Southern Charm (WIP title)

Part 1

"Put the gun down, Jeffreys," the sheriff commanded as he walked into the saloon.
"Damn it, Williams. You know very well who started this one," Joshua Jeffreys place the gun back in his holster, causing the man at the end of the gun to finally breathe.
"It ain't my fault this boy can't take to loosing a few paperbacks."

Sheriff Sean Williams smirked. He knew better than that; Joshua was better at poker than any man who had ever crossed into Nevada. A 'few paperbacks' to him was a couple hundred. Looking at the boy shaking in his knickers, it was probably the easiest game Joshua had ever won.

"Take your money and go before I tell your father where you've been. He won't be pleased knowing you almost lost his savings."

Tommy grabbed his father's money and scampered out of the saloon.

The sheriff quickly bowed his head, "Joshua."

Joshua didn't give the sheriff a second glance; just grabbed his stack of paperbacks and headed out the door. Last thing Joshua needed, he thought to himself, was another sentence from Sean. He had already got himself into a heap of trouble, having to fix up the new café and schoolhouse. Luckily he managed to weasel his way out of painting the church. Paint always made his skin itch...At least, that's what he liked to tell people.

"Joshua Jeffreys, is that you?"
A high pitched voice radiated from behind Joshua, and he quickly turned around.

"Well howdy Jenna," Josh smiled " Been a while."

Josh took a step towards Jenna and leaned towards her ear.

"Last time I saw you Jen, you were bent over the bed."

Jenna blushed, but quickly turned her rosy cheeks red with rage.

"Watch what you say around me, Mr. Jeffreys. I am the governor's wife."

Joshua smiled.

"It never stopped you before."

Jenna's full lips opened into a wide 'O' shape, and she furrowed her brows. With one quick motion her purse made contact with Joshua's -all too big, as she thought- head. Without further warning, Jenna turned on her heal and walked away.

Women! Josh looked to the sky, his hand on his cheek. He was done with women. Eventually they all wanted to settle down with a well-to-do man and fill their coffers.

Josh sighed and pulled himself up on his golden stallion. The only things Joshua had going for him were talents in poker and in bed. He's be wise to stick with the town whores, he thought to himself. With the slight pull of the reigns, Joshua's stallion was headed up the winding hill towards his cabin.

************
It was nearly dusk by the time Josh had his stallion tucked cozily away in the barn. The smell of herbs and venison made his stomach gurgle, and he wondered what kind of meal Nathanial had been working on.

"Evening, brother. Something sure smells good!" Joshua hung his coat on one of the pegs by the squeaky door.

"Well I'm glad you at least are in high spirits." Nate's eyes traveled over to the unfinished bedroom a few feet away.

Damn! Joshua had forgotten all about getting the new bedroom ready for Nate's mail-order bride.

"I'll get to work on that first thing in the morning. I promise." Joshua ladled a big helping of venison stew into a tin bowl.

"Ha!" Nate feigned a laugh, " you said that last night before you took off with Georgia...or Georgie... Whatever her name was."

Joshua knew Nathanial was right; he was too loose when it came to women. He had not yet told Nathanial, but he planned on fixing up more than just a new room in this dingy cabin. He too, wanted a wife of his own. Heck, enough people in his family had been hankering for him to marry himself to a handsome woman. He felt it was finally time to try to settle down...If he found the right girl, that was.