“Meaning?” I choke out over the significant stone of fear rising in my chest.

“Meaning you have been in love with Dixie Lark since we were kids, Gavin. And you and I both know how she feels about you. Even Dallas knows and has known, though he would rather not think about it, I’m sure. But this game you are playing, you and Dixie,” she clarifies. “It won’t end well if you aren’t honest with each other. Every second you spend in the dark about your feelings for each other is dangerous. People do stupid things when they’re hurt or sad or confused. Stop torturing each other and lay it out there. Or . . .”

“Or?”

“Or let her go, Gav,” she says softly. “Man up if you can’t be what she needs and deserves and let her go already. I can’t stand to see her hurting and closing herself off to everyone and everything while she waits for you to decide if she’s worth it or not. Life is too short to spend it pining for someone who will never come around, wishing for something you will never have, and holding on to something or someone that doesn’t want to be held.”

“Pregnancy has made you wise. And blunt.” I wink, and Robyn punches me playfully me in the chest.

“I was always honest. You know that. That’s why Dallas loves me, because I tell it like it is.”

“I love you for lots of reasons, babe.” Dallas reaches out to cut in and I step back and allow him to take my place.

“Good thing, because you went and knocked me up. Now you’re stuck with me.” Robyn winks, and I laugh, but in Dallas’s face I see pure love and adoration. If anything, she’s stuck with him because when Dallas Lark looks at any woman like that she is undeniably his for life.

“For the record, I was behaving myself,” I say quietly to Dallas. “That’s your wife, man. Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”

Dallas looks confused and I know the offense I took at his warning look and cutting in is probably misplaced.

“I know you were, Garrison. Far as I know, you want to see your next birthday, right?”

I shrug.

Honestly?

I could give a shit.

“Hey,” Dallas says, placing a hand on my chest. “I didn’t come over here to protect Robyn from you, man. I came over to protect you from her when I saw her punch you. She may be my wife but she’s also my sister’s best friend, so you are currently on the asshole list where Dixie is concerned. I didn’t want her getting her blood pressure up and decking you for real. Then I would’ve had to deck you for hurting her hand on your thick skull.”

He smiles and I force the best grimace I can on a deep breath. The tension in my chest lightens. It’s somewhat of a relief that he wasn’t worried.

I may have done some lowdown shit and Dallas knows all about it, but I would never mess with another man’s wife—my best friend’s or otherwise. Period. I did once, not knowing she was married, and that did not end well. Lesson learned.

“In that case, thanks for cutting in before she took a swing.”

Dallas hardly acknowledges my comment. Robyn murmurs something that sounds like “Did you talk to him yet?”

“I haven’t told him yet, no.” His ice-blue eyes are cold and hard when he returns his attention to where I’m standing, doing one hell of an impression of an unnecessary third wheel.

“Told me what? Is it twins?”

Dallas shakes his head. “Funny. That’s the same thing my sister said.”

The mention of her sends another pang of guilt or maybe regret through me. Whatever it is, it hurts like hell.

“Yeah? Great minds, I guess.”

“One baby,” Robyn hiss-whispers at me. “There is only one in there and I’ll thank y’all to quit putting the idea of multiples out into the universe. I’m freaking out enough as it is.”

I grin at her because she’s ridiculous. If she can handle Dallas, she can handle anything.

“So do I just keep guessing or what?”

“Or what,” Dallas says, before kissing Robyn quickly and allowing her Elvis impersonator uncle to cut in. “Come with me. We need to talk.”

The tension in his voice is freaking me the fuck out. “Dude. Whatever is going on, just tell me already. You know I don’t do well with beating around the bush.”

I half-expect him to make a manwhore joke about the bushes I’ve beaten but ever since I walked away from touring to get my life right, he hasn’t made a single crack. I don’t know if it’s Robyn’s influence on him or what, but I appreciate it. Nothing makes moving on from your mistakes harder than having them tossed into your face on a regular basis—whether it’s people kidding around or otherwise.

Once we’ve stepped away from the crowd, Dallas jerks his chin to a giant willow tree and we step behind it.

“So the battle of the bands at the Tavern,” he begins. “I talked to Dixie about it again after the rehearsal dinner.”

Could’ve been worse, I guess. I nod. “And?”

“And she’s still not sure. She’s taking the Over the Rainbow business—giving underpriviledged kids music lessons—very seriously and it takes up a lot of her time.”

Jesus. Of course she does. And yes I do know how she is. Because she couldn’t just be beautiful or talented or amazingly gorgeous. She has to be perfect. All of that light shouldn’t be tainted by my darkness.

But something is creeping up on the edge of my consciousness. It takes a few seconds but then it’s staring me full-on in the face.

“Wait. Only underprivileged kids?”

Dallas swallows so hard I see his Adam’s apple move behind his undone shirt collar.

“Yeah. Children of single parents, terminally ill parents or guardians, deceased parents, low-income families, and, um . . . drug addicts.”

I can’t verbalize how I feel right now, but I have a dangerous desire to hit something. It doesn’t make sense. She’s doing a good thing. Because she’s a good person, period. But it feels . . . personal.

Dixie the Fixer. Just grab a fiddle and fix everything right up. Kiss it all better—or in my case, fuck it all better.

“Gav. Breathe. She’s not doing it to hurt anyone or to get attention. She takes ridiculous stuff as payment, like one single dad mows the grass at the house and a young unwed mother makes her dinner once a week. Stuff like that. It’s not meant to upset anyone.”

“I know,” I choke out. “She would never hurt anyone on purpose.”

“Right. And like it or not, man, what you went through growing up, everything with your mom, we kind of went through it, too, once we moved to Amarillo. It affected me and Dixie both and sometimes it influences our decisions.”

“Doing favors for junkies is a bad idea, Dallas. Period. You know that. She should know that. It’s her getting hurt that I worry about.”

Dallas shakes his head. “Back up a step, man. I can see you making this about something else. She’s not doing favors for junkies. She’s sharing her gift with kids. Kids, man. Stop and let that sink in. Kids don’t deserve to be punished for their parents’ decisions. You should know that.”

Don’t they? I sure as hell got punished plenty for my mom’s choices. Still do from time to time. But none of that should ever come near my Bluebird.

“They come to the house? While she’s there alone?”

Dallas sighs. “Yeah. I guess. Sometimes.” He runs a hand hard through his hair. “They bring their kids, Gavin. Drop them off for forty-five minutes and then pick them up. End of story. Dixie’s a big girl. If she didn’t feel safe, she’d—”

“She’d what, Dallas? You know her. She gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. And you’re shacked up with Robyn so the last thing she’s going to do is tell you to leave your pregnant girlfriend or wife or whatever and come home because she’s worried about the meth head coming by later.”

“Gavin. Chill.”

I huff out some of my exasperation with how clueless the Lark siblings are. “No, I will not fucking chill. You live in this shiny fucking world where people are mostly good. And that’s great. I’m glad that you and Dixie both get to live there. But I know about the other side, the wretched, repulsive underbelly where the guy who changes your oil runs a chop shop out of his garage, and the knock-knock-joke-telling cook at Rio’s Diner hands out crack to kids not old enough to drive yet. I know that world because that’s where I fucking live. I’ve worked my ass off to keep her away from that and you’re telling me she’s inviting it over for fucking dinner. So no, I will not fucking chill.”