Cera's Place by Elizabeth McKenna

her up real good, almost killed her. That’s how she ended up with Li, our cook. He’d been working for her daddy. Li nursed her back to health and they’ve been friends ever since.
    “Cera was working in a saloon near the wharf when she met Isaac, that’s the piano player. She don’t talk about that part of her life and I don’t ask. We all know how miserable saloon life can be. Sometimes it’s best forgotten.” Ginger fell quiet, staring off down the hall at nothing. With a shake of her head, she continued, “Anyway, the point is, Cera’s fought long and hard to get where she is today. Maybe you need to remind her of what she’s still missing.”
    “I appreciate you sharing this with me, Ginger.”
    She shrugged. “Sure thing, Captain. I’m happy to help.”
    Grimacing, Jake took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. He suddenly felt weary to the bone. “Please call me ‘Jake.’ I’m not a soldier anymore.”
    “If you ain’t a soldier, how come you wear that Union coat?” Ginger pointed a polished fingernail at his chest.
    Jake studied the tips of his boots for several seconds, and then gave her a silent shrug.
    “You know, sometimes after a man gets a few drinks in him, he gets to talking. Since the war, I’ve heard terrible, heartbreaking stories from men who are tired of being soldiers, but can’t remember what is was like beforehand. They don’t know how to live with us regular folks. They miss the friends they fought alongside with—and watched die. Some feel dead inside and wish they were dead on the outside.” Ginger took a hold of Jake’s shoulders and shook him gently. “You’re strong, Jake. You’re not like the walking dead. You want to live. I can feel it. You need to let go of the past.”
    He turned his head when he heard footsteps on the stairs, silently groaning when Cera appeared. The look of disbelief on her face stabbed him straight in the heart.
    Recovering, she said in a cold voice, “Ginger, Horace is looking for you downstairs. Something about a card game you promised him.”
    Blushing deeply, Ginger hurried past Cera. “I’m sorry. I’ll go find him straightaway.”
    Jake opened his mouth to explain the compromising situation, but Cera held up a hand to stop him. “Step out of my way. I need to get to my room.” When she moved to get past him, he grabbed her by the arm.
    “Don’t,” he pleaded.
    “Don’t what?” Her lips trembled, but he didn’t know if it was from hurt or fury.
    “Don’t think what you’re thinking. It wasn’t like that. We weren’t doing anything.”
    The look she gave him could have scorched the paint off the front of her saloon. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She shook her head. “And, anyway, it’s none of my business.”
    Desperate to make her understand, he crushed his mouth against hers, pushing her against the wall with his body. He poured all of his anger and frustration over the war and his losses into the kiss, hoping she would take it and set him free. Instead, she struggled to free herself, finally ending the battle with a slap to his face.
    Jake rubbed the pain away with his knuckles. “I guess I deserved that for the kiss, but I’m telling you, I didn’t touch Big Red, I mean, she touched me, but not in the way you think…I mean we were only talking…” He stopped, realizing how he sounded. “Funny, I wouldn’t have taken you for the kind that slaps. I would expect you to punch.”
    “I didn’t have room to throw a punch. You had me up against the wall.”
    He nodded. “Good point. I’ll remember that for next time.”
    “There had better not be a next time.” Keeping her eyes on him, she felt behind her for the doorknob to her room. “I think you should leave my saloon now, Mr. Tanner.”
    “Cera, please!” Jake reached for her again, but she was faster and slammed the door in his face. The click of the lock slamming into place echoed in the hallway. “Honest, we were only