Raylen looked at Liz with a puzzled expression.

“I asked him to make the announcement,” she explained. “It’s kind of like mixing up our two families tonight. Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. I just didn’t know we were supposed to play right now. I’d rather hold you as my fiddle,” he answered.

“Later, darlin’,” she whispered as she led the way to the stage area and picked up her fiddle.

Raylen followed right behind her.

Liz pulled the bow across the strings to make sure it was still in tune. “Ready?”

He smiled and locked his eyes with hers.

“Then let’s give ’em something to talk about,” she said.

She started the Bonnie Raitt tune, “Something to Talk About.”

Liz didn’t miss a beat when she stepped up to the microphone and sang as she played. The lyrics said that they were going to give them something to talk about and it was love, love, love.

When the last chords died, she turned to Raylen and said, “Is that yelling it from the rooftops?”

He nodded and mouthed, “My turn.”

She recognized “Tennessee Whiskey” from the first note, and then he began to sing and play at the same time.

“Give us some ‘Devil Went Down to Georgia,’” Grandpa yelled when they’d finished that one.

Liz and Raylen’s bows hit the fiddles at the same time and the whole barn went silent as they watched the show. They faced each other and had a real contest and when the song ended, the applause was deafening.

“Ready to give me that fiddle?” he asked Liz.

“Are you ready to give me yours?”

“I beat you that time,” Raylen argued. “I sang as well as played, and I didn’t miss a beat.”

“I didn’t either.” Liz didn’t give up that easy. “Grandma, who won?”

Franny pushed back her chair and stood up. “I’m callin’ it a second tie. You two belong together.”

Raylen pulled the microphone to his mouth. “Yes, we do. Liz and I are together so all you other cowboys out there are out of luck.”

“It’s been announced to the whole county!” Gemma yelled from across the barn.

“We’re hungry so we’re takin’ a break. Rest of you can play when you want and maybe we’ll join you later,” Raylen said.

“You ain’t goin’ to do ‘Earl’s Breakdown’ before you go?” Blaze asked.

“Maybe later. I’ve got something better to hold right now.” Raylen slung his arm around Liz’s shoulders and looked up.

“What are you looking for?” she asked.

“Mistletoe,” he answered.

“We’ve announced that we are together,” she told him and tiptoed to kiss him. “We don’t need mistletoe.”

Raylen led Liz to the food table where they loaded up their plates and carried them to a table where a couple of chairs were left.

As soon as they sat down Blaze stood up.

“I’ve got a toast to give here in front of all these witnesses.” Blaze held up his beer bottle. “I was wrong.”