One Texas Cowboy Too Many (Burnt Boot, Texas #3)(30)

“Hey, Rhett, bring your lady friend on over here and make her acquainted with some of us. I need a rest from the drums, so make it fast. You can take over after this one,” a dark-haired man yelled.

“You play?” Leah asked.

“Little bit.”

“And sing?”

“Little bit.” He crossed the green grass and the whole place went quiet. “Hey, everyone. This is Leah Brennan from over at Burnt Boot. She tells me she likes country music, so I brought her along. Don’t know if she sings or plays, but she’s so damn pretty, she can sit out here on a quilt, and I can watch the sun set behind her.”

Leah blushed. “My God, Rhett.”

“It’s the truth, darlin’,” he whispered and then raised his voice. “Now, y’all make yourself known to her. One at a time, please, and no stories tonight. I don’t want to scare her away.”

“Well, boy, you might have already done that when you brought her here. I’m Cash O’Donnell, this ornery boy’s uncle. And this is my wife, Maddie. The rest of them you can get to know better each time Rhett brings you to visit. Rhett, you go on and give Raylen a rest. We’ve had him singin’ for half an hour,” Cash said.

“Yes, sir.” Rhett grinned.

Maddie stepped up and threw an arm around Leah’s shoulders. She was a tall woman, big boned, and with dark hair sprinkled with a touch of gray. “You come on with me, honey, and we’ll tell you tales that might make you change your mind about that cowboy. I swear his mama nearly died when he brought that cycle home.”

*

“Hey, Rhett. Glad to see you again. Leah sure is sure pretty. How’d you snag a woman like that?” Gemma teased. “I’m his cousin, darlin’. We were the wild ones in the family. I rode bareback broncs and he rode a cycle.”

“Miracles do still happen.” Rhett smiled. “And don’t listen to her, Leah. She’s married and has a beautiful daughter these days.” Rhett settled in behind the big set of drums.

“I’m sittin’ this one out,” Rye said. “And I’m Gemma’s brother, Rye.” He introduced himself. “That would be my wife, Austin, and our two kids over there on the quilt.”

“Let’s do an Alan Jackson number,” Granny said.

Cash pulled Maddie to her feet, and they started two-stepping as Rhett leaned into the microphone beside the drums sang about walking through fire without blinking. Leah’s eyes locked on his and she smiled.

She mouthed the words at the end of the song, and he motioned for her to join him. At first she shook her head, but his eyes drew her to him a step at a time until she was behind the microphone.

“Do you know ‘Heaven’s Just a Sin Away’ by the Kendalls?” he asked.

She nodded. “I do.”

He handed the drumsticks to a cousin and led her to the microphone in front of the band. The two of them leaned forward, their eyes still locked together as she sang the lyrics about how his eyes kept tempting her. When she harmonized with him on the part about heaven being a sin away, the whole crowd whooped and yelled.

They sang two more songs together, and then Rhett handed the microphone to his grandmother. “It’s time for someone else to take the stage. Honest, folks, I didn’t even know this woman could sing, but now that I do, I’m going to hold on real tight.”

“One more, darlin’,” his granny said to Leah. “I want to hear that sweet voice of yours do ‘Amazing Grace.’ I bet you sing in church, don’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Leah said. “But only if Rhett will sing with me.”

“I could sing that one in my sleep.” He smiled.

Chills danced up and down his back and the hair on his arms stood straight up when she hit the high notes in the old hymn. When they finished, the whole yard was quiet for several seconds before the applause started.

Granny hugged Rhett and whispered, “She’s a keeper.”

“Here’s your guitar back, Rye. I’ve got something better to hold for the rest of the evening,” Rhett said.

*

Leah was amazed that she’d been so comfortable up there in front of complete strangers, singing with a man she’d only met a week ago.

“Let’s go inside and get a beer or a glass of sweet tea. Singing is hard work,” Rhett said.

“Speakin’ of hard work, that reminds me. They’ve bulldozed our school and our kids will be going to public school this year. I’m not sure how it’s going to work, having Gallaghers and Brennans in the same school, but I guess we’ll see,” she said.

Rhett opened the door to a huge kitchen and went straight for the refrigerator. “My insurance agent said my truck is totaled and they’ll send me a check next week. Y’all want to haul it to the junkyard for me?”

“I’ll see to it that Declan does that.” She nodded.

“Beer?”

“Please.”

He twisted the tops off two bottles and handed one to her. “You surprised me out there, Leah. I thought you’d be shy.”

“I am most of the time. Don’t know what got into me. Guess it’s hidden genes popping out.”

“Well, I sure like ’em, so turn ’em loose and let it rip.” He grinned.