A Woman's Touch

have left. As long as Darla and Rebecca are around, everyone thinks we’re under control. But with the two of us sitting alone here, anything could happen. Who knows? Whole damned booth might go up in flames.“
    „What makes people think Darla and Rebecca can control us?“ Kyle asked irritably.
    „Word about our chipping in together to buy a round of drinks in Cully’s and our unplanned swim last night has spread. Our reputation as big, tough, macho types is still a little damp. Darla says folks are calling Becky the new town marshal. We’re the bad guys, in case you haven’t noticed.“
    „This is crazy. Crazy and stupid. Women’s games.“ Kyle started to shove his hamburger aside but abruptly realized he was hungry. He removed the top half of the bun and poured catsup with a liberal hand. Then he replaced the bun and took a huge bite. The taste of rare meat was vaguely reassuring.
    „So,“ Glen said sardonically, „the way I see this, it’s all your fault.“
    „My fault!“
    „You’re the one who found Rebecca first. You’re the one who got her involved. You’re the one who got her mad enough to come up here and set up this stupid situation. If you hadn’t tried to one-up me, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
    The lawyers would have found her. You and I could have made our offers in a straightforward, businesslike manner.
    She wouldn’t have known anything about the history of Harmony Valley. She would have picked the offer she liked best and that would have been the end of it.“
    „Don’t give me that bull. You were looking for her as hard as I was. I just got lucky first, that’s all.“
    „Lucky? I’m not sure that’s the right word under the circumstances. But, then, the Stockbridge luck always has been overrated.“
    Kyle took another large bite of burger. „Let’s skip the rehash of how we got into this and take it from there. I don’t suppose you want to do the reasonable thing and let me buy you out?“
    „Hell, no. This is as close as a Ballard has ever come to owning Harmony Valley. Don’t expect me to walk away from my half of that land.“ There was a delicate pause before Glen continued smoothly. „I don’t reckon you want to do the sensible thing and let me buy you out?“
    „Forget it.“ Kyle polished off the last of his hamburger and leaned back in the seat. „Now what?“
    „Beats me.“ Glen gave him a reflective look. „You know something? I never really thought too much about what I’d do with Harmony Valley if I ever did get hold of it. Somehow it always seemed like it would be enough just to own it finally. You got any ideas?“
    Kyle stabbed a French fry into a blob of catsup. „It’s occurred to me from time to time that Harmony Valley has the makings of a fine ski resort.“
    „A ski resort? That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.“ Glen’s reaction was clearly an automatic one.
    „It could be done.“
    Glen gave that some thought. „It would take cash. A lot of it.“
    „Yeah.“
    „A successful resort would bring a lot of money into this area. Create jobs. Bring new business into the community.“
    „If it was done right.“
    Glen gazed out the window. „You see the two of us working together on something like that?“
    „No.“ Kyle finished his fries and reached for the leftovers on Rebecca’s plate. They were cold.
    „Neither do I. Stockbridges and Ballards never work together. We’d draw blood every time we had to make a decision.“
    „It would never work,“ Kyle agreed.
    „The alternative is to let the land sit there until my son grows up and inherits it.“ Glen chuckled. „Not a bad idea. If I wait long enough, Harmony Valley will eventually belong one hundred percent to Ballards, anyway.“
    Kyle eyed him. „What about my son?“
    „I’m not real worried about him. I figure at the rate you’re going, you won’t be producing any heirs.“
    „At the rate I’m going?“ Kyle prodded softly, telling himself to hang on to his temper for a few more minutes. This was, after all, business.
    „The lady you just sent packing is the one female on the face of the earth who might be able to handle marrying you,“ Glen said. „Letting her go was a typical piece of Stockbridge idiocy. But I figure it will work to my advantage, as usual.
    You’re going to have a damned tough time finding another woman who will stick around long enough to give you an heir. So my boy will just naturally inherit the whole of Harmony Valley