Out of Time 01 - Out of Time

wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. “Out for a little fun then?”
    “What exactly are you implying?”
    Smitty shrugged. “You wouldn’t be the first man to have a little milk without buying the cow.”
    Simon reached the end of his rope. No matter how badly they needed money he wasn’t going to tolerate such insolence. “Mr. Smith,” Simon ground out. “If I were you—”
    “We’re newlyweds,” Elizabeth said as she came to Simon’s side. She hooked her arm through his and turned to Smitty with her sweetest smile. “He’s still getting used to the idea.”
    “Yes,” Simon stammered. Smitty seemed to step back a little. Apparently, Simon’s claim on her was enough to bring the man up short. It was a ridiculous charade, but if it gave Elizabeth a modicum of safety he’d gladly keep up pretenses. “It all happened rather unexpectedly.”
    “Very,” Elizabeth said with a grin, her eyes bright with mischief.
    Smitty narrowed his eyes. “You don’t have rings.”
    “There wasn’t time to see to everything properly,” Simon said. “We were hoping you could help us with that. Unless, of course, you’d rather continue to insult my wife,” he finished, laying his hand possessively over hers.
    Smitty didn’t seem to believe them, but if it meant more business he clearly didn’t care what their story was. “I think I might have something.”
    “I thought you might,” Simon said. He looked down at Elizabeth sternly, but his pique melted. The dress she was wearing was simple, but she looked wonderful. The pale blue-green pattern made her hair seem that much more striking. A series of ridiculously tiny buttons ran up the front, stopping at the base of the v-neck. Her pale skin led to the enticing arch of her collarbone. The scalloped hem fell to her knees, giving him a glimpse of her shapely legs. Elizabeth seldom wore dresses, and he wondered why when she was so enchanting in them.
    Elizabeth ducked her head shyly. “Do you like?”
    “Very much,” Simon said softly.
    Elizabeth blushed and stepped back. She couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “I’m gonna need shoes too. I’ll just go see what’s back there,” she said and disappeared again into the back of the store.
    Simon watched her walk away. She should definitely wear dresses more often. Or perhaps it was best she didn’t. He had enough trouble keeping his feelings under wraps as it was. The softening of his heart whenever she was near was untenable enough. Now, with seemingly every man they encountered leering at her, it was almost impossible to hide how he felt.
    “I’ll give you thirty for the ring,” Smitty said.
    “Thirty? It’s worth ten times that.”
    “Got a crack in the stone. Thirty.”
    “Thirty-five.”
    Smitty’s cold face split into a grim smile. “I say it’s worth thirty.”
“Unconscionable,” Simon muttered.
    “Take it or leave it. No skin off my nose.”
    Simon knew there had to be other pawn shops and glanced out the door. The light had already started to dim. They couldn’t afford to search all night for another shop. It was a crime to sell the ring for so little, but they needed money. Now. “Fine,” he said.
    “The ticket’s good for sixty days, then it goes in the general merchandise,” Smitty said and wrote out the receipt. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
    “I assure you,” Simon muttered. “The pleasure was entirely yours.”
    Once they’d made their purchases—one dress, one suit, one broadcloth shirt, one pair of ladies shoes, a pair of imitation gold rings and a small suitcase—they had less than twenty dollars left.
    The street was dimly lit, but still filled to the edges with people hurrying this way and that. No wonder they called it the city that never sleeps. As far as Simon could tell it never even took a breath.
    They walked aimlessly in an uncomfortable silence until Elizabeth suggested they ask someone for directions to some boarding houses. Simon didn’t think they needed help, but when they passed the same little diner twice, he finally relented. With vague directions to head down Market Street, they set off again. The uncomfortable silence joined them.
    “I’m sorry about springing the whole just married thing on you back there,” Elizabeth said suddenly.
    Simon looked at her, waiting for more of an explanation.
    “It sort of came out, but it’s probably a good cover. We can’t exactly rent a room together if we aren’t. I mean we could, but I’ve had