Chapter Twenty-Five
The poor Nash family had been bouncing around the country all summer, but luckily, Gurthie, Oklahoma, was only a little over four hours away from Amarillo, Texas.
Lucky me.
I had my mom’s text messages open on my lap, debating whether to text her now or drag out my nerves as long as possible.
“So, are you ready to tell me where you became the world’s greatest horseback rider?”
I turned my phone off, deciding to drag out the inevitable. I leaned on the middle console, smiling at him. “That’s a long, boring story,” I lied.
Colton was sitting comfortably in the driver’s seat, chewing on his fifth piece of jerky in four minutes. His hat was in the back, sitting on my suitcase, and his hair was wild. “I don’t believe it for a second.” He held out the jerky packet.
I shook my head. “That’s your choice,” I said teasingly.
“You’re as stubborn as a Texan,” he said in the same tone.
“How’s the NFR qualifying numbers lookin’?” I said in my Texas accent without thinking.
If Colton noticed, he didn’t say anything. He took a deep breath, threatening to snap the pearl snaps on his baby-blue shirt, unintentionally matching my tank top. “It’s good…it’s good,” he assured himself. “I swear my thumb is gettin’ sore from refreshing the screen all the time.”
“I bet that’s mentally draining.” I switched back to the Chicago Allegra voice.
“It can be,” he admitted. “I got really close last year, and it was devastatin’. Right before qualifying rounds, I got a crap horse.” He leaned back in his seat, thinking back on the memory. “She jumped out of the gate too early, and her feet slammed on the dirt.” He glanced at me.
I didn’t say anything, wanting to hear it all from his perspective, and not wanting to give away how much I actually knew about this.
“That’s a heartbreakin’ moment; it’s an immediate no score. I was screwed after that, so I knew this would be the year. I wanted to have a cushion, even if I got a no-score. I needed a perfect ride every time.”
“And you’ve done just that.”
“Definitely not,” he laughed.
I leaned on the console, resting my hand on my chin. “Mr. Nash, a wise cowboy once told me that you need to accept the compliments you’re given.”
He grinned back at me, his smile almost as big as his dad’s. “Is that right? He sounds incredibly handsome and successful!”
I laughed. “He is! In fact, he’s probably the most attractive cowboy that I have ever met.”
“That’s not fair, Chicago,” he teased.
“You forget you’re talking to a Texas-born cowgirl!” I pointed to the sign.
Welcome to Texas! Drive friendly-the Texas way.
My heart sank to my shoes as we entered the Lone Star State.
What was waiting for me in my hometown?
~~~
It was late afternoon by the time we rolled into Amarillo. The giant horizon of gorgeous pinks and oranges stretched for miles.
My dad used to joke that if one of the cows got out, we could watch him run away for days and catch up when we wanted. Amarillo was seriously the flattest place I’d ever seen.
My stomach was doing flip-flops. I hadn’t been there since my high-school graduation day. Every street was bringing back vivid memories I’d worked so hard to put away. I hated it.
“So, where does your mom live? Does she know we made it?” Colton asked innocently.
I cleared my throat, forcing myself to tear my eyes away from the window. “Uh, we can make a plan to see her tomorrow. She’s…probably…uh…she’s out tonight.”
Wow, smooth, Allegra. Why are you in marketing? You’d clearly make an excellent lawyer!
“I’ll ask her…we’ll text…I’ll make a plan with her to see her tomorrow,” I stuttered my way through another awkward sentence.
“Are you okay?” Colton asked, his dark eyebrows knitted together in concern. “You’re sweatin’ bullets.”
Just what a girl wants to hear. “Oh yeah! I just…” It’s okay, Allegra, you can be a little honest. I sighed, wiping the “sweat bullets” off my forehead. “I honestly haven’t been back here since high school, and it’s freaking me out!”
He reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it. “I’m sorry,” he said simply. “Honestly, you’re still a mystery to me, Ally, and I’m really excited to get to know you better this weekend.”
