Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
LANDEN
The event being delayed would normally be a drag, but since we’re in the VIP Corral, that just means we have extra time to enjoy the free perks.
“Okay, just texted Ellie. She’s hangin’ in there,” Noah says, returning to her seat from grabbing more food.
“I dunno how she does this week after week. I’m a nervous wreck for her,” Wilder says, snatching something off Noah’s plate.
“Where the hell did you come from?” I ask, not even realizing he was here.
“It’s the adrenaline,” Fisher chimes in. “You get addicted to that feelin’ quite easily. The crowd cheerin’ you on, the smell of the arena, the high of winning. Ellie’s in her prime, too. I’d be surprised if she still gets nervous or just feeds off the excitement.”
Or Ellie’s really good at pretending she doesn’t and puts on a front.
“She’s definitely more of the junkie kind,” Noah confirms.
Wilder tries snagging another fry, and Noah smacks his hand. “What’re you two doin’ anyway?” she asks him.
“Waylon and I are makin’ rounds, scopin’ out the options for later.”
Noah balks and makes a face. “Gross. You two promised to work the lounge tonight.”
“We will!” He rolls his eyes, then grabs my beer.
“You can get your own, ya know?” I nod toward the VIP area.
“I know.” He grins smugly but walks away.
“That reminds me, Landen…” Noah looks at me with devious eyes. “You and Cecilia must be gettin’ serious already if she drove four hours here and back just to see you for one night.”
Fisher narrows his eyes. “That’s quick. Didn’t y’all just meet last weekend?”
“Didn’t you sleep with my sister the first night y’all met?” I scan my eyes around the arena. “In this exact place?”
Noah belly laughs when Fisher’s face turns red. “In fact, it is the three-year anniversary of our one-night stand. I told him we should recreate our first time. Wanna babysit Poppy for the night?”
When she waggles her brows, I mimic a gag reaction.
“Hard pass. And my relationship is none of your business.”
“I’m not judging, trust me. I like her. She’s pretty and seems nice. But I’m not sure why she’s interested in you, though.”
“Ouch!” I shove her shoulder, causing her to bump into Fisher. “Just for that, I’m not babysitting so y’all can’t get laid. Actually, I’ll crank my music to keep her up longer.”
Noah shoots me a death glare. “You wouldn’t dare. I know where you live.”
“Pfft. I know where you live, too.”
Our parents stop by with Mallory for a quick check-in. She pouts about not being allowed in the VIP area, but since she’s a minor, she can’t stay.
“In a few years, kiddo.” I grin. “And then you’ll be drivin’ us here.”
“Not me if you’re the one teachin’ her,” Noah teases.
“I’m gonna be a fabulous driver, thank you,” Mallory argues. “I’ve already memorized the student driver handbook for next semester.”
“If you can drive a four-wheeler and tractor like a pro, I have no doubt you’ll be fine with a truck,” I say.
“Thank you.” She nods firmly.
“Kiss ass,” Noah mutters to me.
The emcee finally announces that after dragging the arena and setting out the barrels, the event is ready to start with the junior division.
“I’m gonna grab a fresh beer and more snacks. Want anything?”
“See if you can find Magnolia and then scold her for being late,” Noah says.
Chuckling, I give her a mock salute. “I’ll get right on that.”
While I hang out in the VIP area, I grab my phone and text Cecilia to check she made it back safely.
Cecilia
Yeah, I’m home.
Landen
Glad to hear it. Can we talk when I get back?
Cecilia
Sure.
She’s pissed, and I understand why, but she’d be even more angry with me if I hadn’t told her the truth sooner.
By the time I return to the VIP section, I notice the barrels are more spaced out now.
“Is her division next?” I ask, standing behind Noah and Magnolia—who finally showed up. They’re right in front of the railing now with their ridiculous sign that reads Ride that horse like you stole him!
“Yep, she’ll be the second runner,” Noah says. “Get ready to scream your guts out.”
“Your brother will be rearranging my guts later, so I can’t do that,” Magnolia quips.
“Gross.” Noah laughs.
“You’re tellin’ me. I live above them.” I groan.
Magnolia pats his arm. “Oh, you poor baby.”
When the emcee announces Ellie’s name with her horse Ranger and mentions all her accolades in the pro rodeo, the crowd goes wild.
“Yes, Ellie!” Noah screams. “Go, go, go!”
Ellie smoothly rounds the first barrel and then quickly races to the next.
She looks beautiful as always in her pink cowboy hat and boots. Wavy, long blond hair flies around her neck as she twists around the second.
