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Tilly caught it immediately when she realized Marybeth was silent. "Well now," Tilly said, drawing out the words. You mean to tell me that you Caleb played house with Mrs. Adler? In town? Actin' like two of you were affectionate pair of husband and wife?"
"I... It wasn't like that!" Caleb quickly added. "It was just a cover story! We needed to buy some supplies for the gang and—"
"Oh no, I believe you," Tilly said, grinning wickedly. "But I think our dear Mary-Beth here's feeling a little jealous that's all."
Mary-Beth turned back, cheeks flushed crimson. "I am not! I just... It just surprised me is all!"
"Uh huh," Tilly said, leaning back against the crate behind her. "Jealousy suits you, y'know."
Mary-Beth buried her face in her hands. "I hate you sometimes."
Tilly just cackled, clearly enjoying every second.
Caleb gave Mary-Beth a sympathetic glance, suppressing another chuckle. "Hey, I told you, right? I'm courting you. You're the one I'm trying to impress. Sadie's great, but… she's like a sister to me. A terrifying sister who can skin a man alive with a glare."
That earned a reluctant laugh from Mary-Beth.
"Well," she muttered, "good. Because I wasn't jealous. Just… surprised."
"Of course," Caleb said, nudging her gently. "No need to worry. Today's our day."
She smiled again, warmer this time. Her fingers brushed his glove as she adjusted her grip on the seat.
The rest of the ride passed in light conversation, the occasional teasing from Tilly, and quiet moments where the three simply enjoyed the rhythm of the road.
The trees parted as they came down the final slope leading into Rhodes. The town bustled with quiet energy, locals talking on porches, a wagon rolling by, the sheriff idly sipping coffee near his office.
Caleb slowed the wagon as they rolled into town, tipping his hat politely to a passing shopkeeper.
"Alright," he said. "Remember, new names if anyone asks. You're Margaret Kilgore and Theresa Potter. I'm Tacitus Kilgore. Got it?"
"Margaret Kilgore?" Mary-Beth said with a skeptical look.
"You want to be Theresa Potter?" Caleb offered.
She sighed. "Fine. I'll be Margaret Kilgore."
Tilly grinned. "I like Theresa Potter. It sounds fancy."
"Alright then, Margaret and Theresa," Caleb said, pulling the wagon near the general store and put the reins down onto the driver seat. "Let's enjoy the afternoon. And no trouble, alright?"
"My honor," Tilly said, hopping down.
Mary-Beth followed with Caleb's help, and she get down she smooth her skirt. "Lead the way, Tacitus."
Caleb smiled at the sound of that.
After that, Tilly "conveniently" remembered she needed to check the post office and vanished down the street with a wink.
Mary-Beth exhaled, shaking her head. "She's impossible."
Caleb chuckled. "She's Tilly."
They strolled down the road, heading toward the only saloon in town, the Rhodes Parlor House, which was under the control of the Grays. As they walked, Mary-Beth hesitated, then looped her arm through Caleb's.
"So... Tacitus," she said, smirking. "Got any other fake identities I should know about?"
Caleb grinned. "Oh, plenty. But none as charming as the real me I assure you."
Mary-Beth laughed, leaning into him. "Good answer."
For a moment, it was easy to forget they were outlaws. Just two people, walking through the town, enjoying each other's company.
As they crossed the main street of Rhodes, the dust of wagon wheels and the gentle murmur of townsfolk drifted around them. Caleb and Mary-Beth walked side by side, her arm still linked with his as they rounded the corner of the general store and approached their destination.
Before them stood the Rhodes Parlor House, the biggest and finest building in all of Scarlett Meadows. Its bright white exterior stood in stark contrast to the sun warmed dirt roads, its decorative columns holding up the elegant second floor balcony.
Windows shimmered clean, the signage gleamed freshly painted, and the double doors opened and closed with a gentle creak, welcoming patrons inside.
