Page 132 of Worth the Fall
Finally, I blurted out, “Then why let your son face that danger when you know what it can do!”
He seemed taken aback, butswallowed my words calmly. “Because I know what that passion is like. It’ll eat you alive if you try to put it to bed.” He put his hands together in front of him, desperate to make me listen. “He is a good rider. I know he can do this.”
“So could my dad,” I shot back.
“I know! I know, but what happened to your dad was a freak accident, and as hard as we try, we can’t avoid accidents. But we also can’t stop him from doing what he loves because we’re afraid of mistakes. If we did that, we’d never leave thehouse again.”
He was right, but a big part of me wanted to curl into a ball and scream. Or better yet, take Colton to Mexico or something, tie him up, and keep him safe for the rest of our lives.
I was quiet for too long, so Dennis grabbed my hands. “Are you okay?”
I looked at him, knowing I couldn’t lose him, or Jo, or Jimmy, or Alan, or Dean, or any of the girls, not after I’d experienced family love again for the first time inyears.
And I would die if I lost Colton.
“I will support him, Dennis. I’ll stand by that fence, and I’ll cheer until I’m hoarse because I love him,” I said, my voice finally cracking. “But don’t ask me to be okay with it. I’m just going to be waiting for the whistle to blow for the rest of my life.”
~~~
I climbed into the trailer as quietly as I could, knowing Jimmy and maybe even Colton were asleep.
Using my phone as a tiny source of light, I slipped in, squinting in the dark.
There was only one shape in the pull-out bed, which meant Colton was waiting in my bed.
I slipped past the curtain.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, in only the light of one of the lamps, in a t-shirt and jeans. His face was anxious, no doubt dying to know what his father and I had talked about. “Hi,” he whispered.
“Hi,” I whispered back, standing awkwardly next to the door.
The intense words we had exchanged only hours before were bouncing in my head, paired with the image of my dad’s outstretched hand, begging me to save him.
I couldn’t stop myself anymore, I rushed toward him at the same second he stood up.
His strong arms were around me, holding me as tightly as he could. I wanted to be closer,Ineededto be closer.
I leaned back just enough to put my hands on his face and kiss him hard and fast.
He responded with eager enthusiasm. His hands moved to my waist, his fingers digging into my hips. He slipped his tongue into my mouth.
Butterflies exploded in my stomach.
His lips were soft, but his kisses were strong, as if no matter what, it wouldn’t be enough.
It wasn’t long before he stepped back into the bed, and together we fell onto the mattress.
I leaned up, my hair dangling around us, and smiled.
Colton was grinning back at me.
“I love you,” I said with as much passion as I could. I needed him to know how deeply I cared for him. How, even though our worlds were a million miles apart, I truly couldn’t picture a life without him. “I’ll be in Sioux Falls, cheering youon, but only if you swear to me that you’ll do everything in your power to be safe.”
His face was serious now, his hands running up and down my sides. “I swear. I’ll be safe for you-”
I cut him off and put a finger over his lips. “Be safe for youandme.”
He nodded, and I moved my finger. “I’ll be safe for both of us.” With that, he flipped me on my back with one hand and continued kissing me.
