“What are you aiming to do?” Austin asked as Dallas stalked through the front door.
“Find out what really happened.”
Austin heard the music filtering out of the parlor. Dallas ground to a stop in the parlor doorway. Wanting to ensure that he could get between Dallas and Loree if the need arose, Austin slipped past his brother and froze.
Loree was playing the piano with Rawley sitting beside her, watching as her hands moved over the keys. She struck the final chord and folded her hands in her lap.
“I could never play like that,” Rawley said, his voice filled with awe.
“You could if you wanted,” Loree said. “But the secret is—do you want to?”
Rawley shook his head. “I’d rather be out tending cattle.”
“Then that’s what you should do.”
“But I don’t want to disappoint Mr. D. He ain’t gonna like what happened with Miz Henderson at all,” Rawley said quietly.
“Of course, he won’t like it,” Loree said. “She’s lucky I walked into this room and not your father. He would have snatched her baldheaded if he’d seen that she was going to strike you.”
“You really think so?”
“I know so.” She shifted on the bench. “Rawley, he loves you very much.”
“I know he does, but I ain’t really his son. His son is buried out by the windmill. He died on account of me.” Ducking his head, Rawley rubbed his finger along the edge of the piano. “I ain’t never said that out loud, but I know it to be true.”
“Rawley!”
Rawley came off the bench at his father’s booming voice, and Loree looked as though she’d jumped out of her skin.
“Yes, sir?”
“I need to talk to you, son,” Dallas said more quietly. “Outside.”
Dallas turned abruptly and headed down the hallway. Rawley hurried after him. Austin ambled into the room and sprawled in a chair near the piano.
“What do you think he’s going to say to Rawley?” Loree asked, worry etched deeply between her brows.
“Imagine he’d going to explain to the boy that he is indeed Dallas’s son.”
“How long were you there?”
“Long enough to know Rawley will be herding cattle instead of banging on a piano.”
Loree breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m beginning to think your brother is more bark than bite.”
“Only where family is concerned. Make no mistake about that.”
Austin heard Loree’s laughter as he prodded his horse into the corral. Moving into their own place had seemed to put Loree more at ease with her new surroundings. He sauntered to the house, rounded the corner, and leaned against the beam supporting the eve. Contentment stole over him as his gaze fell on Loree, sitting on the ground, her bare toes peeking out from beneath her skirt. Rawley was hunkered beside her while Two-bits yelped and wagged his tail like there was no tomorrow.
“Sit!” Rawley ordered, deepening his voice.
The dog got his shaking butt halfway to the ground before he lifted it back up and began wagging his tail again.
“Sit!” Rawley repeated. Austin thought he sounded a great deal like Dallas.
This time, the dog plopped his butt onto the ground. Loree smiled brightly and clapped while Rawley tossed the dog a scrap of food. Loree glanced Austin’s way, and her smile grew warm. “You’re home.”
He ambled to her, extended his hand, and helped her to her feet. “Yep. What are you two doing?”
