5 Chapter 4

I turned over to check my phone.  The sun had been shining directly in my face, which is what caused me to wake up.  My eyes widened at the sight that my eyes beheld.

150 Unread Messages.  84 missed calls.

Suddenly, the call screen flashed across my phone.  I answered.

"Hello?"

"I'm so sorry!  My twins took a video of your ride yesterday, and uploaded it!  I didn't know that they had access to my account!  I'm so sorry!"

I took a deep breath.  "Hold on, Lynn.  What are you talking about?  I just woke up."

"Check your text messages and go to the link that I sent you!"

Doing as she said, I put her on speaker phone, and opened my texts.  Finding the youtube link that she spoke of, I tapped it.  A video that almost made me drop my phone popped up.

It was a video of me...riding Love...from yesterday....  I glanced at the title, and actually did drop my phone.

A Thought to be Retired Trainer Attempts to Train Once Again!!!

I scrambled for my phone.  "What the hell, Lynn?!  'Retired?!'  'Attempts to Train Again?!'  What kind of title is that?!"

I heard silence from the other end.  "You aren't upset about the video?"

"Of course I'm upset about the video.  It has over 2 thousand views, for Pete's sake!  But why give it such a ridiculous title, to boot?  That is just insulting."

"I'll tell the kids to take it off."

"No.  Don't bother.  It's bound to die down eventually.  It's not like it's going to become a big ordeal, right?"

Boy was I wrong about that.  Over the next couple of days, I kept getting calls from news networks and other trainers, all of them trying to find out what I was planning on doing next.  I got to the habit of, when someone asks me a question about my future over the phone, I would simply hang up.

However, about a week after the video was posted, I received another call from Lynn.

"Hello?"

"You need to get your ass to this ranch RIGHT NOW!!!"

"Why?"

"Don't ask why, just get your lazy ass over here.  ASAP!!!"

With those words, she hung up, leaving no room for debate.

I dragged my "lazy ass" out of bed and changed into some clothes that were suitable for the ranch.  I grabbed my keys and an apple and walked out the door.

Climbing into my truck, I irritably shoved my key into the ignition.  I rotated the key to the right, firing up the engine.  I moved my hand to the left lever behind the steering wheel and pulled it toward me, and down.  That shifted the truck into reverse.

Carefully, I backed out of my driveway, and into the street.  I stopped and looked at my little house.  It was green and small, very cozy.  The flowers on the porch, that were once a lively red color, were in some desperate need of attention.  White wooden framing surrounded a faded blue door, and the bronze doorknob had turned silver from overuse.

I offered it a little smile before pulling away from the quaint little house.

I stopped at a stop sign that leads into Main Street.  Checking for cars, and seeing none, I turned left onto Main Street.  The road led me through downtown and a series of stop lights.  At one of the stoplights, I drifted smoothly into the left turn lane.  After a left onto Pine Road, I passed the middle and elementary schools.  They were on the same campus. 

Once clear of the active school zone, I kicked the truck into overdrive, the engine purring as it easily hit about 60 mph.  I cruised down the road a ways before slowing down to make a right turn at a green light.  After the turn, I accelerated back up to 60 mph.

Seeing the railroad tracks ahead, I eased off the gas slightly, so that I wouldn't go flying out of my seat.  I slowed down even more and came to a stop at a stop sign.  Another left turn onto Bay Road, and I accelerated again.  A stop sign and another active school zone slowed me down.  A final right turn and I found myself on the final stretch before getting to the ranch.

I sighed and closed my eyes briefly as I made a right turn into the ranch driveway.  I don't know why that crazy sister-like friend of mine called and insisted that I get out here immediately.  Opening my eyes, they widened when I spotted an unfamiliar and unidentified trailer parked proudly in front of the barn.  It was big, so it must belong to someone really profound.  I parked in my usual spot and threw the truck into park.

I jumped out and nearly ran for the barn door.  Slamming it open, I quickly spotted Lynn speaking to someone who was hidden away from my view.

"What's with the trailer parked out front?!"

She chuckled.  "Why don't you ask him?"  Lynn gestured to the unseen figure.

I slowly approached and stood next to Lynn.  I closed my eyes before turning to the person in question.  Slowly opening them, I gasped.

"E-E-Ethan Hawks?!  What are you doing here?!"

He offered a giant grin and swung his arm out toward me.

"As of today, I am your new client.  And you, Hailey Love, are going to be the new trainer for me and my horse!"

I gawked at the remarkable man standing in front of me.  My legs buckled from underneath me and I plopped onto the ground.  Right in the middle of the barn aisle way.

"Give me a moment.  I need to make sure I'm not hallucinating."  I pinched myself hard on the arm.  Ouch.  So I'm not dreaming.  My idol from the show jumping circuit is actually standing in front of me, asking me to be his coach...

I promptly proceeded to let the rest of my upper body join my lower body in having contact with the ground.