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  Alec was already in bed when Rebecca emerged from the bathroom and slid under the covers to join him. “Oh,” she said as she reached out to switch off the lamp. “You know what else happened yesterday?”

  No response. She glanced over at Alec, only to realize that he was sound asleep.

  With a shake of her head, she kissed his shoulder and settled against her pillow. Alec had warned her four years earlier that life on the ranch was a vicious cycle of hard work, and he was right. It never slowed down, and it never stopped. He didn’t know it, but there were nights when she cried herself to sleep because of the incessant demands on their time and energy.

  Then she’d wake up beside this incredible man–the man who’d nearly given his life for her, the man who loved and needed her as much as she loved and needed him–and she’d remember the reason she was here in the first place.

  At the end of the day, there was no one she’d rather share life’s challenges with than Alec Westin.

  Chapter 2

  Rebecca awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming across her face. She frowned in confusion and lifted her head, startled to see that it was nearly nine o’clock. She should have been up hours ago!

  Just when she started to sit up, Alec appeared in the doorway. “Hey,” he greeted.

  She gave a sleepy smile as he crossed the room and leaned over to kiss her. She could tell he’d been outside, because his lips and the tip of his nose felt refreshingly cool against hers. It was all she could do not to grab his collar and pull him into bed.

  “You let me sleep in,” she said when he drew back.

  Alec nodded. “I figured you needed it.”

  “I must have,” she replied, stretching her arms over her head. “Did you leave me anything to do?”

  “Nope. Tommy and I got it all done.” He turned and headed for the bathroom, peeling off his layers along the way. “You wouldn’t believe the ice in the back paddocks. We could open our own skating rink.”

  She giggled and settled back against her pillows, unabashedly watching him undress. It was good that she wasn’t the jealous type, because her husband could stop any woman in her tracks. Alec’s body was perfectly toned from a lifetime of physical work, and his dark hair was still thick and not yet touched with gray. In fact, if he were ever to accompany her to Laramie, he could easily pass for a college student himself.

  The only feature that betrayed his age was the crowd of worry lines at the corners of his eyes.

  Alec pulled his shirt over his head, bringing her fantasy right back to reality. She still had to force herself not to grimace whenever she saw the permanent reminder of her first summer on the ranch. The scar on his back was barely visible now, but the skin on his chest still looked as if it had been slashed apart with a hacksaw.

  The damaged artery had healed–that was the most important thing–but he’d never regained the strength in his dominant shoulder. Although he rarely complained, she knew the injury bothered him more than he’d ever admit.

  Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Rebecca kicked off the duvet and shuffled toward the bathroom. “I think I’ll take Star for a quick ride. Do you want to come?”

  “I can’t,” he called from the shower. “I have a meeting with Greg this morning.”

  “Oh, that’s right.” She pulled her hair into a ponytail and reached for her toothbrush. “Do you want me to go with you?”

  “Nah. Take the day off, Bec. You’ve more than earned it.”

  Rebecca wasn’t about to argue. She dressed in her warmest layers and galloped down the steps, eager to sneak in some time with her horse before heading into town to meet Allison. She entered the living room and smiled at the sight of her father-in-law sitting near the television.

  “Morning, Pop,” she said, leaning over to kiss his forehead. “Missed you last night.”

  “I missed you, too,” Walter replied. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stay up to see you. I was very tired yesterday.”

  “And how about today?”

  “I feel much better.”

  “Good. Did Alec make you breakfast yet?”

  “He did. But it wasn’t French toast.”

  Rebecca couldn’t help but mirror his grin. In all the time she’d lived with them, the only thing Walter had ever asked her for was French toast.

  “I think I can whip up a slice for you,” she said, giving a conspiring little wink. “You want me to put on The Price is Right, too?”

  “Thank you kindly, my dear,” he said as she picked up the remote.

  She passed Lucy in the hallway as she was carrying a basketful of sheets into the laundry room. “Morning, Rebecca. How were your clinicals?”

  Rebecca was only a few months away from obtaining her Master’s degree in psychology. Although a PhD was her ultimate goal, it probably wouldn’t happen anytime soon. Their resources could only spread so far, and as long as Walter was alive, his care took precedence over any personal ambitions that Rebecca or Alec might have had. It was something they’d discussed and agreed upon long before she became a member of their family.

  She briefly described her week to Lucy before she continued into the kitchen. Soon she had a griddle full of French toast sizzling on the stovetop, filling the farmhouse with the sweet scent of cinnamon. She made a couple extra slices, knowing that Alec would swoop in and steal a piece on his way out the door.

  Sure enough, just as she was pulling the final slice from the pan, a strong pair of arms enveloped her waist. “I love when you smell like maple syrup,” Alec whispered in her ear.

  Rebecca shivered when he planted a warm kiss on the side of her neck. “I love when you do that.”

  If their hectic schedules left them little time to talk, it left them even less time for intimacy. Most days they had to be content with brief stolen moments like this. The problem was that these ‘moments’–as sweet as they were–literally left her aching for more.

