Women

by Wendymypooh

JD Dunne stalked into the Four Corners saloon and strolled up to the bar. He tapped on the scarred wood top and barked, "Whiskey."

Inez Recillos turned around from where she'd been depositing money into the cashbox, ready to do as requested, but stopped when she saw JD. Her dark eyes widened. She could not recall a time when JD had ordered hard liquor. Usually he chose to drink milk with his meals or ordered a beer when he and the rest of the seven peacekeepers were gathered around a table shooting the breeze.

As she gazed at him, Inez noticed that JD's face was flushed and there was a steely glint in his dark eyes she had never seen before. There was something the matter with the young man, but she was not sure if she was the right person to find out what the problem was.

She placed a whiskey glass on the bar and poured a shot into it. Without saying a word, JD picked up the glass and down the contents. No sooner had he swallowed it, he began coughing and gasping for air as the amber liquid burned its way down his throat to his stomach.

"Easy there slick." Buck Wilmington pounded JD on the back. "If you aren't used to it, whiskey will burn a hole clean through your stomach lining."

JD glared at him, strolled over to a table, and sat down.

Buck and Inez exchanged worried glances before Wilmington moved to seat himself at the same table. "What's eating at you kid?"

JD let out a sigh, "Women."

A slow grin crept onto Buck's face. "Casey giving you trouble again?"

"Always. I was five minutes late to go on our ride and she acted as if it was ten hours. She would not even let me explain why I was late. She just told me to leave and not come back until I figured out what I'd done wrong." JD gazed over at Buck. "What do I do now?"

"Wait until she decides to forgive you."

JD scowled at him. "That could take forever."

"I'm afraid so kid."

Buck signaled Inez to bring him and JD a couple of beers, sensing that he and his friend were going to be in the saloon for a while. Men had been known to ponder the workings of a woman for years and not be any closer to discovering just how they worked.

End