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  SHOWDOWN

  A Novel by

  Amy Elizabeth

  ASPEN EYES SERIES

  Cut and Run

  Indian Summer

  Showdown

  Also by Amy Elizabeth:

  Dead Heat

  Singled Out (Breaking Pointe #1)

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  SHOWDOWN

  Copyright © 2014 by Amy Elizabeth

  All rights reserved.

  Dedication

  To my wonderful team of editors…you know who you are.

  And to my incredibly understanding husband, who endures countless weeks of neglect, unshaved legs, and frozen dinners for the sake of my writing…

  Prologue

  Beneath the light of a waxing crescent moon, the spring snow glowed silver against the night sky. Alec’s stomach clenched as he drove past the sign that read Welcome to Wyoming and began the steep ascent up Teton Pass. He paused briefly at the summit to study the spread of Jackson Hole before he turned his gaze northward.

  He couldn’t see the ranch from here…but he knew it was there. He’d never been away from it for this long.

  Alec pulled onto the highway again and guided his truck down the winding switchback turns of the pass. It was just after eleven when he reached the valley floor; it was approaching midnight when he passed beneath the wooden archway that read Flying W Ranch. He saw Rebecca’s truck parked in the driveway, but all the lights were off inside the farmhouse. Just as he shifted into park and killed the engine, a cloud drifted in front of the moon, plunging the landscape into darkness.

  An omen, perhaps?

  He wasn’t sure. Not that he believed in omens, anyway, but that didn’t stop the gnawing sensation in his stomach as he stepped outside.

  He’d just been gone for four days without explanation. He’d had plenty of time to think about how he was going to explain his absence, but he was no closer to an answer now than he’d been this morning. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, there was a very real possibility that nothing he said would matter, anyway.

  He mentally prepared himself for whatever was about to happen as he stepped onto the porch. He placed his hand on the doorknob and started to turn it, but something made him pause.

  This is it, he realized. The second he set foot through this door, his entire life was going to change.

  And there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.

  Chapter 1

  Three Months Earlier

  A cloud of red dust swirled behind Alec’s rental car as he turned off the main road onto the unpaved driveway. All around him, massive saguaro cacti towered against the cloudless turquoise sky, casting long shadows with their spiky, upturned arms.

  It looked like a faceoff, Alec decided, as if the centuries-old giants were frozen on either side of an imaginary battle line. Despite the fact that it was early January, the outside temperature was seventy-two degrees–a perfectly normal winter day in the desert of Arizona.

  Soon the white-washed stables of Sunrise Arabians came into view, looking just as majestic as it had on the farm’s website. The ranches in Scottsdale were known for importing and breeding some of the world’s finest Arabian horses, and this one was no exception. Although Alec was more familiar with the western stock breeds–Quarter horses, Paints, and Appaloosas–that hadn’t deterred him from accepting the owner’s generous offer to fly down and look at his newest stallion.

  When Alec pulled into the parking lot, a stately man wearing a silver Stetson hat was there to greet him. “Mr. Westin?”

  “Alec,” he said, simultaneously closing the car door and shaking the man’s hand.

  “Jonathan Davis. Did you have any trouble finding us?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Good. And I trust your accommodations are adequate?”

  Adequate would have been the understatement of the year. After being flown first-class to Phoenix, Alec spent last night in one of Scottsdale’s premier resorts, complete with a spa, a golf course, and a five-star restaurant.

  “It’s wonderful, thank you,” Alec said, turning his gaze to the stables. “Quite a set-up you’ve got here.”

  “We do what we can,” Jonathan replied, motioning for him to follow. “Have you worked with many Arabians before?”

  “I haven’t. Although I’m told they’re one of the most intelligent breeds.”

  “Too intelligent, if you ask me.”

  Jonathan opened the barn door, and Alec had to stifle a laugh when a blast of icy air-conditioning hit his face. Granted, they were in the middle of the desert, but still…these horses lived in an air-conditioned barn.

  He’d now officially seen everything.

  “So I know I told you a little bit about Al-Ashab over the phone,” Jonathan said as they strode down the aisle. “And I’m afraid his behavior hasn’t changed. He arrived from Dubai nearly six weeks ago and is still as destructive as the day he got here.”

  Alec’s eyes widened when they reached the empty stall. Every piece of wood had been torn to bits, either kicked into splinters or chewed in half.

  “I’ve had similar issues with new stallions before,” Jonathan continued. “But I’ve never seen anything like this. When we turned him out in one of the stud pens, he demolished half of the fencing within an hour. I’ve had him in our largest paddock for two weeks now because it’s the only area he’ll tolerate. It’s ten acres and that seems to be enough to pacify him, but he can’t stay out there indefinitely.”

  “Understandable,” Alec replied, thoughtfully studying the teeth marks on the wood. “Was he kept indoors in Dubai?”

  “In a palace fit for a king. I purchased him from one of the wealthiest sheikhs in the country. He’s used to being indoors, so I don’t understand why he’s having such a hard time with the transition. I’ve had half a dozen vets examine him and they’ve ruled out every possible physical cause. Whatever his issue is, it’s going on entirely inside his head. Hence the reason I called you.”

