Demons and Lovers (Or the Devil's Luck)
Epilogue
__________________________________________
Ezra took in a deep breath and adjusted the cravat around his neck for a third time in the mirror. Behind him, sitting on the edge of his bed, Buck, Vin and JD watched with great amusement.
"So how long before Inez figures out what a snob Ezra is?" Vin asked the others, his voice loud. Ezra threw him a glare.
"Oh, I'd say a week." Buck grinned.
"You think they'll last that long?" JD asked.
"I don't know. I saw her sell that dress to that new seamstress yesterday, and I don't think she plans on ever buying another like it," Vin noted sagely. "I'm not sure our Ez can be happy with a woman who doesn't own something at least as frilly as the stuff he wears."
"He could always lend her some of his own clothes," JD piped up.
"Or maybe Maude could send her some things," Buck whispered. Standing by the mirror, Ezra shivered at the thought. Vin caught the reaction and laughed.
"I think maybe we're being a bit hard on him, Buck," the tracker said. "After all, it is his first official dinner date with the lady in question."
"Think it'll go well?" Buck replied, arching an eyebrow.
"I don't know, what do you think JD?"
"Oh, I think he's got a fighting chance. Ezra does like to go down swinging after all."
"Gentlemen, please..." Ezra was getting tired of the ribbing. All he'd wanted was to get Josiah's opinion on what to wear, but instead he got waylaid on his way to the clinic by this town's version of the three Furies. They'd steered him home with promises of sincerity before he'd even reached the clinic stairs.
"A fighting chance, you say. Well, with Inez, a fight is probably where they'll end up. You ask me, they are too darn competitive about this saloon," Buck said, ignoring Ezra's warning tone.
"Competitive? Did you hear what he said to her last time she forgot to order his fancy scotch? I thought they were going to start a brawl! In fact, I would of wagered that she'd kick his keister all the way to Virginia she was so mad," JD said brightly.
"Gentlemen!"
"But then, what's that saying about lovers and fighters?" Vin asked, tapping his finger on his chin. JD grinned.
"What, that fighters make the best lovers?"
"Oh, I'll vouch for that!" Buck agreed. "Hell, that one I know from experience. But as to Ezra's fighting stature, I gotta say boys, it pales next to mine. He's not so much a fighter as..."
"...a double dealer?" JD suggested innocently. Ezra's eyes widened.
"Gentlemen! I take offense..."
"And a a swindler, cheater, rogue and devil," Vin agreed, nodding. Ezra's face reddened, his hands clenching into fists.
"Gentlemen! I am most certainly not going to listen..."
"Ah, but he's ours," Buck grinned, looking directly at Ezra for the first time, his voice softening. "And he looks pretty damn good for a popinjay."
This shut Ezra up. Suddenly self-conscious, he frowned and looked down at the brushed dark blue suit and matching silver vest. He smoothed down a crease on the vest near the right pocket, feeling the money tucked in there and the slight stiffness of the metal pick sewed, once again, into the lining.
"Yeah, you look good Ez," JD said quietly. "Real good."
"Do you...gentlemen...do you really believe that we will only last a week?" The gambler continued to stare downwards, not meeting anyone's eyes.
"Hell no," Vin said solemnly, standing up to pat Ezra on the back. "I got money in the pool says you're going to last at least two!"
_________________________________________
The End...sort of
(I place no wagers on how long Ezra and Inez will last...we'll just have to see, won't we?)
And look Mariana, no one died! Not even a baddie! Aren't you proud of me? bg
Epilogue
__________________________________________
Ezra took in a deep breath and adjusted the cravat around his neck for a third time in the mirror. Behind him, sitting on the edge of his bed, Buck, Vin and JD watched with great amusement.
"So how long before Inez figures out what a snob Ezra is?" Vin asked the others, his voice loud. Ezra threw him a glare.
"Oh, I'd say a week." Buck grinned.
"You think they'll last that long?" JD asked.
"I don't know. I saw her sell that dress to that new seamstress yesterday, and I don't think she plans on ever buying another like it," Vin noted sagely. "I'm not sure our Ez can be happy with a woman who doesn't own something at least as frilly as the stuff he wears."
"He could always lend her some of his own clothes," JD piped up.
"Or maybe Maude could send her some things," Buck whispered. Standing by the mirror, Ezra shivered at the thought. Vin caught the reaction and laughed.
"I think maybe we're being a bit hard on him, Buck," the tracker said. "After all, it is his first official dinner date with the lady in question."
"Think it'll go well?" Buck replied, arching an eyebrow.
"I don't know, what do you think JD?"
"Oh, I think he's got a fighting chance. Ezra does like to go down swinging after all."
"Gentlemen, please..." Ezra was getting tired of the ribbing. All he'd wanted was to get Josiah's opinion on what to wear, but instead he got waylaid on his way to the clinic by this town's version of the three Furies. They'd steered him home with promises of sincerity before he'd even reached the clinic stairs.
"A fighting chance, you say. Well, with Inez, a fight is probably where they'll end up. You ask me, they are too darn competitive about this saloon," Buck said, ignoring Ezra's warning tone.
"Competitive? Did you hear what he said to her last time she forgot to order his fancy scotch? I thought they were going to start a brawl! In fact, I would of wagered that she'd kick his keister all the way to Virginia she was so mad," JD said brightly.
"Gentlemen!"
"But then, what's that saying about lovers and fighters?" Vin asked, tapping his finger on his chin. JD grinned.
"What, that fighters make the best lovers?"
"Oh, I'll vouch for that!" Buck agreed. "Hell, that one I know from experience. But as to Ezra's fighting stature, I gotta say boys, it pales next to mine. He's not so much a fighter as..."
"...a double dealer?" JD suggested innocently. Ezra's eyes widened.
"Gentlemen! I take offense..."
"And a a swindler, cheater, rogue and devil," Vin agreed, nodding. Ezra's face reddened, his hands clenching into fists.
"Gentlemen! I am most certainly not going to listen..."
"Ah, but he's ours," Buck grinned, looking directly at Ezra for the first time, his voice softening. "And he looks pretty damn good for a popinjay."
This shut Ezra up. Suddenly self-conscious, he frowned and looked down at the brushed dark blue suit and matching silver vest. He smoothed down a crease on the vest near the right pocket, feeling the money tucked in there and the slight stiffness of the metal pick sewed, once again, into the lining.
"Yeah, you look good Ez," JD said quietly. "Real good."
"Do you...gentlemen...do you really believe that we will only last a week?" The gambler continued to stare downwards, not meeting anyone's eyes.
"Hell no," Vin said solemnly, standing up to pat Ezra on the back. "I got money in the pool says you're going to last at least two!"
_________________________________________
The End...sort of
(I place no wagers on how long Ezra and Inez will last...we'll just have to see, won't we?)
And look Mariana, no one died! Not even a baddie! Aren't you proud of me? bg