Caleb remembered it well from his past life, it was the only true place of comfort, luxury, and indulgence in the entire region. Food, liquor, entertainment, even clean baths, this saloon offered them all.
It was also a strategic and luxury prize as well, with Caleb knew well that if the Grays ever lost their grip on Rhodes, the Braithwaites would seize this place in a heartbeat.
Mary-Beth slowed to a stop in front of the saloon, eyes wide and shining.
"This might be… the prettiest saloon I've ever seen," she whispered. "At least from the outside."
Caleb smiled at her reaction. "Just wait 'til you see the inside. Hosea and I come here once before. Place is a cut above anything we've seen before."
Mary-Beth's excitement doubled, and she grabbed Caleb by the wrist, dragging him with playful urgency toward the entrance. "Well, come on, Tacitus! I wanna see it!"
Caleb laughed, letting himself be pulled inside.
The moment the double doors opened, a cheerful piano tune drifted out, wrapping around them like a warm welcome. Inside, the Rhodes Parlor House exuded Southern elegance.
To the left, a beautifully carved spiral staircase climbed to the second floor, its railings polished to a shine. To the right, booths and tables bustled with patrons laughing and chatting over drinks and cards.
The bar stretched across the back wall beneath a shelf lined with bottles, and the warm scent of smoked fish and spiced liquor hung in the air.
Mary-Beth looked around in open wonder. Her eyes danced from the polished floors to the velvet-cushioned booths to the colorful stained-glass fixtures overhead.
"Oh wow…" she breathed. "I've never been to such a fancy saloon adi have heard I the ones in Saint Denis, but… this is already something else."
Caleb grinned. "Told you. Wait 'til you taste the food."
They headed toward the bar, weaving between customers and the occasional drunk swaying from one end of the room to another. Behind the counter, a bald bartender with a clean shirt and a friendly mustache offered them a nod and a welcoming smile.
"Well howdy there, folks," the bartender said. "Welcome to the Parlor House. What can I get ya today? For food, we've got Cracked Wheat and Milk for 3 dollars, and our house special the Fried Catfish, just 5 dollars."
Caleb looked to Mary-Beth, gesturing. "Your choice."
She tapped her lip in thought, glancing over at the serving plates behind the bar. "Fried catfish sounds pretty good actually. I have had it before and it's good."
"Then let's eat that one," Caleb replied with a nod. Turning back to the bartender, he said, "We'll have two fried catfish and two beers, please."
The bartender smiled and reached below the bar to grab two green glass bottles. "Coming right up. That'll be 10 dollars and 50 cents."
Caleb reached into his satchel, withdrew 10 dollars and 50 cents, and placed the money neatly on the counter. The bartender scooped it up, nodding as he set the bottles of beer before them.
"You two can pick a seat anywhere you like," he said. "We'll bring the food out to you when it's ready."
Caleb tipped his head respectfully. "Thank you."
"Thank you kindly,"/Mary-Beth added with a sweet smile.
With a bottle in each hand, Caleb led her up the spiral staircase. They passed by the blackjack table, where two men with frayed hats were deep in a game, ignoring everything around them. Beyond that was a set of double doors. Caleb pushed them open, revealing the second floor open air dining deck.
The air outside was crisp and clean, the sounds of the town below softened beneath the rustling trees. The deck was lined with wrought iron railing and several wooden tables. And, best of all, at this hour, they were completely alone.
Mary-Beth looked delighted. "It's perfect up here!"
They crossed to a corner table, one that sat under a gentle awning and avoided direct sunlight. It was shaded, quiet, and gave a beautiful view of Rhodes' main road below.
Once seated, Caleb handed Mary-Beth her beer, and she raised it with a chuckle. "To Tacitus Kilgore and Margaret."
Caleb laughed. "And may our fake relation as siblings be short but prosperous."
They clinked bottles, the gesture light and playful.
As they waited for their food, the two of them simply… talked. About nothing and everything. About how Tilly was impossible and wonderful. About what the next book Mary-Beth wanted to write might be.
