Gemma raised a hand. “Dobro and guitar.”

“Colleen?” Liz asked.

“I’d be the banjo picker,” she answered, but her voice wasn’t as warm as the other members of the family.

“Grandma plays the dulcimer and the Dobro, and sometimes she can talk Grandpa into singing for us,” Raylen said.

“Sounds like fun,” Liz said.

“It is, darlin’,” Grandma said, “especially if you like country music and good old Irish toe-stompin’ tunes.” She picked up her plate and headed for the kitchen with it. When she returned, she walked right on past the dining room table and toward the door. “I’ll just be warmin’ up the dulcimer while y’all finish up.”

“She’s usually not in this big of a hurry,” Raylen said.

“I’m finished. I’m going on out there with her,” Liz said.

Dewar shifted his eyes over toward Jasmine. “Speakin’ of Thanksgiving, where are you going for the holiday?”

“Mama would tack my scalp to the garage door if I didn’t go home for the holidays. I’ll close up the Chicken Fried for the day and go have dinner with the family,” Jasmine answered.

“You’re welcome here if the weather gets bad,” Dewar said.

“Maddie already said I was part of the family and didn’t need any invitations to anything going on here, but thank you anyway. Where is Ace today?” Jasmine looked around the room.

Dewar chuckled. “He’s over at Wil and Pearl’s. Is that old ugly cowboy going to beat my time with you?”

Liz was already standing, plate in hand, but she stopped.

“You, darlin’, ain’t got no time to beat, and neither does Ace. He’s just my friend, like you.” Jasmine accentuated her words by stabbing her fork at him.

Dewar threw a hand over his chest. “You break my heart, Jasmine.”

“Yeah, right! With all the women lining up for your attention, I’m not so sure you are interested in me. Finish your dinner so y’all can make Grandma happy,” Jasmine said.

Raylen looked at Liz and explained, “Ace, Wil, and Rye were best friends. Rye and Austin got married last summer, and Wil and Pearl were married in February.”

“And Ace?” she asked.

“Oh, that cowboy is too pretty to settle down with one woman the rest of his life.” Jasmine shook her head. “And besides, the woman that got him would have to train him. He’s not even housebroke.”

Liz smiled. That reminded her of what Aunt Tressa had said about Blaze.

He’s too handsome to ever settle down. And your temper is too volatile to put up with women hanging on him and his flirting, so don’t be thinking that because you two aren’t blood related there could ever be a relationship there.

Raylen pushed back his chair, picked up his plate, and led the way to the kitchen. “I’m finished too. I’ll go with you, Liz.”

When they reached the back yard, Grandma was warming up with “Bill Bailey.” Liz sat down on one of the two quilts that had been tossed out on the ground, her skirt fluffed out around her, and Raylen joined her.