Indian Summer

by Amy Elizabeth

  The audience exploded in cheers when Tommy leapt from his horse and raced for the grandstands. He scaled the arena fence in one smooth motion, and the crowds parted for him as he made his way up to where Liz was standing. He stopped on the step below her and produced the ring from the pocket of his shirt, wordlessly sliding it onto her left hand. Then a fresh round of applause erupted from their spectators when Tommy scooped her up in his arms and unabashedly pressed his lips to hers.

  Rebecca leaned back in the saddle, staring in disbelief at the thousands of people who were cheering for her friend. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that every woman in Jackson had just fallen head-over-heels for Tommy Bateman.

  *

  It took several jokes from the announcer to finally pry Tommy and Liz apart. He galloped back down the steps and into the arena to retrieve his horse, who’d stood as still as a statue in his absence. Rebecca gawked at him when he trotted past her, but neither of them said a word until they were back in the arena barn.

  Tommy swung to the ground and peered up at her from beneath the brim of his hat. “So,” he said, leaning casually against his horse. “How was that?”

  “How was that?” she echoed as she dismounted. “That was the single most romantic thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “Well, good. She deserved nothing less.”

  Rebecca beamed at him before she stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can’t even tell you how happy I am for you. For both of you. You’re going to make an incredible couple.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so.” She pulled back to look at him. “We’re going out tonight to celebrate. And Liz is going to have a few drinks, even if Alli and I have to pour them down her throat.”

  Tommy mirrored her grin. “No arguments here. At least I know I’ll get lucky tonight.”

  She laughed. “After a proposal like that, you’re going to get lucky every night for the rest of your life.”

  Rebecca’s mind was hardly on barrel racing, but that didn’t stop her and Star from powering their way to victory, trumping the next closest contestant’s time by a full second. Then she and Tommy watched the bull riding from the arena barn before they met up with their friends in the parking lot.

  Rebecca didn’t care if Liz thought she was the devil incarnate. She threw all inhibitions aside and rushed over to meet her, ecstatically throwing her arms around her.

  “Congratulations, Liz! I’m so happy for you.”

  Liz laughed as she pulled back. “Thanks, Rebecca.”

  Tommy, too, was engulfed in hugs and backslaps, but none bigger than Alec’s. “That was incredible, my friend,” Alec told him. “You really outdid yourself.”

  Rebecca’s eyes widened in realization. “You knew?”

  Her husband sent her a sly grin. “Who do you think taught Joaquin to bow?”

  “I didn’t think you’d actually have the guts to do it,” Jeff chimed in. “I’ve never been happier to be proven wrong.”

  “Wait, wait,” Rebecca interjected. “Did everyone know except me?”

  Tommy gave an apologetic shrug. “Sorry, Bec. I didn’t want you to be distracted for the competition.”

  Not surprisingly, Allison took it upon herself to be the ringleader. “So where are we going to celebrate?”

  All eyes turned to Tommy and Liz. “It’s your night, babe,” he assured her. “Where would you like to go?”

  Liz grinned up at him. “Well, now that I’m marrying a cowboy, I think it’s going to have to be the Cowboy Bar.”

  Chapter 32

  Alec was quickly reminded of why he avoided coming into town during holiday weekends. The queue of cars and trucks exiting the fairgrounds was downright astounding. It was barely a half-mile into downtown, but the journey took over twenty minutes.

  By the time he managed to find a parking spot–three blocks from the town square–his temples were starting to throb. “I can’t believe people do this every weekend,” he muttered.

  Rebecca nudged his ribs. “Lighten up. It’s not every day your best friend gets engaged.”

  They walked hand-in-hand down the wooden planked sidewalks towards Jackson’s most popular bar, which was appropriately crowned with a neon sign of a bucking bronco. When they rounded the corner, though, Alec saw an impossibly long line of tourists pushing their way towards the entrance.

  Apparently everyone who’d attended the rodeo had the same idea that they did.

