Page 120 of Texas Splendor
“Reckon so.”
“Uncle Houston, I’d keep an eye on that fella dancing with Maggie.”
“Him and the other three that followed her home from school. I told her she could miss school because this was a special occasion, but those fellas … not dedicated to their studies from what I can tell.”
“They’re dedicated to her.” Laughing, Rawley patted Houston’s shoulder before wandering out of the room.
“Still can’t get him to call you ‘Pa’?” Austin asked.
Dallas shook his head. “Nope, but it doesn’t matter. He’s my son and he damn well knows it.”
Austin caught sight of his own son ambling toward him, a young girl in tow.
“Father, this is Mary McQueen,” Grant said.
The girl had eyes the blue of a summer sky and hair that glinted red. Austin hunkered down. “Hello, Mary McQueen.”
“Your boy talks funny.”
“That’s because he hasn’t been in Texas very long.”
“You aim to remedy that?”
At the sound of an old friend’s voice, Austin slowly unfolded his body and held out his hand. “Cameron.”
Cameron’s handshake was firm. “Austin, you look like a man who has met with a great deal of success.”
“I could say the same for you. How’s the general store business?”
“Booming, although he’s too modest to admit it,” Becky said as she stood beside him. “He expanded the store to include the second floor and has all the merchandise divided into departments. We actually live in a house now.” Her smile softened. “We’ve been so proud following you around the world. Dee has all your news written up in the newspaper.”
“You look happy, Becky.”
“I am.” She turned slightly to the young boy standing beside her. “Do you remember Drew?”
“I sure do.”
“And you’ve just met our Mary.”
“I told Mary that you would play for her,” Grant informed him.
Austin raised his brow at his first born. “Oh, you did, did you?”
His son nodded. “If you’ll play for her, then I’ll play for you because I know Mother wants to dance, and the gentleman who’s playing hasn’t quite got the knack of it.”
“Don’t tell him that.”
“No, sir, I wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings. So will you play for Mary?”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Dee said as she slipped her arm through Dallas’s. “You could play for all of us. I realize we’re not royalty—”
“How can you say that, Dee, when you’re married to the king of West Texas?”
Dallas snorted. “If you’re gonna play, get to it. I’ve got a hankering to dance with my wife.”
Loree knew the moment when the crowd hushed that Austin intended to play for them. The reverence he held for his gift was apparent as soon as he stepped on stage and lifted his violin to his shoulder.
The first strains of the sweet music filled the air, and Loree smiled. She knew the song. It always began the same, but the ending had changed over the years, growing deeper and stronger, a reflection of their love. She never tired of hearing it. Never tired of watching her husband coax the melody from the strings in the same way that he elicited passion: with care and devotion and attention paid to the tiniest of details.
