Page 109 of Texas Splendor
“He wouldn’t eat much so Houston took him to Amelia so she could nurse him.”
“I wouldn’t be able to do him any good anymore. My milk dried up … on account of the worry I
guess.”
Against his will, his gaze dropped to her breasts … and her tiny waist … and her rounded hips. How would she survive the harshness of prison?
“Why did you have to come here and confess? I told you I’d take care of it.”
“By admitting that you’d killed McQueen. Isn’t that how you took care of it? Isn’t that what you told Dallas to make him send the telegram to the detective?” Wrapping her arms around herself as though she were in pain, she spun around. He saw her narrow shoulders shaking. Even if he reached through the bars, he’d be unable to touch her.
“Loree?” he rasped.
She turned slowly, tears spilling onto her cheeks. She walked toward him, and her hands clasped the bars until her knuckles turned white. “Austin, don’t you see? You lost five years of your life because of me. If it weren’t for me, you never would have lost the music to begin with, you could have your dream of playing your violin with an orchestra. If it weren’t for me, you would be married to the woman you love.”
Tears clogged his throat and burned his eyes. Reaching through the bars, he cupped her cheek. “Loree, Iammarried to the woman I love. Have I been so poor at showing you?”
A ragged sob broke through from her chest. Austin pulled her close and felt her arms go around his back.
“Larkin!”
The sheriff ambled over and leaned against the doorway.
“Unlock the cell so I can go in.”
Larkin removed the match from between his teeth and shook his head. “Can’t do it.”
“She’s not going to escape. Just let me go inside.”
“Every time some member of your family walks in here, I’m having to bend the rules. Not this time.” He walked away.
Loree sniffed. “It’s all right, Austin.”
“No, it ain’t.”
He released his hold on her, walked to the wall, and slid down it until his backside hit the floor. Loree strolled over and did the same. He slipped his hand through the bars and wrapped it around hers.
“You scared?” he asked quietly.
“Terrified.”
A suffocating silence began to spread between them.
“Will you do me a favor?” Loree asked.
“Anything.”
“Will you think of something nice to tell Grant about me when he’s growing up? I think that’s gonna be the hardest part, having to miss watching him grow up … and watching you grow old.”
He couldn’t argue with that. He thought of all he’d missed out on—how quickly his nieces and nephew had grown and changed and become people he’d barely recognized. “I’ll tell him how much you like sugar and how sweet it made you.”
A corner of her mouth lifted momentarily, then dipped lower than before. “I want you to divorce me.”
“What?”
Her fingers tightened around his. “My lawyer thinks I’ll get at least five years, maybe more. I’ve already told him to draw up the papers so we can sign them before I go. I want you to marry someone who’ll be a good mother for Grant.”
He shifted onto one hip so he faced her squarely. “No. I’m gonna wait for you, Loree. The day you get out of prison, I’ll be standing at the gate with Grant beside me.”
