“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
Rebecca hoped she didn’t look too relieved as she set her shovel aside and returned to the farmhouse. She expected to see Alec sprawled out on the couch, but there was no sign of him.
“Alec?”
No response.
She stepped out of her boots and jogged up the stairs, but the bedroom was empty. She turned and retraced her steps, galloping down the hallway into the office. He wasn’t there, either. With a frown, she reentered the living room, only to notice that the door to Walter’s bedroom was slightly ajar.
“Alec?” she echoed as she opened the door.
Alec sat at the foot of his father’s bed, staring blankly out the window. When he didn’t respond–or even acknowledge her–her stomach sank to the floor.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
He motioned for her to join him and she crossed the room, trying to get a read on his expression as she sat beside him. He placed his hand on her knee and released a slow, deep breath before he met her gaze.
“I just talked to Bonnie,” he said, referring to their realtor. “She got a call about the ranch today.”
Rebecca’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
Alec nodded. “It’s an investor from San Francisco. He’s going to be in Jackson on Friday and he wants to see the property.”
One look at his face told her that he was as stunned as she felt. “I was just thinking about all the stuff in here,” he added, turning his gaze to Walter’s old medical equipment. “I never thought anyone would actually come out to look at the place. I need to get everything moved out of here by Friday and I have no idea where to start.”
Rebecca rested her hand on his. “I’ll help you.”
Chapter 20
After their return from Las Vegas, Tommy spent every waking second dissecting the events of the weekend. The memory of Sabrosa played continually in his mind, but what really puzzled him was what happened later, when he and Rebecca were alone at the bar.
They’d always shared an easy, playful banter, but the energy between them that night seemed different. Was it just because they’d had a few drinks and they were out of their normal environment? Or was there some deeper meaning in the way she opened up to him and the way she held him while they were dancing?
All we need to know is that we’re valued and we’re loved.
As hard as he tried, he couldn’t get her words out of his head. Nor could he erase the wistful look on her face as she said it. She almost looked…wounded.
Like she was in desperate need of help but she was too afraid to admit it.
Finally Tommy realized that he had to let it go. After all, whatever was happening–or wasn’t happening–between her and Alec was none of his business. Besides, it wasn’t like he didn’t have a hundred other things on his mind right now.
He was grateful for the distraction as he and Liz drove to Teton Village on Thursday afternoon. Long before they pulled into the parking lot, Tommy could see the gondolas and chairlifts soaring high above the ski runs. The village itself was a medley of elegant hotels and restaurants nestled right at the base of the mountain. Although the winter season was nearly over, the village was packed with die-hard ski bums and snowboarders looking to enjoy the fresh snow from the weekend storm.
Ryan Fellini, the summertime chef and kitchen manager of the Flying W, was there to greet them when they entered the restaurant. “Tommy, my man,” he greeted, giving Tommy a slap on the back. “Good to see you.”
“You, too,” he echoed, grinning when Ryan swept Liz up in an animated hug.
“Your timing is perfect,” Ryan added. “We’re almost done setting up the tasting room. Let me give you a little tour.”
In all the years they’d known each other, Tommy had never made the journey out to see where Ryan spent his winters. As executive chef of the five-star Alpenglow Bistro, he spent the ski season creating decadent meals for Jackson’s most affluent patrons. The restaurant itself rivaled any they’d visited in Las Vegas, complete with crystal chandeliers and towering windows that provided a jaw-dropping view of the mountains.
“And I thought your talent ended at barbecue,” Tommy teased.
Ryan laughed. “I still make the best damn barbecue you’ve ever tasted, and you know it.”
He led them into the tasting room, which also doubled as a private wine cellar. “Oh, wow,” Liz said, gazing at the thousands of bottles that lined the walls. “Have you tried all of these?”
“I wish,” Ryan replied. “But don’t worry, you’ll get to try a few today. Go ahead and get comfortable. I’ll bring out the first course as soon as it’s ready.”
