7. Colt
Chapter 7
Colt
“ C olt Gregory Dawson!” Caroline barked, standing next to my bed with her hands on her hips. “You stupid fuckin’ macho piece of shit! You could have died!”
Behind her I saw Eli glance at his mother. “You didn’t even flinch at that,” he said. “But you get mad when I say fuck?”
“Watch your mouth,” she hissed back. “And be quiet. Caroline is talking.”
“Are you even listenin’ to me, Colt?” Caroline barked again.
“Yeah, yeah…”
“Don’t you use that dismissive tone with me.” There was a tone of warning in her voice, like one wrong word meant she’d kill me herself. “I can’t believe you agreed to come down here and teach rodeo with a broken fuckin’ rib. Then, like the goddamn idiot you are, you got on that mechanical bull to show off for the kids and nearly killed yourself!”
“But they wanted to see?—”
“They wanted to see Colt fuckin’ Dawson, the best thing since sliced bread,” she mocked. “Shut up!”
I winced, both from the pain in my ribs and Caroline's harsh words. She wasn't wrong, though. I'd been stupid, reckless even. But that was my whole schtick, wasn't it? Colt Dawson, the daredevil, the showman. I couldn't let a little thing like a broken rib stop me from giving the kids what they wanted.
“Look, Caroline,” I started, trying to push myself up on my elbows. “I know I messed up, but?—”
“But nothin',” she cut me off, her braid whipping as she shook her head. “You're done for the day. Hell, you're done for the week. I'm not lettin' you near those kids again until you're healed up proper.”
I caught Eli's eye over Caroline's shoulder. He was leaning against the doorframe, looking smug as ever.
“Looks like the great Colt Dawson finally bit off more than he could chew,” Eli drawled, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Guess you're not as invincible as you thought, huh?”
I glared at him, biting back a retort. The last thing I needed was to give Caroline more ammunition. She was already fuming, her brown eyes blazing with a mix of anger and concern. Besides, I thought Eli and I had made some progress. But apparently seeing me get dressed down by Caroline brought him far more pleasure than I imagined.
“Don't you start, Eli,” Caroline snapped, not even turning to look at him. “You're not exactly innocent in all this. For all we know it was that punch you threw that fucked him up even more.”
Eli's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. “Hey, I didn't tell him to be an asshole until he deserved to get hit.”
I groaned, both from the pain and the situation. “Look Caroline, I’m sorry. But I have to work even if I’m hurt. That’s just how it is.”
“Well, you ain’t doin’ shit now,” she shot back. She turned around, her braid swinging violently. “Mrs. Daniels, I’ll pay you whatever you want to keep this boy in bed for the next two weeks.”
“Boy?!” I sputtered.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that, honey,” Mrs. Daniels replied. “I’ll do it for free.” She then turned to Eli, patting him on the shoulder. “Eli’s already volunteered to wait on him hand and foot to make sure he doesn’t have to move a muscle.”
“What?!” Eli and I exclaimed in unison, our eyes locking in mutual horror.
Caroline's stern expression cracked for a moment, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. “Well, ain't that just perfect? Looks like you two'll be spendin' some quality time together. Maybe the both of you can grow the hell up.”
I groaned, sinking back into the pillows. The last thing I needed was to be stuck in bed with Eli Daniels as my nursemaid. We may have made some progress lately, but spending days on end together? That was a recipe for disaster.
“Mom, you can't be serious,” Eli protested, his usual cool demeanor cracking. “I've got things to do, I can't just-”
“Oh, hush now,” Mrs. Daniels cut him off, her tone brooking no argument. “You've been moping around the house for days with nothin’ to do. We don’t need your help on the farm, and you need somethin’ constructive to do.”
I couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter at Eli's predicament, which quickly turned into a groan as pain shot through my ribs.
“Something funny, Colt?” Eli snapped, his eyes narrowing.
“Oh, nothing,” I said, trying to keep a straight face. “Just thinking about how much fun we're gonna have together. Maybe we can braid each other's hair and talk about our feelings.”
Eli's face flushed red with anger. “I swear to God, Colt, if you weren't already injured...”
“That's enough, both of you,” Mrs. Daniels interjected firmly. “Eli, go get some extra pillows and blankets from the linen closet. Colt needs to be comfortable.”
Eli looked like he wanted to argue, but one stern look from his mother had him trudging out of the room, muttering under his breath.
Caroline turned back to me, her expression softening just a fraction. “Look, Colt, I know you're tryin' to prove somethin' here. But you ain't gonna prove nothin' if you're dead. You hear me?”
I nodded, feeling a twinge of guilt. “Yeah, I hear you. I'm sorry, Caroline. I just... I didn't want to let anyone down.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “The only one you're lettin' down is yourself, you idiot. You can’t be a pro bull rider if you’re dead. Now get some rest. I'll be back to check on you tomorrow.”
As Caroline left, Mrs. Daniels stepped closer to the bed, her kind eyes filled with concern. “Is there anything you need, dear? Some water or some lunch?”
“Some water would be great, Mrs. Daniels,” I said, suddenly realizing how parched I was. “Thank you.”
She nodded and started toward the door. But she stopped halfway, turning back to me. “Can you try not to torture my son too much?” she asked, a grin on her face. “I know you two don’t see eye to eye, but that’s no reason to be so nasty to one another, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I nodded begrudgingly. “I’ll do my best.”
“Maybe you two can even figure this out and make up.”
“I doubt that very much. But thanks for tryin’.”
