Cassie bit her lip, both excited and embarrassed at the way Miss Vicky thought she’d “clean up pretty”. But the offer of employment was what<i>really </i>caught her attention.  “That’s a fair offer, ma’am, and I’d be glad to take it.  When do I...”<br/><br/>Whatever else she might have said was lost as someone stumbled down the stairs.  Miss Vickie sighed softly as she saw him. “Saloon’s closed early tonight, Jacob. You go on and get along home now.”<br/><br/>“Guess I’m starting right now,” she grinned, answering her own question. Strolling across the saloon, she caught the man by the arm. He smelled of booze and sex, neither of which surprised her. “Come on along there, Mr. Jacob. Door’s right this way.”<br/><br/>-*-<br/><br/>Tom blinked, rolling onto his side to get the rising sun out of his eyes. Then, groaning, he sat up and rolled his head. It was far from the first time he’d slept rough, with his duster for a blanket and a saddlebag for a pillow, but it was never fun. His neck was<i>always</i>stiff.<br/><br/>Working the kinks out, he splashed water on his face. Then he lathered up and shaved, scraping the straight razor over a day’s growth of stubble. By the time he was finished, his stomach was demanding breakfast.  A quick survey of Main Street revealed limited options for fixing that, though.<br/><br/>“Cat house’s a hell of a place for breakfast,” he muttered, sauntering towards the Dusky Belle and the dark haired woman hammering at the front door.  “But a man cain’t be too choosy.”<br/><br/>The woman was a curiousity. She didn’t look the part of a soiled dove, or at least not what he assumed they would look like. More like a school teacher. But she seemed awfully insistent about getting in. “Howdy, ma’am,” he said, tipping his hat. No sense in being rude, after all.