Sam felt nonplussed as she followed her friend to the bathroom. “Want to talk about it, Slick?”

“No. Yes. Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think I want to get married. This line of work isn’t conducive to any kind of a relationship. All you have to do is look at Pappy. What man who looks like him isn’t married? There haven’t been any women on this mountain but us. Is he celibate? What’s the story with him? I’ll tell you what the story is,” she ran on. “In this line of work, you don’t have relationships. Here today, gone tomorrow. Don’t you remember all that bullshit Donovan spouted when he recruited us. What sane woman would sign up for a life up here, never to leave? Don’t pay any attention to me, Sam, I’m venting. I think I’m scared of marriage even though I love Eric.”

Sam blinked when the shower door slammed shut behind Slick. “Uh-huh,” was all she could think of to say.

Pappy turned his computer off, looked at the clock, and wondered where the last four hours had gone. He slid his chair away from the desk, laced his hands behind his head, then propped his feet on the desk. He eyed the printer, which was spitting out thirty-three pages per minute. The calendar said it was June 20. Five days remained with this group of recruits, then it was time to turn them loose. He hated these final reports. This was the first year out of the last ten where all the recruits who were still there at Christmastime made it to the finish line. They weren’t just good, they were exceptional, and he knew it. Still, he had a few hard decisions to make. One in particular that he didn’t want to dwell on, but he knew he had to.

When the printer finally came to a stop, Pappy swung around, picked up the pile of reports, and started to staple them together. He was getting company in two days, and they expected the reports. As usual, he would make recommendations, but his employers would make the final decision. His scalp started to prickle. He knew exactly what that decision would be. Unless he beat them to the punch and did what he really didn’t want to do. He wondered if they would see through his actions. And if they did, what could they do? Fire him? The mountain belonged to his father.

His stapling done, Pappy reached for his windbreaker and headed outdoors. He needed to think. It was two o’clock in the morning. He also needed to clear his head. He looked around for Alpha, but he couldn’t see the big dog anywhere. He would have to walk alone. That was okay, he supposed. He’d been alone for so long he felt like a hermit. He reached inside his pocket for a cigarette.