Free Chasing Rainbows by Victoria Lynne

man who had spoken before. He pulled a bill from his wallet and held it up. “Probably ain’t worth that much, but I reckon I can sell ’em in my store.”
    A miner stood up to counter the offer, but the first man shot him a look that had him sitting back down real quick. Annie knew the man’s type. He was big and brawny, with fair hair and tiny blue eyes that reminded her of a pig’s. He had the look of a bully written all over him.
    “Take it or leave it, mister,” he said to Jake, an expression of smug satisfaction on his face. “Looks like that’s the best offer you’re gonna get.”
    It was an insulting amount. Jake had to know that as well as she did. But surprisingly he didn’t turn it down.
    “Why, that’s mighty generous, friend,” he said instead, smiling politely. If not for the cool, deadly frost that had returned to his eyes, Annie would have thought him completely unaware of how patently he was being taken in.
    “I thought so.” The big man slapped the bill on the bar and reached for Jake’s boots.
    Jake caught his arm. “I assume you’ll give me the opportunity to buy those back at the end of the night.”
    “Sure I will. Unfortunately the price just went up. I figure quality items like these oughta sell for about a hundred dollars.” He shook off Jake’s arm and smiled. “But I tell you what. Since they’re secondhand, and you and your friend there have had such a rough night, I’ll sell them to you for ninety-five.”
    A collective hush fell over the saloon as the men who had been lounging about suddenly tensed, waiting for the brawl that usually followed an exchange of that nature. If Annie had had her guns, she would have been tempted to shoot the man’s fancy little hat clean off his head. But Jake surprised her by once again exercising a considerable amount of restraint.
    He studied the other man in silence, then nodded. “Like I said, you’re a real generous fella.”
    The big man looked almost disappointed. “I’m glad you see things my way,” he blustered. “Name’s Connors. You come see me at my dry-goods store when you get the money.”
    Annie watched as Jake took a seat with seven other men, including Connors, for a game of stud poker. She frowned, mulling over the exchange. She wouldn’t have pegged Jake for a coward, but that man had flat-out stolen Jake’s boots and hat, and Jake had done nothing to stop him. If someone had tried that on Pete Mundy… hell, he’d be resting six feet under by now.
    She took a seat slightly to the left and behind Jake’s chair, watching the play. Jake raked in the first pot. “Beginner’s luck,” he said to the group, then called over his shoulder for a glass of whiskey.
    The bartender brought the drink and set it down by Jake’s elbow. He looked at Annie and scowled, saying to Jake, “Sorry, mister, but I’m afraid your lady friend has got to go. We don’t allow no ladies in the saloon — town ordinance.” He shot a dark look at Cat, who sat curled up near Annie’s ankles, and added, “We don’t allow no pets, neither.”
    Jake glanced away from his cards and handed the bartender a coin for his drink. “Trust me,” he said loftily, “any woman who’s with me is definitely not a lady. She and the cat stay.”
    Annie stiffened as a low rumble of laughter broke out around the table and she was once again the recipient of the men’s rude, speculative stares. “Why, you—” she started, but Jake cut her off.
    “You hungry, darlin’?”
    As a matter of fact, she was. “Yes.”
    Jake glanced up at the bartender. “What are you serving tonight?”
    “We got fried oysters, fried chicken, fried steak, or refried beans and tortillas. What do you want?”
    Annie asked for chicken, while Jake ordered a steak. It seemed a foolish waste of money, considering the fact that they were both close to buck naked and had barely a nickel between them. But if Jake was going to eat, she sure as hell wasn’t going to go