The ladies’ gazes all focused on the twins. Austin rued the day his pa came up with the nonsensical requirement for his sons to marry or lose out on their inheritance. Life had been fine at the ranch when it was just the eight of them. No frills, tears, or emotion. Just eight steady, dependable men.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us to your … um … friends?” Coralee, the smallest of the Hart women, batted her brown eyes at him.
Austin cleared his throat, wishing someone would start a shootout in the street so he’d have an excuse to leave. He actually glanced at the door, but honor held his feet in place. “Of course.” He held out his hand toward the table. “This is Jenny and Rebekah Evans. They are new to town.” He gestured at the trio standing beside him. “And these fine gals are three of my five sisters-in-law. Coralee, Annie, and Emma Hart. All of them are Harts.” He realized how dumb that last sentence sounded as soon as the words left his mouth.
He glanced behind him to see the few patrons still in the dining hall were staring at him and the ladies. He glared at Pete and Stubby, two cowboys he knew from the Morgan ranch. Stubby ducked his head, but Pete grinned back at him as if knowing Austin was knee-deep in quicksand and enjoying the fact. The coffee he’d swigged down churned in his gut.
“Of course we’re Harts since we’re married to your brothers.” Emma’s green eyes held a teasing glint as she stepped around him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you ladies. I’m Emma, and I’m married to Hays. He’s the youngest of the brothers.”
Rebekah smiled at Emma, her gaze dropping to Emma’s belly. There was no doubt anymore that Hays would soon be a father. The shaft of jealousy that shot through him took him by surprise.
“As Austin so kindly stated, I’m Coralee Hart, married to Houston. He’s the middle of the seven brothers.” She tugged Annie forward. “And this is Annie. She’s married to Travis, who’s the town doctor.”
Rebekah rose. “We’re pleased to meet you. Won’t you join us?” Her gaze shot to Austin’s.
He nodded, knowing there was no way out of this debacle. He just hoped the Hart women didn’t scare Jenny off. After the trio sat, he perched on the edge of his chair. He’d never been alone with his sisters-in-law before and wasn’t sure what to say. More than likely, they’d never notice if he didn’t say a thing, but Jenny might.
Coralee’s ringlets bounced as she told Jenny and Rebekah how she’d turned down Houston’s first proposal. Austin stared into his empty coffee cup. How was he supposed to get to know his bride with those three magpies chattering?
He could head up a cattle drive with three thousand head of longhorns and boss his six younger brothers into doing a decent day’s work, but he had no idea how to corral a passel of frilly skirts and yappy mouths.
“Don’t you think so, Austin?”
Uh-oh. “What?”
“Don’t you think your brothers are happier since they married?” Annie stared at him with honest hazel eyes.
“I reckon.” Happier, yes. But those beguiling women had turned his hardworking brothers into late-sleepin’, “Yes, Dear,” nincompoops.
Rebekah stared at him with a concerned gaze while Emma launched into her tale of Hays’s signs advertising for a bride and how she’d removed them as fast as he put them up. Rebekah held his gaze for a moment, as if sympathizing with him. He offered her a smile, grateful that someone had noticed he was still there. When she smiled back at him, something hitched in his gut. He looked at Jenny and found her engrossed in Emma’s tale.
Tillie bustled toward him, carrying their food. She set each plate down then glanced at the newcomers. “What can I get y’all?”
“More coffee,” Austin said before anyone else started chattering.
Annie shook her head. “I think we should go and allow Austin and his friends to enjoy their meal.”
“But—” Coralee closed her mouth as Annie stood and tugged her up.
“I think Annie is right.” Emma stood and pushed in her chair. “It was a pleasure meeting you two, and I hope we’ll learn more about you next time we meet.”
“Oh, and if you should find yourself in need of a doctor,” Annie said, “my husband is just down the street during the day. We’re still living at the ranch, so he usually heads back around three.”
As Annie and Emma tugged Coralee toward the door, she was still talking. “I thought we were staying for a glass of sweet tea.”
The room was deathly quiet after the trio left. He glanced behind him, relieved to see they were finally alone.
Rebekah stared at the front window as his sisters-in-law scurried past. “I feel a bit like a cyclone blew through here. It must have been quite a change at your ranch going from seven unmarried men to having five women in your midst.”
“No kidding.” Austin grinned at Rebekah’s comment. “I’m glad that most of them have their own homes now, but our family gatherings are quite an affair. Lots of good food, though.”
“Do they all live near you?” Jenny asked.
“Not too far away.”
“I’m surprised they didn’t ask about us.”