Page 34 of Worth the Fall
“You both are family-oriented men, Alan with your wife and kids, and Dean with your soon-to-be bride. How do your girls feel about the rodeo life?”
Where had the question come from? What was I going todo with that answer in the campaign video?
Alan blew out a long breath. “It’s not easy, especially with kids, but she knew who I was when we got married. She knew there was no changin’ a rodeo man.”
“Luckily, they’re all from Oklahoma, so it’s basically a family compound,” Dean described. “In fact, I’m ninety percent sure they’ve all moved into Mom and Dad’s house and are raisin’ the kids together. Including my poor fiancée.”
Alan laughed. “You should’ve seen the state of the house last year when we came home. It was trashed.”
At least the women were never alone. Even when most of their family was gone, they had support.
This family was so lucky.
“Awesome, thank you both so much. I’ll send you the finished product before I post it, and make sure you approve,” I said, offering my hand.
They both shook it.
“From what we’ve seen from Jimmy and Colton’s, you don’t need to approve it with us,” Alan assured me.
“Speak for yourself. Miley still has the chance to leave me before theweddin’.”
“If she’s raisin’ your nieces and nephews while you rodeo around the country, I’m sure she’s in it for the long haul,” Alan fake-punched his twin as they walked away.
“That was perfect, Miss Ford,” Billy said, putting the camera down. “Man, is there anyone in their family that doesn’t look like they walked out of a Hollywood movie?”
I shook my head. “I’ve seen pictures of their wives and kids. They’re all that perfect.”
The audience was hooping and hollering. It was the Mutton Busting events, where the kids clung to sheep and did all they could to stay on. It was one of the funniest things I had ever seen. Some of the kids weren’t half bad, either.
At the end, one kid would get a trophy bigger than they were.
“Allegra?”
My heart wentflip-flopin my chest as I saw Harrison walking toward me. He was wearing a navy shirt that was two sizes too small and white pants, already speckled with dirt. His glasseswere still on, and he was sporting his most expensive watch and his solid gold family ring on his right hand. His usually shiny shoes were losing their reflectiveness as the dust piled on them.
I waved, my hands beginning to shake. “Hi, Harrison.”
He stood by me, his hands in his pockets.
Billy cleared her throat.
“Oh, sorry, this is my videographer, Billy,” I awkwardly introduced.
She shoved her hand in his direction. “Hi! You’re from Chicago, too, right? I’ve never been there, the murder capital of the world, right? No, thanks! What brings you all the way out here? It’s Harrison, right?”
He took a long breath, as if he didn’t have the patience for her, and shook her hand. “Yes, it’s Harrison,” he answered one of her three questions.
When she finally released his hand, she gave me a quick side hug. “I got some footage to shoot. If you need me, let me know.”
“Get whatever footage you think we need, including the bull riding with the new vests, and then you’re all set for the night. Thanks so much, Billy,” I said, ignoring how much I wanted to throw up.
She nodded and waved goodbye.
“Can I give you a kiss?” Harrison asked when she walked away.
I nodded, and he leaned in.
It was one of the worst kisses I’d ever had in my life. Short, awkward, and so stiff. Neither of us put our hands on each other, so I’m sure it looked as terrible as it felt.
