“Sexual preference outside the norm,” Doc explained. “Rosa, the dryad, likes to be dominated and humiliated by me, for instance.”
“Oh?” Sonya whispered, her cheeks growing red. “Am I like her, then?”
Doc chuckled lightly and kissed her nose. “No. It’s very unlikely, but we can always experiment a little, if you’d like?”
Sonya’s cheeks heated and she gave his chest a light shove. “You’re teasing me.”
“A little,” Doc admitted, “but you’re smiling.”
Sonya’s smile grew a little wider. “I am. Maybe a little experimenting would be okay. I never got my chance to explore you like you did me.”
“That’s very true,” Doc murmured, leaning in to claim her lips with his.
~*~*~
Doc smiled at Jasmine when he came down the stairs. She gave him a knowing smirk back and motioned with her head to the door into the back hall. Doc gave her a thankful nod as he went that way.
Voices were coming from the private dining room, and Doc could hear them, as the door wasn’t completely shut. Lia, Fiala, Ayla, and someone else were all having a conversation.
“It’s all money to me,” the mystery person said. “Don’t care when we start.”
“Maybe I should just go check?” Fiala asked.
“Check on what?” Doc asked as he stepped into the room. Everyone turned to him, and Doc gave them an apologetic smile. “Me, I take it?”
“Sonya, actually,” Lia said. “Doc, this is Mrs. Zava Chruxia. I’ve arranged for her to teach your wives and Ayla how to ride.
Doc turned to look at her, noting the slightly-pointed ears that were not well hidden by her short, graying hair. Meeting Zava’s serious, brown eyes, Doc bowed his head to her. “A pleasure, ma’am. Thank you.”
Zava stared at him. “Can you ride?”
“I’m finding my way back into the saddle,” Doc said. “I’m serviceable, and have had to shoot from horseback before.”
Zava nodded slowly. “Fine. I hope you don’t end up being the one holding the others back.”
“Me, too,” Doc admitted as he went to sit. “Sorry for the delay.”
“I’m sure Daf will understand,” Lia said.
“Doc!” Posy said happily from behind him. “Breakfast? ...Lunch? Err...”
“Brunch,” Doc told her. “A meal that falls between the two and is had when someone misses breakfast.”
Posy nodded. “Brunch? Would you like brunch?”
“Please, but two? Sonya will be down shortly. Coffee to go with. We’ll need some wake-up juice.”
“Brains a little foggy?” Fiala asked with a small smile.
“A little bit,” Doc admitted. “Did I miss anything?”
“We’re just waiting for the last one,” Zava said as she leaned back in her chair.
“Money should be in tomorrow,” Ayla told him. “Everything else is normal.”
“You should take a look at what the Beavertons have done,” Lia said. “They’re really moving fast on this one.”
“After brunch, then,” Doc said.
“I do have something else to talk with you about. Maybe at dinner?” Ayla asked.
“I think that’ll be fine,” Doc said, looking at Fiala, who nodded.
“Okay,” Ayla smiled.
“Oh, a meeting?” Sonya asked as she entered the room. “Good morning to you all.”
“Definitely got the glow,” Zava laughed. “After you eat, you’ll be coming with me to learn how to ride.”
“Oh, right,” Sonya said, taking a seat beside Fiala. “Sorry for keeping you.”
“It’s fine,” Fiala said, covering Sonya’s hand with hers. “It was your wedding night, and I know how special that can be.”
“Breakfa… err… brunch,” Posy said, coming into the room with a cart.
~*~*~
Doc kissed his wives goodbye, getting a raised eyebrow from Zava as she led the group away. With them gone, it was just him and Lia in the room.
“What’re your plans for the day, Doc?” Lia asked, sipping at the tea she’d been served.
“Besides checking on how the Beavertons are doing, I have nothing else planned for today,” Doc said. “Tomorrow, I have to swing by Blackbeard’s shop to pick up my new guns. Money might come in then, too, which will make things move along. You?”
“I’ll go with you to see the work. I also have to talk with some potential workers. I was hoping you’d sit in with me.”
“Sure,” Doc replied. “I’m just glad this place isn’t the way it used to be, or else that’d get awkward.”
Lia laughed lightly. “It might have, indeed. I’d like to get your opinion on each person. I trust my judgement, but maybe you’ll spot something I don’t. None of them have experience as a dealer, so we’ll just have a small chat with each.”
“Sounds good,” Doc said, draining his coffee. “I’m ready when you are.”
Lia’s lips twitched, and she set her cup down before standing. Doc rose with her, and his eyes were drawn to Lia’s outfit. He’d thought she’d been wearing a dress, but he’d been wrong— a simple green button-up shirt, just loose enough to obscure her figure, covered her torso. Her pants were different today, too. They didn’t look painted on, but they were snug. Green-scaled cowboy boots covered her feet, and her belt was made of the same material.
