breeding. They can’t help that any more than they can help the color of their hair and eyes. Nature bred it into them, but only a fool would see a female wolver as docile. It's been my experience, Eustace, that if you piss one of them off or threaten their young, they'll likely eat your balls for lunch."
"And then he starts to laugh some more," Eustace told her and started to laugh himself, "He says… he says, 'Or they beat hell out of you with a broom like that hot little redhead down at the hotel did to that poor fuck-up this afternoon."
"Eustace!"
"Sorry, Miss Rachel," he said but he didn't look sorry at all. He was still laughing. "You said you wanted it word for word. Did you really beat someone with a broom? Who was it?"
Rachel wanted to melt into the floor, but there was one more question that had to be asked.
"Why ask? Didn't your new friend tell you?"
"No! But don't think I didn't ask. He said that was the lady's business and none of mine."
"And he was right," Rachel said, rising from the table, all business again. "Thank you, Eustace. You've done your job well."
Eustace grinned as he rose, too. He nodded his appreciation and then stopped, his laughter evaporating.
" There's something else, Miss Rachel, something I wasn't going to tell, but think maybe I should. I asked him if he meant what he said," he said quietly.
By the tone of his voice, Rachel knew this was important. She forgot about her embarrassment and her need to be alone to think.
"About what?" she asked, just as quietly.
"He told Billy I was his friend. I wanted to know if it was true or if he just said it to rile Billy up." Eustace said it so quietly, it was almost a whisper. "He said he knew it would rile Billy some, but that was too damn bad, because nobody messed with his friends. He said if he was going to call me Eustace, it wasn’t right I should call him Mr. McCall. He said most folks he knew just called him McCall like it’s his first name and I should, too."
The last two years had been hard on Eustace and Rachel could see how touched he was by the offer. He was an omega and had few friends. The people of Gold Gulch weren't as casual about the use of given names as outsiders were and offering his to someone like Eustace was a precious gift. She hoped Mr. McCall understood that.
“But that ain’t his real name, the one his mama gave him I mean. His real name is Challenger and the name fits. I could tell right off, he's a man who likes a challenge and I think I could help rustle up a couple or three for him right here in Gold Gulch."
" I'm sure you could, Eustace, but it doesn't have to be tonight."
"Me and him's gonna clear that room over at the jail out tomorrow, but don't you worry, I'll be here to help get things started in the morning."
"Then you'd better get off your le gs and get some sleep." He never complained, but she could tell by the way he moved that he was in pain.
"I'll go when I've helped you hang that wash you got here," he said and reached for the basket.
"No, you won't," she said, beating him to it. "Hanging the cloths is the best part of my day. It means my work's done and I can enjoy a little fresh air. Go on now, Eustace. The new sheriff is going to need you to be right and ready to show him around. Nobody knows this town better than you do."
"That's exactly what I told McCall, Miss Rachel. Nobody knows the happenin's around here better'n me."
Chapter 6
Hanging the tablecloths on the triple row of lines really was the best part of her day. While she would use the dryer if she had to, the tight pinning and night breezes usually worked to take some of the wrinkles out of the heavy cotton cloth and the morning dew dampened them just enough for ironing. The night was quiet, the tourists were gone, and her work was done. For these few minutes, she was at peace and could think uninterrupted. She called it her quiet time.
Usually, Rachel used the time to make a mental list of things that
"And then he starts to laugh some more," Eustace told her and started to laugh himself, "He says… he says, 'Or they beat hell out of you with a broom like that hot little redhead down at the hotel did to that poor fuck-up this afternoon."
"Eustace!"
"Sorry, Miss Rachel," he said but he didn't look sorry at all. He was still laughing. "You said you wanted it word for word. Did you really beat someone with a broom? Who was it?"
Rachel wanted to melt into the floor, but there was one more question that had to be asked.
"Why ask? Didn't your new friend tell you?"
"No! But don't think I didn't ask. He said that was the lady's business and none of mine."
"And he was right," Rachel said, rising from the table, all business again. "Thank you, Eustace. You've done your job well."
Eustace grinned as he rose, too. He nodded his appreciation and then stopped, his laughter evaporating.
" There's something else, Miss Rachel, something I wasn't going to tell, but think maybe I should. I asked him if he meant what he said," he said quietly.
By the tone of his voice, Rachel knew this was important. She forgot about her embarrassment and her need to be alone to think.
"About what?" she asked, just as quietly.
"He told Billy I was his friend. I wanted to know if it was true or if he just said it to rile Billy up." Eustace said it so quietly, it was almost a whisper. "He said he knew it would rile Billy some, but that was too damn bad, because nobody messed with his friends. He said if he was going to call me Eustace, it wasn’t right I should call him Mr. McCall. He said most folks he knew just called him McCall like it’s his first name and I should, too."
The last two years had been hard on Eustace and Rachel could see how touched he was by the offer. He was an omega and had few friends. The people of Gold Gulch weren't as casual about the use of given names as outsiders were and offering his to someone like Eustace was a precious gift. She hoped Mr. McCall understood that.
“But that ain’t his real name, the one his mama gave him I mean. His real name is Challenger and the name fits. I could tell right off, he's a man who likes a challenge and I think I could help rustle up a couple or three for him right here in Gold Gulch."
" I'm sure you could, Eustace, but it doesn't have to be tonight."
"Me and him's gonna clear that room over at the jail out tomorrow, but don't you worry, I'll be here to help get things started in the morning."
"Then you'd better get off your le gs and get some sleep." He never complained, but she could tell by the way he moved that he was in pain.
"I'll go when I've helped you hang that wash you got here," he said and reached for the basket.
"No, you won't," she said, beating him to it. "Hanging the cloths is the best part of my day. It means my work's done and I can enjoy a little fresh air. Go on now, Eustace. The new sheriff is going to need you to be right and ready to show him around. Nobody knows this town better than you do."
"That's exactly what I told McCall, Miss Rachel. Nobody knows the happenin's around here better'n me."
Chapter 6
Hanging the tablecloths on the triple row of lines really was the best part of her day. While she would use the dryer if she had to, the tight pinning and night breezes usually worked to take some of the wrinkles out of the heavy cotton cloth and the morning dew dampened them just enough for ironing. The night was quiet, the tourists were gone, and her work was done. For these few minutes, she was at peace and could think uninterrupted. She called it her quiet time.
Usually, Rachel used the time to make a mental list of things that
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