Chapter Forty-Five
I couldn’t believe this office was mine.
The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the heart of Chicago, the massive marble desk, the two white couches with a coffee table separating them, the bookshelves, all of it was mine.
Okay, Mr. Sterling had yet to move most of his books and some decorations out, but technically speaking, this office was mine.
I peeked at the framed picture of Craig and his wife sitting on the desk and smiled. I wondered which picture of Colton and me I could frame.
I would even want a picture of the entire Nash family to give me the warm fuzzies in the middle of a busy workday.
I glanced at my phone for the fourteenth time that day–still nothing from Colton.
He had kissed me for hours last night in bed.
It felt like heaven to be pressed against him, in my own wildly expensive mattress, with my first day as a director starting tomorrow.
I had everything I could ever dream of. Colton was safe, I had the promotion I had been working for my entire professional life, and I had a family who deeply cared for me.
Dennis had sent me an email an hour ago, a long, long email with the subject line:
Everything I remember about the greatest rodeo cowboy in the game: Clay Ford
I was dying to read it. I know I didn’t leave on the greatest note with Dennis, still a little sour that he never told me he knew my dad, but this was his olive branch to mend my betrayed heart, and I appreciated it greatly.
I mean, I had a mother who would’ve preferred I died with my dad. I was very willing to forgive Dennis for trying to protect me.
I hoped he knew that. I needed to call him.
I had just gotten back from a meeting with my graphic designers and Billy.
Yes, Billy had made her way all the way to Chicago.
Her work was genuine, just what we needed to continue the authenticity of this project. She was going to be our number one photographer for the Agri-Corp logo at the NFR. I even gave her clearance to hire two more photographers to help her capture the whole night.
We were one of the top sponsors of the National Finals Rodeo, and I was willing to throw a little money around.
The graphic designers were hard at work making banners, t-shirts, more vests, you name it.
Early that morning, I had sent an email to Dennis, Mickey, and Thompson, keeping them updated and asking if they’d like any changes.
Mickey responded with a selfie of himself giving a thumbs up.
Dennis replied with eight smiley faces and twelve exclamation marks.
Thompson replied, “Do your job. Call if there are problems.”
So I think they were generally happy with our progress thus far.
“The ‘Legacy’ campaign isn’t just about tractors,” I said, tapping my pen against the glass.
I felt the weight of my new title, Director Ford, like a shield.
“It’s about the people who can’t afford for those tractors to break down,” I said to my team sitting on the lush couches with clipboards and laptops.
“Sarah, I want a full breakdown of the Southern circuit demographics by Friday. We’re not guessing anymore. We’re executing.”
She nodded and took a few notes.
I felt invincible. Between the “Director” nameplate on my desk and the flight confirmation for Oklahoma sitting in my inbox, I finally felt like I had mastered the impossible balance.
“Any questions before we wrap up for the day?” It was half past five. I had worked my teams to death, asking them to come early, work through lunch, and stay a little late.
It was my first day, and I’m sure my team already hated me.
They all shook their heads, not so subtly looking toward the clock.
“Great, thank y’all so much!” I said, surprising all of us as my natural Texas accent fell out of my mouth before I could stop it. “Um, yeah. See you tomorrow at eight?”
They got up and left before I could ask them to do any more work today.
I barely had a second to breathe in the empty office before I heard a faint knocking.
“Hey, boss!”
I spun in the chair to face Martha. “Hi!”
She collapsed on the couch. “How’d your first day go?”
I was still grinning, my cheeks aching from how perfect my day was. “It was amazing.”
She reached into her bag and pulled out something fluffy. I tilted my head and watched her.
It was a throw pillow. She puffed it a few times and placed it beside her on the cushion.
I got up from my desk to read the tiny words embroidered on the yellow pillow.
“You’re not truly enjoying your life until the joy is so big it completely crowds out the worry.”
My arms were around Martha, practically squeezing the life out of her as I hugged her. It was from our last conversation before I left for the rodeo circuit. She had told me to go out and find what makes me happy.
I had done exactly that and fallen in love in the process.
“Allegra,” she choked out, “I can’t breathe!”
I let her go, wiping happy tears away from my heavy makeup. “Thank you,” I whimpered.
“Get your bag, we’re going out to celebrate your first day as my boss!” She ordered, never one to take a compliment.
I’d have to implement Colton’s advice with her one day.
“I’m not technically your boss,” I said as I grabbed my bag off the hook.
~~~
I let Martha choose where we were going out tonight, because she had excellent taste I knew I could always trust.
She chose my favorite rooftop bar.
I was on cloud nine.
Thirteen floors above the city, drinking something incredibly fruity and stuffing fries in my face.
“Last time I saw you eat anything other than a salad was when I made chicken noodle soup when you had the stomach flu!” Martha commented, pointing with her massive burger.
I wiped ketchup off my face, covering the napkin in my nude makeup. “You were right, Martha, I’m a changed woman.”
She took an enormous bite. “Remind me to thank Colton for reintroducing you to fried foods. That kid brings out the happiest Allegra I’ve ever seen.”
I felt my chest fill with pride at that comment.
Colton did bring out the best in me. Gosh, I missed him. I had literally not been more than a few feet away from him for the past few weeks, and now that he was out in the middle of nowhere, without service, it was making me anxious to see him again–or even hear his voice for a few minutes.
Martha and I chatted casually about our next work projects, her kids, and what they were doing with their lives, and of course, how the past few weeks in the country were.
