got it clear of the holster, before I put my fist down his throat. He was out. After he stopped bouncing off of the floor, I reached down and picked up his pearl handled .45. Then I took his gun belt off and putting his gun back in the holster, I draped it over my shoulder. I looked at the bartender, “Pour me a shot of whiskey, will you.”
I took it and poured it over my knuckles. His teeth had cut me up some, I didn’t want to get some sort of infection from him.
“Well girls, it looks like I’ve done all of the damage I want to do, this night. Will you both be alright?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Brona said.
“Well then, let’s get your belongings, I’ll take you over to the boarding house for the night, we’ll figure out what to do next, in the morning.”
I went upstairs with them, they got what belonged to them. When we came back down, the dandy was still laying where he had fallen. Everyone was just walking around him. He must not of had many friends. That was comforting…..
I kept his gun and belt, I was sort of taking a shine to them. Jake was walking ahead of us in the snow storm, I guess you could almost call it a blizzard. I knocked on the back door of the boarding house, the door opened and an Angel said,
“Come in, you must be freezing.” Jake took her at her word and bounded in. He shook himself in the kitchen, sending snow every which way. She just laughed, a beautiful laugh like the first breath of spring.
I stood there dripping water on the floor. She looked around me at the girls, “I know you,” she said to Brona, “you work at the saloon, don’t you?”
“Not anymore, this here yokel got us fired. He keeps beating everybody up.”
She looked at me, “Is that right?”
“Uh, yes and no Mam. I didn’t do it on purpose, they started it.”
She nodded her head, “I know they probably did. Brona, it is Brona isn’t it? I thought so, what is this young lady’s name?”
Caitie did a small curtsy, “My name is Caitie Lafferty Mam.”
“Well, Caitie and Brona, would you like a job? You see the two girls I did have working for me left to get married.”
“Yes,” they both spoke in unison.
“Good, you can put your things in the bedroom right off of the kitchen, there are two beds in there, I’m sure you will be most comfortable.”
Both girls picked up their bags and headed for that room. The Widow lady said, turning to me. “Now, to you. Do you have a name?”
“Why, I reckon I do, that is if you do?”
“Yes, that was rude of me, my name is Brie, it’s short for Breeze. I’m afraid my Mother was a bit of a romantic. Brie Stevens,” she said, while holding out her hand. I didn’t know whether to kiss it, or shake it. So I just took it in mine and held it. While saying, “I’m very glad to meet you Brie. My name is Trego.”
We stood there with our eyes locked. She had brown eyes, well sort of, with flecks of gold in them. Neither one of us made an effort to pull our hands away. Her hair was a deep dark brown, with just a hint of red.
“Trego? Do you have a surname, with that? Or is that your surname?”
“Nope, just Trego. That’s all my Dad every called me.” I said, while I brought my left hand up to take her hand in both of mine. She had soft warm hands, with just a hint of calluses.
Her cheeks started to get a red flush. Her eyes shifted to the gun and belt hanging from my shoulder. “I know that gun, it belongs to Randy Fuller, he owns the saloon, did you beat him up?”
“Well, not really all that much, but he was out cold on the floor when we left. I didn’t know he owned the saloon, but he acted like he owned those girls. He tried to pull this here iron and plug me. I just beat him to the punch, you could say.”
“Well, you don’t want to be accused of stealing, you can leave it here. He comes in often to eat. He thinks he’s a lady’s man. I have to keep reminding him to keep his hands to himself. What are you doing in Coolidge, Mr. Trego?”
“Please call me Trego, no Mr. I was just drifting through. But the Blacksmith offered to let me run the livery. Plus now, I have another reason to stay.” Her cheeks flamed a deeper red. But she made no effort to remove her hand from mine. In fact we were sort of drifting closer, her face was only inches away from mine.
She swallowed a couple of times, then said, “Are you the one who helped Henry and his family?”
“Helped? Well I did give them a little money. It was getting too cold for those children to live in that wagon. Are they settled in?” I asked.
“Yes, they have two rooms.” She said, as her body melted into mine. Her hair smelled like lilac’s. Her lips tasted like honey laced with fire. We pulled back a inch or so, looking into each other’s soul.
We were still that way, when Brona said, “Are you two going to stand that way all night? Making calf eyes at each other.”
We pulled away, Brie turned, “No of course not, he had something in his eye, I was trying to get it out.”
“Yeah, what he had in his eye was you. We were just wondering if it was alright if we could go to bed, or do you need anything done?”
“No, no you can go to bed. We get up at five in the morning. To get the breakfast going.” She glanced hurriedly at me. “Will you be coming for breakfast?”
“Of course, can Jake come too?”
“Yes, but he has to stay in the kitchen, he can’t go in the dining room. Some of the other borders might object.” Brie said, as she accompanied us to the door. Jake went out and stood in the storm, while Brie leaned into me for a kiss. I didn’t even feel the blizzard as Jake led me back to the livery.
I was still in a fog when I stirred up the fire and added coal. Jake was setting on his haunches and staring at me.
“Don’t worry Jake, I haven’t went crazy. Well maybe just a mite. I wouldn’t have believed it, if I hadn’t of just experienced it, love at first sight. I’ve read about it, but didn’t believe it was possible.” He just shook himself, steam arose from the snow hitting the hot stove. Then he laid down close behind the heater.
I went out in the barn and checked the stock, Jim nickered at me. I went over and currycombed him. “Well Old Boy, I guess we’re going to be here awhile.” He bobbed his head up and down. Jim could use the rest.
I went back in and shucked my overcoat. I looked down at my buckskins. I seen a mercantile store, I guess I would have to buy some new clothes. It never entered my mind before. But after Brie, I felt the need to update, you might say.
I skinned out of my buckskins and stood there in my long johns. I built a fire in the cook stove. The boiler on the side was full of water. It didn’t take long to get hot. I took a spit bath. Then washed my long johns. They would dry overnight, since I hung them on the back of a chair and put the chair close to the oven door, that I left open.
I
