Page 15 of The Texas Murders

Bluebonnet flowers and pickup trucks

Boca Chica and barbecue at Chuck’s

Hook ’em Horns, Enchanted Rock

Strolling the San Antonio River Walk

Dr Pepper, pecan pie

The Rio Grande and the big blue sky

From here, she jumps into the chorus:

I hang my hat in Nashville these days

But my heart belongs in the Lone Star State

I love it—the place, the people, everything together

What can I say, y’all? Texas forever!

The small audience is into the song, laughing and grooving along. But Willow kills the momentum by strumming the guitar a final time and saying, “Sorry, that’s all I have so far.”

Everyone seems to want more, so I start playing the same tune and I add my own lyrics.

Working in the fields, plowing the hay

Floating the Colorado River on a sunny day

Willow beams at me and joins back in. She sings,

The Dallas Cheerleaders’ kick line

Unsure for a moment what to say, I add,

Drinking Shiner Bock and feelin’ fine

As the audience erupts with laughter, I sing,

Armadillos and rattlesnakes, coyotes and hawks

Grinning, Willow sings,

Sixth Street in Austin really rocks

At this point, the whole room is laughing, waiting to see what we can come up with on the fly. After a pause, Willow sings,

Country music on the radio

Leaving me to conclude,

Let’s not forget the Alamo!

Everyone is in stitches, Willow and I included. We do another roll through the chorus to finish the song, and this time everyone in the room shouts“Texas forever!”along with us. Willow and I rise and take a quick bow, hugging each other and laughing.

Megan is giggling along with everyone else, but I can’t help but sense some reservations from her expression—she didn’t entirely like what she saw.

I want to go talk to her, but I’m approached by my friends Freddy and Darren.

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