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You don t need to. You can use a trowel. And I happen to know that you ve been doing some
studying.
Cane laughed. Brushing up on bones, he agreed.
So you can help dig.
He sighed. You re forcing me back into the world. I was doing a pretty good job of hiding from
it.
Not allowed, Bodie said, smiling up at him. Not anymore.
He bent and kissed her. Okay, boss.
She made a face at him.
Mavie picked up the cake and carried it into the dining room. Cane took Bodie s hand in his and
followed after her.
They took pictures with Morie s digital camera and then they sat down and proceeded to make
inroads into the cake along with cups of French vanilla coffee.
This is wonderful, Bodie exclaimed. Absolutely delicious, she murmured as she put another
bite of cake into her mouth.
No, I m delicious, Cane admonished with his fork. The cake is good.
She laughed. So did the others.
Mallory and Tank came in a few minutes later, and noted the sudden intimacy of Cane and Bodie.
Can we assume that you ve made up? Mallory asked with pursed lips.
Yes, you can, Cane assured him. We re going to graduate from college with honors and then
we re having a honeymoon digging up old dead things in holes of dirt.
Bodie hit him. We re going on a very dignified archaeological expedition, she corrected. She
grinned. Where we ll dig up old dead things in dirt holes.
They laughed. Cane hugged her close.
Whatever you want, honey, he said, and his eyes were possessive and dark with love and pride.
You remember that, she told him, but she was grinning.
* * *
SHE DID GRADUATE, magna cum laude, and the whole family drove up to Billings for the graduation
exercises. Afterward, with Bodie in her cap and gown, clutching her diploma, Cane strolled along
with her to speak to her favorite professors and meet some of her classmates. At least one of the
women gave him a speaking invitation, but he turned away without even looking at her again. He had
eyes only for his wife, he told Bodie, and she was more certain of him now than she d ever expected
to be. He was a man in love.
They went to Colorado for two weeks, digging by day and loving by night. When they got back
home, they were stiff and sore, but they told the family that it was the most fun they d had together so
far. Even if it was digging up bones in dirt holes.
* * *
WILL WAS CONVICTED OF identity theft and trafficking in pornography, including exploitation of a
minor, along with his friend Larry. He was also indicted for theft by wrongful taking or disposition
of property for hiding Bodie s mother s will. The two men were sentenced to several years in prison.
Bodie had the deed to her family home and property, and she found a nice elderly couple who needed
a place to live and let them stay rent-free.
Her mother s heirloom jewelry turned up on her dresser early one morning. She took it in to the
breakfast table and showed it to Cane. I pawned it, she stammered. I meant to go and get it back&
He pulled her close and kissed her. One of the cowboys saw you pawn it. Even back then, I knew I
couldn t let you turn loose of something so important. I bought it and swore the pawn shop owner to
secrecy. I was waiting for the right time to give it to you. I think this is the right time.
He said it with a strange, wondrous look in his eyes. As he held hers, his hand went to her flat belly.
Isn t it time you told me, Bodie? he said as he kissed her.
She gasped. I only did the test this morning, she exclaimed, gaping up at him.
He smiled. I saw the test in the trash can. I can read colors on a box, too, you know. Come on. Tell
me.
She took a deep breath. Her face was radiant. We made a baby, she whispered.
He drew her close, stared down into her wide eyes and bent and kissed her with breathless
tenderness. We made love. He touched her belly gently. Real love.
She shivered and pressed close. It s scary, to be so happy.
He kissed the top of her head. Yes. But wonderful.
Utterly wonderful. She laughed. I have to go to the doctor, to make sure. But I just know.
Me, too. He hugged her close. I ve been a lot of trouble, he said against her soft hair. Was I
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