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Mary-Beth turned instantly, her face lighting up with a bright and beautiful smile. "Caleb," she said softly, her voice carrying a mix of relief and joy. "You're here ." Her eyes sparkled as she leaned slightly into his touch. Then, as if remembering herself, she asked, "How was today's work at the business?"
Caleb leaned back with a grin. "Business was thriving. Same as usual. And… I actually created five new menus today. Planning to sell them the day after tomorrow."
Mary-Beth's jaw dropped slightly in surprise, then her expression shifted to delight. She leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Five new menus? What kind? Tell me, I'd love to try them."
Caleb chuckled at her eagerness, brushing her cheek gently with the back of his hand. "You'll get to try them soon enough. Day after tomorrow. And I'm hoping you'll help me out then."
Her face softened, her smile turning tender. "Of course I'll help. You don't even need to ask."
"Thank you," Caleb said sincerely, his chest tightening with affection. He nodded toward the table. "Now, let's eat. You already ordered for us, didn't you?"
Mary-Beth nodded quickly. "Yes. Lamb fry and soup, just the way you like it. And beer to wash it down."
Caleb laughed low in his throat, his stomach already growling at the smell. "Perfect."
And with that, the two of them leaned in, clinking their bottles together gently before starting on the meal she had laid out for them. For a little while, the noise of the saloon faded into the background. It was just the two of them, food, and the promise of a future Caleb was determined to build.
As they ate their food and drank their beers, Mary-Beth swallowed a bite of lamb fry, dabbed at her lips with the napkin, and glanced at Caleb with that soft, curious gaze she often carried when something weighed on her mind.
"Caleb," she began carefully, her tone both casual and probing, "when do you think we'll return back to camp? We've been gone quite some time now. I'm sure the others are starting to notice. Dutch will be asking for you… and Miss Grimshaw, well, she'll certainly be asking for me."
Her words struck true, and Caleb felt his fork freeze halfway to his mouth. He lowered it slowly, eyes focusing on her, though his mind was suddenly a few steps away, caught in thoughts her question had just stirred awake. Mary-Beth was looking at him earnestly, full of questions, her voice laced with concern, and he couldn't ignore it.
Caleb leaned back slightly in his chair, his appetite dimmed by the weight of her question.
She was right.
As much as he wanted to stretch this quiet time together, the truth was that their absence couldn't be ignored forever. If it had just been him, Dutch might have brushed it off, though not without suspicion or a sharp word here and there.
But with Mary-Beth at his side? Dutch would see it differently. Dutch adored her, much more like in the way Caleb did but slightly different as qell, and enough of her absence alongside Caleb, would fuel that twisted jealousy of his. Dutch would see their time away as an affront, or worse, as Caleb undermining him by making decisions about who he could or couldn't keep close.
Caleb could almost hear Dutch's voice already, a low growl, tinged with hurt pride and ego, demanding answers as to why he hadn't been informed directly. Dutch's temper wasn't the kind to cool quickly, and Caleb knew from experience that jealousy and anger made the man rash, unpredictable.
This could push him toward even more dangerous schemes, schemes that didn't exist in the game Caleb once played, like the one involving crates of dynamite and shady strangers Caleb had heard him talking about openly.
He thought of that plan again, his gut tightening. Dutch had been musing on it, painting it with grand visions of power, control, and leverage. Caleb had done what he could to slow it down, to shift the gang's path in subtle ways, but he knew Dutch well enough, the more Caleb change some things to resist it, the more Dutch might double down. Bringing Mary-Beth away from camp had been Caleb's way of protecting her from being used or worse, hurt, in one of Dutch's reckless gambits.
Then there was Miss Grimshaw. For all her sharp tongue and iron discipline, Caleb knew she cared deeply for the gang, especially for the women. Her scolding wasn't out of malice but out of worry, and Mary-Beth's prolonged absence would no doubt weigh on her.
Caleb could picture the scene now, Miss Grimshaw standing with her hands on her hips, voice sharp as a whip, demanding to know what had possessed the two of them to stay gone so long. The anger would sting, but underneath it, Caleb knew, was genuine concern for Mary-Beth's safety.
Lost in his thoughts, Caleb barely realized how long he'd been quiet until Mary-Beth tilted her head, her brows furrowing slightly. She reached across the table, her hand brushing lightly against his wrist.
"Caleb?" she asked gently, her voice softer this time. "Are you okay? Did I… did I ask the wrong question? If you don't want to go back yet, I understand. I wasn't trying to push you."
Her words snapped him back to the present. He blinked, looking at her worried face, then slowly set down his fork. Without hesitation, he reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"No," he said firmly, his voice steady and calm. "You didn't ask the wrong question. I'm fine, Mary-Beth. It's just… what you said got me thinking. You're right. We've been gone a while, and I've been trying to figure out when the best time to go back would be."
He sighed lightly, squeezing her hand again before continuing. "I still need to teach Simon and Troy how to make the new menus I came up with, and I want to be here when we start selling them. It's important, not just for me, but for the business as a whole. I want to see how folks react, if they'll take to them like I hope they will."
