Chapter Eleven
I didn’t want to stay in Florida a second longer. I texted my company to request an early flight to Utah, and packed as fast as I could. I called Billy, got her her own flight plan, and told her I’d meet her at the hotel on Thursday before the rodeo.
On the plane, I worked on a report of my second rodeo.
I wrote more than I should, diving into the details to distract my wandering thoughts.
I talked about the new script for the announcer and how more people had reacted.
I wrote about the meeting I had with the board, and although it wasn’t as enthusiastic as I’d hoped, we made progress.
At the next rodeo, all the riders would be wearing Agri-Corp vests, and there would be a booth right outside the arena with equipment. We were also going to sell shirts and hats, and have a big giveaway.
With all this announced on their social media, the videos of Jimmy and Colton, and high-quality photos of the board, they had gained over five hundred followers.
Mr. Sterling had sent ten emails, talking about the great work I was doing and providing pointers on how to move forward.
Grunt assignment, Harrison? I think not.
I mentally high-fived myself.
The plane landed in a town called St. George, and it was about an hour drive to the little town where the next rodeo would be held.
Arizona was a heat death trap, and I had practically drowned in Florida’s humidity, but this place was nice. It was late summer, and the weather couldn’t have been better.
The drive out of the city was gorgeous. With towering red rocks, a stunning canyon covered with green trees, and a ton of signs offering hikes. I had a few extra days in town, so I might as well try one.
The happy feeling filled my heart again.
The driver took me to a tiny town called Parowan. It didn’t have a single stoplight, had one hotel, and the smallest market I’d ever seen. It was adorable.
The only hotel seemed brand new and oddly out of place for how small the town was.
I thanked my driver and took my bags inside.
I checked in under my company name and got my key card.
The room, with one queen bed, a very nice bathroom, and a balcony that overlooked the town, was perfect. It was all I could ask for.
I peeled off the top comforter and collapsed on the bed, laughing slightly as it bounced me.
A landscape picture hung above the bed and caught my attention. I squinted to read the plaque below it.
Cedar Breaks
It was the most beautiful photo I had ever seen.
I pulled out my phone and searched the internet.
It turned out it was only twenty-five minutes away.
Though I was tempted to call a car to take me up there, it was already after five.
I had a few days to myself, and the travel exhaustion was starting to catch up to me.
I freshened up in the bathroom and changed my clothes before calling a car. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror before I left the room.
I was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a half-buttoned-up shirt, something more casual than I had worn in years. My hair was braided out of my face from the flight, and I hadn’t bothered to straighten or curl it.
I looked different, but a good different?
Perhaps.
I climbed into the car and asked the driver to take me to the cafe I had seen on Main Street.
Harrison texted as soon as I clicked my seatbelt into place.
You never texted when you landed. Am I assuming you’re still alive?
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I typed back, Still alive. Come to the rodeo Monday night, and we can go to dinner afterwards.
I still hadn’t decided what I was going to say or what my choice was going to be. But I had a few days to myself to figure all that out.
For the first time in years, I didn’t have a plan.
Did I like this feeling, or did it scare me?
I wasn’t sure yet.
The driver let me out right outside the cafe and waved as he drove off. I walked in, not sure what I was expecting.
It was tiny. A counter with stools, six tables, a bathroom, and a kitchen. It was the smallest restaurant I had ever seen.
I laughed to myself and took a seat.
It was not crowded, though, with the number of tables it had; I wasn’t sure it could ever be considered crowded. There was a young family with rowdy kids, a few blue-collar workers covered in grease or dirt–I wasn’t sure which–and a few cowboys sitting at the counter.
The waitress set a laminated menu in front of me. “Hi, darlin’. What drink can I get for you?”
I ignored the usual response I had planned and asked for a soda. She said she’d be right back with that and to take my order.
When she brought my soda back, I resisted the urge to ask for a small salad. “Which burger do you recommend?” I asked.
She leaned beside me, smelling like cheap floral perfume. “My favorite is the Wrangler Burger, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.”
“That’s great, thank you.”
