A Lesson in Patience

by Jennifer Connors

  Turning in his seat, Tim smiled at her. “Of course not, darling. We can dine at our camp and relax.”

  “Thank you.”

  Colby felt a little guilty about leaving them. He did need to collect supplies before they journeyed back to his ranch, but his plans to visit the brothel were pretty selfish. “I just need a few supplies. How about we all have supper at the Bootleg? Then I can run out in the morning for the supplies.”

  Ginny looked perplexed. Was she wrong about his plans? Or was he trying to martyr himself on some “no sex” cause. She figured it was choice number two. Turning her head to roll her eyes, she came back with a compromise of her own.

  “I know you want to get back to your ranch as soon as possible, so how about a quick dinner? Then you should still have time to get your... uh... supplies tonight.”

  Colby turned in his seat and looked at her. She was being awfully sweet by allowing him some time alone. And she was doing it without making himself or Tim feel bad about it. Did she know what he wanted to do? No, impossible. She was most likely an innocent, or at least extremely inexperienced. She might know what men and women did in privacy, but she wouldn't know how crucial it was that he bed a woman or explode.

  “That sounds like a good idea. That way I don't have to cook dinner and you can still get your... supplies.” Tim smiled at Colby, then turned and shined his smile on Ginny. Ginny could only return his smile.

  Once again, Colby was thinking too much. She couldn't know and if she did, what did he care? They had already agreed that their arrangement was to be only professional, so she would have no say in who he slept with anyway. What he couldn't figure out was why he felt so guilty about it.

  “Fine.” Ginny was realizing that Colby was a man of few words.

  The cart stopped outside a nondescript brick building. There were a few other buildings around, but they were clearly outside the main part of Cheyenne. Tim came around and lowered the end of the cart and assisted Ginny to her feet. After sitting so long in the cart, she decided it would be prudent to walk around a bit to get some feeling back in her feet and legs. Colby and Tim watched her as she circled the cart, stretching her back by sticking out her chest. Both men continued to stare as she bent down and touched her toes.

  “What are you doing?” Colby asked, sounding his usual perturbed.

  “Stretching. I'm a little sore after sitting all that time.” Ginny wasn't going to start a fight. She answered nicely and kept a smile on her face.

  “Well, don't know about you two, but I'm hungry. Let's go inside.” Tim just had a way to keep things even.

  They entered the building and sat down at an open table in the front. There were few diners, so the bartender was able to come around quickly and take their orders. Both men, having been there before, knew exactly what they wanted, but without a menu, Ginny had no idea.

  Both men ordered a steak dinner, then turned to stare at Ginny. Like a deer in headlights, she just stared at each man in turn, including the bartender. Finally, she relented.

  “What's good here?” she asked with a false cheerfulness that she hoped covered her exasperation.

  Each man then turned and looked at each other. The bartender decided to take pity on her and answered that his wife made the best damn fried chicken this side of the Mississippi.

  “Sounds good to me. I'll take the chicken.”

  “What'll you drink?” the bartender asked flatly.

  The men ordered beers, so Ginny followed suit. When both men stared at her incredulously, she asked, “What do you want me to drink then?”

  Colby shook himself and looked at the bartender. “You heard the lady. Three beers, thank you.”

  With that, the bartender disappeared behind the counter and stuck his head through a hole in the wall to call out their orders.

  “You like beer, Ginny?” Tim asked.

  “I don't know. I just had no idea what they had and it seemed the safest thing to order.”

  With that, Colby snickered. “You could have had a sarsaparilla or something like that.”

  At this point, Ginny had had enough. “Look guys, I'm sorry if I'm so dumb that I don't know what a restaurant serves without a menu, and I don't know the proper beverage for a young woman like myself.”

  Tim immediately looked contrite. “Nah, Ginny. It's nothing like that. We've been coming here for a long time now and we didn't think that you wouldn't have known what's good. Sorry.”

  Ginny looked over at Colby to see if he had an apology waiting. She would have to wait since he was busy examining his fingernails for dirt. Just let it go, Ginny. Just let it go.

  The beers arrived in large, glass mugs. It was warm and a little flat, but it would do. At this point, Ginny was too tired to care. Honestly, she just wanted something to eat and then off to bed, although she admitted that sleeping on the ground again was not her first choice.

  Dinner came soon after and Ginny had to agree with the bartender. It was the best damn fried chicken she had ever had, this side of the Mississippi or not. She attacked it like she hadn't eaten in days, not knowing when her next good meal would be. It was served with sliced up, fried potatoes. No other vegetables were to be seen anywhere on the plate. Ginny had the feeling that it wouldn't be long on this diet before she had constipation issues. Maybe she could ask Colby to pick up some apples when he went into town to gather supplies. Unless he couldn't fit it in with his whoring.

  The thought actually made Ginny smile. If she were truly the heroine, she should be righteously mad that her man was sleeping with a prostitute. However, he wasn't technically her man yet and she couldn't work up any indignation over someone she didn't even like at the moment. On the other hand, they were, for all intents and purposes, married and he should take their five minute marriage ceremony, vows included, seriously. At this thought, Ginny laughed out loud.

