Cowboy Cried Wolf

High Noon Part 2

Hank’s POV

The walk to the town was still a ways from where we were, making the trip a little tedious for my companion. I had gave her an extra pair of my socks for her to wear, seeing as how she had no shoes. She also kept my blanket wrapped around herself like a shield, her beautiful curves being hidden from my sight again.

I inwardly grumbled about my turn of events, but to be honest it seemed that the Arabian dying was actually bringing me a bit of luck. I had to be careful though, luck always came back to bite me in the ass at some point or other. I hoped that my luck continued on with this idiotic plan of Miss June’s.

“So you should be able to go to the general store and buy a dress from the window. If they give you hell about it, just say June Crawford sent you… Although they may up the price after that..” she hung her head, a small look of defeat upon her shoulders.

“Overcharge you?.. why?…” Did she do something to the townsfolk? Most of the towns I had come across were just hateful to outsiders, so did they see June and her late father as one?

“Well, since my fiancée was killed by wolves it’s as if the townsfolks think that they can charge me for whatever price they please for things… It’s not that I can’t afford it, but I’d much rather my ranch be self sufficient than have to deal with that lot to begin with. Most of them think they don’t have to mind me since I’m just a young woman.”

“Oh, and how old are ya?” She looked to be just on the cusp of womanhood, her hard life out in the fields though making her have more muscles than the average woman I’ve known.

“I just turned twenty five. My birthday was the day before my fiancee died.” She shook her head, almost tripping over a root as she did.

I instinctively reached out and stopped her fall, not wanting her to get hurt more than she already was. “Thanks.” She blushed at me, ducking her head as mine became very close to hers. She had beautiful eyes, I noticed; a rich chestnut brown that reminded me of a warm fall day.

Her scent was something else as well. It was rich with wildflowers and rain, as well as a touch of falling leaves. It was almost like she embodied autumn itself, her rich browns and smells only cementing the idea into my head. “How much further to the town?” I asked casually as we righted ourselves, June taking as step back from me.

“Not much further… Maybe another few minutes? The stables should be in this side of the town and I’ll wait for you in there. I’ll need to get a new horse anyways… Poor Emily…” she sighed heavily, her shoulders slouching as we walked again. “She’s been with me since I was a little girl, but at least they didn’t make her suffer for longer than they did last night.”

When she finished talking though, I caught the scent of a lot of people on the wind, indicating that we were close. Before too long, I could see a large barn between the trees. “I do believe we’re there, Miss Crawford.” I tapped her shoulder, making her jump a little as I interrupted her pondering.

“Oh, good.” She nodded her head, looking around us. “Paul’s General Store is just down a ways from here, and just have him put the dress on my tab. Also; just call me June, we’re married after all.” She winked at me as we got closer to the barn.

“I’ll try to be quick about it then.” I nodded, watching her scamper off ahead of me and try to be sneaky. It was kind of cute watching her go, darting from tree to tree and trying to hide. I waited until I saw her get safely into the barn before I walked the rest of the way into town.

There were people milling about, walking this way and that in the noon sun, the warm breeze drifting dirt across the street. There was an air of trepidation about the town, something having thick over every humans head as they scampered this way and that. I saw that June was right about the store; the building being one of the last on the Main Street away from the horse barn, a few customers making their way out of it.

I hoisted my tack a little higher and made my way there, double checking the money I had in my pocket. There was no way I was going to put the dress on June’s tab; if I was supposed to be her new husband, I could at least shell out a few dollars for my ‘wife’. I had a few hundred left after buying my ill fated stud, so I wasn’t hurting for now.

“Welcome to town, stranger. Can I help ya?” An old man with greying hair was behind the counter when I walked in, eyeing me and my equipment. “If you’re wanting to sell your rack; I’ll give you twenty dollars for it.”

Fucking cheap bastard, I’d paid fifteen times that for it. I shook my head at him, setting my gear down by the door. “I’m good… I’m actually here to get a… dress. Yah know… it’s for my new wife.”

“Oh! Congratulations to the newlyweds then! What can I get you?”

“Well, I want that one there in the window. It looks like the perfect size for her.” The gown was a rich sky blue, something that would have made June look like a June flower herself. I pictured her wearing it with the square neckline just showing off her soft mounds she had under her night dress.

“That one will be twenty five dollars.” I did a double take at the clerk, my eyebrows raising.

“Twenty five?!” I paid thirty cents for the shirt I was wearing now, and here a woman’s dress was twenty five dollars!

“It’s part of what they call ‘ready made’ dresses from California, very expensive.” He eyed me again, the look on his face was that of him second guessing if I even had the money.

“Fuck.. very well. Get it for me now though, I’m in a hurry.” A pair of shoes caught my eye as well, looking about the right size for June as well. “And the light tan shoes as well.”The clerk grinned ear to ear, scampering from behind the counter and heading straight to the window. I pair of other shoppers came in the door then, the wind pushing the scents from outside about the room.

I paused and turned my attention outside then, catching sight of a group of riders going past the store. I had thought I had caught the scent of the wolves from last night, but at soon as it hit my nose it was gone. I tapped my foot impatiently as the clerk got the dress, a worry for June making me want to get back to her as soon as possible nagging me.