“You can’t be serious,” she shouted above the sound of the jostling carriages that made their way through town. Just as she spoke, she was hit in the face with a puddle of muddy water. “Nevermind,” the young lady mumbled as she stood frozen, not sure what to do with her now soaking clothes.

Jimmy tried as hard as he could not to laugh. Her face was covered with dirt and her glasses were now spotted with mud. Apparently she caught his smug look, and shot him a dirty one in return. Hickok felt guilty and carefully took her glasses off, rubbing them free of the filth with his shirt. “Here you go, Lou. I’m sorry,” he said, handing them back to her.

She snatched them playfully, “Yeah, sure you are. That’s why you were trying so hard not to laugh.” Lou shivered as the wind caught her dampened clothing.

Taking off his jacket, Jimmy put it around her shoulders. “No, really. I’m sorry. Let’s get you out of this wind.” She tried to argue and say that she was just fine, but at the same time she didn’t mind being pushed around a little. Therefore, Lou didn’t put up a fight when he took her into the saloon and got her some hot coffee.

Once he saw that she was secure and regaining the rosy color to her face, Jimmy excused himself and said that he would be back shortly. Lou simply nodded her head with a smile. She wasn’t sure what he was up to, but she figured that it was probably no good. Although, she did had to admit to herself that there was something irresistible about the man who took great pleasure in making her happy.

It was growing dark outside and Lou was beginning to wonder just what might be taking her traveling companion so long to get back. She was feeling much better, but unfortunately her clothes had not made any effort to dry in the damp winter air.

Just as she was about to get up and leave...partly to escape the loud ruckus, and irritating saloon girls, when a young man very much resembling Jimmy Hickok came inside holding a couple of wrapped packages. The smile on his face was irresistible, and she found her own lips mirroring his expression.

“Good, you haven’t turned into an icicle yet,” he teased as he sat down next to her.

“No thanks to you,” she shot back. Her curiosity was rising as she stared at the items in his hands, “What have you go there?”

He looked down at the packages and then back at her, “Oh these? Well, I was just thinking that if you were still wet and cold, you might like to change into something dry and warm.”

Lou did her best to keep a straight face. Part of her desire to giggle was the anticipation of what it might have been that he would have gotten her to put on. “That was very sweet of you, Jimmy,” she replied taking the gifts from his hands.

She looked around for some area where she might be able to change. Once she noticed a room towards the back, she excused herself and went back to change. Jimmy promised to wait in that very same spot until she came back.

Gracefully she wove her way through the tables until she was free of the crowd and was alone behind the door of one of their empty storage rooms. Uncertain whether or not she wanted to open the brown-wrapped gifts for fear of what might be on the other side, Lou decided to remove her wet boots first.

After that task was complete, she began with the largest package and carefully broke the string which bound it together. Inside of it was certainly the last thing she expected. A delicate yellow lace-covered dress was carefully folded with a small flower resting on top of it. She pulled it out, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle the excited gasp that attempted to escape. “It’s beautiful!” Lou said aloud.

Jimmy sat in anticipation, he hoped that she would like what he had picked, as it had been hard for him to choose. Especially since he didn’t have much experience in that sort of thing.

It was a grand reward indeed when a young woman, completely transformed, stepped to his side. Jimmy couldn’t help but feel like the luckiest man in the room. While Lou on the other hand, felt as if every pair of male eyes in the room was gazing at her...perhaps because they were.

“Lou,” he nearly choked, “You look beautiful.”

She blushed at the compliment, “It’s the dress, Jimmy, it’s lovely.”

He rose to his feet and extended his arm to her. An act that stood out in the saloon, seeing as there weren’t many ladies nor gentlemen that passed through. “It’s always been my opinion that the woman makes up most of the looks of the dress,” he continued once they were outside.

Lou smiled, not quite sure how to respond. “What was it again that you asked me to do again?” She paused, “I mean before I got hit with the water that is.”

“Well, I was serious, and I asked you if you would go to the dance with me in Rock Creek on Sunday.” Jimmy was surprised that she would think he could have been kidding. “We should be back on Saturday, unless we don’t get this delivery completed like we’re supposed to.”

She contemplated for a moment. Teaspoon had sent them on a run to pick up some sort of payroll schedule from Kansas City, and although she wasn’t having a horrible time here, she would have much rather been back home. So the thought of having something to look forward to brightened her spirits. “That would be wonderful, Jimmy, thank you.”

He smiled at the answer that he was hoping he’d receive from her.

“There’s just one thing,” Lou began.

“What’s that?”

She wiped her face free of any expressions that might give herself away and spoil this perfect moment. “I haven’t got a thing to wear.”

Jimmy shook his head with a faint grin spread across his mouth. He loved how she could take any moment and transform it into something that could be written in a fairy tale or book. “Why do you think I got you that dress?”

“Why James Hickok! That’s borderline blackmail!” She laughed, her eyes sparkling with delight at the thought that he bought the gorgeous dress she now owned just so she might go to the dance with him.

“Yep, and it works too, doesn’t it?”