“Fries on the side?”
No, Allegra, you’ll be fat if you eat all that! My mother’s voice was echoing in my head, but I nodded, and she took the menu.
I wasn’t sure where all this impulsiveness and desire to try new things was coming from, but it was fun.
Ping
Do I have to go to the rodeo?
The feeling diminished as I read Harrison’s text, giving me some clarity, but I refused to let it ruin my entire mood.
Yes.
Fine. See you Saturday.
I put my phone on silent and leaned back.
I knew what I wanted to do.
I knew what my decision would be.
~~~
It was finally Saturday night. It had been the longest and most relaxing week of my entire life.
I had arrived on Monday evening, explored the town on Tuesday, worked from sunup to sundown on Wednesday, and went hiking on Thursday.
Though I didn’t go as soon as I wanted, I made it to the famous Cedar Breaks. It was as breathtaking as the landscape portrayed it to be.
I wore my running clothes, not sure how strenuous the hikes would be. It was not cold, but had a hint of a chill that could only be found at 10,000 feet. The air was thin; it was incredible how out of breath I felt walking up the small inclines.
It was a canyon red rock amphitheater surrounded by pine trees and wildflowers.
There were multiple overlook points, and I stopped at every one, taking way too many pictures.
I vowed to hang one in my house. I also promised myself that from there on out, I was going to explore the towns and tourist attractions at every city I had to visit.
Why not? I had the time, and if this is what I found with a five-second search, imagine what else I could find.
I spent more time than most people did, enjoying every second of the crisp, fresh air.
If I could bottle up the feeling and spray myself every morning, life would seem a lot less complicated.
I was hesitant to call a car to take me back to the hotel, but I had to get to the arena early to unbox the riders’ vests.
I had dragged reluctant Thompson and Mickey to help me hand them out. Dennis Nash and his family hadn’t made it yet; they would be there just in time for the Saturday rodeo. I tried not to be disappointed. Dennis was the only one on the board who was enthusiastic about anything I did.
The riders were excited to get new gear. Usually, they had to buy their own, but Agri-Corp had used its own money to do this. They were extremely grateful, telling us how much they loved and appreciated them.
Billy met me at the hotel to go over the plan and stood on a milk crate filming the whole thing. She gave me a big thumbs up when I glanced at her. A few of the cowboys agreed to be interviewed about the vests, and we spent hours with them.
The crowd arrived, the rodeo started, and we were still behind the chutes talking to them all. As we did, I watched the rodeo queen and princesses ride their horses around the arena. I took a few notes between interviews.
The rodeo was as fun as the others, the clown was perfectly funny, and the contestants put on a great show. But for some reason, something felt like it was missing.
After the show, Billy and I went to a pizza place and got dinner together.
We finally had a moment to get to know each other properly.
Though it didn’t take long.
In a single breath, she said, “Well, I’m twenty.
I’m a film student, obviously. I hate olives.
I have a boyfriend who is the most dreamy man that’s ever lived.
I have an older brother who has the cutest baby that’s ever been born.
I love the color yellow, and one day I will have a yellow house.
My mom is an artist, and my dad is a plumber.
I got my mom’s creativity, duh. Right now, I have six roommates, who are the best. I am the biggest film buff there ever was.
I hate TV shows, though. Weird, I know. I am saving up for a new computer, because I bought mine used a few years ago. And that about sums it up!”
She was the product of a happy home with two loving parents and a bright future ahead of her. I loved being around her so much; she made me want to see the world as bright and happy as she did.
The next day, I worked on piecing together the footage Billy had taken. Then, during the rodeo, I helped Thompson and Mickey set up and run the booth.
The town had fairgrounds right outside from the arena, where a few miles of booths and food trucks were set up. I had reserved the biggest spot for Agri-Corp a week ago, and it had paid off.
They were both grumpy about having to be outside the arena during the rodeo, but after a few men walked up to ask about equipment, they jumped right in. I even saw Mickey laugh, and Thompson was practically pulling people wandering around to his booth.
All in all, I was glad we had done it.
And finally, it was Saturday.