“That’s Cowboy. He’s kind of like a dad.”
Then he skips off, unaware that he just rattled my heart inside my chest.
I look over at Duke, who calmly lets Dutton climb into his lap and keeps strumming the guitar.
I watch them for a few moments, my heart rate regulating as I sip on the mojito.
Duke is my peace.
He brings the chaos down a notch, or ten, wherever he is.
After the song ends, Monroe and Cash move to order a drink, and I walk toward Duke.
He’s letting Dutton strum the guitar now.
“We should go show Mom that cool rock we found down by the water. What do you think?”
Dutton perks up, nodding. He jumps off his lap and runs toward the back door of the house.
“What was that?” I ask.
He smiles. “We found this rock with a fossil in it by the lake earlier. They wanted me to send you a picture, but I told them we should just show you.”
He’s wearing a tan Stetson with a pale blue button-down and nice jeans and boots. He recently shaved, and he smells like somebody I wish would put a baby in me.
Oh no.
One and a half drinks shouldn’t make me feel that way.
He grabs my hand, pulling it up to his lips to press a kiss to my knuckles. “Have I mentioned how drop-dead gorgeous you are in this outfit?”
I shake my head, my lower lip starting to tremble when he leads me down the steps toward the pool.
The large white stones frame the pool like massive steps. The pool itself overlooks a crystal-clear Lake Travis. The house we’re staying at is more like a large compound with three houses on one property with ten bedrooms, eleven baths, three kitchens, and a boat dock.
“I’m glad you like it,” I manage.
My belly feels like it’s full of gravel. I feel like I might scream or vomit at any moment.
He takes me down the steps, closer to the water. There’s a patch of oak trees with shadows stretching out as the sun dips behind the horizon, where the sun is beginning to set.
Little feet start pattering toward us at full speed.
I turn back around to see Dawson and Dutton. They’re both wearing haphazardly thrown-on shirts with khaki shorts, with Dolly and Rosie chasing after them.
We get down a few more steps, and Duke points to a rock on the side of the hill.
“Wait, Cowboy! Don’t show Mommy yet!” Dawson says, panting when he reaches us.
Dutton is close on his heels.
“Mom, look.” Dutton bends down and points.
My eyes follow his little finger to see that there is, in fact, a fossil in the rock. It looks somewhat like a circular seashell with ridges.
“Wow. That’s beautiful, boys,” I tell them.
They look up, smiling at me. Then I hear Duke clearing his throat beside me. He reaches out and takes each of their small hands in his larger ones. He drops down to one knee in front of them.