  Alec nodded. “Like I told you, I can’t make any promises.”

  “And I understand that,” Jonathan said, resting an elbow on the stall door. “You know, I attended one of your father’s seminars over twenty years ago. I’m sure you hear this all the time, but you look just like him. I hear he recently passed away.”

  His throat tightened. “About four months ago.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Alec thanked him with another nod, as the last thing he felt like doing was talking about his father. Jonathan seemed to realize that and graciously changed the subject.

  “Well, let’s introduce you to Al-Ashab.”

  They exited the barn into the blinding Arizona sunshine. Alec followed a step behind as Jonathan led him to the nearest paddock gate. There wasn’t a single blade of grass in the paddock; only a sweeping spread of rock and cactus and sagebrush. Though stark, the landscape was surprisingly beautiful.

  “He likes to hang out all the way in the back,” Jonathan said as he unlatched the gate. “Would you like me to take you out there?”

  He shook his head. “If it’s alright with you, I’d prefer to go alone.”

  Alec shielded his eyes from the sun as he trekked across the paddock, searching for the lone horse that resided there. When he reached the crest of a small hill, the sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks.

  Al-Ashab looked like a silver statue, his dappled coat glistening in the morning sun. He stood motionless beside the fence, more closely resembling a caricature of a horse than an actual horse. Every feature of the stallion seemed exa
ggerated, from his wavy gray mane that flowed past his shoulder to the lean, angular lines of his neck and hindquarters. The horse flicked an ear in Alec’s direction as he approached, but otherwise he remained perfectly still, gazing at the barren land beyond the fence.

  Alec stopped about ten feet away to study the stallion’s profile. His face carried the distinctive dished shape of the breed, and the tips of his ears curved gracefully inward above his forelock. Al-Ashab turned to Alec and stared back at him, but there was nothing aggressive about his stance.

  In fact, there was nothing aggressive about the horse at all. It was hard for Alec to believe that this was the same animal who’d torn his stall apart, but one look in the stallion’s eyes told him that his destructive behavior had nothing to do with discomfort or fear.

  “You don’t belong here, do you?”

  Normally he didn’t speak aloud when he was trying to hook in with a horse, but he sensed that the stallion would respond to his voice. Sure enough, Al-Ashab took a small step closer and stretched out his neck, tentatively dropping his nose into Alec’s hand.

  “I know what it’s like,” he continued quietly. “To want to be somewhere else. It makes you angry. It makes you do things you wouldn’t normally do. Sometimes it even makes you hurt the people around you.”

  Al-Ashab lifted his nose and closed the space between them, resting his head on Alec’s shoulder. Alec couldn’t help but smile as he smoothed a hand down the stallion’s mane.

  “Don’t worry. I’m still trying to figure it out, too.”

  He closed his eyes and continued to stroke the stallion’s neck, losing all track of time and place. When Alec sensed that the horse was ready, he touched the star between the stallion’s eyes and stood that way for a long moment before he turned and started back across the paddock. Al-Ashab ambled peacefully alongside him, exhaling warm breaths against Alec’s arm.

  Jonathan was waiting for them beside the gate. “Do you want a halter?”

  Alec shook his head. “I don’t need one.”

  Jonathan looked skeptical but said nothing as he opened the gate. The stallion followed Alec through the courtyard, but when they approached the barn Alec felt the horse’s reluctance. He stopped in his tracks and so did Al-Ashab, and Alec waited for several minutes until the horse lowered his head and let out a quiet sigh. Then he opened the door to the barn and started down the aisle, with Al-Ashab walking beside him. They entered the stall together and Alec paused, watching the stallion pace a slow circle and settle in the back corner.

  Alec turned to Jonathan, whose face had appeared over the stall door. “He’ll be alright now,” he said, giving the horse’s neck a pat. “He shouldn’t give you any more trouble.”

  Jonathan shook his head in wonderment. “You’re a miracle worker. How on earth did you do that?”

  He gave a modest shrug. “Let’s just say I know how he feels.”

  *

  “Excuse me, miss?”

  Rebecca Westin squinted at the man standing above her. “Yes?”

  “Would you care for another cocktail?”

  She turned her gaze to her empty glass. “Yes, please. Thank you.”

  As the server scurried away, Rebecca gave a contented sigh and replaced her sunglasses over her eyes. She was sprawled out on a lounge chair by the hotel pool, relishing the feel of the hot desert sun. It was hard for her to believe that any place could be so warm in the dead of winter, but she wasn’t about to complain.

  Back home it was probably twenty below zero.

  The pool server returned a moment later, wordlessly setting her new drink on the table. Rebecca sat up and took a long, slow sip, watching the palm fronds sway above her head. Then she settled back in her chair and closed her eyes, trying to recall the last time she’d felt so relaxed.

  She didn’t know how long she’d dozed when she awoke to the feel of a fingertip gliding over her foot. She tried and failed to hide her smile as the hand made a slow journey up her shin, around her knee, and across the top of her thigh.

