Things were considerable quieter in the town but the gamblers and the rent-girls were just two licks short of being totally bored.The short girl with ...pigtails sat down at his table and asked him,"Buy me a drink, big boy!"She obviously was a little tipsy because she didn't remember he was the marshal and responsible to keep the criminal element under control in the small town."Sure, Annie, if I remember your name correctly?"She peered up at him through some layered paint around her still-pretty. After all the years I have lived alone, I love to prepare meals for you. We finish our wine and go to the dining room, where the table is set, with the fresh flowers you insist on bringing home at least once a week, and candles, which you light, while I serve our plates. You pull out my chair for me, and I think again, that I am a lucky woman. Most men wouldn't show such a consideration, but you insist upon the small things, like opening doors, and helping me into the car, helping me with my. On the table next to him was a half empty glass of scotch; the ice cubes had melted long ago. He had finally calmed down enough so that he could go over in his mind the events of early this evening.He had come to the bar tonight to celebrate the completion of one journey and beginning of a new one. He had been awe-struck at the show that Angel had put on. Knowing that this was the woman that he woke up next to every morning made it that much better. And then there was the fight, or more. I put a tape in the stereo and headed for the ocean.A few minutes before noon, Debby stirred and woke. The sleep had done her wonders, and she said she felt great. She stretched like a cat. Looked great, too. Even the weather had broken. She raised her seat partway, and I slid my hand over and patted her on the knee. Smiling, she reached down and rubbed my hand where it rested on her lower thigh. Still, despite whatever I might have wanted to do next, we were in bucket seats, and my reach just.