When Ranger rushes to the third, I get a better glimpse of her face. I notice her eyes are dazed and her cheeks are more flushed than usual. That could be from having to wait outside longer in this heat, but then I realize something’s off about her posture.
She should be sitting back with her arms stretched, but instead, she’s hunched as if she doesn’t have the strength to hold herself up.
As soon as Ranger makes the final turn, Ellie falls off him and smacks her head on the barrel before tumbling to the ground and then rolls until she ends up face-down in the dirt. I clutch Noah’s shoulder as an audible gasp echoes throughout the arena.
“Oh my God!” Noah sprints toward the exit to get down there, and I quickly follow.
My mind spins with a million questions about why she fell off in the first place. Based on how Ranger was turning, she shouldn’t have. Even on her worst training days, Ellie’s never fallen off like that.
The medical team rushes out while Noah and I run toward Ellie. We stay far back enough to give them room, but I keep my eyes on Ellie as one of the wranglers grabs Ranger and keeps him calm.
Noah quickly explains we’re Ellie’s trainers, and then they ask if she has any prior medical conditions or allergies.
“No, none,” Noah responds.
I can hardly breathe as I watch them check for a pulse and then place an oxygen mask over her face.
Memories of Talia’s lifeless body resurface and the anxiety of what-ifs and worst-case scenarios sits on my chest. The last time I felt a panic attack come on this quickly was when I attended Tucker’s funeral.
I still couldn’t believe he was gone when we’d just talked the night before he died.
A couple of the event’s sponsors rush over, trying to conceal Ellie’s body from the crowd.
“The ambulance is out front. Is she gonna be okay?” one of them asks.
One of the benefits of a larger pro rodeo event is they have their medical support team and ambulances on standby, so there’s no waiting to get her to a hospital.
“By the look of her pupils, shallow breathing, and hypotension, I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a seizure. Won’t know for certain until we get her to the hospital.”
My heart stops and it’s at this moment I know why I can’t kiss another woman.
Because it only beats for Ellie.
I think it has since the moment I met her.
“A seizure? Holy shit,” Noah blurts out.
Moments later, they put Ellie on a stretcher and carefully move her out of the arena. Before I follow, I grab Ellie’s pink cowboy hat that flew off because I know she’ll want it when she’s conscious.
Once I’m outside with Noah, we watch as they put her into the back of the ambulance and drive away.
“She’s gonna be okay,” Noah mutters, clinging to my arm as if she needs to say the words aloud for them to be true.
But I’ve never been more scared in my life.
Hospital waiting rooms are the bane of my existence.
It’s cold, too damn quiet that it’s eerie, and the receptionist never knows when the doctor will come out to talk to you.
Noah and I have been pacing for two hours. Some of the others nearby have been giving me dirty looks, but I can’t just sit and do nothing.
She called Ellie’s parents and they’re on their way now, but it makes me question why they weren’t here in the first place. Her dad normally travels with her, but she never said why they wouldn’t be there this weekend.
Finally, after another hour, one of the doctors approaches us.
He tells us she regained consciousness earlier, but they’re keeping her overnight for observation since she showed signs of an epileptic episode and also has a concussion.
Since we aren’t immediate family, he can’t answer any medical questions or tell us anything more without her present.
“Is she alert?” I ask.
“Somewhat. She was experiencing some discomfort, so we gave her some pain meds before the CT scan, which made her quite drowsy.”
Noah frowns. “Can we see her?”
He nods and then leads us through the doors. Nervously, I scrub my sweaty palms down my jeans and then lift my baseball cap to run my fingers through the strands. As soon as I walk into her room, my heart shatters all over again.
The makeup she wore earlier has faded and too much blood has drained from her cheeks, making her look like a ghost. A large bandage covers one side of her head and she’s connected to a blood pressure cuff that’s currently squeezing her arm.
Seconds later, the numbers appear on the monitor and it seems to have gone up some since the last time it took a reading.
A nurse who’s adjusting her blankets greets us, and when our eyes meet, she offers a tender smile.
“I’ll give y’all some privacy, but you can press the call button if she needs anything.”
“Thank you,” Noah says, standing beside Ellie and then taking her hand.
Once the nurse leaves, I stand on the opposite side and stare at Ellie. I’ve never seen her so peaceful before and it almost feels intrusive to see her this vulnerable.
Even if she hates me, I’ll always think she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
“What’re you thinkin’?” Noah asks after ten minutes of silence.
I sigh, exhaling deeply. “Wonderin’ what her first insult to me will be when she realizes I’m in here.”
She chuckles softly. “Probably call you out for starin’ at her like that…”