The Stranger

Author's note: I'm not too happy with this chapter but the next few are great. I can't wait to post them!

Thank you to CandyCaner, Ikkichi, and Saige for reviewing you guys got hugs.

Off we go my awesome people.

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I nearly skipped my way back to the bar. I was grinning like an idiot and I knew it. That was quite all right with me though.

I slipped through the crowded bar, noticing the barmaids flirting heavily and the men trying to catch their attention and trick them into buying more beers. I smiled. Those girls knew just how to reel in the business.

I rushed up the stairs and across the hall to my tiny kitchen. I took out some salted meat, stoked the fire in the stove, and cooked a little meal for myself. I ate slowly, contemplating what kind of questions I would ask Lynn tomorrow.

Maybe I would be able to get more personal tomorrow?

I know! I would have one of the men come in to take care of my bar while I took Lynn outside. I would get her a drink beforehand, of course. I couldn’t go back on the bet. I needed to honor my loss.

I wondered where I would take her. Should we just walk around randomly? Or should we find an actual place to sit.

Oh! I suddenly knew just where to take her and I smirked. I was so excited.

After I cooled the fire down and cleaned up my mess, I went downstairs, skipping every other step on the way down, and went up to one of the men I hired.

“If you work tomorrow morning for me, you won’t have to work at night tomorrow, Stephen.”

“Am I going to be working with you, Millie?” He was cleaning a glass slowly while talking to me. He was a sweet boy; he made all the girls smile when they were blue.

“No, I think I’ll be taking the day off. I have to meet somebody.”

“It’ll be no problem Millie. I’ll be here bright and early.”

“Thank you Stephen. This means a lot to me.” I flashed him a smile and bounded back up the stairs.

I was walking on air. I felt as if I could fly. Everything seemed like it would go perfect to make tomorrow amazing. The worst part about being this excited is I would have the worst trouble trying to go to sleep.

I spent that night picking out the perfect outfit for tomorrow. I picked out a lighter, thinner, more summery dress that didn’t have a bustle, so I could sit on the ground easily and, once I was happy with what I had picked out, I laid it out on my vanity chair. I then washed up, got in my nightgown, and snuggled up into my bed, kicking the sheets off as I had the other night.

My mind was, yet again, filled with her. I looked at the sky outside my window. It wasn’t as dark as her eyes yet, but it comforted me that, soon enough, the sky would be a pitch black as her eyes and it would drape its cool, dark color over our little town.

I think I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

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For once I loved that rooster.

I was awake the instant it crowed and my eyes snapped open. I awoke with excitement swelling in my chest. My stomach was fluttering around and my heart was beating a little too fast. I bit my lip and nearly ran into my dressing room.

I shucked off my night gown, and dug through my dresser drawers. I found my nicest girdle and bloomers and pulled them on along with a pair of nude stockings and comfortable shoes. I then went to my dress and slipped it on gently. As I did up the buttons in the back, I looked in the mirror. I felt beautiful.

I paused.

Why was I trying to dress so nice? I mean, she’s just some woman. I swear, that woman just confuses me so much that she makes me act like a maniac.

I shook those thoughts out of my mind and wondered if I should put on makeup.

Naw, I would just sweat it off anyhow. I put my red, wavy hair up in a tail high up on my head and worked my way to the kitchen to eat some of the food I had made last night.

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It was high noon again when Lynn arrived. I had been a wreck, waiting for her. I would get happy, then scared, then angry at her for making me feel these things, and then happy all over again. I had to press on my stomach just to make the fluttering stop many times.

Thankfully, I Lawrence had the day off so he wouldn’t bother me with his admonishments. Stephen was certainly surprised by Lynn’s looks, but he kept his trap shut.

Smart Boy.

“Whiskey for ya?” I ran behind the bar and poured her the drink. I saw that twitch of the lips again as she sat down. She had left her hat at home today, it seemed, and I was happy. One less layer between her and me.

“You know it. So, what questions do ya have for me today Miss Sheafer?” I frowned. Back to Miss Sheafer? I handed her the glass and let it go for now. I would bring it up later.

“Well, we won’t be staying here. I got Stephen to take over today and it hasn’t been busy, so I thought we’d go for a walk.” I smiled at her and her eyebrow twitched upwards.

“Is that right? Where will we be going?”

