Free Galloping Gold by Terri Farley

your chins,” Ed drawled.
    â€œOh, Ed.” Ramona pretended to shrink in embarrassment, then turned to Jonah and said, “That make-believe country accent only comes out when hecooks.” She used both hands to waft the aromas of steaks, mashed potatoes, and gravy toward them as they entered the kitchen, and said, “It’s a small price to pay.”
    Toby stood beside his father. They wore identical white chef’s aprons. Buck, the baby, sat in a high chair, kicking his feet. He pointed a spoon at Ed and said, “Eat, now!”
    â€œAmen to that.” Jonah’s eyes were so full of the feast covering the table that Darby was surprised her grandfather waited until Ramona finished saying grace before he dug in.

Chapter Seven
    D uring dinner, no one mentioned Sugarfoot.
    Patrick talked about the upcoming polo game. Toby described how their cat Mittens had hunted a mouse for breakfast. And Ed compared ranching in Hawaii with ranching in Nevada.
    Darby listened. She smiled when it was appropriate and frowned when that seemed more suitable, but she was worried about Jonah. And she couldn’t help noticing how often Jonah glanced toward the kitchen window.
    She thought he watched for the coming of darkness.
    Ed must have noticed the same thing, because oncethey’d finished the meal, he said, “Shall we save the apple pie for later, after you’ve had a real look at the colt?”
    Jonah agreed and they all left Ramona to her turn with the boys.
    Â 
    The sky wore a silvery haze and the air smelled of salt. The men walked with such after-dinner laziness, Patrick stumped past them on his crutches.
    But Darby and Ann lagged behind. Darby bumped her shoulder against her friend’s, then raised her eyebrows at Ann, silently asking what had made her cry.
    â€œGemma’s boss, the attorney, called our insurance company. He asked what kind of coverage we had because he’d advised Gemma to get checked out by a doctor,” Ann said.
    â€œBut she’s okay, right?” Darby asked. She was pretty sure nothing had been hurt except Mrs. Mookini’s jacket.
    Ann started to answer, but the words caught in her throat.
    â€œOh. My. Gosh,” Darby said. “This is so stupid.” She didn’t know whether to laugh at the attorney or feel insulted for her friend. “If I’d gone to a doctor every time I fell off, I’d have to live at the doctor’s off—”
    When the men looked back at them, Darby hushed, but she saw that her aggravation had brought a smile to Ann’s face.
    Together, she and Ann caught up in time to hearJonah say, “You say he’s five, but you call him a colt.”
    It didn’t sound like criticism. Darby had been wondering the same thing, but Ed had a lifetime of horse experience and she didn’t.
    Ann’s dad scratched the back of his head and looked a little sheepish as he said, “I really thought this chasing was a colt thing that he’d get over.”
    Ann threaded her arm through her father’s, pleased that he was still making excuses for her horse, even if he didn’t mean to do it.
    When they reached the pasture, Jonah looked fortified by dinner and ready for action.
    â€œLet’s say I walked up to halter him and he tried chasin’ me off. What would you tell me to do?”
    Ed looked at Ann and gestured for her to answer.
    â€œStand your ground,” Ann said, “and when he gets close, like a few car lengths away, start jumping up and down and waving your arms like crazy.”
    Jonah gave Ann a comical look that indicated such a reaction to a pushy horse was far below his dignity.
    â€œI know,” Ann said, “but it works.”
    â€œShe’s right,” Ed admitted. “That paint puts on the brakes, walks around a minute giving you the stink eye, then goes back to what he was doing before you invaded his privacy.”
    At the sound of a pipe gate