A Tribute to a Legend–Remembering Walter Westin was written in elegant calligraphy across the top. In the center was a black and white photograph of Walter in his younger years, standing nose-to-nose with a tall white horse. Underneath the photo it read: Dedication Performance by Alec Westin at 8pm.
Rebecca stepped up beside him. “Did you know Dan was making these?”
Alec shook his head. With each passing second, he felt his confidence wither.
What on earth was he doing here? He was just some guy who ran a guest ranch; he wasn’t a showman like his father. Why was he pretending to be something he wasn’t?
As if reading his mind, his wife touched his arm. “Stop doubting yourself, Alec. You’re going to make him proud.”
Once their horses were settled, Rebecca and Tommy headed for the registration tent. Alec bypassed it and headed instead for the grounds office, treading lightly so he wouldn’t aggravate his ankle.
Dan Ward looked up from his desk and greeted him with a broad smile. “Man of the hour.”
Alec chuckled and shook his hand. “Nice posters, Dan.”
“I’m glad you like them. Will you be saying anything tonight before your performance?”
“I’d rather not.”
“I fully respect that. When should we expect Walter to arrive?”
“He’ll be here around six.”
“Perfect. I’ve got a place reserved for him front and center.”
Alec’s stomach flipped at the realization that this was actually happening. “I’m going to run Onyx through our routine before everyone gets here. Would you like to see it?”
Dan’s eyebrows shot up. “I would like that very much.”
*
After their practice session, the rest of the afternoon passed in a surreal blur. Alec was amazed at how many people seemed to know exactly who he was. Folks he’d never met before approached him all day long to wish him luck or share their recollection of one of Walter’s performances. A few even asked if he was the man on the posters.
“It’s my father,” became his automatic response. “And tonight is about him, not me.”
Rebecca was by his side the entire afternoon, his silent source of strength as he ever so slowly grew accustomed to the attention. He shared a late lunch with Tommy and Liz and Rebecca and her family, but already he felt detached from his surroundings. He had to stay focused on his upcoming performance if he was going to pull it off.
Just before six, he and Rebecca filtered down to the parking lot. The guests’ shuttles arrived first, followed shortly afterward by the medical transport that carried Walter. Lucy caught his eye and smiled as she wheeled his father onto the lift and waited for it to lower them to the ground.
“Hey, Pop,” he greeted. “How was the ride over?”
“Fine, just fine.” His eyes landed on Rebecca. “I’m ready to see you in action, my dear.”
She laughed. “I’ll do my best.”
They moved his father towards the arena, purposely steering clear of the fence so Walter wouldn’t see the posters. It was a long journey up the ramp and down along the bottom row of the grandstands, but they finally reached the section that Dan had saved for them opposite the announcer’s booth. Jeff, Allison, Liz, and Shania were seated on either side of the empty space reserved for his wheelchair.
“These are great seats,” Walter said as Alec locked his wheelchair in place.
“Thank Dan the next time you see him,” Alec replied. “You’re in good hands, Pop. I’m going to head down to the barn to help Rebecca get ready, but I’ll be back, okay?”
“Okay, son.”
He stepped into the aisle and watched for a moment as Shania scooted closer to greet his father. She briefly met his gaze, and he gave an appreciative smile before he turned and followed Rebecca out of the grandstands.
Last week, they’d headed into Jackson to locate the perfect apparel for him to wear tonight. Alec had his heart set on all black, so Rebecca helped him select a fitted dress shirt, black jeans and boots, and a black Stetson. He stepped into the dressing room of the trailer now and changed, holding his breath as he slid his injured foot into the boot. It was a snug fit, since his ankle was still slightly swollen, but he could endure the discomfort for the length of the performance.
“Well?” he asked when he emerged onto the grass.
Rebecca beamed. “Oh, Alec. You look incredible.”
He was fairly certain that her opinion was biased, but he smiled, anyway. “Thanks.”
“There’s just one thing you’re missing.”
Alec frowned when she unbuttoned the collar of her shirt. He watched in confusion as she unfastened two more buttons, revealing a braided leather bolo around her neck.
“I had this made for you,” she added as she lifted it over her head. “I thought you’d like to wear it tonight.”
His throat tightened when he took the bolo from her hand and saw that the elegant silver pendant consisted of two overlapping W’s.
Walter Westin.
“It’s perfect,” he assured her, gathering her in a warm embrace. “Thank you so much.”
*
Rebecca and Tommy sat with Walter and their friends through the opening ceremony and the first series of events. When it was time for them to prepare their horses, Rebecca leaned over and kissed her father-in-law’s forehead.
“This one’s for you, Pop.”
Alec remained seated by his father and caught Rebecca’s eye as she stood. See you down there, he mouthed. She nodded and fell into step alongside Tommy, striding past the crowded grandstands towards the barn.
Their scoring time of 9.37 seconds was fast enough to secure them a third trophy, giving them a clean sweep of the summer’s holiday rodeos. Alec was there to meet them when they rode triumphantly back into the barn.
