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That earned a chorus of whistles and teasing laughter from the onlookers. "Well now!" someone hooted. "Didn't think Caleb was the settlin' type!" Mary-Beth's face flared crimson, hot enough to put the sun to shame. She could only wave awkwardly, mumbling polite greetings while Caleb basked in the good natured ribbing like it was a summer breeze.
He finally pulled Morgan to a stop at the hotel's hitching post. Hopping down, he tied the reins with practiced ease before turning to offer Mary-Beth a hand. She slid down graceful as always, her boots touching the wooden planks with a soft thud.
As Caleb hitched Morgan, Mary-Beth's attention drifted across the street. Her eyes snagged on a new building tucked beside the stable, a lively little spot bustling with activity. Folks lined up at a window, dollar bills were handed over as payment, then they carried two bowls filled with something to the round tables where they ate with visible delight.
Mary-Beth tilted her head, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "Caleb," she murmured, tugging lightly at his sleeve, "what's that place? Wasn't here last time I came here before then we have to leave."
Caleb followed her gaze and let out a low chuckle, a sly smile curving his lips. "That? That's a new business. Opened while I was in town last." He paused for effect, his voice dropping into a tone rich with pride. "It's called a fast food stall. They sell somethin' called burgers and fries. Trust me, they're somethin' else."
Her brows furrowed in puzzlement. "Burgers… and fries?"
"Yup," Caleb said, grinning. "Best damn food you'll ever taste. That place is half the reason I wanted to come back here."
Mary-Beth blinked, then her eyes widened slightly as realization struck. "Wait… is that why you wanted to come back so bad? Just to taste that food again?" she asked, assuming his interest was that of a customer.
Caleb laughed, deep and warm, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You'll see soon enough. C'mon. First things first, we get you a room."
Together they stepped into the hotel. The polished wood floors gleamed in the sunlight spilling through the windows, and the warm scent of fresh bread from the kitchen wafted through the air. Behind the counter stood the same clerk as before, a stout man with a thick mustache and a sharp memory.
"Well, well!" the clerk boomed the moment he spotted Caleb. "Look who's back! Didn't expect that you would go for much longer this time, I thought you would leave town for good. And looks like you brought company this time, beautiful company at that!"
Caleb grinned, tipping his hat with easy charm. "That's right. This right here's my future lady, Mary-Beth."
The clerk's brows shot up, then he broke into a wide grin. "Well, congratulations to you, Caleb! Fine choice you made."
Mary-Beth's blush came roaring back, and she gave Caleb a playful swat on the arm from behind, her voice a hissed whisper. "Future lady, huh?"
Caleb only smirked, pulling 30 dollars from his satchel and sliding it across the counter. "Extend my usual room for twenty days. And another room for my lady, ten days to start."
"Of course, sir," the clerk said, scooping up the money with a nod of approval. He fetched a brass key and set it on the counter. "First door on the left at the top of the stairs, for the lady."
"Appreciate it," Caleb said, plucking up the key.
They climbed the stairs together, boots thudding softly against the wood until they reached the hallway. Caleb stopped at the first door and unlocked it, swinging it open to reveal a modest but tidy room, fresh linens on the bed, a small dresser by the wall, sunlight pooling on the floorboards through a half open window.
"This'll be yours," Caleb said, setting her satchel gently on the bed. Then he turned and pointed down the hallway toward the far end. "My room's the last one opposite. If you need me, just knock."
Mary-Beth nodded, her eyes roaming the little space before settling back on him. "It's lovely. So… what now?"
Caleb's smile curved slow and knowing, that glint back in his eye. "Now," he drawled, "we're goin' to that stall by the stable. Time you had yourself and of these burgers and fries."
Mary-Beth's lips parted in a soft gasp of delight, her earlier embarrassment melting into bright eyed excitement. "Really? Oh, I'd love to try it!"
Caleb chuckled inwardly, his chest warming at the thought of what came next. She had no idea. No clue that the business she was so eager to try was his. His idea. His investment. His foothold in a life beyond Dutch's crumbling empire. And now, Mary-Beth was about to be the first to know.
As they descended the stairs and stepped back out into the afternoon sun, Caleb's heart felt lighter than it had in weeks. They walked across the street toward the bustling stall.
When they reached the stall, Caleb immediately noticed something different. Behind the serving counter, next to the familiar sight of Jasper counting a small stack of bills, stood a young woman with her dark hair tied back in a neat bun. She was laughing softly as she handed a man his order, a bowl of golden fries and what looked like a thick, juicy burger. That was new.
Caleb cocked a brow, the corner of his mouth twitching in mild surprise. Before he left, there wasn't a single woman working this stall. But he had told Jasper before leaving, "If you need help and can't handle it all yourself, hire someone you trust." Guess the kid had taken his advice.
As they approached, Caleb's boots thudded lightly against the wooden planks. Jasper was still hunched over the counter, stacking coins and notes into neat piles.
He didn't look up right away, too focused on organizing the day's take. But the sound of approaching footsteps and a soft jingle of spurs must've reached his ears because he greeted them without lifting his head.
"Welcome to the Valentine Fast Food Stall," Jasper said in that steady tone of his. "What can I get you two kind folks today?"
Caleb chuckled low, letting the sound roll like distant thunder. "How about two burgers and two bowls of fries?"