  Jeff, Allison, Liz, and their wranglers were standing on the corner as they approached. “Tommy ran inside to see how bad it is,” Allison said when they joined them. “I’m thinking we might have to go somewhere else.”

  Sure enough, Tommy was shaking his head when he returned a minute later. “It’s wall-to-wall people in there. We don’t have a chance at scoring a table.”

  “Well, where else could we try?” Liz asked. “You guys know the town better than I do.”

  Holly turned to Jake. “What about that little place you took me to last weekend? The one with all the old pictures on the walls?”

  “Last Call, you mean?” Jake glanced back at the group. “What do you guys think?”

  Alec’s stomach flipped. He hadn’t set foot in Last Call Saloon since the night he’d taken Shania there. He glanced over at her, wondering if she recognized the name of the bar. Her eyes flickered to him at the same time, just for an instant, letting him know that she remembered it perfectly.

  Rebecca touched his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  “Of course,” he replied a little too quickly.

  “You look kind of pale.”

  He forced a smile. “I think I just need to eat something.”

  It wasn’t an untruthful answer; he’d barely eaten a thing today. Shania looked as uncomfortable as he felt as she turned to follow the group down the street that led to Last Call.

  On any other occasion, Alec would have invented some sort of excuse not to join them. But there was no way he could skip the celebration tonight, even if it meant going to the last place on earth he wanted to go to. He hoped they’d turn the corner to see another crowd of people, but to his dismay, the old saloon looked as quiet as ever. He and Rebecca were the last ones to file through the doorway into the foyer, where a cheerful hostess was conversing with Tommy.

  “We don’t have any booths large enough for ten,” she said, motioning towards the lounge. “But I’m sure no one will mind if you push a few high-tops together.”

  Rebecca joined Jeff and Allison in exploring the photos on the walls while Tommy, Ben, and Jake pushed together enough tables to comfortably seat all of them. Shania took a seat opposite Liz and Holly and immediately began chatting with them, but Alec could tell by her expression that she, too, wanted to be anywhere but here. He remained standing in place, staring at everything and nothing, before he spun on his heel and approached the bar.

  “Well, look who it is,” the bartender greeted. “How ya been, stranger?”

  Alec had never met the man in his life, but he shook his hand anyway. “I’m good,” he replied, sliding his credit card across the bar top. “Everything at that table tonight goes on this. No exceptions.”

  “Yes, sir. What should I start you with?”

  “Let’s get a round of Crown and two buckets of longnecks. And a couple of appetizer platters.”

  Alec returned to the high tops and settled into the stool beside Rebecca. “This place is adorable,” she said, tracing a finger across the old coins that were inlaid in the table top. “Have you ever been here before?”

  She had no way of knowing that this was the bar he’d brought Shania to, and he wasn’t about the volunteer the information now. “My parents used to love it,” he replied, hoping that would suffice. “There’s an old picture of them by the corner booth.”

  Before Rebecca could respond, the cocktail server appeared with a tray full of shot glasses. The arrival was met with a loud round of cheers from his friends, and Alec couldn’t he
lp but smile at their enthusiasm. Rebecca was right–it wasn’t every day that his best friend got engaged. In fact, he’d never seen Tommy look happier than he did right now. Even Liz, who’d seemed so taken aback by the festivities during Rebecca’s birthday last year, beamed with delight when the server handed her a shot glass.

  How could he sit here and wallow in the past when he was surrounded by people who were celebrating the future?

  “To Tommy and Liz,” he declared, lifting his glass high above the table.

  Everyone chimed in and clinked glasses before downing their shots in unison. “Can we get another round, please?” Jeff asked, offering his credit card to their server.

  “Put it away, Jeff,” Alec warned. “Tonight’s on me.”

  “Alec, you can’t do that,” Tommy said.

  “It’s already done,” he replied, mirroring the server’s amused smile. “We’ll take another round, please. And I also ordered two buckets of beer from the bartender.”