“I’m glad you brought that cute kid back to Chicago,” Martha said on her third round as we talked about Billy’s incredible eye. “She’s gonna be great for the team.”
I finished my first drink and smiled as the bartender set a fresh refill in front of me. “Oh yeah, she’s hilarious and insanely talented. I wish I had her when I was on that landscaping business project.”
“Yes! I would love to see what she could come up with for my National Parks assignment I have coming up.”
“If it starts after the NFR, she’s all yours.”
“Dan, turn the T.V. up!” Someone shouted. “You guys gotta see this guy, he’s wild!”
Martha looked over her shoulder at the big group of guys huddled around a high-top table. The table was covered with empty beer glasses, and the waitress was on her way toward them with another round. “Bachelor party?”
I surveyed the crowd. “Oh yeah. They’re hitting the clubs after this!”
“That’s a pregame?”
“That’s definitely a pregame.”
The bartender complied with their request and turned the T.V.s up way too loud.
I glanced at the T.V, playing the rodeo channel, which was incredibly odd for a bar in the middle of Chicago.
The camera panned to the chutes. The sky behind the arena was a bruised, terrifying purple, illuminated by jagged veins of lightning. A thunderstorm was screaming across the plains.
It was a tiny arena, smaller than any of the shows I had been to. Some county fair or something, but with that storm brewing, I was sure it wouldn’t be going on much longer.
The camera zoomed in on the horse in the chute, and I felt like cold water had been dumped down my spine.
“Marty?” I whispered.
Martha looked at me. “What?”
“Oh no. Please no.”
The camera panned up slowly.
“WE’RE LUCKY TO HAVE THE NUMBER ONE BAREBACK COWBOY IN THE WORLD WITH US TONIGHT!”
Sitting on the horse that was already losing his mind as the thunder rolled, dressed in his light blue pearl snap, was Colton.
I stood up so quickly my new drink tipped over. “No…he’s fishing.”
He wasn’t wearing his safety vest. He wasn’t wearing a neck brace. He wasn’t even wearing gloves.
He didn’t look like the “number one bareback cowboy;” he looked like a man possessed by a hungry demon.
“Allegra?”
The noise was fading out. My vision was going dark around the edges. “Colton, no. Oh, please no.”
He gave the nod right as lightning flashed.
“COLTON NAAAASH!”
Marty didn’t buck like a professional rodeo horse; he panicked. Thunder cracked across the audio, and rain started pelting the dirt.
The horse freaked out and started running.
Colton was still hanging on with one hand, trying to look like the cowboy who had shattered records in Sioux Falls. His body was whipping around. Rain had drenched his hair and soaked through his shirt.
Martha had finally looked up to see what had suddenly sucked the life out of me. She gasped loudly and covered her mouth with her hand.
Lightning cracked again, and the horse lost its mind. He took off, running so fast around the arena. Colton had no choice but to grab onto the rigging with both hands.
I was shaking so hard I could barely stand.
Marty bucked and kicked. Colton was starting to slip off his wet back. The horse slammed Colton’s body into the fence, but still he hung on.
Two more times, the stupid horse rammed Colton into the arena fence.
The pickup men were racing after him.
My fingertips were tingling. I had stopped breathing.
The dirt was now a mix of puddles and slick mud as rain was gushing from the sky.
Lightning cracked again, and the horse threw himself up. Marty lost his footing, and like it was all happening in slow motion, the horse went over backward. He collapsed on top of Colton.
The screen went to a blur of mud and rain.
The announcer was yelling something I couldn’t understand.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.
My legs gave out, and I felt my body hit the floor with a thud.
~~~
“Allegra! Can you hear me?”
“Should I call an ambulance?”
“Let’s get her some water!”
I was on the cold floor. My vision was hazy, sounds muffled, and my head was killing me. “Did he get up?” I mumbled.
Oh gosh. Tell me he got up.
“Sweetie, can you hear me?” Martha asked again.
I squeezed my eyes together tightly and took some deep breaths. I had to force my senses to work again, for my body to comply with my brain.
Finally, the bar came back into focus, and I could make out the face hovering over me.
Martha was an inch above me, her gray curls tickling my nose. “Are you okay? Should I call an ambulance?”
I forced myself to sit up. I needed to see the screen. I had to see Colton.
The whole bar was silent, all eyes on me and my drama.
The bartender was kneeling beside me, holding a glass of water.
I looked up at the T.V.s
The screen was black.
“I need my phone,” I commanded Martha, my voice so shaky I could barely get the words out.
“Allegra-”
“I need my phone!” I wailed.
She reached onto the countertop and handed me my phone.
I had to wipe my sweaty hands on my dress twice until I could finally use my phone properly. My trembling fingers clicked on Jo’s contact, and I held the phone up to my ear.
It rang and rang and rang. Every noise felt like a hammer beating against my skull.
Martha was sitting on the floor by me now, her long nails running up and down my back.
“Pick up,” I muttered, my voice cracking. “Jo, please pick up.”
The line clicked, but I wasn’t greeted with a “hello.” There was only the sound of screaming wind, a distant siren, and Jo’s ragged, hysterical breathing.
“Jo,” I whispered so quietly I wasn’t sure I had said anything.
“Allegra,” she wailed into the phone, making my heart fall to my stomach. “They’re calling a life-flight. H-he won’t…he’s not waking up.”