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stalls in the barn for quite some time.
 For a whole week, Mallory agreed.
 My grandfather said you guys were experimenting with a way to use methane gas to power the
electricity in the barn.
 We are, Mallory replied.  It was an expensive setup, but it s saving us a fortune in power bills.
Imagine. Modern technology is impressive.
 Why can t they do that other places? Bodie wondered.
 Well, there are some places where landfills use it for power, Cane said.  But the setup, as Mallory
said, is quite expensive. Only large cities can utilize the concept.
 Wouldn t it be nice if garbage could be used to solve our energy woes? she wondered aloud.
 Nice, indeed.
 What a subject for breakfast conversation, Morie exclaimed, joining them at the table with an
empty cup.
Mallory kissed her tenderly and poured coffee into it for her.  We were discussing energy
concepts.
 So I heard. She glanced up.  How are you doing, Bodie?
Bodie smiled.  A little blue. But I ll mend.
 Of course you will. It just takes time.
Cane pursed his sensual lips.  I have to drive over to Jackson Hole to talk to a man about a bull.
Want to come along? he asked Bodie.
She was surprised. But it was a pleasant surprise, and it showed.  Well, I& sure.
He chuckled.  We won t be long. I want to look at one of his yearlings. The sire s been written up in
major ranching journals. I want to see for myself.
 I like cattle, Bodie said.
 So do we. Mallory chuckled, too.
 We ll go after breakfast, Cane told Bodie.
She smiled and nodded. It would be good to have something to keep her mind off her grandfather.
And it was a thrill to have Cane seeking out her company. That in itself was unusual.
* * *
CANE DROVE ONE OF THE ranch pickups, his one hand managing the steering wheel effortlessly.
 The rancher s name is Bill Sanders, he told her.  He s a third generation rancher. His father
almost lost the ranch to a development corporation a few years ago. They wanted to build a hotel
complex on his land. He went to court and fought them for two years. In the end, he won. They went to
another part of the state, where people were less resistant to change.
 Jackson Hole is pretty developed, isn t it? she wondered.  Lots of hotels and stuff.
 Yes. It s commercialized these days. The Teton mountain range is so famous that people come
from all over the world just to look at it. Plus, it s unspoiled up here in this part of the state. Fresh air
and water are nothing to sneeze at.
 Yes. My grandfather said that I d live to see people go to war over water. I thought that was funny
when I was young. Now, it doesn t seem so far-fetched at all.
He glanced at her, smiling. She looked very pretty in a green turtleneck sweater and jeans. It was
warm in the truck, so her old leather jacket was spread over her legs.  You look nice, Bodie. You
always do.
She smiled back.  Thanks.
He turned his attention back to the road.  I thought we might have lunch on the way. I know this little
place that serves some of the best barbecue in Wyoming.
 I love barbecue, she noted.
 Yes, I know. So do I. The hotter, the better.
 I still have taste buds. They can make it milder, can t they? she asked.
 As mild as you like, honey, he said, the endearment coming so naturally that he didn t even notice.
Bodie did. Cane didn t use endearments, not to anyone. It was a thrill to hear him use them with her.
Perhaps he just felt sorry for her or guilty about his behavior before Rafe Mays died. Whatever the
reason, it made her heart lift.
 With French fries, she added.
He grinned.  Can t eat barbecue without fries. They make their own. No frozen ones out of bags.
 Wow.
 And the owner s mother bakes cakes for the restaurant. Some of the best ones I ve ever tasted.
 Now you re making me hungry, she pointed out.
He chuckled.  Good. You could use a little meat on those bones.
 I am not thin.
 Yes, you are, a bit. No wonder, considering what you ve been through lately. His face hardened.  I
wish you d told me all of it, Bodie. I went off half cocked and said things I ll never forgive myself [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]