A SEAL Never Quits

by Holly Castillo

  The horse cocked one leg in relaxation and leaned its head against her and she chuckled. “That’s a good girl. You did some hard work out there. I’d say you deserve an extra share of oats.”

  “Do you sweet talk all of them like that? Is that how you get them to do what you want?” A deep male voice nearby startled her. It wasn’t anyone she immediately recognized, and unease slid down her spine.

  She turned and let out a small sigh of relief. “Do you always sneak up on people like that?”

  “My name is Phantom, you know.”

  “Ah, yes. The name suits you. Are you friends with Henry?” she asked, referring to the owner of the ranch.

  “I just met him. I came out here hoping to find you.”

  She led the horse out of the arena and started walking to the barn, Phantom falling in alongside her. She dug her phone out of her back pocket and waved it in the air. “Easiest way to find me.” Why is he here? What could he possibly want? She couldn’t say she was glad to see him. Just watching his granite features reminded her of the way he had tilted her world on its side with a decision that changed everything for her.

  He shrugged. “Too impersonal. I prefer to look people in the face when I’m talking to them.”

  “You were born in the wrong times, then, I hate to tell you. Texts, email, social media…that’s how everyone stays in touch. It’s rare even to hear a voice these days, let alone see a face.”

  “Call me old-fashioned.”

  “Okay. I just might. Why are you looking for me anyway?” Her words came across a bit stronger than she had intended. She couldn’t conceal her frustration at the way he had so quickly and casually told her he no longer needed her services with his horses. In a few brief sentences, he had cut her off from quarter horses she had been training for years, and had practically come to think of as her own. In that same move, he had destroyed the main reason she had come to Hebbronville—to work with some of the finest quarter horses she had ever seen.

  The Bent Horseshoe Ranch had recruited her as soon as she graduated from A&M to train the quarter horses to be some of the best in the nation. She had jumped at the opportunity, and it had been her main source of income—up until two weeks ago. Once Phantom had fired her, she’d had to act fast to find new clients. She found a couple close to Falfurrias, but the cost of gas to drive out to them barely made it worthwhile.

  “For someone who loves to brag about her tech world, you don’t check your phone often.”

  Surprised, Elena clicked open her phone and found she had missed multiple text messages from Anya. “Is she okay? Did something happen?” she asked, quickly scrolling through the texts.

  “Everything is fine. She’d like to see you, that’s all. She wanted to know if you could come out to the ranch today. If we go soon, Snap will probably be making lunch.”

  Elena looked at him skeptically as she began to undo the cinch on the saddle. “Snap? Who else lives at your ranch? Crackle and Pop?”

  For a moment she thought he was going to smile, but the face carved from granite stayed serious, though his tone seemed amused. “Good one. Never heard that before. We admit our nicknames are…interesting…”

  “And yours? You specialize on sneaking up on people so you’re called Phantom?”

  “That, and I can make like a ghost and disappear.”

  “Right.” She chuckled. “Good to know. So did you really come out here just because Anya wants me to come out to the ranch today?” She grabbed a soft brush from a bucket of cool water and began to wipe down the horse in long, smooth strokes. The horse looked half-asleep.

  “That and I wanted to see my competition at work.”

  She hesitated mid-stroke, then resumed quickly. “Your competition? Does that mean you’ve decided to start showing the horses?”

  “Yes.”

  Elena felt a dull ache in her heart. She should be the one showing his horses. She had trained them, guided them, prepared them to be their absolute best. She wanted to show them. “Good luck. I hope everything goes well for you.”

  “I’ve done a lot more research since I saw you. I appreciate the tip about the horses’ feed, by the way. It made a world of difference when I did what you recommended and switched them from sweet feed back to coastal and oats.”

  Elena laughed as she remembered how hyper the horses had been on the sweet feed and his dismay when she told him what to do about it. “Glad I could help.” She dropped the soft brush back in the bucket of water and led the horse into its stall, sliding the bridle off and turning it loose with a pat on the withers.

  “There are still plenty of things I have to learn,” Phantom said, stepping closer as she came out of the stall.

  Hope blossomed in Elena’s heart, making it thud hard in her chest. Could he be re-hiring her? Was that why he had come out to the ranch to watch her work? Was this some sort of test?

  “Always will be,” she said with a bright smile. “The day you think you know everything about raising or showing horses is the day you find out you’re wrong. I just got thrown by a two-year old filly last week. I certainly learned a lesson that day.” She nearly bit her tongue. She needed to tell him about all the things she was great at, not her misadventures.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Are you okay? You didn’t get hurt, did you?” She sensed genuine concern in his voice. Was there a human being beneath all that granite?

  “I would think you’d be happy if your competition got side-lined for a few shows,” she teased.

  “Not my idea of fair competition. Seriously, are you okay?”

  “I’ve got some bruises that are fading into lovely colors; other than that, I’m fine. Thanks for your concern.” She forced herself to look away from him. Something about him drew her in and made her curious to know more about him, especially this glimpse of a softer side she didn’t think existed. “How soon are you going to start showing?” She hated talking about herself, and wanted to hear more about her—his—horses.

