“Yeah, and you’ve already met her.” Tex looked at his brother. “And that’s definitely something to be thankful for.”
Blaze softened and nodded. “You’re right, and I have to remind myself that Cash is a smart man. A good person.”
“That he is.”
“So you wouldn’t be worried that they’re going to be living together in the same house—alone—for almost a month while she’s home between semesters?”
Tex blinked again, this time his eyelids moving faster and faster and then faster. Blaze scoffed, and Tex practically watchedas the storm cloud formed over his head. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. But nothing to worry about, right?”
He walked away and paused in front of the fryer. “This is ready, Tex. Do you need some help?”
He flew into action and joined Blaze in front of the fryer. “Yes,” he said. “First, we turn the flame all the way off before we lower the bird into the oil.” He did that, and Blaze picked up the hanger attached to the rod.
Their eyes met, and Tex gave his brother the most confident smile he could muster. “Cash is a great man, but I know how hard it is to trust people his age.”
Blaze nodded, a thread of understanding linking the two of them together. “So you’ll take my call, day or night?” A wry smile touched his mouth.
“Anytime,” Tex said. “For real. Anytime at all.”
Blaze drew in a deep breath and blew it out while Tex took the turkey from him and slowly, carefully lowered it into the hot oil. It sizzled and boiled and bubbled in the most satisfying way, the scent of golden, delicious turkey skin meeting his nose.
Once it was submerged, Tex stepped back, removed the gloves, and set a timer on his phone for forty-five minutes. Then he turned toward the men who’d gathered outside in the area where the wind couldn’t get at them easily, and he headed in that direction.
After all, dealing with the hot oil was a touch stressful, and he had to perform later that night too. Just for family, but Tex still wanted to do a good job.
And then, there was the whole Country Quad announcement happening….
But for now, he sighed as he settled into the chair Wade had gotten for him, and he sat back to listen to those around him, because often Tex could find something his brothers needed him to pray about if he simply kept his mouth shut and his ears open.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
Cash found a place near the back on the lower patio, while other members of his family continued to crowd into the space above him. He kept his hand firmly attached to Lark’s as more cousins came running downstairs to join them on the covered patio.
Country Quad was playing a kick-off-to-the-holidays concert tonight, something they’d done several times in the past. Cash hadn’t actually attended any of those concerts live, but his father would video call him, and he’d experienced it that way.
It was so much better being here with his whole family. Dinner had been a delicious fried turkey feast, and then the other aunts, uncles, and cousins had started to arrive. Aunt Abby and Aunt Cheryl had put together a massive—simplymassive—pie bar, and they’d invited everyone out to the eastern side of town to their house to partake.
“I actually think this would be fun to do at Cousins Creek once me and Boston get it all cleaned up.”
Lark looked up at him, her eyes full of questions. “What?”
He simply shook his head, because the chatter had gotten to a nearly unbearable level. He took advantage of the situation by pulling Lark closer and leaning right into her ear. She smelledlike oranges and chocolate, as she’d seemed quite impressed by his ability to make homemade chocolate oranges.
“I’ll tell you later,” he said, his lips catching against the curve of her ear. Cash told himself toBehavein the sternest inner voice he could muster, and he straightened, glad when Lark tucked herself closer to him. The shape of her at his side fit perfectly, and Cash had no idea what it meant.
“All right, all right, all right!” Uncle Tex bellowed into the mic, and some of the chatter started to die down. He beamed out at the family as aunts and uncles attempted to quiet their kids. Cash didn’t see why it mattered, because Uncle Tex had a microphone, and once the band started to play, it would be impossible to talk at all.
Out on the stage, Uncle Trace plucked through the strings of his guitar, which hadn’t been hooked to an amp yet. Uncle Otis swayed from side to side, smiling out at everyone too. Uncle Luke sat behind the drums, one stick utterly still while he flipped the other around and around and around.
Cash recognized the nerves in his drummer uncle, and they touched his heart. This was a family concert in a family backyard, and Luke had no reason to be nervous. He’d played in front of tens of thousands in stadiums, and all-told, had probably performed for millions of people worldwide.
Out of all the members of Country Quad, he had the most followers on social media, and he was the most talked about. He’d achieved billionaire status before the other members of the band, mostly because he didn’t buy anything and had gone into country music much earlier in his life than Tex, Trace, and Otis.
“I’m going to turn the mic over to Adam, who has some announcements we want everyone to know.” Tex handed the mic to Adam Harmon, who jogged onto the stage with a sheaf of papers in his hand.
He took the mic with a smile, though Cash could tell he wasn’t exactly comfortable in the spotlight. He was dressed in a full suit and tie, and Cash looked over to Joey, who stood several paces away from him and Lark, with Codi, Aunt Georgia, and Faith.
