Mia watched the girl go and shrugged. She looked back only to see the man and other woman had left. Swearing under her breath she dashed out into the cold. She spotted the two and walked over, hunching her shoulders against the cold.
"Not sure if the other girl is coming!" She called out as she got closer. She rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment.
"And I owe you an apology. I wasn't trying to be insulting, just spent too long away from other people." She looked at the man sheepishly. "Hopefully I haven't talked my way out of a ride."
"Not sure if the other girl is coming!" She called out as she got closer. She rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment.
"And I owe you an apology. I wasn't trying to be insulting, just spent too long away from other people." She looked at the man sheepishly. "Hopefully I haven't talked my way out of a ride."
Mae took a glance at the fireplace across the saloon, the fire was getting low so it was about time for her to get some more logs from just outside to throw on the fire. She wrapped a wool shawl around herself as she called out. " I'll be back in one minute folks, just going to get some wood for the fire!" before she walked out the door and picked up as many logs from a pile they kept outside that she could manage on her own.
She then walked back inside walked past most of the tables to the fireplace and carefully put the wood on the fire to avoid spreading cinders and burning herself. She took a minute or two to warm up from the chill she'd gotten just from going outside to fetch the wood and then made her rounds checking on her patrons before returning to the bar.
She then walked back inside walked past most of the tables to the fireplace and carefully put the wood on the fire to avoid spreading cinders and burning herself. She took a minute or two to warm up from the chill she'd gotten just from going outside to fetch the wood and then made her rounds checking on her patrons before returning to the bar.
Oakley softened at the apology, giving a single nod in acceptance. It was a reasonable excuse, and an understandable one, too. He didn't spend much time with people himself unless he was looking for trouble, and he understood all too well how difficult it could be to navigate the West without offending anyone. "Thanks," he murmured in reply, meeting her eyes momentarily to show his ingenuity. "I-"
He trailed off, eyes following the saloon girl as she scooped up an armful of logs and walked right back inside. "Ah..." His brows furrowed. "The hell's she...Miss!" Oakley called after the woman. "Ma'am, where-" His voice faltered and he turned back to the one he'd just spoken to.
"Didn't talk yourself outta nothin, Miss, but she was your ride. If she don't come back, we're gonna have to steal you one." Oakley said it so nonchalantly, as if he were suggesting grabbing a bite to eat rather than committing a serious crime.
He looked to the redhead and held up a finger, indicating that they were waiting for something. "Maybe she just forgot something, we'll see if she comes back out."
He trailed off, eyes following the saloon girl as she scooped up an armful of logs and walked right back inside. "Ah..." His brows furrowed. "The hell's she...Miss!" Oakley called after the woman. "Ma'am, where-" His voice faltered and he turned back to the one he'd just spoken to.
"Didn't talk yourself outta nothin, Miss, but she was your ride. If she don't come back, we're gonna have to steal you one." Oakley said it so nonchalantly, as if he were suggesting grabbing a bite to eat rather than committing a serious crime.
He looked to the redhead and held up a finger, indicating that they were waiting for something. "Maybe she just forgot something, we'll see if she comes back out."
Horse would probably be useful Mia thought to herself. She had avoided getting one until now as she trusted her own feet better. She knew how to ride just fine; it was the hassle. The brushing, the feeding, then naming them... Still she would likely have made better time if she'd had one earlier. Maybe even beaten the storm out entirely and gotten somewhere warm.
"Alright friend, you've convinced me. Everyone is so drowned in drink in this town it shouldn't be hard to find me a steed that deserves a better owner." She held out her hand.
"And don't go using any of that miss nonsense with me. The name's Mia."
"Alright friend, you've convinced me. Everyone is so drowned in drink in this town it shouldn't be hard to find me a steed that deserves a better owner." She held out her hand.
"And don't go using any of that miss nonsense with me. The name's Mia."
Mae looked over at Oakley. " Did you call for me?" She asked as she hurried over holding her skirt in one hand so she could move quicker without stepping on the fabric.
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