Chapter Forty-Six
The storm was still raging on as I jumped out of the taxi. I sprinted through the endless drizzle of rain pelting my face until the automatic doors slid open for me.
Despite how fast I had run, my hair was soaked and clinging to my face. My dress was sticking to my legs, and my heels were barely hanging on.
I stormed into the E.R. like a soldier on a mission.
The entire Nash family was sitting in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, devastation written on their faces.
My heels clicked loudly on the tile as I walked briskly to them. “Where is he?” I asked sharply.
Jo looked up, her eyes puffy and swollen. She looked ten years older. “Allegra.”
I folded my arms, putting up my corporate shield. “Where is he?” I demanded.
Jo burst into tears again, and I thought I was going to faint again.
Was he dead?
He couldn’t be dead.
No.
Jimmy, who was sitting beside his mother, stood with his hands raised. “He’s still alive,” he promised as if he could read my thoughts.
I was dizzy with relief.
“He’s in surgery,” he went on. “He…” Jimmy was having a hard time getting the words out, as if he couldn’t believe all this was happening. “The horse fell on him; it broke his ribs and punctured his lung.”
I sucked in a harsh breath, not believing what I was hearing.
I had watched a horse crush my dad’s chest, and he suffocated to death on his own blood right in front of me.
That was my biggest fear when I fell for Colton.
And it had just come true.
“You should sit down,” Jimmy said, putting his hand on my shoulder. “You look like you’re gonna faint.”
It was very possible I would.
I swallowed hard, blinking hard to fight the black dots crowding my vision. “What’d the doctors say?”
“They said they’re very hopeful,” Jimmy said confidently.
Heavy footsteps interrupted our conversation. I turned sharply to see Dennis walking toward us, holding a to-go coffee cup.
I fumed across the floor, smacked the full cup out of his hand, and shoved him hard.
I guess I’m more like my mother than I care to admit.
“How could you let him ride?” I screamed in his face.
Dennis’ face crumpled, tears spilling down his pale cheeks. “Ally-”
I shoved him again. “He wasn’t wearing a vest! Why wasn’t he wearing a vest?”
“Ally-”
I raised my finger, pointing at his face. “You knew what happened to my dad! How could you let this happen?”
Jimmy pulled me back, but I ripped my arm out of his grasp. I turned to face Jimmy, my anger ready to explode at anyone. “He told me he was fishing with you! How could you let him ride?”
Jimmy raised his hands in surrender. “Ally, you need to listen!”
I was beyond listening. “You let him go on a suicide mission!”
Strong hands grabbed my shoulders, and I was suddenly staring at Jo’s bloodshot green eyes. “Allegra!”
I was breathing so hard I was getting dizzy. I was fuming.
“Listen to me!” She shouted. “Colton lied to all of us.”
Her words hit me like a slap in the face. “What?”
She loosened the iron grip she had on me, but didn’t let go. “He told us he was still in Chicago with you.”
I took a shuddering breath.
“He got a call from his buddy,” Jimmy jumped in.
“They were having a rodeo in Oklahoma, and he thought he’d get a lot of publicity if the top bareback rider in the world made it.
Colton jumped at the chance to ride again and help his friend get his little town some attention.
The show was so small he had to bring his own horse. ”
I covered my face. Why’d he have to bring Marty? The stupid horse was reckless and terrified of storms.
“Nash family?”
We all turned our attention to the man in the green scrubs, a mask hanging off his face, and his clothes stained with dark, fresh blood.