  Turning to stare at her, Colby lifted an eyebrow questioningly. Before he could ask the obvious question, his friend got to it first.

  “What's so funny, Ginny?” Tim was smiling as well.

  “Oh, I just thought of something... humorous, you know.”

  “And that was...?” Colby asked, the only one not smiling.

  Taking a deep breath, trying to decide if she should be truthful, Ginny's smile grew larger. Now she was trying to hold back a major case of the giggles. Tim started to laugh watching her and Colby's frown just got more pronounced.

  “Well, I was thinking about our wedding ceremony...” Ginny snickered out the last word, before she burst out laughing. Tim kept laughing, but not because he knew what exactly was so funny. Mostly, he laughed because Ginny was laughing.

  “And what was so funny about that?” Colby inquired, keeping a straight face and not seeing any humor whatsoever.

  Calming down, mostly because her new husband looked so dire, she replied, “Well, it was just so silly. I seriously doubt that John is a minister of any kind or that it will be recorded anywhere. Seemed kind of superfluous.”

  “What's that mean, Ginny?” Tim asked, without any reserve.

  Before Ginny could answer, Colby chimed in. “It means unnecessary. Although I don't disagree with you Ginny, I don't quite understand why that is so funny.”

  With all the power of a bucket of cold water being poured on her head, Ginny felt all the silliness dissipate. Taking a steadying breath, she responded as best she could without getting angry. “It's been a long day. I'm tired and more than a little punchy. I just got to thinking about it and it seemed funny at the time. Thank you so much for pointing out how wrong I am.”

  Colby felt her sarcasm like a slap to his face. Rather than apologize for his being such a stick in the mud, he just nodded his head in acknowledgment. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence.

  After the meal was completed and paid for, all three returned to the cart and made it to camp before full nightfall. Ginny had only enough time to find wood for a fire and go to the outdoor outhouse before it was too dark t
o do much else. Tim completed the camp by laying out the bedrolls, starting the fire and filling his canteen from a nearby stream.

  Once all was settled, Colby announced, “I'll take one horse into town tonight and see if I can arrange for some supplies that we'll pick up tomorrow. Don't bother to wait up.” With that, he took one of the unhitched horses and left.

  Sitting in front of the fire, Ginny still hadn't said a word. Tim sat next to her and offered her his canteen. Smiling, she took the offering and drank deeply.

  “Colby just needs to get used to ya. He's been without a woman for a while,” Tim offered.

  “You make a lot of excuses for your friend, you know that, Tim?”

  “Nah, it just ain't like that, ya know. He's a good guy. He pays us well and he's good to everyone. Even the Indians. His housekeeper is Navajo, ya know.”

  Ginny smirked. After spending over a year in Regency England, as part of the upper class, she was used to such ridiculous and flagrant racism. Oh, he's a really good gardener... too bad he's Irish. “No, I didn't know that. Good for him.” Ginny came pretty damn close to not sounding sarcastic that time. She really did.

  “Now, Ginny, don't be like that,” Tim obviously translated her last trenchant statement. “He's a really good guy. I think once you two find some common ground, y'all get along like two peas in a pod.”

  There just wasn't any way to stay mad at Tim. He was a genuinely nice guy who wanted everyone to be happy. Maybe it had something to do with his new wife or his soon to be daddy status, but whatever the reason, she couldn't stay angry.

  Smiling warmly Ginny nodded then bumped into him with her shoulder. Tim smiled in return and bumped her back. “Maybe you should get some sleep Ginny. We've got another long day tomorrow.”

  “Alright then, good night, Tim. Thanks for making this trip bearable.”

  “I never could refuse a pretty girl, ya know.”

  Ginny climbed into her bedroll again leery of creepy crawlies. Once settled, she stared at the fire until she fell asleep. It took a little more time tonight, since Ginny could feel her worn muscles relaxing slowly. She would probably be sore in the morning. Her last thought before falling asleep was wondering if she would ever know who she was and if it would end up being “the” problem.

  Chapter 6

  Colby rode into the town just as the nightlife started. He had already figured that most of the stores he would need to get supplies from would be long since closed for the evening. It wasn't his primary focus anyway. After passing several saloons and burlesque shows, he found himself in front of Ma Belle's.

  Ma Belle, the original owner and operator, died a few years back. In her will, a will drawn up by Colby himself, she left the place to her favorite girl, Naomi. Wanting to profit from Ma Belle's reputation for fairness and cleanliness, Naomi kept the name and continued to operate the business in the same fashion. Colby was always welcome and even given a discount due to their business relationship.

  After hitching his horse, Colby walked to the front door and knocked. Naomi herself answered the door with a smile. When she saw who it was she smiled genuinely.