“You two should do this professionally, at the rate you’re going.”
Rebecca laughed as she swung off her horse. “Don’t tempt me. I kind of love it.”
“Should I stay down here?” Tommy offered.
“Nah. Go sit with your fiancée. You’ll have a better view up there, anyway.”
He placed his hand on Alec’s shoulder. “Good luck out there.”
After he’d gone, Alec turned to Rebecca. “Are you heading up, too?”
She shook her head. “I’m going to be right here to send you off,” she replied, easing her arms around his neck. “And I’ll be right here when you get back.”
Rebecca had opted out of barrel racing this time, but she and Alec still watched the competition from behind the arena. When the last competitor was about to ride, Alec glanced over at the barn.
“I should get ready.”
They pulled Onyx from his stall and ensured that the black horse was perfectly groomed. Rebecca located a mounting block for Alec to use, and he ever so carefully swung his leg over the stallion’s bare back. Then she walked alongside them as they approached the arena, listening to Dan’s voice echo from the loudspeakers.
“We’re concluding tonight’s event with a tribute to one of the finest horsemen this town has ever produced. Anyone who saw Walter Westin work with a horse knew that he was blessed with a very special talent. We are honored to have him here as our guest this evening. Please join me in welcoming a man whose dedication inspired an entire generation of equestrians.”
Rebecca lifted her eyes to see Walter’s surprised face appear on the screen beside the announcer’s booth. Beside him, her friends and family immediately rose to their feet. The rest of the audience followed suit, giving a hearty round of applause that resounded loud across the arena. She glanced at Alec, whose eyes were fixed on the screen, and she reached up to give his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Walter’s video montage began rolling across the screen, perfectly timed to the chords of the song Alec had selected. Rebecca’s eyes clouded with tears as she watched the footage of Walter working with various horses–some behaving beautifully, others not so we
ll. With endless patience, he brought each and every horse into submission in his gentle, understated way.
When the montage ended and Walter’s face appeared again, she wasn’t surprised to see tears rolling down the old man’s cheeks.
Rebecca didn’t miss the emotion in Dan’s voice when he spoke again. “It is with great pleasure that I introduce Alec Westin, as he dedicates this performance to his father.”
A burst of applause erupted from their spectators when Alec and Onyx trotted into the center of the arena and came to a halt. Then, just as she’d predicted, a great hush fell over the crowd. She couldn’t help but smile as she listened to the deafening silence.
She could have very easily heard a pin drop.
All eyes were on Alec and Onyx as the first chords of the ballad sounded over the speakers. Alec’s head was bowed and his horse stood motionless, waiting for the opening verse of the song to begin. In perfect time with the music, Alec looked up and Onyx bounded into a canter, striding gracefully down the center of the arena.
Chills traveled down Rebecca’s spine as she watched her husband perform, showing every bit of presence and poise that his father possessed. Onyx seemed to float around the arena, moving flawlessly through elegant side-passes and rollbacks. As the music intensified, Onyx burst into a gallop, flying across the arena like a freight train. Then, at just the right moment, he planted his hind legs and came to a spectacular sliding stop. A spontaneous burst of cheers went up from the grandstands as Alec rolled Onyx back on his haunches and galloped back the way he’d come, performing another sliding stop.
When the song moved towards its crescendo, Alec guided his horse back to the center to begin the final spin. Onyx planted his rear legs into the ground and began pivoting around them, faster and faster, until they were an indistinguishable blur of black. Alec thrust his arms upward and tilted his head back in a reverential pose, and the applause was so loud that it almost overpowered the music. With precision timing, Onyx came to a dead halt on the final note of the song.
The roar from the grandstands was deafening as everyone clapped and cheered at the top of their lungs. Alec held his pose for a moment before he lowered his arms and gave a modest wave. Rebecca beamed until her face ached, unable to tear her eyes from her husband.
If Walter felt even half the pride that she did right now, then he was nothing less than the happiest man on earth.
Chapter 42
Alec sat poised on his horse’s back, staring up at the crowd that was literally on its feet. He didn’t know how he’d expected to feel following his performance, but he was startled by how comfortable he felt with thousands of eyes on him.
In a strange way, it was like the audience wasn’t even there. He could have just as easily been at home, standing in the middle of the lonely grassland.
“Nice work, buddy,” he whispered, patting the stallion’s damp neck. “Got a little more in you?”
He hadn’t rehearsed this part in front of Dan, since he wasn’t sure if he was going to add it in. After feeling the way Onyx was responding to him, though, he couldn’t resist.
The crowd grew quiet again as Alec slid from his horse’s back and crouched to the ground, waiting for Onyx to mirror his posture. When there was nothing but silence, the stallion turned and bolted across the arena, his mane and tail flying behind him. Alec remained where he was, not even turning his head to watch as Onyx circled around him.
Eventually the stallion slowed, lifting his knees high above the ground in a graceful, suspended trot. To anyone watching, it would have seemed that the horse was playing. In reality, though, Alec was dictating each and every one of Onyx’s movements.
