His Sweet Amber (The Red Petticoat Saloon) by Sue Lyndon

Author:Sue Lyndon
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Blushing Books Publications
Published: 2016-05-16T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

He wasn’t coming. Not tonight. Maybe not ever again. Callie tried to hide her disappointment as she moved about the main room of the saloon, serving drinks and chatting with customers. Lawrence usually visited The Red Petticoat just after darkness fell. Tonight would have been their sixth night in a row together.

How stupid she’d been to fall for him. Yet she had continually pushed him away. Each time he had proposed marriage, she had said no. She blinked back tears and hurried into the kitchen.

“What’s wrong, child?” Nettie asked from the stove.

Callie was grateful to find no one else around. She let a few tears fall, brushed them away, and sniffled. Nettie wiped her hands on her apron, approached Callie, and wrapped an arm around her.

“There, there. Now who was mean to you? Point the scoundrel out and I’ll put a concoction of spices in his supper so fierce it’ll set him on his back for days.”

“Oh, nothing happened out there.” She gave a desolate sigh. “It’s what isn’t going to happen tonight that has me so upset. I feel like a fool.”

Nettie urged her to sit down at the little table against the wall. She took Callie’s hand and gave it a squeeze, her pretty blue eyes shining with sympathy. “The pastor has you upset, has he?”

Callie nodded. “I might have eavesdropped on a conversation he had with one of his friends today. About me, and about possibly becoming the preacher in Culpepper. Lawrence’s friend seemed to think I was leading him astray and keeping him from answering his calling. Maybe he’s right. This town could use a preacher. And now it doesn’t appear that Lawrence is planning on meeting me tonight. He hasn’t shown yet.”

“Oh, child. Maybe the man got held up somewhere.”

“He probably went back to his cabin. He probably came to his senses and decided not to see me anymore. I’ve been so stupid.”

“Why don’t you go on up to your room? Get some rest and perhaps in the morning you can find your preacher and talk things through.”

“No. I should be working. The more I work, the sooner I’ll make it back home.” Callie stood up and moved to the door in the direction of the chatter and piano music. “Have a good night, Nettie.”

Out in the main room, Callie let her gaze wander around until an older man caught her eye and winked at her. Well, this is it. She sashayed over to him with a smile. After he patted his knee, she sat on his lap and ran a hand over his chest. A move she’d seen other gems do many times.

“I’ve had my eye on you all week, little girl.”

She batted her eyelashes at him, copying a flirtatious look she’d seen Opal giving the customers. Though Callie didn’t recognize the man, she said, “Sugar pie, I’ve had my eye on you all week too.”

He chuckled and squeezed her thigh, right above her stockings. “What do you say we finish this conversation

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