Page 43 of Boston (Coral Canyon: Cowboys #12)

“Yes,” they said.

She started hitting it really hard, the movement and noise increasing exponentially. “See how I’m going nutso with it? Can you hear how loud it is?” She had to yell over the bopping, echoing sound of the balloon. She stopped. “That’s too hard. It’s too loud. There are a lot of you.”

She stepped forward and handed the balloon to Canyon, Gabe’s oldest. “You try.”

Canyon gripped the elastic and started trying to bop the balloon away from him. It took him a few tries to find the rhythm, and he beamed up at her. “I did it!”

“Good job,” Morris said. He held up a green balloon he’d blown up while the kids had been watching Leigh. “Okay, this one goes to…Ryder.”

The little boy cheered and stepped out of the crowd to get the balloon.

“They’re smart,” Trace said. “I brought an extra phone so my kids could watch cartoons.”

Tex chuckled. “Momma will feed us soon.”

“Did you see the pulled pork she got?” Trace focused on the two tables laden with food. Momma stood there with Dani and Sterling, the three of them cutting buns in half.

“Tex.”

He turned at the sound of his name, and he took off at a jog toward Cheryl when he saw her trying to push Wade toward them in his wheelchair. “Hey, brother,” he said, taking Cheryl’s spot so she could gather their kids closer to her.

“You can’t wander off like that, Ben,” she chastised once she got her oldest back with her.

“Sorry, I saw a cat.”

“Of course you did.” She glared over to Tex, her expression softening. Wade usually wore his prosthetics when he had to navigate terrain that varied—or go out in public, really. So something must be wrong that Tex didn’t know about.

What that could be, Tex had no idea. He and Abby lived right next door to Wade and Cheryl, and they saw them several times per week.

“Denzel’s here too,” Wade barked. “He’s going to need help.”

“All right,” Tex said easily. “You okay, brother?”

“I couldn’t get my right prosthetic on,” he grumbled. “It’s been shifting out of place for a while, and I’ve just been lazy about going to the doctor.”

“If it’s about money,” Tex started, not sure if he should continue with his offer. Wade was a quiet, strong, hard-willed man. He worked like a dog, and Tex admired him on many levels.

“I can’t ask you for money,” Wade muttered.

“I can,” Cheryl said, giving her husband a withering glare too. “It would be great if we could get some help with the new prosthetics, Tex. He hasn’t gotten new ones for over fifteen years .”

Tex blinked at her. “When should they be replaced?”

“At the rate he uses them? Out on the farm every day?” Oh, Cheryl was mad-mad, and Tex had never seen her like this. “Three years, max. Sockets every six months.”

“I’ve done the sockets,” Wade grumped at her.

“He needs brand new ones from the bottom to the top,” Cheryl said, ignoring him. “Two or three sets, to help them last longer.”

“No problem,” Tex said, moving Wade into the shade next to Daddy.

“What’s no problem?” Blaze asked.

Tex glanced over to Cheryl. “You and me goin’ to help Denzel.”

“If you think I’m bad,” Wade said. “Y’all should know he fell last week and didn’t tell anyone. So he’s havin’ a hard time walking.”

“That is not your story to tell,” Cheryl said crossly

“You just told them I’m a pathetic man who hasn’t taken care of his prosthetics.”

“Part of that is true,” Cheryl said. “And it is my story to tell. I’m the one dealing with you in a wheelchair. You think it’s not fun for you? No kidding, Wade. It’s no fun for me either, and it makes my heart hurt to see you so angry.”

Tears spilled down her face, and Tex turned to find his wife. He whistled through his teeth, and Melissa, Carver, Pippa, and Abby all looked at him.

He waved his hand in a circle, as if he was gearing up to throw a rope, and Abby left Hilde and Lynnie and came right over. Tex didn’t have to say a word, because Abby could see Cheryl crying and then stalking away from the group.

“Georgia,” she called, and the two of them went after her.

Faith arrived too, and she said, “Bennett, Wyatt, come over here and get a balloon.” She herded them in that direction as Shawn and Enid Avery arrived with more long, aluminum pans that smelled deliciously like caramel and vanilla.

They had two small children that clung to their mother—at least until they spotted their aunt Ev.

“I need help with Denzel,” Tex said to Blaze, and his brother went to recruit some more brothers to go with him.

As Tex, Blaze, Trace, and Otis started to leave the party, Bryce, Codi, Matty, Harry, and Belle arrived. “Where you guys goin’?” Bryce asked.

“To help Uncle Denzel and Aunt Michelle,” Otis said. “Keep an eye on my kids, would you?”

“Mine too,” Tex called to him.

“Everyone’s,” Trace said as he hugged his oldest. He grinned at him. “It’s a Young family party, all right.”

“What does that mean?”

“I think it means there’s going to be no less than five people crying at all times,” Bryce said, looking around. “Count with me….”

