“She talking about that?”

“Not yet,” he said. “But it’s early. She just needs a little time to get her perspective. Her business was kicking her ass. She needs a breather. This seems like a great place for that. Maybe you should worry about my feelings getting hurt.”

“Who’s going to hurt your feelings?” Maggie said as she came through the back door.

“Hopefully no one. Want to take me to get my truck? Sully’s got a long honey-do list for me.”

“Sure. You ready to go?”

“How about a couple of coffees for the road?” Cal asked Sully. “Oh, and thanks for the pants and shirt.”

Cal thought about explaining more of his history to Maggie on the ride to Leadville. It was complicated. Being a lawyer was certainly nothing to be ashamed of. At least in most circles. The fact was, he hadn’t had any intention of petitioning for a Colorado license, at least not until Maggie said she had legal troubles. A lawyer in his position, licensed in Michigan, couldn’t even give advice or answer questions in Colorado without being liable for practicing law without a license. Sully could tell his daughter she ought to get a better lawyer and it was perfectly all right. Cal could tell her the same thing and be fined, or worse. In fact, he couldn’t even say, “I might be able to help you with this problem.” His only reason for extending his license to Colorado was so she could discuss her case with him if she chose to.

And of course there was other stuff that went hand in hand with being a lawyer. His marriage, his wife’s illness and death, his role in her death... He was an officer of the court. He would not be caught in a lie. No one had ever asked him for the details of Lynne’s death and he didn’t volunteer any information. Before he confided to anyone, there would have to be a vital reason and a lot more trust. He wouldn’t, for example, marry again without full disclosure. And although he was crazy about Maggie, he wasn’t seeing a second marriage.

He’d get around to telling her more about his recent past. But not just yet. Not until there was a compelling reason.

“What were you and Sully talking about? It sounded like two men talking about feelings,” Maggie asked.

“He warned me, very nicely, not to hurt you. I said I was as serious about your feelings as he was. He threatened to shoot me. But I assume Sully is mostly talk.”

“Mostly,” she said, flashing him a grin.

* * *

Cal retrieved his truck and pop-up camper, put the camper behind the storage shed and parked the truck next to Maggie’s car. He started working through Sully’s list. He hadn’t been kidding about getting a little behind. Cal scraped out old grout in the public showers, bathroom and laundry room, regrouted, painted the building inside and out, scoured the whole thing until it was like new. He painted and covered the porches and stairs on both the store and house with rain repellant. He graded the driveway and parking areas, cleaned out grills, collected trash, raked campsites, cleaned cabins, changed and washed the linens, tended the garden and helped in the store.

It crossed his mind Sully was trying to wear him out so he’d be too damned tired to have sex with Maggie. Ha! No such luck, Sully!

Maggie was irresistible and he felt like a teenager again, always ready. Maggie was also always ready.

“You’re killing me,” he whispered to her deep in the night.

“You’ll be fine,” she whispered back.

“Sully gives me shit about my nights in his house,” Cal said. “Subtle innuendo. He thinks he’s very clever. But the miracle is that I can still get it up after a day of doing chores for him and letting him needle me.”