Free The Suit by B. N. Toler Page B

summer and I meant it when I said I’d like us to be friends. My grandfather obviously cared about you and that means something to me.” She’s changing the subject so I go along with it.
    “I’d like that, too,” I admit. “Here’s to our summer.” I raise my Solo cup and she taps hers with mine.
    “To our summer,” she nods and takes a big gulp.
    When Edie and I finally leave for the evening, Dierk walks with us to her truck, opening her door and hugging her before she slips in.
    As we head home, our windows are rolled down and my arm hangs out, my hand surfing on the wind as we go. I used to do this when I rode with my Pop Pop anywhere, my favorite time to do it was at night in the summer when the temperature was cool enough to ride with the windows down. He’d fuss at me and I’d tell him I was trying to catch bugs. He always warned me one day I’d catch a mailbox instead if I didn’t watch it.
    “What’s so funny?” Edie pulls me from my reverie.
    “Was I laughing?” I ask, unsure.
    “You had a huge grin on your face.”
    The truth is I’ve tried to forget my past as much as possible. Anything to do with the farm. Even good memories like riding around with my grandfather.
    “Just remembering something,” I offer, hoping she won’t press. “So I take it this is Bud’s truck?” I try to change the subject.
    “It was,” she answers somewhat sadly. “Don’t be jealous of my fancy ride here. This thing is older than me.”
    I snort and say, “I’m real jealous of your rusted out floor boards and your driver’s seat that’s so battered you have to have a sofa cushion behind your back so you can reach the pedals because the seat won’t slide up.”
    Edie chuckles. “See now, I knew you were having truck envy.” She rubs the dashboard gently. “Maybe I’ll let you drive her sometime.”
    “So how’s it going drumming up more clients?”
    Edie groans. “Slow. I’m down to forty percent, but I have Night Rider as long as his owner doesn’t pull out. If I can get Night Rider to place in his maiden race, I think his owner will bring me some of his other horses.”
    “That’s a lot riding on one colt,” I add.
    “I’m impressed you knew he’s a colt, Suit. I guess you’re really picking up the lingo.”
    “Uh…yeah. Overheard Joey say it or something,” I agree. I know it’s wrong to lie to her, but what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. My past is irrelevant to her situation anyway.
    “Truth is, this time of year I’m usually out at the racetracks, but the horses I’d normally take are the ones whose owners dropped me. So I have no horses to race. All I have are my horses in training right now.”
    “And Night Rider will be your first of the recently trained to race?”
    “Yep. It’ll be his maiden race and placing top three is feasible, but if he doesn’t…”
    “Might make things more difficult, huh?”
    “Yep.” I can feel the tension rolling off of her with that one simple word so I decide to try and quickly change the subject.
    “So, that Dierk guy seems friendly.” I toss it out there even though it’s total bullshit. I just want to see what she says.
    Edie cuts me a look that says, You’re full of shit. Okay…she knows I’m lying.
    “Okay. Maybe not with me, but he seemed real friendly with you,” I note. “He acts like he’s interested in dating you.”
    “He’s been a good friend for a long time. I’m sure if I offered to date him he would, but we don’t go there,” she explains. “Want to do a quick night check with me?” she asks as she parks the truck.
    “Sure,” I agree. It’s not lik e I have anything better to do.
    We head down to the barn and check each stall and make sure the horses have everything they need for the night before we head back up t o the house.
    “Hey, I’m hungry. You like BLTs?”
    Little does she know that’s one of my favorite sandwiches. My mother made the best ones always using the best red tomatoes from