  “That tickles,” she whispered.

  “I know.”

  Rebecca opened her eyes as her husband sat beside her. “You’re back.”

  Alec nodded. “I’m finished.”

  “Already?” She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest. “How’d it go?”

  Rebecca listened with rapt attention as he described the success he’d had with Al-Ashab. “So does that mean we have to go home tonight?” she asked.

  “How does tomorrow morning sound?”

  “Fantastic,” she replied, already leaning back in her chair. “Why don’t you change and come join me?”

  He smoothed his hand down her arm. “You should probably get out of the sun. You’re starting to burn.”

  “Am I?” Sure enough, when she peeled back a corner of her bikini, the surrounding skin was bright red in contrast. “I don’t want to go in yet. It’s so nice out here.”

  “It is,” he agreed, leaning in to kiss the top of her shoulder. “But I’m sure we can find something to do back in the room.”

  Rebecca gave no objection when he stood and pulled her to her feet. Even if it was only a brief getaway, she was so glad that they were here. The past four or five months had been…well, they’d been hell. For both of them, really, but especially for Alec.

  When they arrived at their room, Rebecca headed for the bathroom to rinse the chlorine from her skin. She was in the middle of shampooing her hair when the shower door swung open and her husband appeared.

  “Room for two?” he asked.

  She mirrored his smile. “Always.”

  All thoughts of washing her hair went right out the window when Alec backed her against the cool tile and pressed his lips to hers. Eagerly she returned his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, inviting him to touch her anywhere he desired. Their passionate tryst soon moved from the shower to the bed, where they spent the remainder of the afternoon. Eventually Alec wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, and she drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  Some time later she awoke to a warm breeze on her face and the sound of the curtains ruffling near the balcony door. “Have a good nap?” Alec whispered.

  “I did,” she said, turning over to face him. “Did you sleep, too?”

  He nodded. “What do you want to do for dinner?”

  “Can we order room service again?”

  Alec chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Of course we can.”

  After perusing the menu, Alec picked up the phone to place their order. Half an hour later there was a knock on their door, and Rebecca settled back to admire the view as he stood and slid on his jeans to answer it.

  They shared a decadent dinner in bed, listening to the crickets chirp as the sky faded from fiery orange to lavender twilight. They didn’t turn on the television or the stereo, nor did they check their cell phones for missed calls. As far as Rebecca was concerned, the rest of the world didn’t exist until tomorrow.

  Alec, on the other hand, grew steadily quieter as the night progressed. By the time they’d finished dessert, his usual pensive frown was right back on his face.

  “Hey,” she said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. “We’re still here.”

  He smiled, but she could tell it was forced. “I just wish we didn’t have to go back tomorrow.”

  Rebecca nodded in understanding. As much as she loved their home, part of her wished that they didn’t have to return, either.

  She already knew exactly what would happen when they did.

  Chapter 2

  The days surrounding Walter’s funeral were the most challenging days of Rebecca’s life.

  As she expected, Alec was inconsolable. Every night she’d wake up alone and tiptoe down the stairs to find him in his father’s room, staring blankly at the walls. Some mornings she could tell that he’d been crying, although he’d never actually cry in front of her.

  It didn’t surprise her, though. Her husban
d was a very private man, so it only made sense that he would grieve privately, as well.

  Despite the need to mourn their loss, they still had a six-thousand-acre ranch to attend to. Tommy had always been a valued friend and employee, but in the weeks following the funeral he was worth his weight in gold. Alec had neither the will nor the strength to leave the farmhouse, while Rebecca was torn between her desire to support him and their obligation to the business.

  Every morning she dutifully showed up in the barn, and every morning Tommy sent her right back up the hill. “I’ve got it, Bec,” he’d assure her. “Alec needs you right now.”

  Truth be told, Rebecca couldn’t cry in front of Alec, either. It wasn’t that she was embarrassed; she just felt the need to be strong for him. She’d hold him when he needed to be held and she’d give him his space when he needed to be alone, and she did all of it with a smile on her face. Then she’d go for a walk or take Star for a ride, where she’d privately shed a few tears of her own.

  After all, Alec wasn’t the only one grieving right now. Walter was the closest thing she’d ever had to a father, and it still pained her to come downstairs and realize that he wasn’t there. His humble presence had exerted such a calming, stabilizing influence on both of them.

  Now that he was gone, it seemed that neither of them could regain their equilibrium.

  As October faded into November, Alec finally started to emerge from his grief. It startled Rebecca when he appeared in the kitchen one morning, clean-shaven and fully dressed for the first time since the funeral.

  “Did you and Tommy finish vaccinating the horses?” he asked.

  Rebecca hadn’t even known that he’d spoken to Tommy in recent weeks. “Not yet. We were hoping to today.”

  “Take the day off,” he said, filling his Thermos with the remaining coffee. “I’ll go down and help him.”

  She wondered if he was mentally up to the task, but she didn’t dare broach the topic. And if she was surprised by his sudden return to work, she was doubly surprised the following week when he handed her a letter.