This is an AU to WesternFan47's "Third Door to the Left." I asked WesternFan47 to write a story where Nick and Amanda can be together, but WF47 suggested I take a crack at it instead. Many thanks to WF47 for allowing me to do that and to use Amanda.
The Open Door
Chapter 1
Nick wasn't too keen about leaving the poker game, but he took great pleasure in putting his fist into the drunk's face before Harry had the man thrown out of the saloon. Nick immediately turned and offered his hand to the brunette sitting on the floor, after being put there by a slap from the drunk.
"Are you all right?" Nick asked and lifted her up.
"Yes," she stuttered, but her face still bore a red mark that wasn't from rouge.
One of the other saloon girls came to her aid. "Come on, Amanda, let's get you upstairs and straightened up."
Amanda, her name was. She gave Nick an awkward smile. "If you ever need anything, cowboy, come and see me, third door on the left. I owe you one."
Nick watched the other girl take Amanda upstairs, smiling as he watched. Maybe she wasn't the prettiest saloon girl Nick had ever seen, but there was something about her that was definitely attractive.
"Nick, are you back in the game or not?" one of the other poker players asked.
"Yeah," Nick said and went back to the game. "Whose deal?"
It started that way. Where it was going to end up and how it would get there was something Nick could never have dreamed at the time.
XXXXXX
Nick took his brother Jarrod to the train station, preparing to send him off to San Francisco yet again. This time was a little different, though. This was the first time Jarrod had parted from the family since the murder of his wife, Beth, and the nightmare his life had turned into after that. They didn't like to talk about it at the ranch – it was only four months since it happened and it was still too fresh. Nick didn't even really want Jarrod to be leaving, but Jarrod had spent too much time away from his practice in San Francisco, and it needed his attention.
"You'll wire if you need us," Nick said as he handed Jarrod his bag out of the buggy.
"Yeah, Nick, I will," Jarrod said, and he walked off to the platform without turning around.
The lack of a proper good-bye left Nick feeling even more like it was a bad idea sending him off alone, but the time had to come at some point. Now was as good as any.
Nick watched until Jarrod made it to the platform and looked at his watch. In a moment, Nick heard the train coming, and he climbed back into the buggy and rode away as Jarrod was getting on board the train.
Something made Nick take a look toward Harry's bar and think of that petite brunette he'd saved from the drunk a few nights earlier. He wondered how she was doing, but he really didn't have the time to check today. He was needed back at the ranch. He needed to assure his mother that his older brother had gotten off all right. She worried.
XXXXXXX
When it happened again, several days later, Nick began to think he was destined to see this girl a lot more. He didn't even know it was her when he bumped into her as he was coming out of the bank and sent her sprawling. The two packages she'd been carrying tumbled onto the boardwalk with her.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he said and reached to help her up. "I didn't even see you! I'm so sorry!"
And then he saw it was her again, Amanda. He hadn't seen her in the saloon the last time he was there, and now she wasn't dressed like any saloon girl – just a regular girl in a regular dress and bonnet. But it was definitely her. She put her bonnet back into place and laughed as she got to her feet.
"Are you hurt?" Nick asked as he picked up her packages. He held onto them when he straightened and looked into her eyes – beautiful blue eyes.
"No, I'm fine," she said. "Since you're about a foot taller than I am, I'm not surprised you didn't see me. A lot of taller men run into me just because they're looking right over me."
"Amanda, isn't it?" Nick asked. "You know, we were never properly introduced the last time I picked you up off the floor, in Harry's. I'm Nick Barkley."
"Hello," she said.
Nick was genuinely curious about her surname. He was hoping she'd give it now, but she didn't. Nick was too polite to out and out ask, but he couldn't just hand her packages back and go on his way. "Uh – " he said. "Can I carry these for you and see you home?"
She smiled uneasily. "Home is a room on the second floor of Harry's, and I'm due to work in less than an hour."
"Well, a good glass of beer never did me any harm," Nick said. "Let me walk you there."
"All right," she said.
They chit-chatted a little until they got up to her room – third on the left, Nick remembered. He made sure to leave the door open as he carried her packages in and set them on the bureau.
"Thank you, Mr. Barkley," she said and took her bonnet off.
Nick started backing out the door with what he knew was a silly grin on his face. "I guess I'll see you in a little bit, downstairs," he said.
Amanda nodded. "I wouldn't mind buying you a drink, if you're still around when I come down."
"I wouldn't mind that either," Nick said, then backed out the door and closed it behind him.
The heck with whatever her surname was. She was as cute as all get out, and Nick was already smitten.
Nick went downstairs and bellied up to the bar. "Beer, Harry," he said.
Harry fetched him one. "So you've found your way into our Amanda's heart, have you?"
"Well," Nick said, "at least her room."
"Careful there, Nick. She's not a regular working girl. She's special to me."
"You're not her father, are you?"
Harry said, "No," but that was all he said.
Nick said, "Don't worry. I won't take advantage of her and run away."
"May I make a suggestion, Nick?" Harry asked. "Don't get yourself involved with her. She is special, and – well, just take it from me, it'll be a lot better for you if you don't get too involved."
Nick eyed him. "You're sure she's not your daughter?"
"She's not my daughter," Harry said. "If she wants you to know any more than that, she'll tell you, but trust me. You don't really want to know."
Now Nick was almost irritated. "What are you trying to tell me, Harry?"
"Nothing you want to hear," Harry said, and he went off to the back to get another few bottles of whiskey.
Nick didn't get it at all, and there was something in him that automatically wanted what someone was telling him he shouldn't have. He nursed his beer for a good long time before Amanda came down. Harry was back by then. Amanda walked right up to the bar and said, "Let me buy Mr. Barkley another beer, Harry."
Nick saw that Harry looked noticeably uneasy as he poured the beer, and he was looking at Amanda. Nick hoped he wasn't getting her in trouble with her boss, so he decided he would leave it at one more beer before he headed on home.
But he and Amanda did talk, at first at the bar and then at a table. It was just idle conversation, nothing major, but Nick asked her to call him by his first name and kept looking for an in to ask her what her last name was. It never came. Finally, he finished his beer and got up.
"Amanda, I enjoyed the company and the conversation, but I better head on home," Nick said.
Amanda stood up with him. "Maybe I'll see you in here again sometime, Nick," she said.
"Maybe," Nick said. He gave Harry a wave and left the saloon.
Amanda walked over to the bar with Nick's empty glass, deciding she had to take the lecture she was about to get from Harry.
"Does he know your last name?" Harry asked.
"No, I didn't tell him," Amanda said. "I don't really plan to tell anybody, Harry. I was little more than a child when I lived here, and nobody seems to recognize me. I'd just as soon leave it that way."
"I think you should stick to that plan, Amanda," Harry said. "You know I love you and I'll do everything to keep you on here, but if too many people find out who you are, it may be impossible for me to do that."
Amanda nodded sadly. She wasn't really planning to stay around Stockton any longer than it took to save up some money and move on, but she didn't want to cause Harry any trouble, either. He was dear to her. He was plenty kind to hire her on in the first place. "Harry, if I become too much trouble for you, you know you can tell me to move along."
"I'd rather not do that, honey," Harry said. "I'd rather you move on when you want to. But do me one favor – don't court Nick Barkley, or any of the Barkleys. Leave them all alone."
Amanda nodded again, and as another cowboy wandered in and sat down at a table, she headed his way.