Page 80 of Texas Splendor
“Do you think Dallas fell in love with Dee when he first laid eyes on her?”
Austin shook his head, joyful memories surging through his mind like a kaleidoscope of forgotten images. “Nope. He probably fell in love with her when he discovered she had a nose. Do you remember the look on his face when he lifted her veil and saw her face for the first time?” Austin chuckled.
Cameron started laughing. “His face? You should have seenyourface!”
“Mine? What about yours?”
Their laughter grew louder, mingling with the dawn.
Loree slipped her fingers between the kitchen curtains and peered through the tiny opening. Austin laughed so hard that he very nearly doubled over, his chin almost hitting his drawn up knees.
“Oh my God!” Becky whispered behind her. “Tell me that’s Austin and Cameron laughing.”
Loree stepped back, surprised to see tears brimming in Becky’s eyes as she peeked through the curtain.
“I could not have asked for a better Christmas present.” Becky squeezed her eyes shut and released a quick breath. “It almost killed Cameron to lose Austin’s friendship.” She opened her eyes and grabbed Loree’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go sit with them.”
“I’m not sure we should—”
“Oh, I am. I know it’ll never be like it was … but this is sure close.” Becky opened the door. “What are you two laughing about?” she demanded of the men sitting on the porch.
Holding her breath, Loree peered around Becky who stood with her hands planted on her hips, her legs akimbo. She saw Austin’s smile increase, his eyes grow warm as he held out his hand. She wanted to crawl back into the house and die until she realized that his gaze was latched onto her.
“Come here, Sugar,” he said in a slow drawl that sent her heart to racing.
She skirted around Becky and slipped her hand into his, thinking his had never felt so warm or comforting, so right as his fingers wrapped around her hand and he pulled her down to his lap. He opened his jacket and tucked her inside like she was a piece of fine jewelry to be protected between velvet. He held her close with one arm and enveloped her bare feet with his other hand. She was eye-level with him and from the intensity of his blue gaze, she would have thought he were only aware of the two of them sitting on this porch in the cold dawn.
“What were you laughing about?” Becky repeated as she plopped onto Cameron’s lap and nearly sent him sprawling backward over the porch.
“We were remembering the day that Dallas married Dee,” Cameron said, straightening himself and putting his arms around Becky.
“What was so funny about that?” Becky asked.
“Cameron had told me that Indians cut off Dee’s nose,” Austin said, his gaze never leaving Loree. She grew warmer, but she thought it had little to do with the heat of his body burning through her clothing. “I told Dallas. It came as a surprise to him to discover his wife had a nose.”
“I remember now. Everyone’s mouth dropped open when he lifted her veil, but I never knew why,” Becky said. She wrinkled her brow. “He married her, thinking she didn’t have a nose?”
“He was a desperate man,” Austin said quietly. “Desperate men don’t always think things through.”
Loree wanted to tell him that desperate women didn’t think things through either. She had been desperate once, so incredibly desperate that she had done something she never would have believed herself capable of doing. At unexpected times the memory would strike like a rattlesnake … only a rattlesnake gave warning. Her memory from hell wasn’t as kind.
She heard the tread of heavy feet and twisted slightly. Dallas rounded the corner, burlap sacks bunched in his hand.
“What in the hell are you doing lollygagging back here?” he demanded without breaking his stride. He tossed the burlap sacks onto the porch. “Get this hay picked up.”
Reaching behind him, Austin grabbed the sacks and handed a couple to Cameron. “Guess we’d better get to it.”
Loree slid off his lap and tightened her wrap around herself. “I need to get dressed.”
Austin’s hand clamped onto her waist, preventing her from slipping back into the house.
“Me, too,” Becky said. “I’ll see you in a little bit, Cameron.”
“Be sure and get the hay off the balcony in Rawley’s room.”
She smiled. “Guess he forgot we were going to sleep in his room last night.” She disappeared into the house.
Austin shifted his gaze from Loree to Cameron. “Why don’t you go on? I’ll catch up.”
