Chief Cook and Bottle Washer by Rita Hestand

Deke's throat as
he thought about the rattlesnake that had gotten Emma pregnant and
left her. What kind of man was he?
    Her clothes weren't his business he told
himself, but how would she ever get Clint to look at her as a
prospect if she didn't wear something a little more feminine?
Evidently that family of hers hadn't given her much appreciation,
she blushed every time he threw her a compliment. Yeah, Emma must
have had it pretty rough.
    What could he say to her? He'd embarrass her
and run her clean off the property if he even mentioned her
clothes. No, he supposed Emma was the kind of gal that needed a
reason to fancy herself up. He'd think on that a while.
    Most men had to be baited, he reckoned. Clint
was too blind to see past his nose. If he couldn't see how taken
their neighbor was with him, he had to be blind. He needed bait,
and Emma wasn't furnishing much, even though he had seen past the
clothes real fast. Of course he was older.
    Clint liked her, Deke acknowledged as he
closed the stall gate. Clint had spent time with her last night,
joking, cutting up and trying to impress. Emma had responded with
short sweet smiles at him too.
    Emma was obviously a practical woman. Damn,
that could be a problem. Not to mention the baby. Or the fact that
his brother was about as marriage shy as they come. He'd never
envisioned such details just to marry a brother off. There was more
to matchmaking than finding the right woman, and he didn't have the
time to fool with it. Well, he'd just let nature take its course
and see how things went first. Then if there was no progress he'd
have to help it along. Somehow!

Chapter Five

    A week had passed and nothing was happening
between Emma and Clint. Oh they were polite as they could be,
talkative, helpful, but nothing was going on between Clint and
Emma. It was as if an "Off limits" sign was hung around her
neck.
    It looked seriously as though Deke might have
to lend a hand with nature. Clint just didn't know a good thing
when he saw it.
    Jake had been riding fence most of the week
so Deke didn't have to worry about him. But Deke had purposely let
Clint slack off a little giving him time and opportunity to get to
know Emma better.
    Clint hadn't taken the hint. Oh they'd had
general conversations at dinner time. He'd helped her off and on
with Sammie Jo. Yet Clint treated her as though she was the last
person on his mind. Why? It made no sense to him. He'd gotten
dumped good and proper only months ago, so now he was having
nothing to do with women?
    Deke shook his head as he shod one of the
horses in the barn. "Looks like I'm going to have to do something
to wake those brothers of mine up."
    It was Saturday and very early. A light
morning mist had made the barn humid. What Deke and every other
rancher in the area needed was a good hard rain. Deke shucked his
thoughts and dug into his work with a vengeance when Rusty clamored
into the barn nosily.
    "Deke, I thought you'd be on your way to
Sweetwater by now."
    "What for?" Deke questioned not even glancing
up to see his brother's expression. He instinctively knew by the
sound of his walk which brother ambled into the barn.
    "To fetch a gal for the dance, tonight."
    "I'd forgotten about that. I've had a few
other things on my mind lately. I doubt I'll go, and if I do I'll
probably just go stag. Besides, I've got too much work to do to run
off to Sweetwater. With Too Bit coming down sick and some of the
other ranchers having the same problems I'm not sure dancing is in
order right now."
    "There'll always be problems here at the
ranch, Deke. Lord knows you know that. Why don't you let your hair
down and have some fun. I wouldn't miss the shindig. I'm takin'
Jennifer."
    "Are you and Jennifer getting serious?" Deke
held his breath for the answer and looked up at his younger
brother.
    "She's my girl, isn't she?"
    "Is she?" Deke continued with his work.
    "You don't like Jennifer much, do you, Deke?"
Rusty's voice held a note of disappointment as he