The voice hit Jasper like a spark to powder. His head snapped up so fast the coins rattled on the wood. For a heartbeat, surprise widened his eyes, then recognition bloomed into a grin. "Caleb?!"
"That's me," Caleb said, grinning back. "Been a while."
"Hell, it sure has!" Jasper said, practically beaming as he stepped out from behind the counter to clasp Caleb's hand through the window. "Damn, you should've sent word or somethin'! Business has been goin' steady since you left. Not the madhouse it was that first week, but good. Real good."
Caleb nodded, the pride he'd been holding back seeping into his smile. "That so?"
"Yeah," Jasper said, leaning in with that eager gleam in his eyes. "Like you said, I scaled the supplies down after the boom died out, kept things tight. Folks still line up regular, though. Got ourselves a solid crowd every day. And you won't believe this, just yesterday, a couple of folks rode in all the way from Annesburg and even Saint Denis. Said they heard about the burgers and fries and just had to try 'em."
Caleb let out a low whistle, shaking his head in quiet amazement. "That so? All the way from Saint Denis?"
"Yep," Jasper said, puffing his chest a little like a man proud of his work and rightfully so. "Word's gettin' around. You were right about this, Caleb. Real right."
Caleb gave a single nod, satisfaction humming under his skin like a warm current. "Good work, kid. Real good work."
Then Jasper's gaze shifted past Caleb, landing on Mary-Beth. His brows lifted slightly in curiosity. "And who's this?"
Caleb smiled, smooth and easy, like a card sharp laying down a winning hand. "This," he said with quiet pride, "is my lady. Mary-Beth."
Mary-Beth's eyes flickered in surprise at the way he said it, as it was much more different than when he responded to the townsfolk and hotel clerk, more serious, but before she could react, Caleb continued, turning to her. "Mary-Beth, this here's Jasper. Kid I met while I was stayin' in Valentine before. Took him under my wing, got him runnin' this little venture."
Jasper's face lit up with new respect the instant he realized who she was. He straightened his posture like a soldier before a general and tipped an invisible hat. "Ma'am," he said politely, his voice carrying a weight of genuine admiration.
Mary-Beth, her cheeks pink, returned the greeting with a soft smile and a murmured, "Pleased to meet you." Then, when Jasper stepped aside to handle another customer, she turned back to Caleb, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
"You never told me about this," she said, her tone a mix of curiosity and quiet astonishment. "That you saved someone and… and now he's runnin' a whole business?"
Caleb chuckled, the sound rich and low, and leaned closer so only she could hear. "Didn't want folks back at camp overhearin'," he admitted, his voice dropping into that soft, deliberate drawl of his. "Last thing I need is Dutch catchin' wind of it. He'd think I'm plannin' to jump ship, build a new life without him. You know how he's been lately, don't take much to make him spiral."
Mary-Beth's eyes softened as she listened, her mind flashing back to Dutch's recent rants, his fevered plans, and dangerous ideas. It made sense, too much sense. Slowly, she nodded.
"You're right," she murmured. "We'll… talk more later." Then her lips curved into a faint smile. "Right now, I just want to try these famous burgers and fries."
Caleb grinned at that, straightening back up. "Fair enough."
He turned back to Jasper, still playing his part. "How much for two burgers and fries?"
Jasper's instinct was to wave it off, Caleb was the owner of this business after all, but the wink Caleb shot him stopped that thought cold. Jasper caught on immediately, a sly smile tugging at his mouth. "9 dollars for everything," he said smoothly.
Caleb reached into his satchel without hesitation, peeling off the bills and setting them on the counter. Jasper took them with a nod, then gestured toward the tables by the side of the building. "Find yourselves a seat. I'll have someone bring it over."
"Much obliged," Caleb said with a tip of his hat, before guiding Mary-Beth toward one of the round wooden tables tucked neatly under a little awning.
The two of them settled across from each other, the sounds of Valentine's streets humming around them like a familiar tune, the clop of hooves, the low murmur of voices, the clang of a blacksmith's hammer right beside the building.
As they waited, Caleb leaned forward slightly, forearms resting on the table, and studied her expression with quiet amusement. "So," he asked in a tone soft enough for her ears only, "what d'you think of it so far?"
Mary-Beth glanced toward the stall, where customers were still lining up, then back at him. "I haven't tried the food yet," she said honestly, "but from what I've seen… from what you and Jasper said… it sounds like a real success. A big success."
Caleb smiled at that, the pride he'd kept tucked away shining clear now. He lowered his voice further, his words like a secret carried on the breeze. "What if I told you this whole thing… was mine?"
For a second, Mary-Beth just stared at him, then a soft giggle bubbled past her lips. "Oh, come on now," she teased, shaking her head. "There's no way. Something like this would take a fortune to start, and time, time you don't have with everything goin' on with the gang. And don't get me wrong, your cookin's good, Caleb, but—"
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 6/10
- Luck: 6/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 3)
- Rifle (Lvl 3)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 3)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 2)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 3)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 4)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 2)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 2)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lv 2)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 2)
- Teaching (Lvl 1)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 5x5x5)
- Acting (Lvl 2)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
Money: 1,587 dollars and 60 cents
Inventory: 3,245 dollars, 7 gold nuggets, 8 gold bars, 7 silver rings, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 large bags of jewelry, 4 gold rings, 2 silver rings, 4 silver pocket watches, 3 gold buckles, 1 gold pocket compass, 2 platinum pocket watches, and 2 Colm's Schofields
Bank: -