Trego. J. D. Oliver

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 went in the bedroom and checked the bed. Just as I thought, bedbugs. I had seen a Buffalo robe hanging in the barn. I ran out there naked and retrieved it. Then I wrapped up in it and laid down by the pot bellied stove. Jake opened one eye and looked at me. I only had to get up once during the night to feed both stoves.

      It was still snowing when we woke the next morning at six. I fed the stock and then Jake and I headed for the boarding house. We knocked at the back kitchen door. Brie opened it. She had a wide smile on her face, but not as big as mine.

      I was the first one there. I sat in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee, while the women bustled around. Brona and Caitie were taking the food into the dining room as fast as the cook could serve it up.

      Brie said, “Trego, would you like to join the rest in the dinning room?”

      “Could I just eat here, with Jake?”

      “Yes, I guess. I usually eat with the borders and guests, you don’t mind eating alone?”

      “I wouldn’t be alone, Brona and Caitie would be here, plus Jake.”

      “Alright, Randy Fuller is here, his face is a little swelled, plus some cuts. At least he is keeping his hands to himself. I suppose I should give him his gun, what do you think?”

      “Yeah, sure. But first let me take the cartridges out. He might still be a little mad at me. I wouldn’t want to get his blood all over your floors.”

      “Are you sure it would be his and not yours?”

      “Are you anxious to find out?” I said. She stopped in her tracks and turned pale.

      “I didn’t mean that.” She said, as her hands flew up to her face, “goodness no, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

      I stood up and took her in my arms and kissed her. It was the same thing as last night. As we came up for air, Brona, Caitie and the cook was staring at us. Brona said, “It’s too early in the morning for that.”

      I looked at her, “It’s never too early.” I said, I shucked the shells. Brie took the gun and belt and went into the dinning room. I heard loud voices, then we heard “Where is that son of a bitch, I’ll kill him.” I stepped behind the door to the dinning room. The door flew open, Randy came through holding his .45. “Where are you at, you Bastard.” He yelled.

      “Right behind you Randy.” I said, as I stood there with one hand on the door and the other hanging loose at my side. He whirled around, raising his gun he fanned the hammer, of course it went click.

      He stared down at it, dumbfounded. I could of killed him right there, but I didn’t. Which of course was a bad decision. Instead, I stepped forward with my left hand gun and bent it over his skull. He hit the kitchen floor like the sack of manure he was.

      Brie came in, I looked at her distressed face and said, “I’m sorry Brie, but now you seen why I took the shells out of his gun. Otherwise I would have had to kill him.”

      “I’m not mad at you Sweetheart, I was afraid for you.” Again she was in my arms.

      Brona said, “I’ll get some of the men to pack him back to the saloon.”

      When