“Yep.” Blaze squeezed Tex’s forearm as he passed him. “I promised not to tease him about his new girl.”
Tex simply watched as Cash got out, waved and called, “Hello, everyone,” then rounded the hood of his pickup to open the door for his new girlfriend. Tex caught a flash of a red coat, and then Cash rounded the truck with his hand secured in that of a pretty woman with bright eyes and hair halfway between blonde and black.
“She’s pretty,” he said as Blaze approached. He hugged both Cash and Lark, and together, the three of them approached.
“Hey, Uncle Tex.” Cash grinned and jogged the last few steps to him. “Thanks for inviting me, and thanks for letting me bring Lark last-minute.” He emanated sunshine, and Tex hadn’t seen him this alive since he’d won Nationals last year.
“This is Lark McClellan.” Cash looked over to her, his smile only growing. “Lark, this is my uncle Tex. He’s the oldest brother.”
Blaze nodded over to Trace. “Then comes Trace, and then me.”
“And you’ve met Bryce,” Cash said. “And that’s Uncle Wade. He lives right next door here.” He nodded over to the house next door.
“Wade?” Lark asked. “You did not have an Uncle Wade on the flow chart you made.”
Tex burst out laughing, because the Young family so needed a flow chart. Cash laughed too, and he linked his arm through Lark’s. “He’s Aunt Abby’s brother, so not technically a Young.”
“We have a lot of those,” Blaze said.
“Yeah, Wade and Cheryl,” Tex said.
“Reggie and Kassie,” Blaze said.
“Denzel and Michelle.”
“Sure,” Blaze said. “He’s Aunt Leigh’s brother.”
“Reggie is Aunt Ev’s brother,” Cash said.
“And Everly is married to Trace,” Lark said. “Because I know she’s not your momma, and I remember you said Abby and Tex lived next door to her brother.”
“Yep, Ev is married to Trace.”
Lark smiled at Tex and extended her hand. “It’s great to meet you. Thank you for letting me come.”
“Of course,” Tex said, giving her hand a good pump. “How long have you and Cash been seein’ each other?”
She glanced over to him, and he raised his eyebrows at her. “I’m going to go with Sunday,” she said, and she faced Tex again. “So three days now.”
“Wo-how-how.” Tex chuckled out the word, his gaze automatically moving to Blaze. “Three days.”
“Three days.” Blaze smiled at Tex and then Cash and Lark. “I think we’re going to stay out here, but you can take her in and introduce her around.”
Cash looked toward the house, his jaw strengthening as he pressed his teeth together. Tex wanted to laugh again, but he held back, because he wanted Cash to feel comfortable here, and he wanted him to bring anyone, to any family function, at any time.
“Abby and Ev are inside,” Tex said. “If you need someone to take over….”
Cash blinked, and Tex couldn’t stop his chuckle this time. “I think Harry and Belle are here too.”
“Yeah, out in the recording studio,” Tex said.
“We’ll head that way.”
“Great to meet you,” Lark said again, her smaller hand tucked into Cash’s as he led her toward Trace and Wade. They paused there while Cash introduced her, more hands got shook, and then they went past the steps and down the sidewalk that led across the backyard to the recording studio.
Finally, Tex blinked. “Well, they’re cute together.”
“It’s been three days,” Blaze said, his voice part darkness and part disgust.