Tex chuckled as he started across the lawn with his brothers. They found Denzel resting against a tree in the shade, only about ten feet from the dirt parking area. He took one look at the four of them approaching, and growled.

“I don’t need you guys,”

“Of course you don’t,” Blaze said sarcastically. He glanced over to where Michelle waited patiently with their two kids, one hand on her very pregnant belly. Scout sat at attention in front of Denzel, and he barked once as Tex reached out to give the German shepherd a pat.

The four of them pressed in close to Denzel, and Tex would do anything for him too. He was Leigh’s brother, and just as much a part of them as she was.

No one spoke, and Tex knew they were all waiting for him to say something. “If you fall again and don’t tell us,” he said, keeping his voice low. “I don’t know what we’ll do, but it’ll be very bad for you.”

A beat of silence followed, and then Trace chuckled. Otis tipped his head back and full-out laughed, and Blaze elbowed Tex in the ribs. “You are a terrible mafia boss.”

“You do it then,” Tex said, grinning. “What am I going to threaten him with? I can’t do anything to him.”

Otis and Trace sobered, and Blaze stepped forward this time. “We’ll come get your wife and kids and take them home with one of us,” Blaze said, raising his eyebrows. “How about that? You can’t take care of yourself? You can’t take care of them.”

Denzel glared, pure heat flowing from him. He stared at Blaze, and then Tex. “He’s a much better mafia boss than me, he’s right.”

“They deserve better,” Blaze added. “Trust me; I’ve been where you are. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t do anything, and I had to allow them to help me. I know your sweet wife doesn’t mind helping you, but she shouldn’t have to shoulder any of this alone.” He nodded and glanced at Tex.

“So you’ll call us next time,” he said. “Or Leigh. She’ll let us know. And we’ll be there to help you both, because we already have enough people crying over at the red umbrella. We don’t need one of them to be your amazing wife.”

“Or you,” Trace added.

Denzel surveyed the four of them, and then all the fight and tension in his body drained away. A tear slithered down his face too, and he nodded a couple of times. “Okay. I just—it’s so embarrassing.”

“No, it’s not,” Otis said, shaking his head. “Crying in the park on the Fourth of July? I’ll give you that. Calling someone for help when you fall down and hurt yourself?” He shook his head again. “Not embarrassing. None of us are going to judge you.”

“This isn’t about you,” Michelle said, and Tex jumped back, not realizing how close she’d come.

“I know.” He reached for her, and she stepped into him and hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry, baby. Really.”

Tex moved to his side, and pushed against the tree. “Okay, you lean on me.”

“We should go get Daddy’s wheelchair,” Blaze said.

“I’ll go,” Otis said. “Because Cole just walked by holding hands with a very pretty blonde woman, and I need to know who she is.”

Tex whipped his attention around the park, but he couldn’t pick out Cole in the throngs of people arriving in the park now. “Cole has a girlfriend?”

“He sure does.” Rosie joined them, and she did not look or sound happy.

“You should hear him talk about her. It’s Rachel-this, and Rachel-that, and oh-my-landslides-Rosie-Rachel-is-so-smart, and holy-horses-Rosie-I’m-so-nervous-to-kiss-her.

” She made a gagging sound and glared out into the general world.

Tex grinned and grinned at her, because Rosie reminded him so much of Pippa.

“So her name is Rachel?”

“Rachel Walker,” Rosie said. “She’s his boss.”

“Oh, so like Boston,” Tex said.

“Speaking of….” Trace nodded toward the parking lot, and when Tex looked that way, he caught Boston leaning forward and kissing a very pretty brunette. He kept it chaste enough, and as he resettled his cowboy hat on his head, she looked up at him like he’d hung the moon just for her.

“Disgusting,” Rosie said, and she stomped away.

“Boston,” Blaze called, and he veered toward them.

“Hey, fellas.” He released Cora’s hand and gave hugs all around. He fell back to her side. “This is Cora Silver. Cora, a handful of my uncles.” He started with Trace, who stood the closest. “Trace, Denzel, Tex, and Blaze.”

“I’m not an uncle,” Denzel said in a dark tone.

“Oh, you are too,” Boston said. “And his wife, Michelle. They’ve got a couple of kids, and obviously one who’s probably going to come tonight.” He grinned at Michelle, who smiled back.

“From your lips to God’s ears,” she said.

“Who are you calling when you go into labor?” Trace asked. “We’re not that far from you, and neither is Georgia.”

“She’s calling Leigh,” Denzel said.

“Leigh’s too far,” Trace said as he pulled out his phone. “I’m going to text Ev and Georgia.”

“Okay,” Otis said as he returned. “Here’s the wheelchair.” He glanced over to Boston and Cora, and stuck out his hand. “I’m Otis.”

“He’s the fun uncle,” Boston said, and Tex scoffed.