  “They’re on their way, sir.”

  As soon as their server disappeared, Rebecca leaned closer to Alec. “You’re so bossy,” she whispered in his ear.

  He couldn’t help but chuckle. “I thought you liked me that way.”

  “I do,” she replied, pressing her lips to the side of his neck.

  Alec indulged her affection for a brief moment before he pulled back. He didn’t need to look up; he could sense Shania’s gaze from the other end of the table. Although they’d been working side by side all summer, this was the first time that the three of them had been together in a social setting. He had every right to act any way he wanted with his wife, of course, but at the same time he didn’t want to rub it in Shania’s face.

  Especially not here.

  Their appetizers arrived next, followed closely by the ice-filled beer buckets. They were in the middle of divvying up the food when Allison tapped her knife against her bottle.

  “I have something I want to say,” she announced. “For starters, here’s to our first night out of the house since we became parents.”

  Everyone laughed and raised their drinks. “Seriously, though, Bec and I had a revelation a while ago, and this seems like the perfect time to share it,” she continued, turning her gaze to Tommy. “We realized that neither of us would have met our husbands if it weren’t for you. You’re the one who was friends with Jeff first, and you’re the one who brought Rebecca to the ranch. We have each been so blessed because of those simple acts, and I can’t even say how happy I am that it’s your turn now.”

  Tommy rose from his seat to give Allison an appreciative hug. She hugged Liz, as well, before she pulled back and gave her a pointed look. “You know what this means, right?”

  “What?” Liz asked.

  Allison had that mischievous glint in her eye. “We have to plan your bachelorette party.”

  Liz gave a nervous laugh. “Slow down, you two. We don’t even have a date yet.”

  All the other bars in town must have filled up, because the saloon was suddenly inundated with people. Alec peered into their beer buckets and saw nothing but empties; then he studied the crowd that was forming around the bar and realized it would be a while before their server returned.

  Across the table, he saw that Shania had fallen silent, as she understandably had nothing to contribute to the wedding talk. When her eyes met his, he couldn’t help but send her a sympathetic grin.

  “Wanna help me get some refills?” he asked over the noise.

  She seemed grateful for the task as she rose from her stool and circled the table to join him. Alec followed a step behind her as they squeezed their way through the throngs of people. He noticed that she approached the opposite corner than the one they’d sat at together, and that was fine with him. Alec squeezed past her when they reached the bar and was just about to lift his hand when the couple seated beside them started to laugh.

  “I can’t believe it,” the man remarked. “We were just talking about you two.”

  Alec turned to him in confusion. “I’m sorry?”

  The woman he was with gestured behind the bar. “I was just saying that I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a good-looking couple.”

  When Alec followed her gaze, the sight that greeted him nearly stopped his heart. Between the two panels of the tarnished mirror directly above the beer taps was the photograph of him and Shania from nine years earlier.

  But it wasn’t a faded Polaroid like most of the other portraits that graced the walls. This photo was enlarged and set in a gilded frame and drenched in sepia tone, although the lack of color did nothing to diminish the blush on Shania’s cheeks. She looked stunning in the photograph–even more beautiful than he remembered–peeking out at the camera from beneath the brim of his hat. Her long hair spilled dramatically across her shoulder, creating a brilliant contrast against the crisp white sleeves of her peasant top.

  “Another bucket for your table?”

  Alec was so lost in thought that he literally jumped when the bartender addressed him. “Make it two,” he replied.

  He knew without turning around that Shania was still standing behind him. They were hemmed in by people on all sides, so there was nowhere for her to go. When he finally found the courage to turn his head, he saw his innermost thoughts reflected perfectly on her face.

  She grimaced as she tore her gaze from the photograph, as if the memory of that night caused her physical pain. “Did you know?”

  Alec shook his head. “I had no idea.”

