Oregonal Sin

A normal evening at the Saloon, if a little quiet after the holidays. Jessy was making a circuit of the Saloon until she saw a friendly-looking face. "Buy a girl a drink?" she asked, expression warm and welcoming.

Jack had been keeping himself busy since the day he'd arrived here; exploring the town a piece at a time, learning where anything he might need was and getting acquainted with the townsfolk as best he could when he wasn't working under Brother Dan, doing an honest day's work and feeling grateful for it.

The sun was still high as he made his way across the square, heading for the store to pick up a few supplies and minding his own business when a flutter of movement caught his eye and he turned to see a young woman walking away, a handkerchief laying on the ground behind her. Without thinking, he turned on his heel and trotted over, stooping to pick up the kerchief. "Excuse me, miss, I think you dropped this."

Saving the boy had gotten Charlie good and bad press both. And both enough that he'd skipped town for a few days, on the trail of a bounty that was barely worth his attention. Then again, girl had barely been worth his attention, too, but girl had been government money, at least. This bounty was private funds, and he'd only taken it as a distraction.

Least Kane wasn't after him for killing one of the three brutes. Small favors.

He rode back into town and got off his horse to find someone staring at him. Dismounted, grabbed his saddlebags and looked straight at the person in question. "Somethin' the matter?"

The air was a little cooler than might have been ideal for an outdoor gathering, but hovering in the low 60s, it wasn't so bad.

There was a tent set up in the yard beside the church, a few tables put together, to make a long row, and chairs. Brother Dan has announced the last couple of weeks in church that there would be a pot luck today, everyone invited. No preaching, just community dinner. Now it was up to everyone else to show up. With food, if they wanted to and could.

When he saw her at the saloon, in spite of his complete lack of sexual interest in her, he handed her a drink with a warm smile. He pushed the other, empty chair at his table out with one foot so she could sit and catch a break and her breath.

Opening time on another day. Didn't make much odds if it was a weekday or a Sunday, save some of the girls started shifts late on Sundays but this one was a weekday. Heavy bars lifted away from the doors to let people in, Jax behind the bar, Gemma's girls ready and willing for company or custom. Or both.

Open for business.