Page 66 of Worth the Fall
She squealed, whacking Erin, who was on my left. “Can you believe how quickly he did it?”
Erin laughed. “Oh, honey, I was surprised he didn’t kiss her when she stepped off the plane.”
Miley was sitting in front of me, surrounded by the other kids. “Dean waited three weeks into our relationship to kiss me. Count yourself lucky!”
I had always wished for a sister, or a brother, a sibling in general. Being thrown into the love and teasing of the Nash family filled a huge hole in my heart.
AnnaJane was laughing and shaking her head. “Ah, we need another girls’ night with no kids now that Allegra is here. I need to hear this whole story.”
“Agreed!” Miley shouted.
“Our next rider is a crowd favorite! He’s shattered records everywhere he’s gone. He’s our Gurthie, Oklahoma hometown boy! He’s got a fast ticket to the NFR, and he’s ready to prove himself tonight! COLTON NASH! He’s atop the horse they call theReal Deal!”
Colton was in the second chute.
Gosh, he was so attractive.
AnnaJane squeezed my hand.
He was sliding his hand under the riggin’, taking long, deep breaths. His head was bowed, looking down at the horse’s back. His lips were moving.
I was swelling with pride and shaking with adrenaline.
“Is Colton Nash ready? IS THEREAL DEALREADY? Are YOU ready, Gurthie! Let’s get it!”
Colton nodded at his team, and the gates swung open.
The horse went crazy, and my heart stopped.
Instead of the overwhelming excitement I had the first few times I watched him, I felt fear paralyze me. I squeezed my hands so tight my nails were digging into my skin. I was shaking, hard.
Colton’s body jerked violently around the arena. His lips were tight, and he was staring at the riggin’. His hat flew off, making his hair whip back and forth with the rhythm of the bucking horse.
The buzzer sounded, making me jump hard.
It was one of the longest eight seconds of my life.
He had stayed on. He was okay.
I needed to breathe.
Colton clung to the pick-up man’s horse and slid down to the dirt.
He came to a stop in the center of the arena, letting the dust settle around his boots as he took in the roar of the stands. Then, with his usual practiced precision, he tapped his head twice with two fingers, a crisp, silent salute, before flicking it right to the middle of my chest.
I could practically feel it.
I clutched my chest, smiling at Colton, who was beaming back at me.
“Man, that was an incredible ride!” AnnaJane shouted above the crowd.
My left ear was screaming at me. My heart was beating so hard I thought I was going to pass out.
I wiped my shaking hands on my pants, taking long, deep breaths. “Do…do you guys ever get scared watching them ride?”
Erin and AnnaJane shared a look.
“Oh, sweetie,” Erin said, putting her creamy white hand on my leg. “Yes,” she said plainly.