  He couldn’t bear the hurt in her eyes, so he turned his attention back to the portrait. As difficult as it was to look at Shania, it was almost more difficult for Alec to look at himself.

  These days, whenever he glanced in the mirror, he was reminded again of the physical and emotional toll that the past decade had taken on him. But in this photograph, he saw a young man without a care in the world, a man whose mind and heart were open wide to whatever the future had in store for him.

  It was a vision of both the man he used to be and the man he could have been…if only life had dealt him a different hand.

  Chapter 33

  Alec didn’t necessarily avoid Shania after that, but he usually steered clear of the barn when he knew she was working. He figured they would eventually get around to discussing their past–they couldn’t tiptoe around it forever–but he saw no need to rush the process. If he’d learned anything from his marriage, it was that women would talk when they were ready to talk.

  Besides, he already had ample reason to seek solitude. Onyx proved to be the perfect antidote for the constant stream of estrogen in his life. For the remainder of the month, he threw himself into working with the stallion and perfecting the choreography for their performance.

  Before he knew it, August had arrived, bringing with it Rebecca’s twenty-sixth birthday. They met Jeff and Allison in town for dinner, which made for a considerably quieter affair than her last birthday celebration.

  “I didn’t actually buy you a gift this year,” Alec confessed when they arrived home.

  “It’s okay,” she assured him as she stepped out of her heels. “Tonight was perfect, Alec. I don’t need anything else.”

  He sat on the edge of their bed and pulled her onto his lap. “I know you don’t need anything,” he said, curling his arms around her waist. “But there’s still something I want to give you. Something you’ve been wanting for a while.”

  Rebecca’s eyes lit up. “You’re going to show me what you’ve been doing with Onyx?”

  Alec nodded. “Tomorrow morning. We’ll leave early and I’ll take you to the place where I’ve been working with him.”

  “Just me?”

  “Just you.” He paused and drew in a deep breath. “There’s something else, too. I called Dan yesterday and told him I’d take the performance slot on Labor Day.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes. It’s going to be a dedication ride for my father. I want him to be there for it.�
��

  Rebecca beamed. “Alec, I think that’s wonderful.”

  “You do?”

  “Of course I do. And I can’t even imagine how happy it will make him when he sees you step into the spotlight. It’s all he’s ever wanted for you.”

  At that, Alec smiled. “I’m going to give Dan some old videos of my father so he can put together a slideshow, too. It’ll run on the big screen before my ride.”

  “I love it. Have you told your father yet?”

  “No. I’m thinking I’m going to surprise him with the whole thing.”

  She nodded eagerly. “That sounds perfect.”

  *

  The barn was empty when they entered it the following morning and pulled Onyx and Star from their stalls. They mounted their horses and pointed them towards the pine grove just as the sun peeked over the horizon. Rebecca didn’t know where they were going; she only knew that it was a considerable distance from the ranch.

  Alec didn’t speak during the ride, and she didn’t dare break the silence. She didn’t know what to make of his expression, but she’d never seen this look on his face before. She couldn’t decide if he was detached from his surroundings or completely absorbed in them.

  In a strange way, it seemed like a mix of both.

  She followed him through a sagging gate and across a seemingly endless stretch of sagebrush and open grassland. The morning sun shone brightly overhead when they arrived at a dilapidated round pen half-buried in the tall grass. Rebecca pulled Star to a halt and watched as Alec and Onyx circled around to the entrance. Then she dismounted and silently leaned her arms against the railing, trying to guess what she was about to see.

  Alec swung to the ground and methodically removed every piece of Onyx’s tack. Then he set his hat on the fencepost and rolled up his sleeves before he faced his horse and crouched low to the ground. Onyx lowered his head, as well, mirroring Alec’s posture.

  For the longest time, nothing happened. Alec simply stared at his horse, and Onyx stared right back at him. The stallion stood completely stationary, not so much as flicking an ear or swishing his tail. He looked like a polished statue that had been carved to perfection by a master craftsman.