  Alec must have been thinking the same thing, because there was a mischievous glint in his gray eyes as he turned her to face him and gently backed her against the counter top. Rebecca was all too happy to oblige when he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers in a warm, lingering kiss.

  “I didn’t mean to fall asleep last night,” he said.

  She smiled up at him and slid her hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “You’re only forgiven if you make it up to me later.”

  Alec mirrored her grin and leaned in to kiss her again. “You know I will,” he promised, reaching behind her to snatch a couple slices of French toast. “Just one piece for my father,” he added as he turned for the foyer. “Dr. Calder’s still concerned about his blood sugar.”

  It took her brain a moment to shift gears. “I remember,” she assured him.

  Rebecca watched through the window until his truck vanished down the driveway; then she retrieved the remaining French toast and headed for the living room. “I think this is a new episode,” Walter said as she settled onto the couch.

  She couldn’t help but smile as she began cutting his breakfast into bite-sized pieces. He’d never directly ask her to sit and watch the show with him, but she didn’t miss his subtle hint that he wanted her company this morning. She glanced at the grandfather clock and decided that riding Star would have to wait for another day.

  After all, some things were simply more important.

  *

  Alec pulled his truck into the parking lot of Teton County Accounting Services, thankful that he no longer dreaded his visits here. Why Greg never dropped him from his client list was beyond him; the two had shared heated words more than once over the years. Now, though, since Alec had achieved a measure of financial stability, he had no qualms about meeting with his accountant.

  Not that Alec didn’t have to worry about money. The costs of his father’s medical care could probably sustain a small country. Coupled with the business loan, salaries for his staff, and maintaining the livestock, Alec had a constant, ghastly su
m of money flowing out of his bank account.

  The good news was that he finally had enough money flowing in to balance the equation.

  He had two people to thank for that–his wife and his sister-in-law.

  Streetwise and smart-mouthed, Rebecca possessed enough life experience for someone twice her age. Alec learned that during her first summer on the ranch, when she mediated a dispute between him and his estranged mother over the sale of a piece of property. The lump sum was more than enough to pull him out of debt and provide some much-needed upgrades in his father’s care.

  If Rebecca hadn’t had the guts to do what she did, he would have lost the entire ranch and would have had no choice but to place his father in a nursing home.

  Then there was Allison. For years, Alec knew her only as one of his summertime employees. It wasn’t until after she married Jeff that he realized her incredible business savvy. One day, Allison came over and spent hours pouring out ideas for ways to expand the Flying W’s revenue. Her biggest proposal was opening the ranch to guests for a reduced-rate shoulder season–four weeks before Memorial Day and four weeks after Labor Day.

  Alec was skeptical at first, but he went ahead and advertised it the following year. To his astonishment, those eight weeks booked up faster than the summer did. Yes, it meant a longer season, but the extra income far outweighed the extra work. The first year alone grossed enough to cover Rebecca’s remaining tuition at the University of Wyoming. The surplus from last year went into an actual savings account, something he’d never had in all the years he managed the ranch.

  Soon Rebecca and Allison began to toss out other ideas, too. He’d never considered the female perspective before, and he had to admit that they had phenomenal insight into what guests wanted in a dude ranch holiday.

  They suggested building a sundeck, a swimming pool, and a hot tub in the empty field behind the guest cabins. They suggested a whole host of additional activities for their guests to choose from, including day trips to Yellowstone Park and fly-fishing in the Snake River. They suggested a campfire cookout on Friday nights and live music every Saturday night. They even suggested attaching a lounge to the main lodge, complete with a pool table, dance floor, and a full bar.

  Alec implemented every single one of their ideas. And the more perks they advertised, the more families reserved their summer vacations on the Flying W. In fact, last year they had to turn guests away because they were fully booked for the twenty-three-week season. Last autumn, Alec had six additional guest cabins built in hopes that the trend would continue.

  It had. It was only February, and already reservations were rolling in for the upcoming summer.

  It was a success story he never could have imagined nearly a decade earlier, standing in a hospital room staring at his father’s ashen face. He was twenty-four years old when Walter suffered his crippling fall and thrust their entire future onto Alec’s inexperienced shoulders. True, he knew horses, but he had no earthly idea how to run a business, let alone expand it from a humble cattle ranch into a luxury guest resort.

  Everything he tried was nothing more than a hope and a prayer, and any success he experienced was sheer dumb luck. It was only a matter of time before that luck ran out, and it almost did…

  Until Rebecca entered his life.

  The last thing he was looking for that summer was love. He’d long ago accepted the fact that the path he’d chosen was going to be a lonely one. But all the logical arguments in the world didn’t stand a chance against what was happening between them.

  To put it mildly, Rebecca blindsided him. Yes, she was a beautiful woman, but it was far more than her appearance that drew him to her. He saw in her every quality that he wanted–every quality that he lacked–and all of a sudden his cold, monotonous life was transformed by her warmth and fortitude.

  How could he ever thank her for everything she’d given him? He couldn’t. And he never would have imagined that she’d choose this life–a life of labor and sacrifice–over everything the world had to offer her. He never would have dreamed that she’d choose him.

  But she did.

