Page 102 of Boston
“Daddy,” Carver said, running over to them. “Boston said he’d take us over to the candy market. Can I go?”
Tex found the young man holding hands with Cora, both of them smiling at the kids gathering around them. “I think they might need reinforcements.”
Abby patted his chest, grinning. “Good luck with that, baby.”
“Daddy,” Carver said, a definite hint of a whine in his voice now. “They’re leaving.”
“Well, then you better hurry up and go with ‘em.”
Carver cheered and galloped over to the group, and relief filled Tex when he saw Mav, Cash, and Rosie all queuing up to go with Boston and Cora.
“Hey, Uncle Tex,” Cole said, and he focused on his nephew.
“Hey, yourself.” He drew Cole into a hug, and clapped him on the back. “Introduce me, now.” He beamed at the blonde woman, and yes, she was pretty.
And, in Tex’s estimation, a lot older than Cole. He couldn’t help thinking about Bryce and Bailey, and his father-heart skipped a couple of beats.
“Rachel.” Cole grinned at her and took her hand as he settled back to her side. “This is my uncle Tex. He’s the one with the recording studio in his backyard, and he throws the best parties. He’s what I call the smart uncle.”
Tex grinned and grinned, because whilesmartwasn’tfun, it was a heckuva a lot better thantall. “It’s great to meet you.”
Rachel put her hand in his and shook it. “I think you know my daddy. Wyatt Walker?”
“Oh, sure,” Tex said, all the dots connecting now. “I just didn’t realize the relation.”
“Tex is the best,” Cole said. “He knows everyone, and everyone knows him.”
He nodded over to where Blaze and Jem had settled near Denzel. “Blaze and Jem know Wyatt too. They rode in the rodeo.”
“Yeah, we met them.” Rachel smiled, and she moved away with Cole. He watched them settle into a couple of chairs, staying off the blankets where all the kids would be. He leaned over and whispered something to her that made her blush, and then he straightened up tall when Sunny sat beside him and gave him a pointed look.
She too leaned closer and said something, to which Cole nodded and nodded and nodded, and then Sunny got up and headed over to Jem. She leaned down and said something to her husband, and Jem shot a look over to Cole, then smiled at his wife as she went to sit with the little-littles who hadn’t gone to the candy market.
Tex took in the enormity of their space, at the triplets still trying to bop their balloons, and the way the wives sat together, and how his Momma still hovered at the food table.
Sighing, Tex joined her, and he threw his arm around her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Thanks for doing this every year, Momma,” he said. “It’s so fun to have everyone together, even if it’s only one day a year and only for a few hours.”
“And it seems like everyone’s crying, fighting, or scowling at one another?” Momma smiled up and him, and Tex released a laugh.
“Yeah, even then.” He moved a chair over beside his dad and sat down. “Hey, Daddy.”
“Tex.” Daddy reached over and patted Tex’s arm. “It’s good to see you, son.”
“It’s good to see you too, Daddy. You’re lookin’ good.”
Ridge looked at him with wide eyes, recognition lighting his face. “Teh, Teh.”
“Hey, buddy.” He reached over and took the little boy from his father, who seemed grateful for the release.
“Teh-teh-teh-teh,” Ridge babbled, and Tex closed his eyes and thanked the Good Lord Above for an amazing family, and a large circle of friends who cared enough about each other to argue, make up, ask for help, and offer it.
Every one of his brothers carried something here today, but the important thing was that they’d come anyway.He’dcome anyway, and he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else—even if he did sometimes just want to stay home and go to bed early.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
Boston led the way down the ridge, the sprawling grounds of Silver Sage below. The group he was hiking with today were all female entrepreneurs who ran e-commerce stores, and they were attending a two day summit at the lodge. These ladies were friends and had decided to come in a day early to see the sights.
