Back in the Saddle Read Online Free

the mall today to get free makeovers or whatever.”
    â€œYou fell for that?” Tracey grinned and slung an arm around Haley’s shoulders. “Come on. You know we’d never miss being here to cheer you on.” She turned her smile in Owen’s direction. “Hey, Lemke. What’s up?”
    â€œNot much,” Owen said. “See you guys later, okay? I have to check on my horse.”
    As he hurried off, Emma leaned closer to Haley with a smile. “We’re mostly here to cheer you on,” she whispered. “But partly for the cute cowboys, too.”
    Haley smiled, though her stomach twisted a little at the reminder of how much her friends had changed. Cute cowboys? Seriously?
    Uncle Mike hurried over, saving her from responding. “Better go sign in,” he told her. “I’ll hold Wings for you.”
    Haley nodded and handed over the lead rope. Uncle Mike had a calming, easy way with horses—and people, too, for that matter. He would help Wings settle, if anyone could.
    â€œBe right back,” Haley told her friends, diving into the crowd.
    At the sign-in table Haley paid her fee and got her team assignment. It turned out she’d be riding with a girl she knew a little who was a year ahead of her in school, plus a sandy-haired boy she didn’t recognize.
    â€œHi, I’m Kenny,” he introduced himself when the organizer called him over.
    â€œHaley,” Haley said. “Nice to meet you.”
    â€œI’m Tia,” the older girl added, taking in Kenny’s well-worn jeans and boots. “You done much penning? I haven’t seen you here before.”
    Haley winced at the challenge in Tia’s voice, but she listened with interest for Kenny’s response. It would stink if getting stuck with some newbie made her look stupid in front of Owen.
    â€œIt’s my first time here, but not my first time penning,” Kenny replied. “I just moved here from Minnesota. I’ve been penning since I could ride, and riding since I could walk.”
    Haley let out a breath of relief, then traded a grin with Tia. That sounded promising, especially since he’d said it in such a matter-of-fact way that she was pretty sure he wasn’t just bragging.
    â€œCool,” Haley said. “Welcome to Wisconsin, then. Let’s get our horses and get warmed up.”
    Kenny’s eyes widened slightly when he saw Wings, but he didn’t say anything. His own mount was an older quarter horse mare with wise eyes and a crooked blaze.
    Tia mounted her flashy paint gelding and surveyed the little herd of heifers, which someone had just released into the pen. “Looks like the cows are pretty fresh,” she commented.
    Haley nodded, snugging up the cinch on her Western saddle. The cows were bleating and practically running over one another as they moved around the big pen. Wings snorted as a bald-faced heifer bounced off the metal fencing nearby.
    â€œEasy, boy.” She mounted quickly, then lowered a hand to his withers, giving him a rub. “We’ll get our turn at them soon enough.”
    â€œTalking to animals again, Duncan?”
    Haley didn’t have to turn her head to know that it was Owen. He’d just ridden over to the rail, looking comfortable atop his compact but muscular quarter horse.
    â€œI was just telling Wings how we’re going to kick your butt, Lemke,” she retorted.
    Tia laughed. “You said it, Haley!”
    Owen rolled his eyes. “Here I thought maybe you were telling him what a real horse looks like.”
    â€œWhatever.” Haley glanced over her shoulder as she heard someone call her team. “We’re up, guys!”
    She felt a shiver of excitement as a woman swung open the gate, letting Haley and the rest of her team into the pen.
    After that, things happened fast. The announcer called out three numbers, and Haley and her team had to find the cows wearing those numbers