Oh, be careful what you wish for, Colton.
I forced my smile to be normal. “These are my stomping grounds, so between the fans and paparazzi, you might not have the time,” I joked, using sarcasm to hide my anxiety.
“Right,” he went along with my joke. “That’s true. I’ll have to set an appointment to take you on a date.”
“You wanna take me on a date?” I said, my heart fluttering.
“Well, I don’t think the horse ride with the kids that almost ended in an E.R. trip is as romantic as I’d like to be with you, Ally.”
I felt heat rush to my cheeks. “So what did you have in mind?” I probed, simply happy the subject was off my childhood.
He pretended to think hard. “Well, these are your stomping grounds, Miss Ford.”
“Depends what you’re in the mood for,” I shrugged. “There’s a ton to do here, with incredible food everywhere, of course. We’re in Texas. There are some clubs, lots of outdoor things to do, um, what else….” I trailed off.
Colton pulled the truck into a Buc-ee’s gas station, even though we were nowhere near empty. “Hang on, I asked you out, I shouldn’t make you decide.” He grabbed his phone off the dashboard. “Give me a second, and I’ll make a plan!”
Ding
Allegra, I just got your email about not needing a plane out of Oklahoma. Call me.
Crap. “Um, I’m just gonna make a work call real quick if that’s alright,” I said, popping the truck door open.
Colton barely glanced up. “Oh yeah! Go ahead! I’ll have our date planned by the time you get back.”
I climbed out of the truck, my legs feeling like jello. I stretched. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been in a car that long. I didn’t know how the Nash family did it all the time.
Speaking of which…
I spun around, looking for the rest of the convoy. They were nowhere to be found. I popped the truck door open. “Colton, did we lose your family?”
He nodded, leaning back against the driver’s side window. “They’re gonna go get the camp set up and get the horses out.”
“Oh, good!” I shut the door again.
The popular gas station was packed with people, a classic tourist destination with its superstore interior and stupidly good food.
I held the phone to my ear and wandered around the truck, warm from the long drive. “Craig!” I said in surprise as he picked up on the first ring.
“Allegra, what is going on?” he asked, his voice stern. “Is this your way of telling me you quit, because if so-”
“Oh no, sir! Definitely not!”
“Then what is it?” He demanded.
I should have clarified in my email, but I had written it so hastily while waiting for the rodeo to start the night Ellie sang. “Sir, I apologize. I should have given you more details. I, um, I’m…”
Now what?
My mind jumped back to the email I had sent him after I broke up with Harrison, and he threatened to call Mr. Sterling.
“Harrison got it in his mind that Colton Nash, the bareback bronc rider, and I had formed a relationship without his knowledge. I want to specify that Colton Nash and I are not in a relationship, nor have we been anything other than professional.”
Now what do I tell him?
Turns out he’s a really good kisser, and now I’m riding cross-country with his family, so I can kiss him more!
“What is it, Miss Ford?”
A huge family ran past me to get to the goodies inside the Walmart-sized gas station.
I took a breath, remembering who I was and why I had this job.
“Sir, I would like to apologize. After getting to know Dennis Nash and his family, they invited me to stay at their ranch in Oklahoma for the rodeo. They’ve been more than generous to me.
To be honest, sir, they invited me to complete the circuit with their family, so I wouldn’t spend the rest of the tour alone. ”
Was that enough?
Was I fired?
Mr. Sterling was quiet on the other end for a full minute, making me sweat. “Oh,” was all he said.
“I apologize, sir. If I’ve overstepped any lines, I-”
“No, Allegra, you haven’t overstepped any lines, I’m just surprised you’d want to do this,” he said with a small chuckle. “You won’t even use the fridge in the breakroom.”
I glanced at Colton, who had pulled out a notebook and was scribbling something down. “Believe me, sir, no one is more surprised than I am.”
“You took my advice well, Miss Ford.”
