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hard-packed dirt yard between the building and the corrals, not to prove anything to Dozer but to prove to herself that she had returned a different person, that she was in control.

Chapter Six
    Gloria enjoyed her walk back to the campground, taking in the details of the mountains she would call home for the summer. A gentle breeze played on the Jeffrey pines, the air carrying their faint vanilla sweetness. Far down in the valley as she was, direct sunlight disappeared early, leaving the rest of the day to fade to darkness.
    She found the campground as deserted as she’d left it. Besides her ancient camper there were only two other vehicles backed into campsites, which didn’t surprise her. Mid-June was too early for any but the most serious of campers and backpackers. Most families traveled later in the summer when the temperatures were friendlier, though they would pay in mosquito bites. Gloria enjoyed the colder months with minimal pests, both insect and humans, to disrupt her solitude. During the summer, she’d talk to hundreds of people a day and feel completely sapped. These quiet times recharged her batteries.
    Wasn’t that why she’d turned down Sol’s invitation to join the cowboys at their campfire pit? Part of her current project did involve the crew, but beyond a few meetings, she wasn’t likely to work with them. Usually, the local Forest Service crew were the only ones she saw regularly, and she accepted invitations to hang out primarily out of professional courtesy. Tonight, though, she was tempted by the group of cowboys. She recalled how unruly they’d been in the meeting, the classic back-row students poking fun the whole time, not taking her seriously at all.
    She could pretend it was their behavior that kept her gaze returning to the back, but she knew that it was the tall cowgirl who had captured her interest and held it. Thinking about Kristine brought a smile to her lips. She had a youthful playfulness about her but a cleverness in her banter that suggested she was older than her fair skin and tousled brown hair suggested. She wondered how much she was likely to see her during the summer. Surely she’d be at the welcome-back campfire Sol had mentioned to her during dinner. The few minutes she’d been in Kristine’s presence had piqued her curiosity. She’d felt a spark when their hands met and the way Kristine’s eyes had traveled down her body made her feel like she was charting a course for her hands. Just the thought sent a warm rush through her.
    Her campfire pit sat cold and empty. She could skip a fire altogether and bundle up in her camper with her book…she shivered involuntarily…or she could take a chance and test the warmth of the company Sol offered. Turning on her heel, she headed back in the direction of the Lodge.
    “Ms. Fisher,” a deep voice boomed. “I thought campground duties had claimed you.”
    Gloria paused to let one of the back-row cowboys catch up to her.
    “No campground duty for me. I’m a biologist, not a host,” she explained. “My specialty is actually scaring off unwanted guests.”
    “That mean I should be feeling scared right now?” A familiar smile played on his lips.
    Gloria tilted her head, trying to discern why she felt like she recognized his smile. “I’m off duty.”
    “Gabe Owens,” the cowboy said, offering his hand.
    Recognizing the last name Kristine had given her, Gloria decided charm must run in their genes. At five foot seven, she was used to men being taller than she was, but this man towered over her. He was the classic tall, dark and handsome cowboy from the westerns, with a thick mustache and close-cropped hair. She took his hand and held it long enough that he began to look worried. She gave a final hard squeeze before saying, “You were one of the peanut gallery. Were you Yogi or Boo- Boo Bear?”
    Gabe tucked his chin and removed his hat, looking appropriately chastised. “Just a cowboy, ma’am, and you know cowboys