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whatever. Most of them could respond easier at night but there were those, like Titan, who usually could turn loose of what he was doing during the day to help someone in need.
    While he was injured, it was a different story. Right now fighting fires was out of the question, as was dangling from the end of a helicopter cable. He couldn’t risk people’s lives and livelihoods by being less than a hundred percent. Thank goodness there were things he could do around the ranch, chores he could manage until the burns healed enough that he didn’t have to go into town once a day to have the dressings changed at the clinic. It was times like this when he missed having a wife or at least a steady girlfriend to keep him company. All wasn’t lost. He might not be able to do any blacksmithing until he healed, but he could ride his horse and drive his tractor, move hay with the fork lift and check on his livestock.
    Right now he was sitting atop Valiant, his big red Quarter Horse, traversing Lookout Ridge. His stock was grazing below on grass he’d planted in the winter. Despite the heavy rains they’d had in May, they were right back in drought conditions in August. The rocky soil just didn’t retain enough water. That’s why he always planted Bahia grass. It seemed to thrive when nothing else would. “Easy, boy,” he spoke low to his horse, who’d stepped on a loose rock and set off a mini-avalanche of fist size pieces of limestone skittering down the steep hill. Several of the Angus glanced toward him, as if to ascertain whether or not they should stampede or go back to chewing their cud. Seeing Titan appear to be unaffected by the sudden noise, they returned to their business. This made Titan smile. People seriously underestimated the intelligence of cattle. He’d seen them open gates, come to the aid of calves stuck in the mud and even play a game with an old ball one had found in the pasture. That was why he raised breeding stock. He enjoyed a good steak as much as the next fellow, but he drew the line at eating someone he ‘knew’. Titan chuckled at his own thoughts.
    Oh well, most would think him to be a bit sensitive…until they got a good look at him. Titan was a former body builder, his biceps measured nineteen inches around and he had a nine-pack of abs that could sub as a rubboard if necessary. Competing, and winning, had been the way he’d put himself through college. He had made it on his own since high school. His parents would have given him the money, they were successful people. Being independent and on his own was important to him. As for as the body building was concerned, Titan didn’t practice the lifestyle any longer, the regiment was just too strict. Nowadays he kept his muscles intact with just a good workout, honest labor and hard work.
    “Let’s go, Val.” He nudged the stallion with his knee and they headed down the hill. He picked his way between the juniper trees, whistling a low tune to keep himself company. Titan loved his ranch. He’d acquired it six years ago from his uncle, his father’s brother. His folks lived in Austin, but he’d spent many happy childhood days on this ranch. When his uncle Brad decided to sell, Titan had been ready to commit.
    The sign over the gate read ‘Skyview’, and he thought the name fit. The sky was big here. A limestone ridge stretched twenty miles through the Backbone. At 1270 feet above sea level, his ranch was surrounded by canyons and valleys. Looking out over the vast landscape, it was easy to believe just about anything was possible. And he wasn’t referring to ghosts—he was thinking about Makenna and the future.
    He hadn’t seen her since the night he’d been in the hospital. One day last week, Blaze had brought by some cookies for him that she’d sent to the station. He said she’d whispered to him that if he’d bring them by Titan’s ranch, she’d appreciate it. Her making cookies for the men was nothing unusual. She was always