short, four part story, a piece of romantic fluff, inspired by another old western television series. in poker, a "made
hand" is one that does not need improvement to win.
Heath Barkley wiped his brow and headed for the saloon. As he sauntered inside, he immediately sensed something different and cast his eyes around the room. There were at least a dozen men standing around a table off to the side. Heath grabbed his beer and meandered over, bent on satisfying his curiosity.
His eyes widened slightly as he noticed the pile of chips in front of the winner, a well dressed, brown eyed blonde, with the most beautiful face Heath had ever seen. She turned to smile at him, and Heath headed closer to the table as if she'd hooked him with her fishing line.
"Room for one more?" he drawled.
At her nod, Heath pulled up a chair and placed a stack of bills on the table. "Name's Heath Barkley."
"Lenora Hunter," she replied as she gave him another smile.
"Never seen you here before," he commented as he carefully examined her shuffle the cards.
"Never been here before," Lenora responded. "I'm headed to San Francisco, and decided to stay the night."
After the cards were cut, Lenora expertly dealt them to the remaining three players and herself, Heath again watching for any sleight of hand.
"Better watch out for Heath, Miss Lenora," Jake called from behind the bar. "He's the best poker player in Stockton."
"That was before I got here," Lenora teased as she raised the bet.
The game progressed in near silence for an hour before Stamper and Davis threw in their hands. "Good luck, Heath," Davis remarked as he headed for the swinging doors.
Lenora eyed him over her drink. His face gave away nothing, she observed, and his eyes were nearly expressionless. He was almost as good a player as her papa and she. Papa would be proud of me tonight, she thought as she mentally added her winnings. Heath Barkley was a gentleman, she decided, and didn't seem to think her a loose woman because of her presence in a saloon. Wealthy, she'd overheard the cowboys behind her say, cattle, mines, shipping. Being handsome, polite, and quiet were added bonuses. Lenora reached the conclusion that Heath Barkley would more than suit her purposes.
"You leaving, too?" she asked.
"Not yet," Heath replied, "need to win back some money."
Lenora gave him a small nod, then passed him the cards. "Your deal."
The crowd at the table grew larger as the stakes increased. Another hour passed, also in near silence.
"Call," Heath declared.
"Flush," Lenora replied as she placed her cards on the table.
Heath's face remained controlled, but his eyes showed a slight hint of anger, she thought.
"Beats me," he stated as he lay down three kings. Heath stood up. "Better get home before I lose all my money," he remarked. "You gonna be here tomorrow?" he asked her.
"Til the train arrives. Supposed to leave here at nine tomorrow morning," she responded.
"Too bad," Heath commented as he turned toward to leave. "Was hoping for a rematch."
Lenora had to bend her head back to meet the tall man's blue eyes. "Perhaps I could stay one more night," she said slowly. "If the bet's interesting enough."
Heath couldn't contain his frown. "Money not enough for you?" he demanded.
Lenora shook her head. "Not in this case."
Heath stood quietly and waited her out.
Finally Lenora rose and spoke directly to him. "Walk me outside, please. This is private." She called for Jake to cash her in and turned to Heath.
Heath took her elbow and led her to the boardwalk, away from the other intrigued bystanders.
"What'cha got in mind?" he inquired.
"You win tomorrow, you get all the money back from tonight, as well as an additional thousand dollars," she stated.
"Sounds interesting," Heath commented. His eyes were calm, but his heart was racing. She was up to something, and every nerve was on alert. "And if you win, Miss Hunter, what do you get?"
"You, as my husband."
Heath Barkley wiped his brow and headed for the saloon. As he sauntered inside, he immediately sensed something different and cast his eyes around the room. There were at least a dozen men standing around a table off to the side. Heath grabbed his beer and meandered over, bent on satisfying his curiosity.
His eyes widened slightly as he noticed the pile of chips in front of the winner, a well dressed, brown eyed blonde, with the most beautiful face Heath had ever seen. She turned to smile at him, and Heath headed closer to the table as if she'd hooked him with her fishing line.
"Room for one more?" he drawled.
At her nod, Heath pulled up a chair and placed a stack of bills on the table. "Name's Heath Barkley."
"Lenora Hunter," she replied as she gave him another smile.
"Never seen you here before," he commented as he carefully examined her shuffle the cards.
"Never been here before," Lenora responded. "I'm headed to San Francisco, and decided to stay the night."
After the cards were cut, Lenora expertly dealt them to the remaining three players and herself, Heath again watching for any sleight of hand.
"Better watch out for Heath, Miss Lenora," Jake called from behind the bar. "He's the best poker player in Stockton."
"That was before I got here," Lenora teased as she raised the bet.
The game progressed in near silence for an hour before Stamper and Davis threw in their hands. "Good luck, Heath," Davis remarked as he headed for the swinging doors.
Lenora eyed him over her drink. His face gave away nothing, she observed, and his eyes were nearly expressionless. He was almost as good a player as her papa and she. Papa would be proud of me tonight, she thought as she mentally added her winnings. Heath Barkley was a gentleman, she decided, and didn't seem to think her a loose woman because of her presence in a saloon. Wealthy, she'd overheard the cowboys behind her say, cattle, mines, shipping. Being handsome, polite, and quiet were added bonuses. Lenora reached the conclusion that Heath Barkley would more than suit her purposes.
"You leaving, too?" she asked.
"Not yet," Heath replied, "need to win back some money."
Lenora gave him a small nod, then passed him the cards. "Your deal."
The crowd at the table grew larger as the stakes increased. Another hour passed, also in near silence.
"Call," Heath declared.
"Flush," Lenora replied as she placed her cards on the table.
Heath's face remained controlled, but his eyes showed a slight hint of anger, she thought.
"Beats me," he stated as he lay down three kings. Heath stood up. "Better get home before I lose all my money," he remarked. "You gonna be here tomorrow?" he asked her.
"Til the train arrives. Supposed to leave here at nine tomorrow morning," she responded.
"Too bad," Heath commented as he turned toward to leave. "Was hoping for a rematch."
Lenora had to bend her head back to meet the tall man's blue eyes. "Perhaps I could stay one more night," she said slowly. "If the bet's interesting enough."
Heath couldn't contain his frown. "Money not enough for you?" he demanded.
Lenora shook her head. "Not in this case."
Heath stood quietly and waited her out.
Finally Lenora rose and spoke directly to him. "Walk me outside, please. This is private." She called for Jake to cash her in and turned to Heath.
Heath took her elbow and led her to the boardwalk, away from the other intrigued bystanders.
"What'cha got in mind?" he inquired.
"You win tomorrow, you get all the money back from tonight, as well as an additional thousand dollars," she stated.
"Sounds interesting," Heath commented. His eyes were calm, but his heart was racing. She was up to something, and every nerve was on alert. "And if you win, Miss Hunter, what do you get?"
"You, as my husband."
"Give Peace a Chance" - John Lennon
