Jacob woke up the next morning feeling two bodies next to him. One felt powerful and vibrated against his back, Chevy. The second was slim and limp next to his chest. He slid his arms around Brooks waist and buried his face in her shoulder. She sighed and they laid there for several minutes, until they heard the stall gate open and whispering.

"See! I was right!" He heard Jewels small voice squeal. Both Brook and Jacob turned towards the gate, opening their eyes. Jewel stood there smiling while Mil stood there, with a look of mixed emotions, between horrified and disgusted. Brook and Jacob sat up, brushing shavings off their clothes and out of their hair.

"Please tell me you two aren't dating." Mil begged. They both gave them guilty smiles and Mil smacked her hand to her forehead, closing her eyes. She then looked upwards.

"Why? My brother and my best friend?" she said as if she was asking God. Jewel simply squealed again.

"I'm gonna go tell mama!" She said. Jacob's eyes widened.

"Jewel, please don't. I'm waiting for the right time to tell her." He said. Jewel's shoulders slumped and she looked disappointed.

"Fine!" She said in a very dramatic voice.

***

As promised, the vet returned in three days to check up on Chevy. She said the wound was healing fine and no damage was done to Chevy's shoulder. But the news that made Jacob the happiest was that he would be able to ride her in the future, and within a week he was allowed to continue training with her.

A week later, James got his cast off on his arm, and was mad that the doctor told him to take it easy for a few days. Alex had an appointment with her doctor and came home to tell everyone that she was going to have another boy. Jacob had removed Chevy's bandage and was glad to see the insision looked great. She only had a slight limp too. He continued working with her with putting on the saddle and saddle blanket, and lifting up her feet. Sadly, her milk had dried up over the time she and Wildfire were seperated, so it was now Joseph's job to feed the colt morning and night. After ahoy a week of doing so, David, Alex and Jacob agreed that Wildfire could be Joseph's. Jacob hadn't seen his shy little brother ever this happy. Mil had gotten Coal when she was Joseph's age, twelve. She had had Coal for two years now.

Another three weeks passed, and Chevy wasn't even limping anymore. She acted as if she had never been shot or been hit by a car. A week later she allowed Jacob to mount her and ride her around for five minutes before bucking him off into the grass. When he flew off the mare, David and Brook, who had been watching, rushed over to see if he was alright, only to find him lying on his back laughing.

While Jacob was outside, training with Chevy, His cell phone was ringing on his bed. Mil ran into the twins room and answered his phone for him.

"Hello?" She asked. She heard a voice scoff on the other line.

"Who is this?" Asked a snotty voice. "Where's Jacob?" The girl sounded around sixteen.

"My name is Mil. Jacob is outside riding. I can have him call you back later if you'd want." She said.

"Riding what? Who are you?" The voice asked.

"I'm Jacob's sister. He's out side, attempting to ride his horse." She said. "If you give me your name, I can have Jacob call you back later."

"My name is Sara, Jacob's girlfriend." With that being said, she hung up. Mil listened to the line disconnect for a moment before throwing his phone back on his bed and running outside. Mils father was grooming his horse, Timber, while he kept an eye on Jacob who was slowly riding Chevy around the round corral.

"Jake?" She asked. He stopped Chevy, smiling at the successful stop and nodded at his sister to continue.

"Uh...some girl named Sara called." She said. Jacob looked uninterested. "She...She said she was your girlfriend. Is it true Jake?" She felt sick, and didn't want Jacob to hurt Brook. Jacob rolled his eyes.

"I dumped her before I came here. She's just in denial." He scoffed. she let out a sigh of relief.

"So you're not cheating on..." Jacob cut her off.

"I wouldn't even think about cheating on Brook, Mil." He said. She somehow knew he was telling the truth. She gave him a smile.

"Good. Thank you, Jake." Than she ran back inside.

That evening at about eleven, Jacobs phone rang again. He let out a groan and turned over in bed and grabbed it off the desk. He was about to decline it when he thought he'd better take it. James was asleep anyway. He answered it and instantly knew it was Sara.

"Hi Jake!" She said. Her high pitched voice hurt Jacob's ears.

"What do you want?" He snapped. She was silent for a moment.

"What's wrong? You sound annoyed. is it that girl, Mil? She seemed a little over bearing." Jacob's fingers clentched his blankets.

"No! And don't talk about my sister like that!" He whispered harshly.

"Why are you whispering?" She asked.

"It's almost midnight, Sara! And I share my room with my brother!" He whispered.

"Brother? how many siblings do you have?" She asked.

"Nine, soon to be ten, but that's also counting Lucy." He said. She let out a sigh.

"So when are you coming home?" She asked.

