Page 67 of Conveniently Wed
“Emma,” the cowboy said with a nod at Fran’s sister.
Fran began to protest. “She hasn’t driven a wagon before?—”
“Ed said you might argue and that I should remind you something about coddling.”
She opened her mouth to argue. The man wouldn’t even face her but he was going to get onto her for trying to protect Emma?
But Emma broke in. Quietly, with a beseeching look at Fran. “I can do it. If something happens, Seb will be right there in the wagon. Right?”
Matty winked at the younger girl, a brotherly admiration apparent on his face. “Exactly right. None of us are gonna let anything happen to you.”
“Are you sure?” Fran asked.
Emma’s lips pinched with determination.
Fran gave in with little grace—because she didn’t seem to have much of a choice.
Had Edgar somehow known that having a chore to do would put a little starch back into Emma, when Fran hadn’t been able to help her sister do it herself?
Matty boosted her onto the horse’s back and she clung to the knob on the front of the saddle, but the animal didn’t move. Not even a quiver.
The cowboy grinned at her. “I’ll be right beside ya until we get to the herd, then I’ll give ya some instructions. Mostly just stay out of the way of the cattle. If they start getting out of control, one of the other boys’ll come to your aid.”
She managed to get the horse moving in a placid walk. Praying that she didn’t look too awkward.
Praying that all this preparation was for nothing.
But knowing there was a chance it wasn’t.
Edgar had promised himself he would stay away from Fran.
But he found his horse gravitating toward her around the herd regardless.
He had never imagined that a woman wearing trousers would look so good. Her slender hips and the definition the trousers gave to her legs…. He had to wrestle his wayward thoughts into submission several times, like chasing one of the stray steers back to the herd.
What was it about her that kept drawing him, even over the discomfort that she now knew about his past?
Matty had only ridden by and given a short report, but Edgar wasn’t surprised that Fran hadn’t complained about his zany plan. She hadn’t complained yet, not matter what he’d asked, no matter how hard it was on her.
Right now she didn’t look comfortable in the saddle, but at least she hadn’t fallen off.
They were coming up to the outskirts of Tuck’s Station when a dozen head decided to wander away from the main herd, right in front of her.
Her cow pony started skirting them, just like it was supposed to. The burst of speed turned into a trot.
And she started bouncing in the saddle.
He moved in to help, rounding the steers and pushing them back toward the herd. He pulled up next to her. “You doing okay?”
She reined in the pony, clutching the saddle horn with her other hand. White-faced, she attempted a smile at him. “Mostly trying not to fall off.”
Somehow he found himself wanting to smile back at her. Even now. “Emma okay?”
“Yes, I think so. She was when I rode out, anyway.”
He nodded.
“Edgar, I really am sorry—about before. About pushing into your past.”