Tommy didn’t even have to ask Ryan if he’d consider creating the meals for their reception and rehearsal dinner. The second Ryan found out that Tommy was engaged, he assumed he was hired. Tommy was far from a culinary connoisseur, so he let Liz and Ryan collaborate to create her dream menu.
Today they were finally going to sample his creations.
Liz tucked her skirt beneath her as she settled at the long table. “I stopped by the florist yesterday to make sure she got my email about the centerpieces.”
“And?”
“And she did, so we’re all set there. I also made an appointment for my final dress fitting next Friday.”
Tommy grinned as he sat beside her. “Are Bec and Alli going with you?”
She nodded. “Are you sure the guys are okay with renting tuxes? It’s not that I mind the suits but–”
“It’s fine,” he assured her. “It’s your day, babe. We’ll wear tutus if it’ll make you happy.”
Liz giggled and tilted her face up to kiss his cheek. At that moment Ryan returned, carrying an armful of plates.
“Alright,” he announced, setting a dizzying array of food before them. “We’re going to go course by course. Rehearsal dinner first, then the reception dinner.”
A young server entered the tasting room and poured two small glasses of white wine. “This is the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand I was telling you about,” Ryan said as he sat beside Liz. “It’s got a nice crisp finish that will go beautifully with these oysters.”
For the next half hour, plate after plate of perfectly prepared food appeared before them–roasted oysters with horseradish relish, pear and pancetta salad with Champagne vinaigrette, poached Alaskan salmon and rare chateaubriand. Ryan described each dish in detail before he poured a complimentary glass of wine and explained why it paired with what they were eating.
Everything tasted wonderful to Tommy, just like he figured it would, so he simply sat back, enjoyed the food, and let Ryan and Liz discuss the details.
“Tommy?”
The sound of his name yanked him back to the present. “Yeah?”
“Did you like the dressing on the salad?” Liz asked. “Or did you think it was a little tart?”
He gave her a blank stare. “It tasted great to me.”
She laughed at his expression. “I think it’ll be fine the way it is,” she told Ryan as she rose from her chair. “I’ll be right back.”
She gathered her purse and exited the tasting room, waltzing across the restaurant toward the restroom. Tommy watched her go before he glanced over at Ryan, who stared back at him quizzically.
“What?” Tommy said.
“You okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Ryan shot him a pointed look. “You’ve had that deer in the headlights look all day. Not getting cold feet, are you?”
“Nah. It’s just a lot to take in, that’s all.”
“Well, it’s almost over now.” He poured himself a glass of Cabernet. “How’ve things been on the ranch this winter? Alec and Bec doing okay since his dad died?”
“Hard to say,” he replied, nodding in thanks as Ryan topped up his glass. “Alec doesn’t really talk about it.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.” Ryan set down the bottle and gave a rueful grin. �
�I spent all last summer trying to get one shred of information about Shania. He wouldn’t give me a thing.”
Tommy chuckled. “You really had it bad for her, didn’t you?”
Ryan raised a brow. “Don’t even pretend like you wouldn’t have been all over her if you were single.”
He saw no need to delve into the convoluted story of his first summer on the ranch. “She’s a little old for me,” he said instead.
“Right,” his friend replied. “Because when I look at a woman like Shania, my first thought is her age.”
Tommy stifled a laugh and almost choked on his wine. “Fine,” he conceded. “Let’s just say she’s not my type.”
Ryan leaned forward and patted his shoulder. “Sure, pal. Whatever you say.”
*
The four days since Bonnie’s phone call disappeared in a blur of activity.
Alec made arrangements to donate all of Walter’s medical equipment to the local hospital, which they collected on Wednesday morning. Next came the smaller items–Walter’s furniture, clothing, and personal effects. Rebecca helped Alec sort through his belongings, dividing them into piles to keep, piles to discard, and piles to donate. Finally they turned their attention to the rest of the farmhouse, getting it sparkling clean for the showing on Friday.