“Thank you, sir,” I let out a breath that was making my chest hurt. “I promise I won’t let this interfere with my work.”
“I know it won’t. Have a good time in Texas.”
“Thank you, you too,” I said as I hung up, cringing immediately. I smoothed my hair, which was already starting to frizz in the humid air. “Sorry about that,” I said as I climbed in.
“No worries!” Colton said happily, tucking his notebook in his lap. “How’d it go?”
“Really well.”
“Good! So my family got a great spot so we can go freshen up, and then I’m taking you on a proper Texas date, cowgirl.”
~~~
Colton refused to tell me where he was taking me. He wanted it to feel like a proper first date, including the picking-up part.
So I was sitting in the horse trailer?s living quarters.
My gosh, once again, I was blown away.
It was like a luxury camper in the back of the already massive trailer. Clean as a whistle and as modern as my apartment in the city, it was blowing my mind.
I had changed out of my sweaty tank top and was now in my favorite dress.
A pale pink dress that swung around my knees as I walked. My hair was loose and curled, something that had become more common since I’d started this tour. I hoped I wasn’t overdressed as I pictured Colton in a t-shirt.
A loud knock on the door, which I had been expecting, brought me to my feet. I tipped my head upside-down and fluffed the blonde curls, trying to get as much volume in them as possible.
I opened the door.
Colton was standing at the bottom of the steps.
My heart stopped. He looked amazing.
I had only seen him about an hour ago, and yet, he took my breath away.
He was wearing a light green shirt, which made his eyes as bright as I’d ever seen them.
He had shaved again, getting rid of the little stubble he had.
His chestnut hair was combed under a clean straw cowboy hat.
He had his usual Wranglers on, naturally, but had added a shiny silver belt buckle with a cowboy on a bucking horse.
And he was holding a bundle of pale pink roses. He broke out in a grin when he saw me, his cheeks turning as red as a cherry. “Ally, man almighty, you look amazing.”
I took my time walking down the camper steps in my small heels. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
He handed me the flowers that matched my dress perfectly. “I swear I didn’t peek at your suitcase,” he promised as he ran his fingers over the fabric. “Man, Ally, I can’t find a color that doesn’t look incredible on you.”
I felt my own cheeks turn red hot. I thought about deflecting his comment, making another dumb joke, but his words, urging me to accept compliments, came right back. “Thank you.”
“Shall we?” He asked, turning so that I could accept his outstretched hand.
I slid my hand, creamy with vanilla lotion, into his rough, calloused palm. The electric shock was back as soon as we touched. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he whispered. He opened the truck door for me and helped me step inside.
“Where’s your family?” I asked as soon as he climbed into the driver’s seat. When we had made it to the camp, which was an incredible campground, surrounded by pastures for the horses, there was no one to be seen. By the time I was ready, I still hadn’t seen anyone.
“They got the horses settled and then went to dinner,” he explained, backing out of the campground. “I think they’re relieved I have plans tonight.” He reached for my hand and squeezed it.
We drove into the heart of Amarillo, making my stomach turn. I prayed it would settle before we ate dinner.
Every cowboy hat, every man with midnight black hair, looked exactly like my dad. It was killing me.
Colton pulled his loud red truck in front of an all-too-familiar restaurant.
Oh no.
I peered up at the sign.
The Western Horseman Club.
I knew exactly where we were and why we were here.
Colton was opening my door before I realized he had gotten out of his seat. “Are you ready?” He asked, a smile so wide on his face that his eyes were crinkling.
I slid my hand into his again and nodded.
He didn’t ask if I knew this place, which I was grateful for. We walked inside, the atmosphere practically knocking the wind out of me.
A huge open floor, surrounded by wood railings, a live band on a small stage made my heart thump with the rhythm, a long bar with cowhide felt below the seats, it was all exactly what I remembered.
Colton was practically giddy as he watched the group of cowboys and girls all step in line.
We were here to dance.