To prove the point, he rose to his feet, and the horse immediately turned in his direction. Onyx stopped directly in front of him, and there was an audible gasp from the crowd when the stallion lifted himself into the air. Alec stared up at the magnificent horse as he balanced on his hind legs, towering precariously over his head, but he felt no fear. A million cameras began to flash as he stepped between the stallion’s forelegs and closed his eyes, fully trusting in their connection.
Onyx remained perfectly poised above his head for several moments before Alec stepped back. The horse dropped to all-fours again and let out a loud snort as Alec leaned in until their noses were touching. It was the pose that was featured on the posters of Walter, so Alec thought it would be fitting to conclude his performance with that image.
The applause started up again, but Alec hardly noticed. He hoisted himself onto Onyx’s back and spun him around, giving a final wave to their audience before they trotted out of the arena.
Rebecca was waiting for him right where he’d left her. Onyx hadn’t even come to a full stop yet when Alec slid off his back and into her waiting arms. He buried his face in her hair and tightened his arms around her, wishing that he could freeze time right here and now.
“I have never been so proud,” she whispered. “Of anyone or anything.”
Her words surged through him like an electrical current. With renewed strength, Alec backed her against the holding chute and pressed his lips to hers. He didn’t care if they needed to move; he didn’t even care if the camera was zoomed in and the entire arena was watching them.
All he knew was that he wouldn’t be standing here right now if it weren’t for her. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for her. She was everything that was good in his life.
And she always would be.
*
The rest of that evening would forever be a blur in Alec’s mind. He knew that as soon as he entered the grandstands, he was engulfed in more hugs and handshakes than he could count. It seemed to take hours to push his way through the crowd, but at last he emerged into the section where his father was waiting.
Walter met his gaze when Alec knelt beside him. “What’d you think, Pop?”
His father’s eyes were very soft. “I think that I’ve waited a very long time to see that. And it was worth every second of the wait.”
Alec beamed. “You must be exhausted. We’ll get going in just a minute, okay?”
“Take your time, son. I’m not going anywhere.”
Round number two of hugs and praise came from his friends and family that were seated nearby. “Seriously, Alec,” Jeff said. “You need to be doing this for a living.”
Allison was nearly beside herself as she threw her arms around his neck. “That was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.”
Even Tommy let all inhibitions go and gave Alec a bear hug. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Alec mirrored his smile and scanned the area, suddenly realizing that one important face was missing. “Where’s Shania?”
“I’m not sure,” Allison said. “She got up as soon as you were finished.”
His stomach dropped when he glanced at the empty seat beside his father and saw a hat–the hat he’d loaned Shania her first day on the ranch. There was no way he was letting her leave without saying goodbye.
Immediately Alec spun around and raced up the bleachers, only to be reminded that he wasn’t capable of running yet. He winced and slowed to a hurried walk, hobbling on his injured foot as he pushed his way through the exiting crowd. He paused to scan the masses for her black hair, and by some miracle he spotted her striding across the parking lot towards her Jeep.
“Shania!”
She stopped and turned her head, staring back at him in surprise. “Hey,” she said when he caught up to her.
“Where are you going? I thought you said you would wait for me.”
She gave an apologetic shrug. “I’m terrible at goodbyes.”
“So am I. We really need to work on that.”
Shania laughed as he reached out and embraced her. “That was amazing, Alec,” she whispered. “It was just like watching your father.”
“Was it?”
She nodded against his
shoulder, and he drew back to study her face. He had no way of knowing how long it would be before he saw her again, but he sensed that it wouldn’t be anytime soon.
“I’m so glad you were here this summer,” he said. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you did.”
“You did a lot for me, too. More than you know.”
He frowned when a strange expression flickered across her face. “What is it?”
The look was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “I don’t want to do anything to dampen your day. But as your oldest friend, can I give you just one piece of advice?”
“Of course.”
She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “I’d keep a close eye on my head wrangler if I were you.”
He scrunched his brows. “Tommy? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re a smart guy, Alec,” Shania said as she opened the door to her Jeep. “You’ll figure it out.”
*
It was well past Walter’s bedtime when they arrived back at the ranch. “How long were you planning this, son?” he asked as they entered the farmhouse.
“A couple of months. It was Dan’s idea, actually. I never would have come up with it on my own.”
Walter’s eyes were clouded as Alec lifted him from his wheelchair and positioned him on the bed. “You and Onyx were a joy to watch. You made me remember what it’s like to be out there.”
He smiled and took a seat beside him. “What was it like for you? When you were performing, I mean?”
His father mirrored his smile. “It was as if no one else was even there.”
“That’s what it’s like for me, too.”
Walter was silent for a moment. “You know your life is going to change, don’t you?”
Alec nodded. “I know that.”
“Don’t be surprised if the phone starts ringing first thing tomorrow. Owners are going to want you. Trainers are going to want you. Everyone is going to want to do what you can do, Alec. Just remember what I always told you.”
Indian Summer Page 28
