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to be taken. More than once he looked over her shoulder and made bitter comments. The actions she was suggesting meant spending more money than had originally been allocated, and that began to create a rift between them.
    Over a lunch of trail mix, cold spring water and carob bars, Dan pursued the argument.
    “I get the impression that you think I’m going to rape the mountains,” he growled, lying on the pine-needle carpet beneath a white fir.
    “I don’t mean to imply that, Dan,” she said. “I know you’ll take care. Doug Adams had high praise for you. And I see how much caution you take here on the trail. When we leave a site, it’s as if we’d never been there.”
    He scowled. “As it should be.”
    Libby tried to lighten his mood. “You remind me of myself when I got defensive about your attacks on city living. I think you’re overreacting to my suggestions for this logging operation. It may cost more money my way, but in the long run the environment will be restored quicker and the state guidelines will have been satisfied.”
    “The damn government and their red tape,” he muttered.
    “Something we all have to live with,” she assured him. “How do you think I feel? I’m wrestling with the federal people on five different projects right now. Sometimes the US forestry regulations are simply preposterous, and I have to gather evidence to change their minds.”
    One dark eyebrow lifted. “Oh? You mean you defend us poor loggers sometimes instead of attacking us?” he mocked.
    She met his gaze unswervingly. “It may come as a surprise, but I often end up in court, defending the company on certain issues.”
    A wry smile tugged at his mouth. “I suppose Amalgamated is going to hire a contracting company to come in and do this nitpicking impact study?”
    “Yes. It will be my responsibility to send out the bid package to the contractors.”
    He rolled over on his back, tucking his hands beneath his head. “I don’t want you to take this personally, Libby, but damn, most of these biologists and botanists go berserk with their studies. They drive me crazy with their uncanny ability to find some lousy bug and proclaim it rare. Then they tell you that because the damn bug occupies only a certain number of square miles, we have to bypass the area because we would be ruining the lousy insect’s home.” He looked up, his blue eyes stormy. “They don’t know compromise. Do you?”
    She nodded patiently. “I believe I do.”
    “Well,” he sighed, “we’re sure as hell going to find out, aren’t we?”
    Libby got up, smiling. “For better or worse, we’re on this project until its completion,” she agreed.
    He gave half a laugh, one filled with derision. “Almost as bad as being married to the wrong woman. Instead it’s a company.”
    Her heart leaped in response to his analogy. “Marriage doesn’t always end in divorce, you know.” She gave a shrug. “Not that I’m one to talk.”
    He got lightly to his feet, shrugging into his pack.
    “These days,” he groused, his tone less tense, “it’s safer to live with a woman than marry her. Divorces are a dime a dozen.”
    “You sound bitter,” she hedged, walking at his shoulder as they started down into the valley.
    Dan pursed his lips. “Maybe,” he agreed. “I’ve seen too many of my friends take the plunge and then get divorced.’’
    “You never did?” Her heart rate rose as she stole a glance up at him.
    “I did. But that was a long time ago,” he returned, his voice suddenly flat.
    Libby’s brows drew down into a slight frown. She sensed that the subject was a closed matter between them. She respected his silence, but couldn’t help being confused as well as curious.
    For the better part of the afternoon they walked down the steep slopes. Toward the foothills it became more rocky, and Libby had her first opportunity to try to properly balance the pack and her body weight on some precarious rock formations. The temperature