  “Well, do my eyes deceive me? Or could it be the one and only Colby Miller.” Naomi, although well into her forties, still had the perfect girl next door face. She had big, brown eyes and reddish brown hair not yet marred by gray. Although her figure had filled out in the past few years since not actively working the brothel, she was still a stunner.

  “Hi, Naomi. How's business?” Colby already felt himself relaxing. He realized that just being away from his “wife” was enough to help him unwind. He knew his problems weren't Ginny's fault, but she was the personification of those problems. It occurred to him that maybe he would never be able to have a friendly relationship with her.

  “Good, good. But, you didn't come all this way to ask me that, did you?” Naomi had a soothing voice which had added to her popularity when she was a working girl.

  “No. I was wondering if you were busy tonight?” Colby had always had a sweet spot for Naomi. Although much older, she never rushed him to finish the job and move onto the next. Besides, she didn't take too many clients anymore, so a guy didn't have to feel like he was just another lay.

  Smiling seductively, she gave him her full attention. “Well, now darling, you know I don't really work that side of the business anymore. But for you, I will definitely make an exception.”

  Calling to another girl to watch the door for the evening, Naomi brought Colby up to her rooms. She kept a large room on the third floor for her private use. Not many men had ever ventured beyond its door, and Colby couldn't help but feel honored.

  “Have a seat, darling. Can I get you a drink?” she asked, walking to a sidebar and holding up a whiskey bottle.

  “Thank you, Naomi.” Colby took a seat in a small sitting area on the side of the room. The bed, a big, four poster, was located on the other side of the room, behind a curtain that was currently open. First thing Colby did was remove his boots and hat. Propping his feet up on a small ottoman, he felt himself relax for the first time in days.

  Handing him his drink, Naomi began to massage his shoulders. “Oh my Colby, you have a lot of tension in your shoulders. What have you been up to that is causing you to be so uptight?” The other thing about Naomi, she sounded like she cared.

  Taking a long sip from his glass, Colby answered. “Got myself a wife.”

  The massage ended, and Naomi came around and sat in the chair opposite him. Concern marred her eyes, showing off the crow's feet. “Maybe we should talk first.”

  “Nothing to talk about really. I needed someone to take care of my brothers, and so I traveled all the way to Denver to buy a wife.” Colby took another sip of the whiskey and continued to regard her. A stray thought occurred to him that this woman should be someone's mother. He quickly quashed the thought as it would have destroyed his purpose for being there.

  Bending her head to the side, she stared at him for another moment before responding. “And this woman... she's not pretty?”

  Colby could see she was trying to sort out why he would be here and not with her. Smiling, he said, “No, she's real pretty.”

  “Are you afraid you might hurt her because it's been awhile?” Naomi looked even more perplexed now.

  “No. I just don't like her, is all.” Now, he could feel himself chuckling. Colby could be sour, but after some whiskey, he loosened up a bit.

  “Colby Miller, what a thing to say! If she's pretty, then what difference does it make to you what she has to say.” Naomi had been around the block more than once, and she knew men. They were interested in few things. Top of the list was sex. Didn't matter what the girl looked like if she was willing to fulfill that top item on the list.

  Colby proceeded to explain the tale of his new wife. Naomi listened with rapt attention through the tale, not stopping to ask any questions, although it was obvious that she had many. When Colby was done, she took his glass and refilled it and filled one for herself. Handing him his glass, she sat across from him once again and appeared pensive. Colby wasn't fooled.

  “Seems like it wasn't her fault... this mess you're in. Maybe you should be a little nicer to her.”

  “I know that, Naomi.” Colby looked down to hide his shame. “I know that she didn't ask for any of this. But I just can't help thinking that she's deceiving me. I just got this gut feeling that she's gonna be more trouble than she's worth.”

  “Darling, I haven't met a man yet who didn't think a woman was more trouble than she's worth. It's why Ma Belle was in business for so long.” Arching her eyebrow, she knew she'd made her point.

  “Very well. I'll try to be nicer to her.” Colby answered more to his glass of whiskey, than to his companion.

  Naomi put her glass on the floor and knelt in front of him. Catching his eye, he was forced to give her his attention. First, she removed the half drank glass from his hands. Then, she slowly unbuttoned his shirt. “I don't have any answers for
you darling, but I think I can take your mind off your problems for a while.” Her mouth turned into a sweet smile, seductive and alluring.

  Smiling in return, Colby relished the feel of her hands on his chest. Closing his eyes, he pictured his wife's face and that was all he needed to prepare himself for his night out.

  Chapter 7

  Early the next morning, Ginny surprised herself by being the first one awake. The sun was just cracking over the horizon and the morning smelled of fresh dew and flowers. After stretching her sore muscles, she looked over at the men. Tim, once again, laid on top of his bedroll, with his hat over his eyes, snoring. Colby was on his side, facing away from the fire. Staring at her husband for a moment, she wondered if his position was caused by guilt over already stepping on their wedding vows. Before the giggles could beset her again, she wandered over to the wagon to look for a towel to wash up at the stream.