My Favorite Mistake by Georgina Bloomberg, Catherine Hapka Read Free Book Online Page B

food. Her hand had started shaking.
    What was wrong with her? Was she turning into her crazy mother? Was it genetic?
    Kate heard her mother open the door to the bedroom across the narrow back hall, releasing the sounds of her father’s rhythmic snoring. As soon as the door closed again, Kate threw the fork aside and pushed back from the island, her heart pounding.
    Dumping the food in the trash bin, she grabbed a soda and headed upstairs to her room in the bungalow’s gabled half-story. So much for thinking, however briefly, that her mother might actually be getting better. She should know better than to get her hopes up.
    Her father was asleep, and her brother wasn’t much use lately. So Kate pulled out her phone and called the only other person who knew about her mom; the only other person who was probably still up at this hour.
    â€œKate?” Natalie’s familiar voice said into her ear a second later. Sure enough, she sounded wide awake. “What’s up?”
    â€œI’m sorry,” Kate blurted out. “I’ve been meaning to call you all week—I hate it when we fight, you know that.”
    â€œWhat?” Nat sounded confused for a second. “Oh, wait—is this about you flaking out on that party at the barn the other weekend? Don’t worry, I’m over it.” She laughed. “Actually that party was kind of a bust. The Tanners asked this crotchety old neighbor guy to stop by and check on things, and he chased us off before things could barely get started.”
    â€œOh,” Kate said softly. “That’s too bad.”
    â€œKatie?” Nat’s voice went sharp and curious. “You okay, babe? You sound weird.”
    â€œYeah. I mean no. Not really.” Kate took a long, shaky breath. “It’s just, you know, Mom.”
    â€œBack on the crazy train, huh?” Though Natalie’s words were snarky, her tone was sympathetic. “Sorry. That really sucks. You want to talk about it?”
    â€œNot really,” Kate said, sinking down on the edge of her bed and kicking off her paddock boots. “I mean, there’s not much to say.”
    â€œOkay. But listen, talking horses always cheers you up, right? Just wait until you hear about the newest horse at Happy Acres. Thoroughbred. Only off the track a few weeks. And guess who’s in charge of his training?”
    â€œYou?” Kate asked. She tried to sound cheerful, though secretly she was wincing. Nat was a decent rider, all things considered, athletic and pretty much fearless. But she had a temper and a touchy ego. A fresh ex-racehorse could be a disaster if things didn’t go perfectly.
    But Kate wasn’t about to say so. Natalie didn’t take criticism too well at the best of times. Especially riding criticism, and especially from Kate.
    â€œYeah, Mrs. Tanner told me I can make him my special project for the summer.” Natalie sounded pleased with herself. “I’m even taking him in his first ever show in a couple of weeks.”
    â€œShow?” Kate echoed, leaning back against her pillow.
    â€œUh-huh. Just the summer schooling show at the barn, but still. Should be an adventure.” Nat chuckled. “Hey, why don’t you come watch? You haven’t been back to one of our shows in ages.”
    â€œOh.” Kate bit her lip, hoping she wasn’t about to piss Nat off again just when they’d finally made up. “Um, when is it?”
    â€œSaturday after next.”
    Kate realized that was a nonshowing weekend for Pelham Lane. Still, she hesitated for a second, not sure what to say. Saturday was always a busy day at the barn, and Jamie counted on her being around to help out.
    But maybe she could swing it somehow. It might be worth juggling her schedule just this once, if it meant getting her friendship with Natalie back on track.
    â€œThat might work,” she said. “I’ll try to be