She had to admit, the very thought of returning to her field of expertise purely for the joy of operating, especially if people were trying to make it easier instead of harder at every turn, was enticing. She started looking at websites for volunteer medical teams—everything from the Red Cross to Doctors Without Borders.

The days passed more peacefully. She began to fantasize. She’d be in her best physical shape from a summer at the crossing, tighten up those belly muscles, strengthen her legs, study all those medical journals she’d been meaning to go through, even read some of those classic novels Cal seemed so fond of, not that she was thinking about him. Not at all. When the lawsuit was won or settled or—please, God—thrown out, she’d join a hospital ship for a year, traveling the world, saving lives where no one else could be bothered. She’d be operating again. She’d meet new people. They wouldn’t work every second, though they would be in great demand. There would still be time to see the wonders of the world, exotic and romantic places. She’d meet a man, a fascinating and brilliant man. A sexy man, but more reliable than that California Jones, wherever he was. Yes, it would be exciting. Fulfilling.

The last week of May approached, promising summer vacation just days away when school let out. Sully announced they had lots of reservations. Many packages and letters had arrived for hikers. The busy season was upon them. All this, combined with her fantasies, took Cal, who had obviously left them, further from her mind. Soon her heart would catch up. She hadn’t heard from him at all and hadn’t located his truck in Leadville, no matter how many times she’d tried.

It was only late in the night, in the dark, that she remembered with longing how special their time together had been. She had loved talking to him, loved making love even more. But alas, he hadn’t promised anything but that he’d say goodbye. And he said promises broke him. Well, he had said goodbye. There was another crack in her heart.

After a very long day of work, just as people around the campgrounds were starting to fire up their grills, Maggie sat on the porch with Sully, Tom and Frank. Tom and Sully had spent the day refreshing the grounds and rounding up trash. Maggie was having a beer, feet up on the porch rail.

A hiker came into view from the north. He’d obviously been on the trail awhile. He was dirty and sporting a beard. His cheeks above the beard were apple red. He had a walking stick that looked like something fashioned out of a knotty branch.

“Lookit that,” Sully said.

“Looks like he could use a cold one,” Tom said.

“Wonder how many miles he logged,” Frank said. “He’s been gone almost a month, ain’t he?”

Maggie sat up in her chair, feet off the rail. She leaned forward and squinted. Could it be? She stood and the hiker waved.

“Reckon I’m gonna be cooking my own dinner tonight,” Sully said.

Maggie put her beer on the table and went down the porch steps. She walked toward him, at first thinking it might not be him. He was barely recognizable. She walked a little faster. He dropped his stick and shrugged off his backpack, letting it fall to the ground, and she broke into a run. So now all those guys on the porch knew everything, knew that he meant so much to her, knew she’d been missing him madly. When she reached him she threw her arms around his neck and almost knocked him over.

He kissed her as he lifted her off the ground.

“Damn, you feel good,” he said. “Miss me?”

“I was so busy I hardly noticed you were gone.”

He laughed. “I’m going to need a ride to Leadville to pick up my truck.”

She pulled away from him just a little bit. “It’s not there,” she said. “I looked and I—”