“I’m ready,” Lia said.
Doc coughed and moved toward the door. “Let’s go see what they’ve done.”
~*~*~
The Beavertons were sitting in the big room, having lunch, when Doc found them. “Don’t mind us,” Doc said when they saw him. “Just came to see how things are going.”
“We’re just finishing up,” Urik said, getting to his feet. “I’ll show you around.”
Doc trailed the bestial as he led them through the first and second floors. Everything Doc had wanted was done. It was just the third-floor addition that was next, along with getting the two buildings joined together.
“You do damned good work. And fast, too,” Doc said.
“Thank you.”
“How long, do you think?”
“Three weeks and we’ll be done here. Then, a week for the Lily, if it’s closed for us to work in peace.”
“That’s it?” Doc asked.
“That’s all we need,” Urik said.
“It’s one of the reasons they cost,” Lia said. “Well, besides the fact that it will stand for a long time. The extra wood treatment?”
“We’re doing it as we go,” Ursula said, joining them now that she’d finished her lunch. “That’s why it’ll be a week at the Lily if we don’t have to fight over people. We’ll prioritize the kitchen first so you can make sure people are still being fed.”
“Thank you,” Lia nodded. “What do you think, Doc?”
“That I’m glad we went with you,” Doc said to the couple.
“We appreciate the work,” Ursula said. “We’d been getting a little nervous that no more work was coming our way.”
“I’m sure more can be arranged,” Doc said with a grin. “Are you okay with working away from town?”
Urik frowned. “What do you mean?”
“My foreman wants to build buildings at the mine, and I’d rather they be quality. You’d be the ones in charge of construction out there,” Doc said.
Urik and Ursula exchanged a look. “We’ll let you know once we finish this job,” Urik said after a moment. “Always make sure the job is done first.”
“Fair. I need Ayla to come up with the pricing, as it is,” Doc said with a rueful grin, “so I probably should’ve waited to ask. I’ll need to tell Rangvald, too.”
Urik laughed. “Probably a good idea to discuss it with the foreman first.”
“True enough. Thank you for the tour. We’ll get out of your hair,” Doc said, exchanging a handshake with Urik and giving Ursula a nod.
~*~*~
Doc was amused as he sat in the private dining room wit
h Lia. How the hell has she found another ten attractive women to work here? The town isn’t even that big.
“I’m eager to work,” the half-dwarven woman was saying, “no matter what it is, besides selling my body.”
“We stopped that a few weeks ago,” Lia said. “Well, I should clarify that it’s at the discretion of each employee. The house takes no cut from such activities, as long as they don’t interfere with your job.”
The woman glanced at Doc. “What about him? He won’t be wanting special services, will he?”
“My wives take good enough care of me,” Doc said amiably. “How quick are you at learning new ideas?”
The woman frowned at the word “wives,” but her face cleared at his question. “Very fast.”
Doc picked up the deck of cards and began to shuffle. “Do you know poker?”
“Stud and draw,” the woman nodded. “Many think it’s bad luck to have a woman at the table, though, so I haven’t worked much in that field.”
“All the dealers here are women,” Lia said.
Doc laid out a mock hand of five people, and explained the game in quick short terms. Once he was done, he slid her the cards and had her show him what she’d learned. When she finished, she stared at Doc, clearly waiting for his opinion.
“Well, Miss Cook,” Doc grinned, “you made two small mistakes, but you did a damned sight better than the others.” He put his hand out to shake. “Are you interested?”
Petunia Cook grinned as she took his hand and shook. “I am, if the pay’s good.”
Doc didn’t feel any tinge of Darkness to her, so he gave Lia a grin. “She’s the best one yet.”
“I had a feeling,” Lia smiled. “Pay for manning the tables is…”
Chapter Thirty-two
Doc had time on his hands after talking to the potential hires. Lia was settling the six they’d agreed on, and had paid for the other four to catch the coach out of town if they wanted.
Having spent time with Lia for a good portion of the day, Doc got some paper, recalling Lia’s wedding speech from the day before. He was putting the finishing touches on his work when Posy knocked on the door.
“Doc, you have a visitor,” Posy informed him.
“Oh? Someone we know?”
“No. It’s a bestial who says he heard of you from Henrick.”
“Send him in,” Doc said, putting his idea aside. “Oh, and Posy, who sings the best, besides Lia?”
“Cassia,” Posy replied.
“Is she working yet?”
“Not for a couple of hours.”
“Can you ask her to see me, please? I have a request to make of her.”
Posy nodded, a smile on her face as she bounced away. “Okay!”
“Cutest damned kid,” Doc murmured as he watched her go.
It was only a couple of minutes later before a hesitant knock announced the man that’d asked to see Doc. He had short brown hair and walked with a stiff left leg, but what caught Doc’s attention the most were the bestial’s rectangular pupils.
