Page 63 of Texas Splendor
“Cameron told me you’d gotten married … I just … I just didn’t realize … I’d met your wife,” Becky stammered.
“She mentioned meeting you. Loree, Sugar, did you meet Cameron?”
“I saw him, but I don’t think we actually met.”
“He’s Dee’s brother. I’m not sure I ever mentioned that,” Austin said.
“No, you didn’t. You only mentioned that he’d been your best friend.”
Cameron looked as though he might fall ill at any moment. “Austin—”
“If you’ll excuse us,” Austin said, “we need to find our seats. Dee would never forgive us for missing the opening scene.”
Austin held out his arm. Loree grabbed onto it, afraid she’d sink to the floor if she didn’t have his support. The crowd parted as they walked to the sweeping staircase. She heard a mumbled “murderer,” and her heart tripped over itself. She glanced at her husband, saw his clenched jaw, and realized people were murmuring about him. She angled her chin proudly.
“I’ve never watched a play before. I’ve always wanted to attend one.”
Austin glanced down at her.
She smiled with her heart in her eyes. “I’m very glad that you’re the one who’s taking me.”
“Sugar, I don’t think I would have made it up these stairs without you by my side.”
He took her hand at the top of the stairs. They walked along the landing, passing several curtained entrances before Austin swept back the drapery and led Loree into the darkness of a balcony.
“Thank you, Loree, for looking like you were proud to have me by your side,” he whispered.
“I was proud.”
She sensed a moment’s hesitation before he took her into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. She twined her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with a fervor that surprised her. She had wanted to scratch out eyes and yank out hair. She’d wanted to ask those two people how they could have betrayed her husband, the father of her child, the man she was coming to love.
Austin grunted and stumbled to the side, taking her with him. The curtain was drawn aside, and Dallas was silhouetted in the doorway.
“What are you doing?” Dallas demanded.
“Looking for our seats,” Austin said, his hand skimming over hers before latching securely onto it.
Then mayhem erupted as the family crowded inside the small balcony.
“Everyone take your seats,” Dee said excitedly. “They’ll be opening the curtains any minute.”
“Which chair is mine?” Maggie asked. “I wanna sit in the front.” “Ladies in the front,” Dallas said, “Men in the back.”
“Loree sits by me,” Austin said.
“Yeah, and I want to sit by Amelia,” Houston added.
“Fine,” Dallas ground out.
“We’ll put the children, Austin, and Loree in the back—” Dallas began.
“Then the children won’t be able to see,” Amelia pointed out.
“I don’t care if I can’t see,” Rawley said.
“But then you won’t see the sword fight,” Maggie told him. “You gotta see the sword fight.”
“I don’t mind sitting in the back—”