  “I’m not sure. That’s another reason I’m here today. I wanted to pick your brain about the best horse shows to take them to. Given that it is your area of expertise and all.”

  Elena grinned at him. “So you do need me after all.” Yes! I’m going to get him back as a client!

  He gazed at her intently, then slowly nodded his head. “I could use some help.”

  She ran a hand through her thick, curly hair and fought back the cheer threatening to burst from her. She wanted to see the horses she loved so much. She had come to miss them greatly in the two weeks since he had dismissed her.

  Did he really want her help, or was he simply on a mission for Anya and decided to take advantage of her expertise at the same time? The hope inside faded slightly, but she clung to it tightly. She wasn’t going to give up on pursuing even the smallest crack in his shell.

  “You know, my prices are generally pretty steep,” she grinned, teasing him once again. “But, if you’re throwing in a free lunch, I might be able to help you a little.”

  “Good. Anya’s missed you since she’s been out at the ranch.”

  “I’ve missed her, too. Since she closed the veterinary clinic temporarily, things haven’t been the same.”

  “She’ll be back soon. She’s itching to get back to work.”

  “I know it may not seem like a long time to you, but for the two of us to go a couple of weeks without seeing each other seems like an eternity.” Elena studied the ground as they walked toward their trucks.

  “Good. Then it’s settled. You’ll join us for lunch?”

  She looked over at him and gave her brightest smile. “Wouldn’t miss it.” Elena was on a mission. She was going to win back her client.

  Chapter 2

  The drive out to Bent Horseshoe Ranch was scenic, though bumpy. The road had suffered from the late spring rains, and county mainte
nance had yet to repair it. Phantom watched Elena’s truck bobbing along behind his and smiled to himself. So far his plan seemed to be working.

  Watching her ride the horse earlier had been like watching a choreographed dance routine. He realized more than ever how critical she would be to his success with the horses and furthering his work out in the field as Stryker had mentioned.

  He knew she had a real passion for his quarter horses, and had put her heart and soul into developing them into well-trained competitors. He could tell she still held some resentment toward him for cutting ties with her, and he couldn’t say he blamed her.

  He admitted to himself he had made the decision to dismiss her too hastily. Having grown up working and training horses most of his life, it was a bit of a hard pill to swallow to ask for help. It was the right thing to do, though. He had watched a few quarter horse show videos online and realized he was in over his head.

  They arrived at the ranch house close to one in the afternoon, with the Texas heat in full force. The humidity made it feel ten degrees hotter. He parked quickly and headed over to her truck, surprising her at her door. She looked up at him with a smile and he saw that her brown eyes held flecks of gold and tan within them. There was something about the way her smile lit up her face that made him want to see it as often as possible.

  They had barely stepped onto the small covered patio when the large wooden door to the home flew open and Anya rushed out, grinning from ear to ear. “You found her! Phantom, you’re the best!”

  Elena brushed past him and he caught her unique scent of Texas wildflowers. He had noticed it when he first met her, and it had lingered in his memory. Phantom watched as she embraced Anya as if it had been years since they had seen each other instead of just a couple of weeks. “You know, those first couple of days when I didn’t hear from you, you had me worried sick!” Elena scolded Anya. “I had to hear from the gossip-mongers in town that your place had a break-in, and you know how my imagination gets carried away.”

  “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I should have called you as soon as it happened. I was so rattled I didn’t know up from down. If it hadn’t been for Stryker, I probably would have fallen to pieces.”

  Elena shook her head. “I should have known you’d be with him. The way you’ve been mooning over him the last two months, I’m not surprised.”

  “I have not been ‘mooning’ over him,” Anya shook her head back at Elena. “Who even says such things anymore? I swear, you and Phantom should compare notes. You both are old souls.”

  Elena looked up at Phantom, her eyes assessing him. “Is that what you are? An old soul?”

  “So I’ve been told. Anya has been educating me. I did tell you I’m old-fashioned.”

  Anya laughed. “Yes, you are. Sometimes that can be a good thing, though.”

  “And other times?” Elena asked, an eyebrow raised.

  “Other times can bore you to tears.”

  Phantom rolled his eyes and headed toward the front door. “Let’s get out of this heat and see if Snap is working his magic in the kitchen.”

  He held the door open as the two women walked past him, lost in conversation. He watched Elena and plotted his next steps to get her out to the barn and back with the horses she loved.

  * * *

  “You’re going to live here?” Elena wasn’t sure she had heard right. Anya wasn’t making any sense.

  “Yes. I can’t wait for you to meet the rest of the guys. They’re such an amazing group. But Stryker…he owns my heart. I can’t imagine life without him. I’m in love, Elena.”

  “You’re joking with me, right? Love? I thought we agreed we’d be certified bachelorettes the rest of our lives. You’re changing the rules on me.”

  “I’m just living with him, El. We’re not making any wedding plans…” Anya’s voice trailed off.

  “…Yet. You practically said it. It’s on the tip of your tongue! No way—Anya, has he asked you?” Elena stared at Anya, holding her breath.

  “No, not exactly.” Anya smiled slyly.