“To a hill I know of, down south of here. It’s less crowded there.” She paused and her brow crinkled a bit. She was staring off into space like she had last night. What was she thinking about?

“You sure that’s a good idea, Miss Sheafer?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? We’re just going to talk. It’s a nice place, I swear. I’ll bring a blanket and you can walk your horse there. It’s just a quarter mile out of town, so it should only take us a few moments to get there.” I went to grab the blanket I had taken down from the linen closet upstairs and sat on the stool next to her, waiting for her to finish her drink.

She sighed, sounding wound up.

“Well, if you say so.” She quickly gulped down her drink, slammed the glass down on the counter and made for the door.

I jumped a bit when she had slammed the glass. Was she mad at me?

I followed her out to her horse, which she untied, and I led her south, through the town and to the hill. It was a beautiful thing, with a few shady trees and some patched of grass to sit on. It overlooked the town on one side and the lake on the other. It was usually only used on the weekends by the boys who were taking the girls somewhere nice when they were courting them. I smiled when I saw that no one was there at the moment.

We stayed silent all the way there.

Once we got there, I laid out the blanket and she took her horse down the hill towards the lake a bit to graze the longer, more plentiful grasses.

I sat down, stretching my legs out and leaning backwards, putting my weight on my hands. She hesitated a bit before sitting down cross-legged. She had grabbed a piece of wheat from somewhere and chewed it between her teeth. She looked like a regular cowboy and I giggled at the sight.

“So… why are you staying in Long Canyon?” She was looking at me amusedly.

“Thought it could use some of my services. You guys seem a little understaffed.”

“You mentioned that when you first walked into my bar. What do you mean by ‘services’, other than selling furs?” She quirked her lips in that tiny smile I’ve trained myself to look for, and relaxed a bit more.

“I’m pretty good at making salves to heal people. I can sew wounds closed for anyone that needs them. I can hunt, skin, and cook animals real well. Things like that.” She was so casual and she shrugged her shoulders as she ended her statement. I was in awe though. She was a doctor? And a hunter?

“Where did you learn those things?” My face was an open book at this point. It showed my curiosity, my awe, my surprise, and my admiration.

“Well, have you heard stories? Bout Indians and how they’re bad people?” I nodded. “They ain’t true. Not one lick of it has any truth to it.” I furrowed my brow and sat up, leaning towards her.

“What do you mean?”

“My old town, a small one, just like this one you live in now, was right next to an Indian settlement. One day I got lost and an Indian, a young man, took me to my home. My father didn’t like them, but they had been nice to me, so I would go to visit them from time to time. They taught me how to take care of myself, and live off the land. Best lessons I ever had.” She turned her head to look at the water of the lake. I shivered.

“They weren’t just trying to gain your trust or somethin? Those red skins can be conniving little bastards, ya know.” She snapped her head towards me. Her voice took on a sharp edge.

“You be quiet about that. Don’t talk bad about shit you don’t know nothing about, woman.” I jumped a bit and looked down.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered. “I just was always told different. I don’t know if I can think the way you do about them.” She shook her head and sighed, pausing for a moment.

“I shouldn’t have snapped. I’m sorry, Miss Sheafer.” She looked away again. I looked at her profile, it was all I could see of her.

“So, is that why you took that man to his home?” She shrugged again.

“Yeah. The Dine tribe might need me too. They’re very poor and have bad medicine care.” I nodded my head.

“That sure is nice of you.” I was trying to be sympathetic towards the Indians, but all I could feel was fear. “You going to be doing it for free?”

“Yup, for them anyway. For everyone else here in town, I’ll charge them.” There was that little quirk of her lips again, and I giggled a bit.

“Arm and a Leg?” She gave out a small chuckle.

“You know it.” I laughed and let that face splitting grin take over my face. Her laugh was beautiful! Why had she hid it for these past couple of days?

A soft breeze ran through the leaves of the trees and reached down to us. It swept up whatever hairs I had missed in my ponytail and tickled my face with them. I closed my eyes and just let the cool breeze wrap itself around me.

I opened my eyes and looked at Lynn. Her face was soft and relaxed and she had closed were eyes as well. That small smile was on her lips. Goodness.

I had never thought of a woman, or anyone really, as being beautiful, but, in that moment, I thought Lynn was the most gorgeous person I had ever met. She took my breath away.