Through it all, Alec managed to hold himself together, although the façade was shaky at best. He’d been thinking of selling the ranch for most of his adult life, but now that it was a real possibility he wasn’t sure how to react.
By Friday morning, his stomach was in knots. It was freezing and the sky was filled with low gray clouds, which did nothing to improve his disposition. Rebecca didn’t want to be there for the showing–she said it would be too emotional for her–so Alec paced alone beside the window, watching and waiting for the rental car.
A few minutes past ten, a silver Audi made its way up the driveway and pulled in behind Alec’s truck. He took a deep breath to calm himself before he opened the back door and stepped onto the porch. The man who emerged from the Audi looked like any other businessman Alec had ever met–slicked back hair, flashy designer suit, and dress shoes that were completely inappropriate for the Wyoming winter.
He removed his sunglasses and lifted his hand in Alec’s direction. “Mr. Westin?”
“Alec,” he replied, motioning towards the ramp. “Come on up.”
“Oh, I don’t need to see the house.”
Alec was taken aback. “I beg your pardon?”
The man cursed under his breath as he took three awkward steps through the snow. “I’m mostly interested in seeing the guest accommodations.”
Alec hadn’t expected that, but he saw no need to argue. Instead he made his way down the ramp to where the man stood waiting for him.
“Peter Buchanan,” he added, thrusting his hand in Alec’s direction. “Sorry about the confusion. I assumed your realtor told you what I do.”
Alec was now more confused than ever. “She didn’t give me many details, no,” he said, starting towards the lodge.
Peter fell into step alongside him. “I’m one of the managing partners at an investment firm based out of San Francisco. We own about thirty timeshare properties across the lower forty-eight, Mexico, and the Caribbean. We’ve been searching for a property either here or in Colorado, something that would appeal to the ski crowd during the winter and the outdoorsy types in the summer. I have to say…I wasn’t expecting the ranch to be so far from the ski village.”
Alec had no idea how to respond to that. “It’s about forty-five minutes or so.”
“Yeah, well, the properties we looked at in Telluride and Durango are only about ten minutes from the slopes.”
Peter cursed again as his foot slipped into knee-deep snow. If Alec was anxious before the meeting, he was even more anxious now. It had been a long time since he’d met someone so high-strung. He couldn’t help but wonder if Peter was always like this or if he’d downed one too many shots of espresso for breakfast.
“Anyway,” he continued, shaking the snow from the leg of his pants. “You don’t cater to skiers, so I guess that’s not your concern, huh? What kind of business do you do in the summertime?”
Alec described their typical clientele and the weekly rates they charged. “That’s it?” Peter cried. “Hell, you could be getting twice that, if not more. You need to talk to your marketing manager about that one.”
Alec saw no need to divulge that he was, in fact, his own marketing manager. “So this is the main lodge,” he said, switching on the lights in the grand room. “The dining room is right through those double doors…”
For the next half hour, it was Alec’s turn to talk. He guided Peter through the lounge, the restaurant, and the kitchen; then he showed him a few of the guest cabins.
“Yours is the first equestrian property I’ve seen that has an actual barn,” Peter noted. “At least in this part of the country.”
Alec nodded. “It’s true that the horses don’t need it. Even during the wintertime they’re perfectly fine living outdoors. But we always had a small one on the property, and when I made the transition to a guest ranch I knew we’d be getting clients from the east coast who are used to all the amenities.”
“Well, you obviously spared no expense,” Peter said, turning his gaze to the lodge. “Tell me, Alec…what do you have in terms of staff quarters? Typically what we do is bring someone in to manage the property who lives there full-time.”
“My manager lives over there,” Alec said, nodding towards Tommy’s cabin. “It’s set up pretty much the same way as the guest cabins, with a separate bedroom and full bath. And there’s always the farmhouse. It has four bedrooms, so it’d be suitable for a couple or even a family.”
