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Vernice cocked an eyebrow, and Adam hurried to agree. “Right. Seven o’clock. I’ll be there.”
Vernice drained his glass and stood, but he only went a few steps before he turned to look back at Adam. “Might want to get some shut-eye,” he said. “You’re going to need it.”
With that, he nodded to Reggie and headed out the door, chuckling under his breath.
Well…Adam wasn’t sure if he should be happy or terrified that he’d apparently gotten the job and settled for both. Happy with a healthy side of caution.
The advice to get some sleep was probably good, but thanks to Adam’s nap and the sudden adrenaline rush coursing through his veins at taking the first step on the road to his new life (he’d ignore the whole terror aspect, despite Vernice’s chuckle still echoing in his ears), there was no way he’d be able to get some sleep just yet. What he needed was to kick up his boots and relax a little.
He couldn’t pick a fight or gamble, but surely he could findsomeamusement.
It didn’t take long to realize there was little in the way of amusement to be found that didn’t involve cards or the girls from the parlor house. No wonder the single newcomers had been getting into mischief. There wasn’t much else to do for a stranger trying to stay out of trouble.
Not that it helped. Trouble found him. As it always did. Except this time, trouble was six foot something of pissed-off sheriff who’d done nothing but sit and glower at him while Adam stared into the glass of whiskey he couldn’t quite bring himself to drink. Not that he didn’t want it. He did. And it wasn’t because of the quality, which was surprisingly good considering the location. But it was hard to drown himself in a good bottle of oblivion when Sheriff Sourpuss scowled at him from his seat at a table a few feet away.
The other men sitting with him seemed more friendly, though Adam wasn’t sure how much he could trust that. Theywerethe sheriff’s men, after all. Doc, Preacher, and Sunshine…if his memory served.Gee, wonder what they do for a living, he thought with an inner snort. Churlish of him, maybe, since none of them but Woodson seemed to have anything against him. Still, he’d never been one to trust implicitly. He sighed deeply and took a miniscule sip of his drink. It really wouldn’t hurt him to be a little more friendly, though.
So when one of them—Sunshine, the sheriff’s deputy, if Adam remembered correctly—waved him over, he gathered up his drink and went, despite his misgivings.
“So how’s Desolation treating you so far?” Sunshine asked. “Settling in?”
“As much as I ca—”
“You goin’ to tell me why you’re really here?” Woodson asked him.
“Now, Sheriff,” Doc said, “give the man a chance to take a seat.”
Adam nodded his thanks and sat down. His rump had barely hit the chair when Woodson grunted at him again.
“So?”
“I did tell you,” Adam said. “I didn’t set out to come here. Didn’t think it was a real place, to be honest. But since I stumbled across it…” He shrugged. “Word is, this is a place where men like us can hang their hats without having to worry about someone taking a shot at their heads.”
Woodson shrugged. “Within reason.”
Adam chuckled and then sighed. “I didn’t set out to ruin your life, you know.”
The older man shrugged again. “Sounds like you don’t set out to do much. Doesn’t matter, though, does it? If what happens anyway still destroys lives. You already ruined one life of mine. I won’t let you do it again.”
Adam fixed his gaze at the amber liquid in his glass, wondering if the knot of guilt that had festered in his gut since the day he’d realized just how big a mistake he’d made all those years ago would ever go away.
“You know, sometimes talking through things can be very cathartic,” Sunshine prompted, looking at them both.
Doc nodded sagely, giving Adam an encouraging smile. Preacher just grunted, but it sounded like an affirmative grunt. And yes, he’d apologized earlier, but it might not have sounded very sincere. So…all right, here went nothing.
He took a healthy gulp of his whiskey, letting it slowly burn its way down his throat. Then he said, “I was just a kid back then, Woodson. I didn’t realize what would come of my actions. I know that’s little comfort, but I’m sorry for it. Truly. If that’s worth anything to you.”
Woodson didn’t look at him. “Sometimes I think apologies are more for the people makin’ them than the ones they’re aimed at.”
Adam raised his brows, and Preacher grunted again, a slight smile on his lips so Adam thought he was probably agreeing. Doc looked thoughtful, but Sunshine frowned. “I don’t know if that’s true.”
Woodson just swirled the water around in his glass for a moment before speaking again. “An apology won’t erase the years I spent being hunted.”
“No,” Sunshine said, “but now you at least know Mr. Brady here regrets the situation.”
Woodson’s eyes briefly flicked to his deputy. “Well, while I might appreciate the sentiment—if I were a better man,” he said with a slight smile that was more than Adam had thought the man capable of, “it still doesn’t do me much good.”
Adam frowned, but Woodson waved at him to let it go. “You’ve got bigger problems to worry about than whether or not I’ll ever forgive you. Figure out what to do about your little situation yet? Ready to beg Nora to keep you?”