  It was a favor he could never fully repay…although that didn’t mean he would ever stop trying.

  Chapter 3

  Rebecca shrugged off her coat as she stepped into the foyer of the lively Italian bistro. She spotted Allison sitting in the corner booth and headed in that direction, beaming when she saw her niece sleeping quietly in her car seat. Stacey was bundled up beneath a fluffy blanket covered with purple unicorns, leaving only her tiny pink face exposed.

  “She is too precious,” Rebecca declared as she knelt to examine her. “I hate to say it, but she still looks exactly like Jeff.”

  Her sister-in-law laughed. “It’s a tragedy, isn’t it?”

  Rebecca chuckled, too, as she slid into the opposite side of the booth. “You look great, Alli. Even better than you did last week.”

  “Thanks. I’m finally starting to feel better.”

  Stacey’s arrival into the world had been anything but smooth. Allison went into labor nearly a month before her due date, and as if that wasn’t enough of a crisis, her blood pressure spiked and she had to be rushed into an emergency Caesarean. To everyone’s relief, Stacey was born perfectly healthy, and Allison’s vitals quickly stabilized after the surgery.

  “So how’s the wonderful world of motherhood?” Rebecca asked.

  With precision timing, Allison yawned. “It’s a world with no sleep, but it’s still wonderful.”

  When their beverages arrived, Rebecca lifted her glass in a toast. “To our wilder days.”

  “Before we became old married women,” her friend chimed in, merrily clinking her glass against hers. “How’ve you been, Bec? It feels like we haven’t talked in ages.”

  “I know.” She took a minute to gather her thoughts. “Things are good. Insanely busy, but good.”

  “Have you guys found a new wrangler yet?”

  Rebecca shook her head. Allison had been their lead female wrangler for years–even last summer, through the first trimester of her pregnancy. She was the picture-perfect cowgirl with her narrow hips and sun-streaked hair, and her bubbly charm made her an instant sensation with their guests. In fact, they’d received more than one comment card that listed Allison as the highlight of their stay.

  While Rebecca knew that her friend was thrilled with her new role as a mother, she also knew that she was devastated to give up the position she loved so much.

  “Look, Jeff’s not teaching this summer,” Allison said. “There’s no reason that he can’t watch Stacey a few days a week.”

  “And we appreciate that, Alli. Truly, we do. But Alec and Tommy and I have already talked about it, and we all agree that Stacey comes first.”

  “And she does. I just love being out there.”

  Rebecca laughed. “Well, we’re not going anywhere, you know. It’s not like you can’t still come out whenever you want. Besides, poor Twister’s looked awfully neglected lately.”

  Allison groaned at the mention of her horse. “I know! I can’t believe I haven’t been riding since last summer.” She leaned forward eagerly. “Promise me, Bec, the second the doctor clears me, we’re going for a full-day ride.”

  “Done.” She paused and lifted her glass. “I could use a nice long ride myself.”

  Her friend smirked. “I bet you could.”

  Rebecca nearly choked on her drink. “Allison!” she screeched, reaching across the table to give her a playful shove. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

  Allison was doubled over in hysterics. Rebecca groaned and shook her head, feeling a hot flush spread across her face. “Although,” she added in a low voice, “now that you mention it…I could use that kind, too.”

  “Oh, please.” Her sister-in-law regained her composure and sat up. “With the way you two look at each other? You probably do it ten times a day.”

  She stifled a laugh. “You’re joking, right?”

  All
ison’s eyes twinkled. “I sure would if I was married to Alec.”

  Rebecca responded with a roll of her eyes. In Allison’s teenaged years she’d harbored a massive crush on Alec, and to this day she had no problem admitting it.

  “Believe me, Alli, the reason we look at each other so much is because most days that’s all we get.”

  “How tragically disappointing.”

  She nodded and rested her chin on her hands. “It’s not like we don’t want to, but our schedules take so much out of us. Most of the time, we’re just too tired.”

  Rebecca was startled when her friend stifled a laugh. “What’s so funny?”

  “It’s not that,” Allison assured her. “I’m just thinking how sad it is that I’m getting more action than you.”

  “Well, please feel free to spare me the details.”

  “Come on, Bec! Who else do I have to talk to about this kind of stuff?” She let out a loud sigh. “It’s not my fault he’s your brother. Can’t you, like…disown him or something?”

  Rebecca gave her a quizzical stare before they erupted in a fresh round of laughter. The diners seated at a nearby table craned their heads around to see what the commotion was about, which only made them laugh harder. Only when their server delivered their meals did they finally manage to compose themselves.

  “Oh, man,” Allison said as she unrolled her silverware. “Do you think the guys ever have as much fun as we do?”

  Rebecca shook her head. “Not a chance.”

  *

  As usual, Alec and Rebecca barely saw each other for the rest of that week. She had two research papers due on Friday, so after breakfast she’d lock herself in the office and wouldn’t emerge until late in the evening.

  Alec had plenty on his own agenda, as well. On Monday he spent all day at the cardiologist’s office for his father’s routine check-up. Tuesday was Lucy’s day off, so he took over her usual tasks around the farmhouse.