She just nodded, and bustled out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sighed, wincing at the sharp pain in my side. What a mess I'd gotten myself into. And now I was stuck in the last place I wanted to be with the last person I thought I’d ever see again.
The sound of footsteps approaching made me look up. Eli appeared in the doorway, arms full of blankets and pillows. His face was set in a scowl as he dumped everything unceremoniously on the foot of the bed. Even angry, he was still cute.
“There,” he said flatly. “Anything else you need, your highness?”
I couldn't help but smirk at his irritation. “Well, now that you mention it, I could use a foot rub.”
Eli's eyes narrowed dangerously. “Fine,” he said, reaching for my foot. “How many toes you want me to break?”
I quickly pulled my feet away, wincing at the pain the sudden movement caused. “Easy there, Eli. No need to get violent. I was just kidding.”
Eli rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “You're hilarious, Colt. A real comedian. Why don’t you stick to the bull riding instead of the jokes?”
We lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, neither of us quite sure what to say. The tension in the room was palpable, years of rivalry and unresolved issues hanging between us like a thick fog.
Finally, Eli spoke. “Look, I know this isn't ideal for either of us. But we're stuck with each other for now, so let's just... try to make the best of it, alright?”
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his attempt at civility. “Well, well. Is that actual maturity I hear from Eli Daniels?”
He scowled. “Don't push it, Colt. I'm trying here.”
I sighed, wincing as the movement jostled my ribs. Why did every tiny movement have to feel like getting stabbed? “Yeah, alright. I suppose we can call a truce. For now.”
Eli nodded curtly, then moved to adjust the pillows behind my back. His touch was surprisingly gentle as he helped me sit up straighter. I couldn’t help the shiver that ran down my spine when his hands connected with my skin. His touch was electric.
“Thanks,” I muttered, trying not to show how much the change in position hurt or how much I wanted to touch him back.
“Don't mention it,” Eli replied, his voice gruff. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, then said, “So, uh, what exactly have you been up to all these years? Besides the bull riding I guess.”
I chuckled, then immediately regretted it as pain shot through my ribs. “Not much besides the bull riding, to be honest. It's been my whole life.”
“I’m surprised some woman hasn’t wifed you up yet, seeing as your so famous and all.”
There was a moment of brief hesitation. I knew Eli was gay. I’d known that since he came out at fourteen. But he didn’t know about me. That part I’d kept secret. I’d never told another soul except Caroline. And even though my daddy knew, he was too ashamed to spread the rumor around town.
“No wife,” I said simply.
“Illegitimate kids?” he asked, cocking one eyebrow.
I let out a huff. “None of those either.”
Eli's eyebrows raised slightly at that. “Really? The great Colt Dawson, no wife and no kids? I find that hard to believe. You being so handsome and all,” he added sarcastically.
I shrugged, trying to keep my expression neutral. Something about the idea of him thinking I was handsome excited me. It made my stomach twist into little knots. I fought to keep that feeling to myself. “Believe what you want. The rodeo life doesn't leave much room for settling down.”
Eli studied me for a moment, his amber eyes searching my face. I felt suddenly exposed, like he could see right through me. “Huh,” he said finally. “I guess people can surprise you.”
There was something in his tone that made me uncomfortable. Like he was implying more than he was saying. I cleared my throat, wincing at the pain. “What about you? Left any broken hearts back in Dallas?”
Eli's face darkened at the mention of Dallas. “No,” he said shortly. “No one worth mentioning.”
An awkward silence fell between us.
I shifted uncomfortably, trying to find a position that didn't make my ribs scream in protest. “So, uh, what exactly happened in Dallas, anyway? You mentioned you lost your job, and it wasn’t your fault, but that was it.”
Eli's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and hurt. “I don’t want to talk about that. And frankly, it’s none of your damn business. I shouldn’t have said anything to you.”
“Hey, I didn't mean?—”
“No, you didn’t,” Eli scoffed. “Nobody gives a rat’s ass what happens to me anyway.”
“Your parents do.”
“My parents pity me,” he said, turning away from me. “I don’t need that from anyone.”
I watched Eli's back stiffen as he turned away, his words hanging heavy in the air. For a moment, I was tempted to let it go, to retreat back into our comfortable animosity. But something made me push further, made me want to try to connect with him on some level.
“Look, Eli,” I said, my voice softer than I intended. “I know we ain't exactly been friends, but... I do give a damn. Whatever happened in Dallas, it clearly messed you up. And I may be an asshole, but I'm not heartless.”
Eli's shoulders slumped slightly, but he didn't turn around. “You wouldn't understand,” he muttered.
“Try me,” I challenged. “I've got nothin’ but time right now, thanks to you and Caroline. And I’m not as much of a dumb cowboy as you might think.” I reached up, patting the side of my head. “My brain’s been rattled a few times, but it still works.”
He let out a humorless chuckle, finally turning to face me. His eyes were clouded with pain and frustration. “Fine. But anything I tell you is strictly secret. The government is involved in this one and I don’t want to go to prison.”
I settled in, excitement building in my chest despite my best efforts to remain neutral. Eli took a seat on the bed beside me, his body warm against my thigh. I couldn’t help tingling sensation at the point of contact, the one that sent little fireworks off in my chest. I didn’t know why I was reacting like that, or what it meant, but I figured if I just honed in on Eli’s story, maybe I’d forget about it.
“And don’t interrupt me,” he added, narrowing his eyes at me.
I grinned. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”