It all has an air of ‘been here and done that before.’When they’re leaving Marcella says, “Gordie, I’m very concerned about getting the mone... to make this work. I’ve one more question. How committed are you to getting this project operational?”He smiles at her, “Totally! I intend to get this up and running, one way or another. I want this more than the medical degree which I’ve wanted for some years and I’ve nearly finished.”She gives a slow nod. She thinks over how committed he must be, and. I'll be right next door. Let's give this some time!" OK. But the offer remains open until expressly withdrawn in writing. And you are staying over tonight, right?" Yes. But I plan to sleep, sometime tonight, and you'd better cooperate." Don't worry. Last night was my best shot. It's all downhill from here."Chapter 2We got some unseasonably cool weather for early June, and when I got home from work at dusk on Monday, I noticed the windows were wide open at Molly and Sarah's place.That seemed. I respect them both very much.”“And?”“Kenny, why do they like you?”“I don’t know.” I drank more coffee in a big gulp. “I don’t understand it myself; I sure as hell don’t deserve it.”“They seem to think you do.”“Maybe,” I said staring into the pint glass holding my coffee, “they just don’t realize it yet.”“I like you, too.”“Wha?” I stared at her with what I hoped was a good first order approximation of a look as if I were slapped.“I told Jenny she could find herself a guy, because...”She leaned. Lauren wasn’t even evaluating the boys, but instead concentrated on how should would fend off any advances that Patrik might make while they were out in the mountains. She was also damn sure that she wasn’t going to do anything with her brother while Patrik was around.And so the party made its way up the trail, deviating slightly off the normal tourist route towards a small stream that Lauren and Mike knew about a mile from the beginning of the track. As they climbed, the dense firs thinned to.