Taking the Leap Read online

  The group broke into a run. Cars were coming in fast. “Crank up the volume on that music,” Taylor told Travis. “This carnival is on!”

  All through the day, the snow kept up, but people kept coming. Taylor had never been busier. She dashed back and forth between helping with horse and pony rides and assisting Claire with her animal adoptions.

  At about three o’clock, Taylor became aware that some large moving object was approaching the ranch from Wildwood Lane. It wasn’t a car or truck because there was no motor sound.

  “What’s that?” Taylor asked Daphne who was standing nearby.

  Daphne grinned at Taylor. “I know what it is. Come have a look,” she added, running toward the approaching vehicle.

  Taylor ran with Daphne and immediately saw what was coming. “You knew about this?” she cried.

  “Yep. But I kept it for a surprise.”

  Jacques, the nearly white Percheron, was clip-clopping toward them, pulling a very large sleigh. He wore a necklace of bells that tinkled as he pulled the sleigh. Jim sat in the driver’s seat, holding the reins.

  In minutes, people began to gather, thrilled at the majestic sight. They walked near the sleigh until it stopped in front of the main building.

  With a toss of his massive head, Jacques neighed a loud greeting.

  Mrs. LeFleur stepped out of the main building to see what was going on. Taylor tensed. How would Mrs. LeFleur take this?

  “Jim LeFleur, what mischief are you up to this time?” Mrs. LeFleur asked.

  “I thought your guests might like a ride in a one-horse open sleigh,” Jim replied. Reaching forward, he extended his gloved hand to her. “Could you find it in your heart to —” His voice caught with emotion and he hesitated. “Would you be the first to take a ride with me, Mom?” he continued. “Please.”

  Mrs. LeFleur stood still as if she was frozen in place.

  Then she reached up and took her son’s hand, allowing him to assist her into the sleigh. With a flick of the reins he prompted Jacques to carry them forward, toward the upper pasture.

  “They’re going to make up,” Taylor said to Daphne. “I just know they are.”

  “People fight, but then they find their way back to each other, if they’re lucky,” Daphne said, and Taylor knew she was thinking of their fight.

  “I feel lucky,” Taylor told her with a smile.

  And as the snow continued to fall, lucky was exactly what she felt. She felt incredibly lucky to have her friends and her family around her; lucky to have such a good life. So what if she didn’t always get everything she wanted or have as much as someone like Plum? Taylor was grateful for everything — to be happy and healthy, loved and alive right here at Wildwood Stables, the best place in the world.

  SUZANNE WEYN lives in the heart of horse country, in a valley in New York State—which is perfect for her daughter, an avid horse rider, riding instructor, and competitor. Suzanne’s many books for teens include Reincarnation and Distant Waves. For more information about Suzanne and her novels, visit her online at www.suzanneweynbooks.com.

  Copyright © 2011 by Suzanne Weyn.

  All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.

  SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

  First printing, February 2011

  Cover design by Yaffa Jaskoll

  e-ISBN 978-0-545-79515-9

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.