A Bride for Deke

a church social this Sunday after services. It’s always a good time. You can make something for the potluck supper, and there’ll be dancing after the bidding.”
“Bidding? What are they selling?” Amalie asked.
The single ladies auction off picnic baskets. The men bid on them, and the highest bid gets to eat supper with the lady who made the basket.”
Amalie paled and turned her head away from Deke.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
Amalie shrugged. “We had church socials back in St. Louis, but no one ever bid on a lady. It reminds me of what Mister Caldwell and Rex Horrison were planning.”
Deke reached over to take her hand. “It isn’t the same thing. The money raised goes to the church’s building fund for additions, repairs, and the stained-glass window the pastor would like to purchase. It’s all quite innocent.”
Amalie bit her lip before asking, “What, exactly, do they do?”
“Single ladies make a nice supper and pack it in a picnic basket. The pastor peeks into the basket to give the single men an idea of what the lady has made. Many of the ladies are already courting someone, and their intendeds usually outbid everyone else. It can get interesting to watch some of the men try to get the winning bid, and the pastor makes money for the church.”
“I see,” Amalie answered. “That sounds innocent enough, but does everyone always have someone bid on their basket? None of the less popular ladies end up standing there without a bid, do they?”
Deke laughed out loud and then apologized for the outburst. “No. Quite a few men from all of the ranches around here come to the social, and it’s amazing what those men will bid for a nice homemade supper and a lady’s company after eating bunkhouse chow with dirty cowhands for weeks or months on end.”
“I didn’t understand. That does sound nice. What should I make to take along for the potluck?”
“Some of your fried chicken and a pie.”
“I can do that.” Amalie smiled, but Deke surmised that she still was not comfortable with bidding on a woman for any reason. He hoped she’d do her best to fit into her new lifestyle.
Deke offered her a hand up, and they rode back to the ranch house in companionable silence, each of them lost in their thoughts of the picnic and the dance.

Chapter Ten
Amalie held Deke’s hand as they walked toward the field next to the church. There were tables set up, and people were milling around, talking and laughing. She carried a small basket containing the fried chicken and apple pie she had prepared for the potluck supper. He was relieved that Amalie had finally realized that her worries about the bidding on the picnic baskets had been foolish, especially since the money would help the church, and everyone would have a grand time.
Several people Amalie had met at church greeted her warmly, and the three young women who had apologized to her over their unwelcome comments smiled and waved. Amalie smiled and waved back. Laura was noticeably not with her friends.
After placing her food on the table and speaking to an older woman who seemed in charge of food placement, Amalie wandered through the group of her fellow church congregants. Deke found her chatting with another newly married young woman.
Deke greeted the outgoing young woman, took Amalie by the arm, and led her away. “You look a bit anxious. Are you all right?” Deke asked.
“Yes, she’s a lovely person, but she’s also newly married, and she asked me some personal questions I couldn’t answer.”
Deke thought he understood and said, “I’m sorry that our marriage has put you in a difficult situation.”
“It’s all right. I can find a way to talk to anyone, and my situation is much better than it would have been had I stayed in St. Louis. Thank you for that.”
Deke glanced down at her and watched as the sunlight brought out glimmers of red in her hair. Her eyes sparkled with happiness, excitement, or something else Deke couldn’t quite place. She was a beauty, and several men had commented on how fortunate he was, but he didn’t feel fortunate. He felt more like a rat, lying to the world about the lovely woman on his arm.
He smiled at Amalie and said, “It was my pleasure to help you.” He meant every word. He was beginning to care about her, though he wasn’t sure what to do with those feelings.
Fortunately, the pastor’s voice announced the start of the picnic basket auction, breaking through Deke’s thoughts, and he guided Amalie toward the pastor. A small wooden stage had been built for the occasion, and the pastor was standing in the middle alongside five young ladies, holding picnic baskets.
        The first basket was auctioned off immediately and won by the young woman’s fiancé. He was the sheriff’s deputy, and no one dared bid against him.
The next two baskets were also auctioned off quickly, and Amalie began to think this was a sweet, harmless way to raise money and have young people enjoy the picnic.
Amalie recognized the fourth young woman as one of Laura’s friends. She was a pretty girl with honey blonde hair piled on top of her head. Her smile was contagious, and soon several men began to bid for her basket.
Everything seemed to be going well until two men, who had obviously been drinking, broke out in a fistfight over the young lady and her basket. The pastor ordered the men to stop and told them to leave the picnic until they’d sobered. That left the bidding up to a smartly-dressed young man that Deke had said was the town’s lawyer. He upped his bid and won the basket and supper with the young woman.
Deke whispered to Amalie, “The next young lady is