“Excuse me, sir?” the man asked. “I was told you might be able to help me.”
“Come on in,” Doc said. “Henrick sent you?”
“Yes, sir. Said her ointments couldn’t help, but you might be able to.”
“What’s the problem?” Doc asked as the man took a seat.
“My left knee. I was working on my farm last week and it buckled on me. I gave it a week to see if it’d heal up, but it hasn’t. Whittaker won’t help the likes of me, so I went to Henrick. She said she didn’t think any of her remedies would work and suggested I come see you. She wasn’t clear on how you could help, exactly.”
“The knee got stiff and doesn’t move like it should?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I can try to help, but it comes at a cost,” Doc said.
The man grimaced. “Of course. How much?”
“Not that kind of cost,” Doc said. “It requires faith. You’ll see in a moment.” Doc got up and moved around the table, moving two chairs into position. “Put your leg up on this chair, please, and pull your pant leg up,” Doc said, tapping one as he took a seat in the other.
Clearly confused, the man did as asked, his face contorting with pain.
Doc took a deep breath. “Lady Luck, this man is in need of your aid. Please help him regain his movement.” The moment he triggered healing hands, he heard the man’s surprised gasp.
“Wha—?”
Doc’s hands touched his leg before he could finish the sentence. Damaged meniscus? Yeah, that would do it. Just fix it and he should be good to go. There’s a touch of flu in his lungs... might as well remove that, too.
The man never finished his sentence. He just stared at Doc’s green, glowing hands holding his leg. The pain receded and he began to breathe easier, as well.
Doc let the glow fade and sat back, taking his hands away. “Lady Luck provides. The cost, as I said, is faith. A prayer or two to Lady Luck is enough. How do you feel?”
“Uh...” the man said, blinking his eyes rapidly, “good?”
Doc chuckled. “Why don’t you stand up and give it a few steps?”
Mind whirling, the man did as Doc suggested without thinking about it. It was on the second pace that he suddenly stopped and looked down at his own legs. “It’s… it’s gone? The pain is gone! Thank you! Thank you so much.”
“I’d say it worked, then,” Doc replied. “Just say a prayer or two to Lady Luck. It was her power that healed you. I’m merely doing what she asks me to do.”
“Lady Luck,” the man said, nodding. “I will.” He advanced to Doc with his hand outstretched. “Thank you, sir. Are you sure I can’t pay you?”
“A couple of prayers to Lady Luck is enough,” Doc said, shaking the bestial’s hand.
The man was soon gone and Doc had just put the chairs back in place when Cassia knocked on the door. “Doc?”
“Cassia, thanks for stopping by,” Doc said. “Care for a seat?” He pulled one of the chairs back out.
Cassia gave him a smile and sat. “Very gentlemanly of you.” Her smile slipped for a second before it returned.
“Thinking of the marshal?”
“Yes. He was like you in that way,” Cassia said softly, placing a hand over her belly. “I hope our child takes after him.”
“Indeed, but also after you,” Doc said. “They might not know their father, outside of what you can tell them, but I know that with you to raise them, they’ll be raised with love.”
“That they will,” Cassia agreed. “What can I do for you?” she asked, changing the topic.
“I was told by Posy that, next to Lia, you’re the best singer in the Lily.”
“I’m not sure of that, but I am good at it,” Cassia smiled.
“I have a song I’d like you to sing. It’s for Lia. She brought it to mind for me.”
“A love song?” Cassia asked with twinkling eyes.
“No,” Doc laughed, “though it is a song about hope. Hmm... maybe it does have a hint of a love song to it. It might also touch on how you view the marshal.”
“Oh? Can I see it?”
Doc slid her the sheet music he’d made up. “Here you go. I have to work with Heather on it, still, so it’s not an absolute rush.”
Cassia read through the lyrics, and a sad smile crossed her lips. “Yes, this I can sing. Heather will only need to play it once or twice to have it down. It’ll take me a day or two to make sure I have the lyrics memorized.”
“When you’re ready, let Heather know,” Doc said. “I’m going to give her the sheet music tonight.”
“She should be here by now,” Cassia said. “These are for me?”
“Yeah, I have hers here,” Doc said, picking up the other papers. “Thanks, Cassia.”
“Of course, Doc,” Cassia said before she cleared her throat. “Umm, Doc? Why are you doing all of this?”
“Huh?” Doc asked, already standing up.
“All
of this. Helping Lia save the Lily, making it so we can work without selling ourselves? All of it.”
“Because it’s what Lady Luck wants me to do,” Doc smiled. “The world is falling into Darkness and she tasked me with bringing it back to the light. This is my first step on my journey to do just that.”
Cashing In (Luck's Voice Book 2) Page 26