  “Either he has or he hasn’t,” Elena demanded. She sipped her coffee, the delicious brew warming her from the inside out.

  “He’s hinted the question isn’t far away.”

  Elena nearly choked on her coffee. “Okay, now I know you’re messing with me. Anya! You’ve known him for two months! How can you possibly consider marriage? I mean, moving in with the guy alone is a huge step.”

  Anya shrugged and smiled. “If I were in your seat right now I’d say the same thing.” She leaned forward in her chair and grasped Elena’s hands in hers. “I don’t know how to explain it. Somehow when it’s right you just know. He’s the one, El.”

  Elena stared at Anya in a moment of stunned silence. “Okay, who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”

  Anya laughed just as Snap arrived with a tray of bite-sized sandwiches: turkey and cheese, ham and cheese, and cucumber salad. On top of that he had made a dreamy creamy tomato bisque soup. Elena tasted the bisque and her eyes nearly rolled back in her head. “Snap, where did you learn to cook like this?”

  Snap beamed proudly. Of the men she’d met so far, he appeared to be the youngest. There had to be others around, given the interesting nicknames Anya had been using, but so far she’d seen only Phantom and Snap. Apparently the rest were out working on the ranch. Snap disappeared back into the kitchen, giving them their privacy.

  The sound of boots on the hardwood floor drew their attention and Anya’s eyes lit up as Stryker came striding into the room. At first he had eyes only for Anya, but Elena saw his gaze flick over to her briefly. He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to Anya’s lips and she leaned up into the touch, her hand resting on his chest for a moment.

  “Stryker, I want you to meet my best friend Elena.” Anya gestured toward Elena and she smiled brightly. So this was the man who had claimed her best friend’s heart. She had interacted with him months ago when he and his friends had first bought the ranch and had begun remodeling the outdated ranch house into the beautiful home it had become. Their conversations had been limited to her work with the horses.

  Elena stood and extended her hand. He smiled at her. “I seem to remember you lurking around when we were remodeling this place.”

  “Lurking isn’t the term I would use,” she replied with a smile. “I was working quite hard.”

  “That was around the time you won the Grand Champion trophy in Corpus, isn’t it?”

  Phantom’s voice came out of nowhere, gentle, and could that be appreciation? He hadn’t made any noise to alert her he had come into the room. She turned and found him leaning against the dining room wall. How long had he been there?

  “Yes, it was,” she said, watching his face for a reaction. If she wanted him back as a client, she needed him to know how good she was with his horses. Knowing that he had seen the trophies she had won was a step in the right direction.

  He watched her for several long seconds, finally breaking eye contact to glance over at Anya and Stryker, who seemed to be in their own world. “When you have a moment,” he said, returning his gaze to her, “I’d like to take you out to the barn. It won’t take very long.”

  Had he finally decided he needed her on the ranch after all? Was she about to get her client back? Her heart pounded with hope. She glanced over at Anya, but she seemed fixated on Stryker. “I’m going to step out to the barn for just a bit,” she said, though she doubted Anya heard her. Spying the sugar cubes still on the table for their coffee, she grabbed a few and stuffed them in her pockets as she stood.

  She smiled to herself. Anya had fallen in love, something she never thought would happen. From the looks of it, she was beyond happy, which made Elena happy. She only wanted the best for her, and if Stryker brought that look of joy to Anya’s face, she would support her no matter how crazy it seemed.
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br />   Elena looked up to find Phantom watching her intently, measuring every expression on her face. Nerves kicked in to high gear in the pit of her stomach. Hope could be a dangerous thing. He turned and led her out of the house and towards the barn.

  “You seem to be very close to Anya.”

  Was he trying to have a conversation with her? The day had been full of surprises already, and he seemed to be the leading instigator of most of them. She crossed her fingers that the surprises continued to be positive ones. “We’ve been best friends since we met in college. We’ve been through a lot together.”

  “I can understand that bond.”

  “Do you have a best friend?” she asked, then realized how lame that must sound. “I mean-well, surely you must have a best friend. What I meant was—”

  He glanced sideways at her and flashed her a smile—a real smile, and it took her breath away. The warmth in that smile turned his tanned skin a deep molten bronze. The stiff buzz cut to his black wavy hair made his face look less severe and intense. His dark gray eyes—a color she’d never seen before—lit up and softened, the steel becoming magnetic and drawing her in. The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, adding an extra layer of humanity she had thought he lacked. The man made of stone suddenly seemed more approachable than she would have imagined.

  “What are you saying? You think I can’t make friends? I know we didn’t get off on the best foot, but do I strike you as that unpleasant?”

  “No! I mean, of course not. Just because you don’t like me, or, um, didn’t need me…um…” Hell, she was making a total mess of the conversation. She became annoyed with herself—and with him. He had put her in the predicament she was in to begin with.

  “I never said I didn’t like you.”

  “You didn’t have to,” she replied, then nearly bit her own tongue. If her goal had been to win him back as a client, she was doing an exceptional job of mucking it up.

  “I have a handful of friends I consider my brothers,” he said, returning to the original topic. “I would die for them if I had to.” His smile had vanished and his serious demeanor had returned.