Blue Ribbon Summer by Catherine Hapka Read Free Book Online Page B

picking up horse poop before breakfast.”
    Paige giggled. “Don’t let Robin hear you say that or she’ll make you clean the whole barn instead of just Vegas’s stall.”
    â€œDo you know what Foxy eats?” Livi asked Brooke. “If not, we can check with Robin—I’m sure your barn gave her all the details.”
    â€œMy barn?” Brooke was confused. “Um, Foxy lives at my house. I feed her breakfast every day.”
    â€œOh!” Paige nodded. “That’s right, you said something about that yesterday. Well, then never mind—you’ll be an old pro!”
    Brooke could tell she was trying to be nice. So how come her comment—and the way Livi and Hannah were staring as if Brooke had three heads—made her feel like such a freak?
    She forgot about that as they stepped into the barn.It was bustling with activity. Several of the older campers were wandering around, carrying buckets or pitchforks. Robin was leading a horse out of its stall, and a younger woman with a wavy dark ponytail was pushing a wheelbarrow down the aisle.
    â€œYou’re late,” Robin announced when she saw Brooke’s group enter.
    â€œSorry. Hannah took forever in the shower,” Livi said.
    Brooke didn’t hear Robin’s response, because at that moment Foxy stuck her head into the aisle and nickered. The mare’s eyes were bright and her ears pricked forward—as if this was just like every other morning.
    Brooke smiled, suddenly feeling a little less out of sorts. “Hey, girl,” she said, stepping over to rub the pony’s nose.
    The young woman with the wheelbarrow stopped nearby and leaned on her pitchfork. “Is that your pony?” she asked. “Is she a Chincoteague?”
    â€œYes,” Brooke said cautiously.
    The young woman smiled. “Thought she might be. Had one myself when I was your age—picked him out at the pony penning when I was seven years old.”
    â€œReally? That’s what I did too.” Brooke smiled back. “Except I was eight.”
    Just then Robin walked by, leading a horse. “I see you’ve met Felicia,” she told Brooke. “She’s our part-time barn worker and she knows how everything works around here. So if you have a question and can’t find me, she’s a good person to ask.”
    â€œOh, okay. Thanks.” Brooke shot Felicia a shy smile. Was it weird that she already felt as if she had more in common with the barn worker than with the other campers? Pushing that thought aside, she hurried to the feed room to get Foxy’s grain.
    After the horses were fed and the stalls cleaned, the girls headed inside for their own breakfast. Robin’s house managed to seem spacious and cozy at the same time, with comfortably elegant furnishings and lots of nooks and crannies filled with interesting things—antiques, books, knickknacks, framed photographs of horses and people. The sunny dining room had a hunt theme, with paintings and figurines of foxes and hounds everywhere Brooke looked. Several large windows overlooked one of the pastures.
    â€œOver here,” Paige said, pulling Brooke toward one end of the long mahogany table. The older campers were already sitting at the other end.
    â€œGood morning, everyone,” Robin said, taking a seat in the middle. She set a sheaf of papers in front of her. “Welcome to another year at Camp Pocomoke.”
    A cheer went up from both ends of the table. Paige added a loud whoop that made the others giggle.
    â€œNow, I know most of you know the deal,” Robin went on. “But we have a couple of new campers this year.”
    â€œKayley isn’t really new,” protested one of the older campers, shoving a rosy-cheeked blond girl with her shoulder. “She just skipped last year, that’s all.”
    â€œNevertheless,” Robin said. “I want to go over the basics. Even some of our more