stopping only feet from Kate. âFine. Iâm sure youâll make it up to me by grooming my horse when I canât come. But Iâll have to show you what I expect and how I want it done.â
Kate bit back a moan and curled her fingers into fists. She spun on her heel and glanced at her mother. âIâll take care of Rufus.â She stomped down the alleyway past the stalls, with Rufus trailing on his leash behind her. Poor boy. His tail was tucked between his legs. She understood exactly how he felt. They were both doomed to a life of torture for the rest of the summer. Or at least as long as that girl chose to keep her horse at their barn.
Minutes later she returned to rescue Tori. Kate realized she never should have left her friend in the barn when sheâd taken Rufus to the house. At least Melissa was putting her horse in the stall, and Kate wouldnât have to talk to her again.
Tori stepped out of a stall farther down the alleyway, and Kate heaved a sigh of relief. It looked like her friend had been smart and kept out of Melissaâs way, although the other girl was now exiting the stall a few yards away.
Right then Pete shuffled down the long alleyway toward them, his head bent and eyes gazing at his feet. âHey, Pete.â Kate moved forward and held out her hand.
He stopped but didnât move to take it. âPete wants Rufus.â
Kate bent down, not touching her little brother but hoping heâd look up. âPete, I had to put Rufus in the house. He got loose and scared a horse, and thatâs not good.â
âNo. Pete untied Rufus. He wasnât happy.â
Kate sagged, shooting a glare at Melissa.
The girlâs hard expression had softened to one of understanding, and she moved forward. âHi, Pete. Iâm Melissa.â
Pete didnât move, but his chin lifted ever so slightly. Kate was shocked at Melissaâs gentle, tender tone. Sheâd never heard her speak in anything other than a brittle or demanding voice. âPeteâs my brother, and he didnât understand about Rufus and the horses.â She said it a little defensively, but she didnât care. One apology to this girl was enough, and no matter how nice Melissa was acting now, Kate bet sheâd change her tune when it sank in that Pete had caused the mishap with Mocha. No way would she let Melissa be mean to her brother.
Melissa nodded. âI can see that.â She moved closer to Pete, then knelt in front of him. âDo you like dogs, Pete?â
He nodded but didnât look at her.
âI have a puppy Iâm training. He goes with me sometimes, so heâll get used to new places. Would you like it if I brought him to see you? Heâd have to stay on his leash, but you could pet him and play with him, if you want to.â
Pete peeked at her, and a tiny smile twitched. âUh-huh.â
âGood.â Melissa rocked back on her heels and grinned. Then she turned her attention to Kate and Tori, and her expression hardened again. âI get it now why your dog got out, but I still donât think this place is run the way it should be. I certainly hope we wonât have more problems in the future.â
Kate gaped at her, totally knocked sideways at the change in Melissaâs behavior. âYeah. Whatever. Come on, Pete. Weâll make sure Rufus is okay.â She held out her hand, but the boy walked ahead of her. Of all the rotten things to happen. Sure, she was glad Melissa was nice to Pete. Kate wouldnât want it any other way. But why did her little brother, who didnât respond to anybody, have to respond to a girl who was determined to make life miserable for the rest of them?
Chapter Five
Kate slapped the palms of her hands against her jeans, and a cloud of dust rose. Whew. It looked like sheâd been rolling in dirty straw, not merely mucking stalls and putting fresh bedding in them. At least all the horses had been