IT'S ALL IN THE CARDS

by Holly © 2001

Chapter 1

Emily Metcalf stormed into the saloon. She was looking for her father. 'Not again' she thought, seeing him right where she'd expected, sitting at a gambling table, cheating some of the best cheaters around, including a man whom people called Neville, a very good card player and also, from what she'd heard, a very good cheater. Ever since they'd moved to Rock Creek, which had been about a week ago, her father had hung out there. 'Well, the house and barn need work, and I'm not doing it by myself,' Emily thought to herself.

She stormed over to where he was sitting. "C'mon dad, time to go home," she told him sternly.

"But...'hic'...I'm not done playing yet," he drunkly replied.

"I don't care. We need to get to work on the house. It really needs it," Emily replied. The look on her face told her father that she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Okay...'hic'...I'm comin," Metcalf said. As he got up, he stumbled and knocked some cards off the table. He had to hold on to Emily's shoulder to keep from falling himself.
Emily was glad that there weren't that many people in the saloon to see the embarassing scene that she and her father were creating.

"You're too drunk to ride. I wonder if anyone has a buckboard that we can use," she hissed at her father.

At this, Buck sat up and took notice. He'd been watching the whole exchange, and he guessed that the girl and her father were new in town, because he'd never seen either of them before. Jimmy elbowed him in the ribs.

"Buck, you're staring," he joked.

" I was just thinking, they need a ride, we haven't gotten Rachel's supplies yet, so we can give them one. It can't be that far, and we've got time."

" Sure, Buck, whatever you say," Jimmy replied with a mischievous smile.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked Jimmy, noticing his smile.

"Just glad you're making friends Buck, just glad you're making friends." Even though he was joking, Jimmy truly was happy for his friend. Buck was was half Kiowa indian, and most people wished that he would be one or the other, not both. Jimmy hoped that making friends with the new people in town might help Buck to have a little more zest for life.

Buck nervously walked up to Emily. His hands were shaking, but he tried not to let it show.

"Hi," he said to her.

Emily looked up to see a man that she didn't recognize.
From his skin tone, she guessed that he was probably indian, or maybe half. Her expression, which was previously hard and tough, was now softened as his eyes found hers. She felt instantly drawn to him. She recovered her previous state of embarassment and abandoned her scolding voice when she realized that he was talking to her.

"Hello," she replied , her voice shaking slightly.

"Sorry, but I overheard you say that you needed a buckboard, and me and my friend over there have one, so we can give you a ride," Buck told her.

"Sure, thanks. But I don't want to be any trouble," Emily replied.

"You wouldn't be any trouble at all. I'd be glad to do it. By the way, my name's Buck Cross." He knew that women didn't usually shake hands, but something in this one's eyes told him the she was different.

"Emily Metcalf," she said proudly, taking his outstreched hand.

"So after mamma died, me and dad needed a place to go. My aunt Mary wanted us to come live with her, but my dad said that it was too painful. So we sold almost everything we had and moved all the way from Kentucky to Rock Creek," Emily told Buck wistfully as he drove Emily and her father, who was lying in the back of the wagon with his horse tethered to the back, to where the two of them live together.
Jimmy had stayed in town to get the supplies so that they could leave as soon as Buck returned.

"Wow. Must have been hard, losing your mother and then moving all the way out here," Buck told her when she finished.

"Yeah, but we've done pretty good so far, so I think we'll make it. Rock Creek is a nice place," Emily said.

"Rock Creek is what you make it, good or bad," Buck replied.
"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but how did your mom die?" he asked softly.

"She got Scarlet Fever," Emily said

'Just like Ike, only Ike just lost his hair, not his life,' Buck thought to himself, thinking of his bald best friend.

When they pulled up to Emily's house, Buck saw what she ment by 'needs work'. There was a hole in the roof of the barn, the fence wood was rotted in several places, and two of the windows in the house were broken.

"I know that it needs a lot of work, but I can handle it. A little work never hurt anybody," Emily said when she saw the expression on Buck's face.

"Yeah..." His voice trailed off. Suddenly he had an idea.
"Maybe this Saturday I can come by and help you," Buck suggested.

Emily came alive. "Sure, if you want to. I could use the help. But I can't pay you anything." Her face fell in dismay.

"That's okay. I'd be glad to help. I'm used to doing extra work,"
Buck replied, remembering all of the times that he'd done Cody's chores for him while he went off galavanting across the countryside.

"I'd like that, thanks for the offer," Emily said. She was happy to have some help, but even happier that it was this particular man.

Buck smiled and turned to leave. Then he stopped.

"Emily?" he said.

"Hmm?" she responded.

Completly without thinking, he said;

" Would you have dinner with me tonight, around 5 o'clock? That way you can get to know some of the people, and get a little more familiar with the town."

"Um..." Emily said. She did like him, but she hadn't expected his question. They'd just met, but beyond that, she didn't think that he was interested in her. But she decided to accept. She could get to know people in town, mostly him.

"Yeah Buck, I'd like that. My dad will be alright by himself for a while," she replied with a smile.

"Okay," Buck said with a smile. Before leaving, he went to help Emily's dad get off the buckboard.

"Who are you?" he asked Buck drunkly .

"This is Buck, dad. He's the one who brought you home," Emily told her father.

"Thanks," her father replied. He walked into the house, bumping into the doorway in the process.

"Well, I'll see you at five then," Emily said to Buck.

"Yeah, see you then." Before walking away, he planted a small kiss on Emily's left cheek. He walked to the buckboard and rode away with a huge smile on his face.

Emily lifted her hand to her cheek, and walked into the house with a smile on her face. Her dad was lying on the couch, half asleep.

"Hey dad, I'm going into town with Buck at 5 o'clock today, alright? I'll fix you something to eat before I go. But please dad, stay here," Emily told her father. She didn't want him causing trouble in town, especially with that Neville man. To Emily, he seemed like the kind of man that would shoot first and ask questions later. She thought it best if she and her father stayed away from him as much as possible.

"Okay Emmie, I will. But you be careful, and have a good time, alright?" Metcalf said.

'Even drunk, he can still act like an over-protective father,' Emily thought to herself.

"Don't worry dad, I will," Emily said reassuringly. She had absolutely no doubt in her mind that she would have a good time.

As Buck rode back into town to pick up Jimmy and the supplies, he thought about what had just happened. Usually Cody was the out-going, center-of-attention guy, and Buck was the quiet, reserved one of the group. 'Maybe some of Cody is rubbing off on me,' he thought. He was really looking forward to this evening. He couldn't believe what he'd done.
All of a sudden, Buck burst into song.

"Oh Susanna, don't you cry for me..."