Something Bright by R. Cooper

Author:R. Cooper
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: urban fantasy, magic, historical, old west, sobriety, mates, bisexual character, found family, wlw
Publisher: R. Cooper

HOOPER was gone by then, as she had said she would be. She had people to take up to the geysers. She might stay up there with them for a while before heading back, or she might be going on north or east, or all the way down to Los Cerros without stopping. Batch hadn’t asked. It didn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. Batch had had lovers before, for work or pleasure or whatever reason. Most only a night or two anyway, so the whereabouts and plans of Olivia Hooper were nothing to her except maybe the interest of a friend. If they were friends.

Batch wasn’t sure they were even that. All the talk of earrings and hometowns and names was just talk. Even Batch knew people said ridiculous things in bed.

She cleaned up and got dressed before heading out to make sure Carillo had gotten some rest, and then she took a shift walking the streets and keeping an eye out for trouble that hopefully wouldn’t come. That night, she spent her money on another bath, flushing hot despite the lukewarm water when she found herself lost in dreams over soap bubbles.

She ate supper at a table, with Tinney, and let him talk about some scandal back East that had been in all the papers without understanding a thing about financial dealings—although she accepted his opinion of all the dealers. He let her have his stack of old newspapers when he was done, and she spent part of her night squinting at the articles and searching for something to interest her. Something for the future. But reading gave her a headache and she didn’t know too many of the words, and all the advertised jobs in Los Cerros involved typing machines and other mysteries.

In her room again, late at night, looking into the mirror, she considered the white kerchief with blue specks that had been left behind, folded neatly on her dresser. She hadn’t worn it, of course; Ruby might have recognized it. But alone, Batch rolled it up and tied it, just so, imagining it was a ribbon, imagining that it was a gift and not something forgotten.

She woke early, and shooed Carillo out of the jail to finish his shift for him there, waking and releasing the two farmhands who were the worse for wear with drink, and washing out the pot of coffee that must have been on the stove since yesterday. She didn’t need to be there, she couldn’t help but think. The immediate danger had passed, and whatever else the landowner and business types might try, it would likely be through the courts or the banks as Tinney said.

The future was coming sooner than she’d expected.

She supposed she could help around on someone else’s homestead. She did have the skills for that. Maybe she could find a widow who’d feel more comfortable with Batch around than a bunch of rowdy workers. Batch could do the hard work, digging and such, or even a little cooking and house chores.

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