Yuletide Cowboy by Debra Clopton Page B

“Wyatt, don’t even think about it.” Could they not see that she didn’t want any of this?
    â€œI was just thinking about those little boys this morning wanting you to help them with their tree house. It would be nice to help them out.”
    Chance saw Lynn stiffen and her sharp gaze met his briefly before she looked away—no doubt about whether or not she’d heard that. “She didn’t want my help,” he said, his voice low to keep it from carrying. “She made that clear.” He looked at Wyatt with real warning in his eyes. It was then that he noticed how quiet the table had grown, and his attention was drawn around to thebright, well-intentioned eyes of his family. Not one of them was paying his warning any attention.
    His gaze slid back to Lynn. Randy hadn’t wanted his help either, and Chance had failed him because he hadn’t pursued helping him anyway. But this wasn’t the same.
    Not the same at all.

Chapter Five
    â€œW ho’ll give me one-fifty for Emmett? He’s a hard worker, and… ” Brady paused to grin at the roomful of people before zeroing in on Stacy, who blushed profusely when all eyes turned to her. “From what I hear he’s a good cook, too. A bit on the shy side so you might have a hard time getting any talk out of him.” A round of laughter erupted from across the room. Red-faced, Emmett stood beside Brady. When a lively round of bidding instantly ensued he looked even more embarrassed. Lynn’s heart went out to the lanky, quiet cowboy. The poor guy was not the most handsome cowboy in the room—some might even say he was homely because he was so thin and red-faced. But within his skinny chest there was a loyal heart of gold. A humble man of honor, he’d given his heart to only one lucky woman in the room. He’d fallen in love with Stacy the day she stepped off the van that had brought Lynn and the others to No Place Like Home. God truly had worked in mysterious ways to get them here, and she was forever grateful.
    Stacy had been through so much, having grown up with an abusive father, then continuing the cycle bymarrying an abusive man. The shelter had saved her and when they’d moved to Mule Hollow, Emmett had patiently, sweetly been there for her over the last two years as she healed emotionally. Both he and Stacy were quiet, and it had taken a year to get them to actually talk more than a few sentences to each other. It had been a touching thing to watch. Lynn knew she’d been a part of helping Stacy let go of some of the pain from her past and reach out for the bright future she could have with Emmett. Knowing this gave Lynn great satisfaction.
    When the bidding finally eased up after going another hundred dollars higher, Emmett shifted and looked pained. The bidding had slowed now but he seemed ready to bolt. He’d known when he entered the auction that Stacy wouldn’t have a lot of money to bid on him and he’d thought that was okay because he didn’t figure there would be much bidding going on for him anyway. Still, he’d confided that he was worried about the situation. He hadn’t counted on Norma Sue and Esther Mae jumping in to take care of him. They were intent on out bidding each other, but more focused on outbidding a young blonde who had apparently decided Emmett was the man to spend her money on.
    As soon as Brady asked for more bids, Norma Sue shoved her hand in the air and glared at Esther Mae. “You might as well back off. Both of you.”
    Brady chuckled, acknowledged her bid and asked for more. “Who’ll make it one-sixty?”
    The young woman shot a perturbed look toward her competitors and then waved a bid.
    Poor Emmett turned slightly green.
    Stacy had shredded her paper napkin and was nowstarting on Lynn’s. “Why is she trying to get Emmett?” she whispered in alarm.
    Lynn patted her arm. “It’s all for a good