25. Eli
Chapter 25
Eli
T he next morning was a tough one waking up in my room alone. My sheets still smelled like Colt, and he’d filled my dreams all night long. By the time I got out of bed I was missing him so badly that I could barely think. And knowing he was just a few miles away made my heart ache even worse. If only I could just talk to him…
I dragged myself through my morning routine, my mind constantly drifting back to Colt's strong arms and gentle touch. The coffee maker gurgled, but even the rich aroma couldn't lift my spirits. I found myself staring out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of his truck rumbling down the dusty road.
As I sipped my coffee, my phone buzzed. My heart leapt, but it was just a random notification on social media. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. How had I fallen so hard, so fast?
I knew I needed to focus on work, but all I could think about was finding an excuse to see Colt again. Maybe I could swing by the arena, casually mention I needed help with something... No, that was too obvious. Besides, he’d made it pretty clear he didn’t want to see me right now.
The clock ticked slowly as I tried to busy myself with chores. But every few minutes, I found myself glancing at my phone, willing it to ring. The silence was deafening.
Frustrated with my own lack of focus, I decided to head out to the barn. Maybe some physical labor would help clear my head. Besides, Dad wasn’t here to care for the new calves and they were probably hungry. As I stepped outside, the Texas sun beat down mercilessly, reminding me of Colt's sun-kissed skin.
I was halfway to the barn when I heard the distant rumble of an engine. My heart skipped a beat as I thought I recognized the sound of Colt's truck. Before I could think better of it, I was jogging towards the road, my boots kicking up dust.
The pickup came into view, and the moment I saw it, I knew it wasn’t his. It was Caroline’s. However, I could see she wasn’t alone. There was a man in the passenger seat, one I didn’t recognize.
As Caroline’s truck pulled up, I couldn’t help but be surprised. She’d already stopped by the day before and apologized for threatening me. As far as I knew, we were good. Could Colt have changed his mind, and he wanted to see me already? My heart skipped a beat at the thought. But who was this other guy?
Caroline stopped just a few feet away, hopping out of her truck. That cool confident air she usually had was replaced with panic. I’d never seen her this worked up before.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, anxiety twisting my stomach. “What happened? Is Colt alright?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. We got up this morning to go check on him and he was gone. His truck, his stuff, all of it.”
“Gone?” I asked. “Gone where?”
“I saw him leave yesterday,” the man said, stepping up beside Caroline. “It was later in the afternoon while you were gone, Caroline. I didn’t think anything of it, but he tore out of the driveway like a bat out of hell.”
I stared at the man, still not sure who he was. He was all sharp angles, dark hair, and blue eyes. I might’ve even called him handsome if I wasn’t so worried about Colt.
“Eli, this is our investor,” Caroline said, gesturing to the man. “He lives on the ranch.”
“Dustin Corvus,” he nodded, holding out his hand.
I didn’t take it. “Did Colt ever come back? Has anyone tried to call him?”
Caroline shook her head, her usual brash demeanor softening with concern. “We've been callin' him all mornin'. Straight to voicemail every time. It ain't like Colt to just up and vanish without tellin' nobody. Especially me.”
I felt my stomach drop. This wasn't like Colt at all. Despite his wild streak, he was always responsible when it came to work. “Did he say anything to either of you before he left?”
Dustin shifted uncomfortably, his blue eyes darting between Caroline and me. “He seemed... upset. Muttered something about needing to clear his head before he left the house.”
My mind raced. All of this was my fault. Clearly, he was far more upset than any of us realized. But why would he just run off like that? Caroline was right, if he didn’t say goodbye to her, something was really wrong.
Caroline must have sensed my rising panic because she placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “We’re gonna find him Eli,” she said. “Don’t you worry about that.”
“But where? And how?” I balked. “There’s nothing but dirt roads from here to Amarillo. Even with a thousand people it would take us weeks to search everywhere he could’ve gone in twelve hours.”
Caroline's eyes narrowed, her jaw set with determination. “We ain't gonna search everywhere. We're gonna think like Colt.” She turned to Dustin. “You said he was upset, right? What exactly did he say?”
Dustin furrowed his brow, thinking hard. “He said... he said he needed to 'face his demons.' That's it. Then he just took off.”
My heart sank. I knew exactly what Colt meant by that. “The rodeo,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “He's gone back to the rodeo.”
Caroline's eyes widened with realization. “Of course. I completely forgot…” She turned to me, her expression suddenly apologetic. “There's a big event in Houston this weekend. He got a letter about it a few days ago. They asked him to be a featured rider. He said he wasn’t gonna do it, but that was before…” She trailed off, but we all knew what she meant. Before we fought.