Mary-Beth's features softened, relief washing over her expression. She nodded, smiling gently. "I only asked because… well, I don't want you to get in trouble with Dutch or Miss Grimshaw on my account. I know how they can be. But I also understand you've still got things to do here. Especially with the new menus, you're the owner, the one who created them. Of course you'd want to see how people take to them. I'd want the same if it were me."
Caleb smiled at her words, warmth blooming in his chest. She believed in him, trusted him, and it meant more than he could ever put into words. And just like that, he realized he had steered the conversation exactly where it needed to go. Her attention shifted away from the real reasons for his hesitation, and he silently thanked the system for sharpening his wits in moments like this.
"Thank you," he said softly, his voice carrying his gratitude. "Thank you for understanding, Mary-Beth. I promise, after tomorrow, after we launch the new menus, we'll head back to camp together."
Mary-Beth's smile widened, her eyes glimmering in the lamplight. "Then that's what we'll do. I'll follow whatever you decide on."
Relief eased the tension in Caleb's shoulders, and with that, they both returned to their meal. The lamb fry disappeared between them, the soup warmed their stomachs, and their laughter mingled with the clink of glasses around the saloon. For the rest of that night, there were no questions, no worries, just the comfort of shared company and the unspoken promise of tomorrow.
The next morning dawned bright and brisk, the streets of Valentine already buzzing with the sounds of wagons rolling and ranchers barking orders. Caleb rose early, stretching his arms wide before setting to the task he'd been planning yesterday.
Simon and Troy, eager as ever, gathered at his side in the kitchen, book and a pen in hand, their eyes wide with curiosity. Caleb smirked, tying an apron around his waist.
"All right, boys," he said, his voice carrying the steady authority of a man with a plan. "Today you're learning on how to create the five new menus. Pay attention, because these are gonna get us more attention than ever."
He set the ingredients before them, his hands moving with practiced precision as he laid out patties, buns, cheese, garlic, chilies, and fries ready to be transformed.
"First up, the cheeseburger. A classic, simple, but it's gotta be done right. Perfect balance of meat, cheese, and bun." He demonstrated step by step, from seasoning the meat to melting the cheese just so, before then putting in ot a bun with ha tomato on top of it, making sure Simon and Troy took notes.
"Next, cheese fries. Crispy, golden, smothered in just the right amount of melted cheese. Not soggy, not dry. Perfect bite every time." He showed them the timing, the heat, the ratio, and the way to layer the cheese so it melted evenly.
Then came the garlic mixed Creeping Thyyme patty, rich with the strong aroma that had once made Simon cough and laugh in equal measure. Caleb grinned at the memory. "This one, you gotta be careful. Garlic burns quick. You want flavor, not bitterness. Watch closely."
Simon and Troy leaned in, eyes watering slightly from the scent, but their grins never faltered.
The chili burger followed, bold and messy, full of heat and kick. Caleb stressed the importance of balance again, too much spice and customers would complain, too little and they'd wonder why it was even called chili.
Finally, the chili fries, the perfect companion, crispy fries drenched in chili, topped with cheese if the customer asked.
By the time he finished, Simon and Troy were nearly bouncing with excitement. Caleb watched them practice, correcting their hands, teaching them the little tricks, the angle of the spatula, the timing of the seasoning, the patience needed to let flavors bloom. He could see the spark in their eyes, the same one he carried when he first dreamed of bringing these foods into this world.
Meanwhile, Jasper handled the front, his booming voice carrying across the dining room.
"Sorry, folks!" Jasper announced loudly, his hands raised as he addressed the small crowd of customers eager for the new menus. "We can't sell the new dishes today. Supplies got delayed. But I promise you, tomorrow they'll be ready, hot, fresh, and worth the wait!"
Groans rippled through the crowd, a chorus of disappointment. Some ranchers grumbled under their breath, muttering curses about wasted trips. A few even slammed their hands on the walls in frustration.
One particularly burly rancher stepped forward, scowling. "This some kind of joke, Jasper? We been wanting to try these new dishes since yesterday. You stringin' us along?"
Jasper's expression darkened, his voice dropping low and cold. "No joke. But if you're gonna cause trouble in my place, you can take yourself and your buddies elsewhere. And I'll make it real clear, if you push me, you and anyone tied to you will be banned from burgers and fries here. For life."
The atmosphere went quiet, the weight of his threat hanging heavy in the air. The rancher looked like he might push further, but something in Jasper's tone, something deadly serious, made him falter. He grumbled, spat on the floor, and backed off. The others followed suit, though not without shooting glares at the counter.
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 6/10
- Luck: 8/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 4)
- Rifle (Lvl 3)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 3)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 2)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 3)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 4)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 2)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 3)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lvl 3)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 4)
- Teaching (Lvl 2)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 10x10x10)
- Acting (Lvl 2)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX)
Money: 1,899 dollars and 46 cents
Inventory: 104,278 dollars and 93 cents, 7 gold nuggets, 58 gold bars, 7 silver rings, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 large bags of jewelry, 4 gold rings, 2 silver rings, 4 silver pocket watches, 3 gold buckles, 1 gold pocket compass, 2 platinum pocket watches, 2 Colm's Schofields, and land deed (Parcel)
Bank: -