Peter nodded as he spoke. “Mind if I take a quick look?”
Alec led him up the hill to the farmhouse, where Peter ricocheted from room to room like he was inside a pinball machine. “Well, Alec, I really do appreciate your time,” he said, glancing down at his watch. “I’ve got a three o’clock flight, so I need to get going. Give me a week or so to lay all of this out with my partners and see where we’re at. I’ll try to get you an answer by the end of next week.”
And then, before Alec could blink, Peter was gone.
Chapter 21
What the heck is the matter with you?
If Alec had to translate the look that his horse was giving him, that was it. Onyx stood near the gate of the round pen, staring at Alec with a bewildered expression. The stallion flicked an ear towards the barn, then back at Alec, before he lifted his foreleg and stomped at the snow.
Come on, the horse seemed to say. Are we going to do this or what?
Alec stood in the center of the pen with his arms crossed, trying and failing to quiet his mind. Waiting to hear from the realty office had resulted in one of the longest weeks of his life. After seven solid days of pacing around the farmhouse, he’d decided that working with his horses would be the perfect remedy for his anxiety.
Apparently he was wrong. Onyx had been staring at him for at least twenty minutes now, clearly confused by Alec’s mental state.
At last the stallion grew bored and tossed his head, letting out a little snort as he began walking around the pen. Normally Alec would stop him and make him wait for his command, but today he didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything except the fact that it was three o’clock on Friday afternoon and he still hadn’t heard from Bonnie.
Which meant he had another weekend of fretting ahead of him.
A nose butted his shoulder, and Alec managed a lopsided grin as he reached up to rub Onyx’s ears. “Sorry, buddy,” he told the horse. “I don’t think it’s going to happen today.”
He led the stallion back to the barn and paused in the aisle, debating what he should do next. Rebecca was in town with Liz and Allison, so all that awaited him at the top of the hill was an empty house. If he went up there and stared at the phone all afternoon, he might actually go crazy.<
br />
Across the aisle, Shadow popped his elegant head over the top of the stall door and gave a loud nicker. Alec turned in the colt’s direction and thoughtfully studied his expression.
“You talked me into it.”
A few minutes later he led Shadow out of the barn and swung into the saddle. He probably should have taken him into the corral–he hadn’t ridden the colt in several weeks–but right now he needed some open space. Shadow snorted and lifted his knees high above the snow as Alec led him into the aspen grove. He tried to focus his attention on his surroundings, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Peter.
All week he’d turned Peter’s visit in his mind, trying to imagine what the outcome would be. He understood that the man was an investor and that he was looking at the property as a business investment.
Still, it bothered Alec that he only glanced at the farmhouse as an afterthought. And he hadn’t asked a single question pertaining to the history of the ranch. The only thing Peter seemed to care about was the money.
Well, what did you expect? If you advertise a business and a property like this one, anyone who can afford to buy it is going to have money. And all they’re going to care about is dollars and cents.
Deep down he already knew that, but it didn’t stop the uneasy feeling in his gut. The truth was that nobody was going to care about this land like his family did. If he did want to sell it, he was very likely going to have to sell it to someone like Peter.
Alec was jolted back to the present when, out of nowhere, a gray fox darted out from between the trees and dashed across their path. Shadow snorted in alarm and spun on his haunches, but Alec was completely unprepared for the horse to bolt. The colt lurched into a gallop and Alec gathered the reins in an attempt to steer him, but it was no use. Shadow plowed headlong into a snow drift and hit his knees, flailing wildly as he tried to regain his balance.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, but the world seemed to move in slow motion as Shadow plummeted onto his side. Alec felt every ounce of the colt’s weight as the horse came down on his leg, pinning it between his belly and the ground. Alec’s hip hit the snow next, followed by his shoulder and his head. Shadow continued to thrash on top of him, pushing Alec deeper and deeper into the snow. At last the horse got his legs beneath him and let out a loud snort, his sides heaving from exertion.
Showdown Page 14