“But that's suicide!” I exclaimed, my heart pounding. “His ribs are still broken! The doctor said if he took another fall, it could mean a punctured lung. And after his last accident… he might… he could…”
Caroline put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’re not gonna let anything happen to him,” she said firmly. “But we’ll need to go get him before he does anythin’ stupid.”
“We need to leave now,” I said, my voice shaking. “Houston's a ten-hour drive. If we hurry, we might catch him before he does anything reckless.”
Caroline nodded, her face set with determination. “I'll drive. My truck's faster than yours.”
“I'm coming too,” Dustin said, surprising us both. When we turned to look at him, he shrugged. “I may not know Colt well, but I’m one of his biggest fans. I’ve heard how much of a showoff he is. If he won’t listen to you two, maybe he’ll listen to me.”
I felt a rush of gratitude towards this quiet stranger. “Thank you,” I managed to say.
“Alright, let's move,” Caroline barked, already heading back to her truck. “Eli, grab whatever you need. We're leaving in five.”
As I sprinted back to the house, my mind was racing. What if we didn't make it in time? What if Colt had already signed up for the event? I shoved a few clothes into a duffel bag, barely paying attention to what I was grabbing.
I made a quick pit stop in the living room to tell Mom what I was doing. She told me to go without asking any questions. She’d been on the farm alone before and she knew who to call for help to keep the place running.
Within minutes, I was back outside and climbing into Caroline's truck. Dustin was already in the back seat, looking slightly uncomfortable but determined. Caroline gunned the engine as soon as I closed the door.
“Hold on tight, boys,” she drawled, peeling out onto the dirt road. “We're gonna make this drive in record time.”
As we sped down the highway, the Texas landscape blurring past us, I couldn't help but think about how I'd ended up here. Just a couple weeks ago, I was miserable about being back in Sagebrush. Now, I was racing across the state to save the man I was in love with. The man who, just two days ago, I'd been tangled up with out on the prairie under the stars.
The miles flew by as Caroline pushed her truck to its limits. We barely spoke, each lost in our own thoughts. I kept checking my phone, hoping for some sign from Colt, but there was nothing. I tried calling him as well, but like the others had said, there was no answer, it just went straight to voicemail.
As we barreled down the highway, the silence in the truck was deafening. I couldn't stop fidgeting, my mind conjuring up worst-case scenarios. What if we were too late? What if Colt had already gotten himself hurt?
“You okay over there?” Caroline's eyes met mine for a moment. Her usual intensity was tempered with concern.
I nodded, not trusting my voice. Dustin, sitting behind me, gave me a sympathetic look in the rearview mirror.
“He'll be alright,” Dustin said softly. “Colt's tough. He wouldn't do anything stupid.”
I wanted to believe him, but I knew better. Colt was reckless when he was upset, and right now, he was probably feeling cornered and desperate. Both Caroline and I knew just how stupid Colt could be in situations like that. He had little concern for his own well-being even at the best of times. But right now, he could be purposefully looking for danger.
The miles flew by, punctuated only by brief stops for gas and bathroom breaks. Caroline drove like a woman possessed, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. As we entered the outskirts of Houston, the night was already in full swing, the lights of the city twinkling through the windshield.
“Where do we start?” I asked, my voice hoarse from hours of tense silence.
Caroline's grip tightened on the steering wheel. “The rodeo grounds. If he's here, that's where he'll be.” She glanced over at me. “But right now we’re gonna find a place to stay for the night.”
“What?! No! We need to find him now!”
“Eli,” she replied sternly. “I’ve been driving for damn near nine hours. We’re all exhausted and hungry and we ain’t gonna find Colt in the middle of the night wandering around Houston.”
“But what if he…” I couldn’t bring myself to finish my sentence.
“The rodeo isn’t until Friday,” she said. “It’s Wednesday now. We’ll have all day tomorrow to find him. Between the three of us, I’m sure we can figure it out.”
As we navigated through the bustling city streets, my anxiety reached a fever pitch. What if we were too late? What if Colt had already done something reckless?
We pulled into the parking lot of a small hotel. Caroline parked the truck, and we all stumbled out, stretching our stiff limbs. The night air was thick with humidity, so different from the dry heat of Sagebrush. I could barely focus as we checked in, my mind still racing with worry about Colt.
Once in our room, I collapsed onto one of the beds, exhaustion finally catching up with me. Caroline ordered food, and we all sat to wait for it. But every thought I had was bent on Colt. I kept seeing his face in my mind’s eye, imagining he was hurt or worse.
“Try not to worry,” Caroline said, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. “We'll start fresh in the morning.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I hoped she was right, that there was still time to find him. Because if I knew Colt Dawson like I thought I did, we couldn’t afford to make a mistake. Not if I wanted to see him whole and alive again.