Lily smiled smugly to herself. She didn't need to see Cheyenne's face to know how shocked she'd been that Lily had understood her. She knew it was petty to feel so smug but she couldn't help herself.
"Who's she?" Terrance asked from behind the bar. He'd been cleaning the same glass for ten minutes watching them.
Lily swore low under breath and shot Terrance a deadly look. He smirked at her response and moved down the bar. His good mood quickly soured as he saw Chris approaching Lily. She looked past him as Chris stopped in front of her.
"I'd like to have a word with you." The flat tone of Chris' voice let Lily know that this wasn't a request. She turned and headed toward the back room, Chris followed a few steps behind.
Molly stopped just inside the saloon's swinging doors letting her yees adjust to the dimmer light. She smiled meekly at Josiah and Cheyenne as she passed their table. She sighed heavily at the sight of Terrence behind the bar. She had hoped to find Lily without having to speak to him.
"Excuse me, where can I find Lily?" Terrance barely looked up from the ledge and nodded toward the back. Molly turned the corner from the bar and saw the door to the back room swinging shut.
Molly took three quick steps and caught the door before it was half closed. She opened her mouth to say hello to Lily but closed it when she saw Lily wasn't alone. Chris Larabee stood close behind the older woman, their backs to Molly.
She wanted to retreat but knew from past experience that the door squeaked loudly. If she backed out now they'd hear the door and know she was there. But part of her wanted to stay. That first night she'd stayed with Bryn, she'd told Molly about Lily and Chris being involved. She hadn't quite understood. They never seemed to look at or even to speak to one another. He certainly didn't seem to be courting Lily.
The pair was silent. Chris' hand reached out catching a loose strand of Lily's hair. His fingers trailed down the back of her neck, playing briefly with the lace on the edge, before slowly sliding down her back, his hand coming to rest in the small of her back.
"I thought you were all leaving to go look for Bryn. Ezra said that you believe you might know where she is?" Lily found it hard to get words out. She was fighting the urge to lean against Chris and let him hold her. She never thought she'd miss a man's touch the way she missed his.
"Yeah, Ezra got word on the location of the land owned by the man who we think has her. Josiah and JD are staying here to keep watch while we're gone. Might be gone a couple of days."
Chris left his hand on the small of her back as he moved to face her. He breathed in deeply the flowery scent of the perfumed soap that still lingered on her skin.
She raised her eyes to meet his. His eyes normally steely and cold seemed warmer. Her hand reached out catching the edge of the black duster. She'd treated him badly after her accident. She knew it was her stupid pride that was stopping her from apologizing to him.
"I . . .," Chris' voice stopped as he saw the movement of color near the door. His eyes met Molly's. He wondered momentarily how long she'd been there. She lowered her eyes quickly and took a step back from the doorway.
"I should be going." Chris dropped his hand from Lily's back.
"Chris," Lily saying his name made him stop, "please bring her back." She'd never called him by his first name before. As he passed his fingers grasped her shoulder and squeezed it.
Molly stepped away from the door letting it start to close again. She saw Chris' hand reach out and catch it. She backed against the wall as he passed. Out of the corner of her she watched him exit the saloon.
"Molly?" She raised her eyes at Lily's voice. The older woman smiled down at her. "Is everything alright, cher?"
"Ye . . . yes, I came over to see how you were feeling today."
"That was sweet of you, cher. I am doing just fine. A few lingering aches and pains but nothing for you to be concerned about." Lily patted the young girl on the arm.
"Was Mr. Larabee going out to look for Bryn?" Molly's question made Lily pause for a moment as she let the still warm memory of Chris' touch wash over her. She shook her head slightly to clear it.
"Yes, yes he was." A smile crept over Molly's face. Lily quickly realized the smile wasn't due to her response but to the appearance of a certain young man who was making his way through the crowd.
"Evenin' Molly, Lily." JD Dunne nodded to both women twisting his bowler hat in his hands. Lily smiled to herself as she watched the young pair.
"If you two will excuse me I need to tend to something." Lily moved away. She didn't actually have something else to do, she just wanted to give them a moment alone.
"I'll be right back." Josiah left Cheyenne at the table and moved toward the end of the bar. She watched as he caught Lily's arm as she walked away from Molly and JD. From the corner of her eye she could see him leading Lily to an empty space near the bottom of the stairs.
"Is everything alright Lily?"
"Everything's fine Josiah. Well, as fine as things can be."
"Bryn will be returned to us safely. I have every faith that everything will work out for the best." His deep voice soothed her. She reached out and touched his arm gently.
"You're a good man, Josiah." Lily stood on her tiptoes kissing his cheek lightly. From her seat at the table Cheyenne watched them feeling an angry fire rising inside.