lilly! We’re gonna be late for school. Move it!”

I’m coming
. I snatched my jacket off the bed and swung my backpack over my shoulder. As I skidded down the hall that led to the garage, I was careful not to drop the piece of toast I had clamped between my teeth.

 “There you are—finally!” Alexis announced, as if she’d been waiting thirty minutes instead of thirty seconds. Alexis was never patient.

“Sorry,” I mumbled around my toast.

“Eww, Lilly!” Lauren looked like she was gonna hurl. “Do you have to eat carbs so early? And like that, too?”

I rolled my eyes and pushed past the reigning queens of Bloomfield High.
Great. I would get stuck having to ride with them to school this week of all weeks
. Without a word, I climbed into the backseat of their BMW and began to munch on my toast while I waited for them to get in.

My Dodge had been giving me a lot of trouble lately, and Mr. Benally finally decided it was time to have it looked at. Sometimes I wished we lived closer to town so I could walk on days like this if I had to and not feel like the pitied, inferior sister who needed a ride.

“You know, our mom is going to be really mad if you leave any crumbs in this car.” Lauren was still jealous that I was eating breakfast. The look she gave me as she snapped her seatbelt in place could’ve frozen a wolf.

“Since I just cleaned it,” I retorted, “I’ll be sure to remember that.”

Neither Lauren nor Alexis seemed to hear me. Instead, the radio blared as the car purred to life and Alexis pulled out of the Benallys’ six-car garage.

The Benallys actually owned eight cars altogether, but my truck and Mr. Benally’s second commuter car usually spent their days under the carport around the side of the house. Not that I minded—I was usually in the stables most of my day anyway, so it was actually nice to be able to park so close to them.

Just as I had begun to think the ride would be comment free, Alexis surprised me when she hissed, “And I don’t care what Sean says, Lilly. Harrison is hands-off—you got that?”

You’ve gotta be kidding me. Sean is so dead
. I managed to swallow the rest of my toast without choking. “What? What are you talking about?”

Lauren laughed like I had just told the funniest joke ever. “Yeah, don’t even get us started, okay? We know all about it.”

“All about what?”

Alexis joined in, laughing just as loud. “Your stupid attempt to get Harrison to notice you. It’s so not going to work, okay? So you might as well bail out now.”

What in the—?
“What are you—?”

“When Sean told us this morning that you were going to get Harrison to fall for you, we couldn’t stop laughing. I mean, it was
that
funny.”

“I can’t wait to tell,” Lauren cackled with glee. Like, serious—old witch cackle.

Crap
. My heart grew cold. “Tell who?” I couldn’t help asking, even though I was pretty sure of the answer.

“Duh.” Alexis’s sharp gaze connected with mine in the rearview mirror. “Everyone.”

Chapter 3: I Hate Sean Benally

I hate Sean Benally. Urgh! Why does he insist on not listening to me? He’s seriously in so much denial that it’s not even funny
. Only a stupid guy would think it’d be helpful to mention to the flippin’ popularity contest winners that I was going to take their next prize. Could he have thrown down a bigger gauntlet? Honestly. I’m already a freak to begin with—let’s just make sure the whole school knows now.

Oh, my gosh. I should’ve ditched. I know it. I totally should’ve opened that stupid BMW’s door and flung myself out while I had the chance. I’d actually thought about it. I’d looked at the door handle and contemplated jumping while we were stopped at a red light. But I didn’t. Princess Buttercup kept me glued to the seat. I mean, I got grounded often enough as it was. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the trouble I’d be in if I actually ditched school. But it was tempting—very tempting.