Page 89 of The Cowboy Who Worked Late

Brandon shook his head, a playful glint in his eyes.

“He won’t tell,” Dawson said. “He never tells until he’s five or six dates in and feeling good.”

Brandon nodded and pointed at Dawson as if saying he was right. Then he simply took another bite of his taco and looked down the table. “Who’s next?”

“We don’t have a lot going on,” Finn said, the chip he’d just dipped in salsa pausing halfway to his mouth. “Edith got another book contract. She’s real happy about that. We had a great birthday party for Theo.” He laughed lightly. “My mother smothered him with gifts, but it was fun.”

It seemed like they’d established a pattern and would go around in a circle now, and Finn looked at Alex.

Alex coughed, reached for a napkin, and wiped his face. “Y’all know that Nikki’s had a real hard time getting pregnant,” he said. “We’ve been keeping this close to the vest because we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to keep the baby.” His smile grew and grew and grew, and his throat worked and worked and worked. Dawson found himself getting emotional at Alex’s show of emotion. The man was stalwart and true and hardly ever showed any emotion. His humor was dry and funny, and he was a hard worker and a good man.

“When is she due?” Finn asked.

Alex looked at his brother-in-law and said, “December. She’s due in December.” He popped a chunk of tomato in his mouth and added, “We think it might be twins. We’ve got an ultrasound appointment in a couple of weeks.”

“Wow-how-how-how-how,” Finn said, half laughing and half talking. “Twins?”

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Alex admitted. “But Nicki’s got the yard looking the way she wants, and she’s started on the nursery now.” He smiled again, and it sure was good to see him exuding happiness. “We’re both really excited.”

“That’s so amazing,” Dawson said. “Congratulations, brother.” He reached over and held out his fist for Alex to bump. Others added their congratulations to the mix too, and the mood seemed so much softer and better now.

Paul, who sat next to Alex, cleared his throat and said, “Brielle and I are going to get married the first week of November. And she’s going to move here to Three Rivers. I’m going to take over Courage Rains from my daddy.” His smile came out too, and Henry whooped the loudest.

“I didn’t even know that. You’ve been holding out on me.”

“Yeah,” Paul said. They hugged one another, causing a ruckus as Henry sat across from Paul and not next to him. The table got bumped more than once, until Henry finally sat back down. And once the congratulations had settled down again, everybody looked at Dawson.

“I ain’t got much,” he said. “Carolyn’s not pregnant or anything. We’re just getting by day by day, enjoying being married.”

“Marriage is the best,” Finn said.

“Duke’s giving me more and more responsibilities,” Dawson said. “I’m managing pretty well, but I think I’m single-handedly keeping the sticky note companies in business.” He grinned around the table at his friends, so glad he had this safe place where he would find them all smiling back at him.

Not poking fun. Not pressuring him for details. Just love and support and friendship. He ducked his head and glanced at Link. “Your turn.”

Link blinked and set down his taco. He dusted his hands. “I don’t have much either. Just plugging along. No burrowing owls this year.” He grinned at Dawson and went back to his food.

“No burrowing owls,” Dawson repeated. He and Misty had been married for a little over a year now. And to be honest,Dawson thought they might start having kids any day now, but Link just bit into his taco and looked to JJ.

JJ wore a hint of redness in his face already, but he said, “I’m feeling real good about coming back to Seven Sons for the summer. I’m still gonna go to Amarillo and try the equine program for a year, and then…we’ll see after that.” He looked over at Ollie and smiled. “But at least I feel like I have a better hold on what I’m doing now.”

“That’s great,” Ollie said, and he beamed around at everyone. “Rory is going to have another baby too. I told her we have to stop at four, but she’s not convinced.” He laughed and shook his head. “She’s not due till January, and we’re both hoping for anyone with less energy than Lara.” That caused more laughter to spill across table because his middle child was a real spitfire.

Dawson himself had seen Lara in action when he’d gone to help JJ during a babysitting stint last year.

That only left Henry, but he still didn’t volunteer any information.

“What’s this I hear about Libby getting married?” Brandon asked into the silence. “I heard she got engaged.”

“Oh yeah, yep,” Finn said. “I guess I should’ve mentioned it. Libby and Rusty got engaged. They’re gonna get married here in Three Rivers right after they move here to take over the ranch from my daddy. In January.”

“You guys got a lot of changes going on out at Three Rivers,” Link said.

Finn exchanged a glance with Henry and said, “Seems to be something all the time.”

Silence draped over them again, and Dawson just started to open his mouth to say Henry didn’t have to speak if he didn’t want to when Henry said, “I’m dating my boss at Lone Star. We’ve been going out for almost four months, and I sure do like her.” He spoke in a slow, somber, measured tone, one thatDawson hadn’t heard him use when talking about a woman before.

Henry was usually laughter and smiles and playful quips. He’d been on dozens of first dates without a second, but dating someone for four months? That was something for Henry Marshall.

---