Chapter 1

Mia

February 1871

New York, New York

“Hey, Mia!” Trent Jericho yelled as he walked into the Breckenridge Saloon in New York, New York. “Wanna dance?”

He took off his hat as he approached, his presence filling the sparkly filled room. Trent had been a regular for a while and was harmless. He was a local lawyer, dressed in a business suit, but he always wore a cowboy hat… no matter how out of fashion it was in New York.Trent was a misplaced cowboy,Mia reasoned.

“Trent….” Mia Flynn placed her hands on her hips. “You really should get a wife, you know. With as much money as you spend in here—”

“Why? You offering?” he cut her off, arching an eyebrow.

Mia couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, like I’d marry the likes of you.”

Trent scoffed, making a big show of placing his hat over his heart. “Miss Flynn, you have mortally wounded me.” When she laughed, he added, “Would you do me the honor of a dance?”

Mia laughed, shaking her head. She could never stay mad at Trent, even if she was only pretending. “That’s what I thought. One of these days, a woman’s going to catch your eye—”

“And I’ll run like hell.” Trent took a step closer. “Just one dance? Please?”

She pretended to deliberate as the feather in her blonde, wavy hair bobbed. She had been a dancehall girl since she moved here three years before, after her parents died of influenza in Connecticut. She let out a deep breath. “Sure.”

Mia was getting tired of making a living with men paying her to dance. One day, she wanted to have a family of her own and children, but that wasn’t going to happen here.

Trent crossed the saloon. “Thanks, Mia. I’ve had a hard day at the courthouse and a dance will cheer me up.”

Mia looked at him sharply. “A big trial, huh?”

Trent nodded. “Yeah, but I can’t talk about it. While the trial’s on, I’m sworn to secrecy.” He towered over her as he twirled her expertly around the dance floor. “Say, have you heard from Wyatt Nash lately?”

Mia scoffed. “Now, why would I ever hear from him? After the last mess he made in here, he can just stay where he is.”

A man had called him a cheat and drew a knife. One thing led to another, and they tore up the bar. They paid for the damages, but Mia and the other girls were left to clean up the mess.

“Hey, that wasn’t Wyatt’s fault.” Trent arched an eyebrow, thinking. “Didn’t he move to Wyoming like Ella?”

She nodded. “Yes. A little town called Whiskey River.” A twinge of guilt tugged at her. In the last letter she had received, Ella was pregnant and would have the baby soon. She and Ella had been roommates. They had been close—like sisters. Mia sighed, wishing she could be there for her friend in her time of need now.

“What’s wrong?” Trent asked, truly concerned. Over the past few years, he’d been nice enough. Always a gentleman. In fact,he’d been somewhat of a big brother figure to her since she’d known him.

“I just wish I could be there with Ella.” Mia looked up into his eyes. “She’s going to have a baby soon and, from what I gather, the pregnancy’s been rough.”

Trent shook his head. “That’s too bad. I always liked Ella. Well, I’m sure everything will work out all right.” The dance came to an end. “Dance another?”

Mia scoffed. “You haven’t paid me for the first one yet.”

Trent laughed as he pulled out two dollars and handed them to her. “Here’s for this one and the next one, too.”

She took the money and slipped it into the front of her dress. There had to be a better way to make a living. Being a dancehall girl was good money, but just not enough. Since Ella left, she had to shoulder all the financial responsibilities herself. While they were roommates, they rented a two-bedroom tenement and split all the bills. Now, there just never seemed to be enough to cover everything.

“What’s wrong?” Trent asked, breaking her reverie. Out of all the men who frequented the saloon, he was the best dancer. Despite their bantering, Mia never minded dancing with him.

She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

Trent raised an eyebrow. “Come on. It’s not ‘nothing’. Talk to me.”