Free Solomon's Decision by Judith B. Glad Page B

could get for the ranch and stop
being a sentimental old man.
    Dang it all! He'd just have to convince his wife that Solomon fella had a good
chance of comin' up with the money by September.

Chapter Five
    "He's back!" The excited voice was nearly unrecognizable, but after a few seconds
Madeline recognized Sandy's shriller-than-usual soprano. Her best friend never
remembered to identify herself, but always jumped right into the middle of what she
wanted to say.
    "Who?" She missed a few words as she switched the receiver to her other ear.
    "...said somebody else'd be coming in a week or so and they'd call me to get the
place ready and probably they'd want me to clean and change the beds, like I do for Amelia
and Lester, only I don't know where they're going, now that it's rented...."
    "Whoa, Sandy," Madeline soothed. "You always talk faster than I can listen. Back
up and start again. Who's back?"
    "Erik Solomon, that's who, and I thought you liked him. I do, and I've already got
a man, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a hunk when I see one. He's the first really
eligible man to come to town in years and if you aren't interested in him, you need your
head examined. I mean, the way you live all alone and devote your time to the Wednesday
Club and the PTA and all, well, I just think--"
    "Sandy."
    "...it's time you started dating again but there aren't any likely candi--"
    "Sandy!"
    "--dates in Garnet Falls and you won't even go to McCall for any of the dances
and--"
    Madeline practically shouted, "Sandy, that's enough!" She couldn't help smiling,
because Sandy was determined to get her married off. She could practically hear her
irrepressible friend biting words back. After a suitable wait, she said, "I am not interested
in dating. I am not interested in getting married. I am particularly not interested in Erik
Solomon."
    "I don't believe you."
    "Believe me, Sandy. I'm fine the way I am. I've got the twins and I don't need any
complications in my life."
    "Yeah, but--"
    "But nothing. Let's talk about something else. Are you still planning to bring the
girls out to the ranch Sunday?" Sandy's daughters were the same ages as her cousin's two
boys, and were tomboys enough that Jace and Dennis considered them suitable
playmates.
    "I may have to work Sunday afternoon."
    "Didn't you work last Sunday?" Sandy only waited tables in the Conestoga House
when one of the regular waitresses was absent. Madeline secretly thought three jobs--hotel
maid, cocktail waitress, and part-time waitress--were too many for her friend, but
resolutely kept her mouth shut. Sandy and her husband were saving for a house of their
own.
    "I can take the girls out when I go on Saturday No need for you to make the trip"
With extra kids along to keep hers amused, she'd have a chance to examine her feelings.
How did she feel about Erik's return, anyhow?
    Shortly the weekend was settled and Madeline hung up. Thank heaven, she
thought to herself, she'd been able to distract Sandy.
    When were her friends going to give up and accept that she wanted to spend the
rest of her life single? Probably about as soon as she convinced herself.
    * * * *
    Erik wasn't here to make a decision on Wounded Bear Meadow this time, but to
resolve a question about his future. Now that DSL was installed, the studio apartment
above the Wooden Nickel gave him a place to set up his computer and work just as well as
he could in Washington, D.C.
    It wasn't the first time he'd left the nation's capital to set up shop in more congenial
surroundings. Since about half of his work was consulting, it really didn't matter where he
hung his hat. His clients could contact him in Idaho as easily as in D.C., and he'd be a lot
happier here than in the impersonal rooms of his seldom-used condo.
    With summer approaching, he needed no other excuse to seek the clean, dry air of
Idaho's mountains. Last year he'd had to be available as an expert witness until Congress
adjourned. He'd sworn then he'd never