Caleb even made up silly names for their future fake children, like "Cactus Kilgore" and "Maple Syrup Potter," which earned him a laugh so loud from Mary-Beth it drew a scowl from a passerby below.
He leaned into his Past Life Memory, recalling some of the harmless flirtations he'd seen and heard in shows and films. He tried one now, giving her a smirk.
"You know, if we met in a different kind of circumstance and life, I might've written a whole book about a girl like you."
Mary-Beth blinked, then smiled, red in the cheeks. "A romantic book?"
Caleb leaned on the table, eyes steady. "No. A mystery. 'Cause you still surprise me every day."
She laughed and swatted his arm. "That's weird in a cute way."
"And effective."
She grinned and took a sip of beer. "...Yeah. It is."
A few minutes later, the door creaked open again, and the same bartender appeared carrying two steaming plates. He set them gently on the table with a courteous nod.
"Two fried catfish. Enjoy."
"Thanks again," Caleb said.
With the food served and the breeze picking up just enough to stir Mary-Beth's hair, the rest of the afternoon unfolded like a dream. They ate slow, savoring the meal and each other's company.
The fish was crispy, seasoned, flaky, Caleb had eaten better in his past life for sure, but for Mary-Beth, it was a taste of something refined, something special.
And Caleb was just glad he could be the one to give her that moment.
By the time the plates were clean and the beers half-finished, the sun had dipped far enough that long shadows stretched across the main street. The bells from the train station clanged faintly in the distance, and the laughter from the saloon below drifted upward like smoke.
Mary-Beth leaned forward, her elbows on the table, watching the sunlit haze below.
"This was really nice, Caleb."
He smiled. "Yeah. It was."
"You always have a way of making me feel like a lady, even with all the shooting and crime."
"Well," he said, "that's 'cause you are one. And any outlaw fool who doesn't see that is missing out."
She turned, touched by the sincerity. Their eyes met again.
Then, after a pause, she reached across the table and held his hand.
"I'm glad it's you."
Caleb, in that quiet moment, felt the weight of the world around them, the gang, the dangers, the future he was trying to change and still, right now, everything in his chest felt… light.
"Me too."
They didn't speak for a while after that. Just held hands, looking out over the town like they were the only two people in it.
And in a way, maybe they were.
Their peace was soon shattered by the sound of raised voices downstairs. Caleb tensed, his hand instinctively drifting toward his navy revolver.
Mary-Beth frowned. "What's that?"
Before Caleb could answer, the double doors burst open, and Tilly stumbled onto the deck, her face flushed.
"There you two are!" she exclaimed, plopping into the empty chair beside Mary-Beth. "I've been lookin' all over!"
Mary-Beth blinked. "Tilly? What's wrong?"
Tilly waved a hand. "Nothin', nothin'. Just figured I'd join you before y'all got too cozy." She waggled her eyebrows.
Caleb groaned. "You're a menace."
Tilly grinned, stealing a sip of Mary-Beth's beer. "So I've been told."
Mary-Beth swatted her hand away. "Get your own!"
Tilly laughed, then leaned in conspiratorially. "You'll never guess what I just heard at the post office."
Caleb arched a brow. "Do I want to know?"
"Probably not Caleb," Tilly admitted with a smirk. "But I'm tellin' you anyway since you need to know. The Grays and Braithwaites are at it again. Rumor is, the Braithwaites are plannin' to cause some trouble at the Parlor House tonight."
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 5/10
- Luck: 6/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 2)
- Rifle (Lvl 2)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 2)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 1)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 2)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 3)
- Poker (Lvl 3)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 1)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 2)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lv1)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 2)
- Teaching (Lvl 1)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 5x5x5)
Money: 502 dollars and 96 cents
Inventory: 1111 dollars, 2 gold nuggets, 1 gold bar, 4 silver rings, and 1 Double Action Revolver
Bank: 320 dollars, 4 gold bars, a large bag of jewelry, and 3 gold nuggets