Page 40 of One Texas Night...
“Then that’s when I’ll see you, and I can’t wait. We’ll go to my house, and if you want something to eat after you land, I’ll have it.”
“No, thank you. I’ll eat an early dinner.”
“See you tonight, darlin’. I have to run. I have an appointment that I’m already five minutes late for.”
“Goodbye,” she said, shaking her head but thinking about his endearment. Did it mean much with him? She had no idea.
* * *
Jared drove to an older part of Dallas where he had grown up. Big homes were set back on well-tended lawns while stately trees lined the streets, their branches sprouting new bright green spring leaves. He turned into the drive of the Tyler house, memories assailing him of spending hours there with Sloan. He recalled one time when it had snowed—a rare event in Dallas—and he had gone home with Sloan. When they had stepped out of the car, he had been hit in the chest with a puny little snowball and heard female giggles coming from behind a nandina bush. Sloan had had a snowball hit his feet, and he had glanced at the bush in disgust, looked at Jared and they had both scooped up snow to quickly pack snowballs the size of tennis balls. Sloan had run to the right and let one fly, hitting one of the girls who had been behind the bush. She screeched and ran. Jared had thrown a snowball and hit Allison in the face. She’d thrown one back at him, lobbing it with a wild swing, hitting his chest.
“My bratty sister,” Sloan had said. “Let’s get her.”
Both of them had scooped up more snow while Allison did the same. “She’s outnumbered, besides a few other advantages we have, like being twice as big,” Sloan had said. They’d both hit Allison with snowballs but she’d thrown a few back. Sloan had scooped another handful and had run toward her.
She’d flung one more snowball at him, hitting him in the face as she turned to run, her long yellow pigtail bouncing when she ran. He’d let her go, waiting for Jared. “Be glad you’re an only child.”
“Frankly, I’ve been glad of that many times and some of them are because of your little sister. Let’s get the snow off your drive, and we can shoot baskets.”
Jared smiled now at the memory. He would never have believed then that someday he would be interested in Allison. He would have taken any kind of bet on that one. He had paid little attention to her and thought of her always as Sloan’s bratty little sister, which was what Sloan often called her.
After he and Sloan went to college, Jared rarely saw her and never after Sloan’s wedding until that magical night when she had been eighteen.
He could hear the chimes, and soon Herman Tyler swung open the door. He looked older than he had the last time Jared had seen him. His pale blue eyes were like Sloan’s, and they bore a definite family resemblance.
“Come in, Jared,” Herman said, shaking hands and welcoming him. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You’re looking good, Mr. Tyler,” Jared said. “I’m glad you’re feeling well.”
“Yep, knock on wood. For now I am. What brings you by? Want to see the preliminaries on the catalog?”
“No, sir.”
“Want a cold beer?”
“Thanks, that would be nice. I’ve talked to Sloan lately and saw his latest pictures of his family.”
Herman laughed. “My son always has ‘latest pictures’ of his family. They must have a million pictures already. Little Megan knows how to pose and Jake, the baby, has already learned to smile when he’s told to.”
“Cute kids, and Sloan seems crazy about them.” Jared followed Herman into the kitchen and in minutes accepted a beer.
“Let’s go to the study,” Herman said. “I have things I’ve brought from the office in there. You have some fine furniture in that Houston mansion. I’m sure you know that already.”
“I do, but I don’t know how fine or which is more valuable. I know what I like, and I’ve told Allison.”
“Have a seat, please.”
They sat facing each other, and Jared sipped the cold beer. “The reason I wanted to see you, sir, is to talk to you before Allison gets back home and is with you all the time.”
“Now I’m curious.”
“She told me there are a couple of items in the mansion that she would like to buy. She will not tell me which ones, because I’m sure she suspects I will give them to her.”
“So you want to know which pieces?”
“Yes, because I want to give them to her. She’s done a great job, and she’s a friend—your whole family is like a family to me. I know if I leave it up to her, she won’t let me give them to her. I suspect you know what she wants, so please take them out of the sale and mark them for her. And I’d really prefer to surprise her, so she doesn’t fuss with me about it.”
“Jared, I know what she wants, and they’re very fine items, worth a lot. Are you sure you want to do this? You’re paying us quite well.”