"My dad hasn't told you? I'm not coming back. I chose to stay in Nevada." He said. there was a long pause before she started yelling at him.

"I can't do a long distance relationship, Jacob! It'll make me look weak at school!" She said. Jacob let out a small laugh.

"Sara, don't you remember the day before I left? I broke up with you. Remember? I was so mad you pressured me into smoking and it got me shipped away I ended it?" He said. It was as if he just set off a bomb. She began to scream insults so loud at him that James stirred a little in bed. Jacob simply smiled and hung up the phone.

***

"James? Can I ask you something?" Jacob asked the next afternoon. The two of them had completed their chores and were witting on their beds with nothing to do.

"Sure." He said with a sigh.

"Do you like Lily?" Lily was Brook and Daniellas friend, and Jacob had often seen James looking at her, and he had even danced with her on several occasions. James shifted uncomfortably in his bed.

"Why? Do you?" He asked with a slight hint of jealously. Jacob smiled a bit.

"No, no. Just wondering." He said. James bit his lip and nodded.

"Yeah. I've liked her since we were little. But I don't think she likes me." He said sadly. Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Come on! Have you seen the way she looks at you?" James rose his eye brows and looked at his twin curiously.

"Really?" He asked. Jacob nodded a bit. James smiled to himself and laid down on his bed, looking over at his brother.

"Who do you like?" He asked. He could see Jacob blush, which o ly made him want to know.

"Well...Acctually, you see, Brook and I..." He got no further. James bolted straight up and stared at his twin with his mouth gaping open.

"You and Brook are dating?!?" He was completely shocked. Jacob nodded shyly. "Since when?"

"A few weeks how. Few days after Jewels party." He mumbled. James smiled a bit.

"And when were ya gonna tell me?" He asked folding his arms and playfully glaring at him. Jacob blushed again and James simply smiled. "I'm just kidding. I'm happy for you bro. Just don't hurt her, she's like a little sister to me." Jacob nodded.

"Don't worry, I don't plan on hurting her. She's the first girlfriend I've had that I've acctually felt somehing for. All my previous ones were all for show, but I think...I think I'm acctually in love with her." He said. James was now grinning like an idiot.

"Of coarse you love her! No one, and I repeat, no one can resist the country girl charm." He said winking. Jacob smiled and rolled his eyes. "You should ask her to the shin dig that the Johnson's are throwing for Daniellas birthday!" James suggested. Jacob shrugged.

"Sure, why not, but only if you ask Lily." James blushed a bit.

"Alright." He mumbled.

"Now." Jacob said. James glared at him. Brook and Lily were over at their house at the moment, hanging out with Mil, doing 'Girl stuff'. Frankly, the twins were scared to ask what that meant. James stood, tried to straighten his hair a bit with no prevail, and walked out of their room and down the stairs with Jacob hot on his heels.

Brook was sitting on the floor with Mil opposite to her on he coffee table,while Lily was sitting behind Brook. Brook was painting Mils fingernails while Lily was French braiding Brooks hair. Jacob sat down on the floor next to Brook and nudged her playfully with his shoulder, making her smile, showing her dimples. James lingered on the last step of the stairs, trying to figure out what he was going to say to Lily.

"James, if you're going to just stand there like an idiot, you might as well sit down." Mil said. Ugh, Sisters. Was all he could think. He sat down on the couch next to Lily and she smiled at him, blushing slightly as he returned the smile. Jacob looked up at him and gave him a winning smile and a small wink.

"Lily?" He asked. She turned to him, looking into his eyes even though her fingers were still weaving Brooks hair in and out. She nodded to him, gesturing for him to continue. "Will you..." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Would you like to be my date to Daniellas shin dig on Friday?" Her eyes lit up with joy and she smiled, blushing slightly. She nodded a bit and he felt instant relief wash over him. Brook nudged Lily's leg with her shoulder, which only made her blush even more. Mil on the other hand, was staring at Lily in horror.

"Great, so now another one of my friends has fallen for one of my brother's! Does Daniella want Peter or Joseph? How about Julian?!?" She said sarcastically. Brook, James and Jacob laughed, but Lily had a questioning look to her.

"Another?" She looked down at Brook, who gave her a guilty smile and took Jacobs hand.

"Surprise." She said weakly. Lily glared at her folding her arms.

"When were you going to tell me this?" she asked. Jacob cleared his throat.

"Jay and I are just gonna go back up stairs." He said. Lily flashed him a glare.

"Or better yet, let's go to the creek." James said standing. Jacob smiled a bit, Kissed Brook on her cheek and he and James dashed out the door and down the road.

***

Hey Y'all! The picture on the side is of Mika Abdalla, who I've chosen to play Mil. I hope you like the book so far! LOVE YA!

~Avis