“That makes the ‘nice’ part all the more special, don’t it?”
Valentina nodded.
“But, good gravy, I almost clapped him in a headlock and marched him straight back to civilization after he came near freezing to death on his first night car camping. Then again, I might have acquittedmyself similarly if he had met me back in whatever city he was from.”
She shuddered at the thought.
“God forbid,” she added.
“Mr. Green managed things that people in my profession may strive their whole careers to achieve, and he did them accidentally.”
Dancer laughed.
“Yep. That sounds right. You gotta hand it to him though. He owned his haphazardness. Like, you ever meet somebody that you just know gets out of bed each morning trying to win something when what they really need is to learn something?”
“I think that describes a great many people, yes.”
“Well, he wasn’t that.”
“No, he was not.”
Valentina was silent for a moment.
“I still cannot believe how often he wore that hat you gave him.”
Dancer scoffed.
“Jealousy does not become one of your age and wisdom. I can scarcely believe that a woman who possesses such an august collection of bread-toasting forks fails to recognize elegant headwear when she sees it.”
The cabin door was propped open. Wind sent a trio of oak leaves scraping along the packed-earth floor. The air was October chill and smoke, wine and toasting bread.
A small interruption in the breeze tingled the back of Valentina’s neck and she turned to the door.
There, at the knife-edge of sight, the horned wolf waited, white skull hanging in the dark distance.
Valentina stood.
She looked at Dancer, then back to the door.
The wolf was gone.
“Val? What is it?”
A crow cawed somewhere high in the branches.
Valentina’s eyes were sparkling.
She walked to the wall and retrieved another camp chair. She unfolded it and placed it fireside between her own seat and Dancer’s.
“You expecting somebody?”
Dancer threw an arm over the back of her chair and looked out into the night.
Valentina held up a hand for silence.
Then, he stepped inside.
Dancer gasped.
