Tom went around the perimeter to look at it even though he wasn't going to work on it. Sure thing, it wasn't torn apart so much as bent over. Same as always. It looked like a few heavy bears attempted to climb the fence and it bent under their weight. The poles that held up the cyclone fencing flattened and the metal wire collapsed. It was a bigger pain to repair than if someone had taken wire cutters to it and opened it up. With this kind of damage, more of the fencing had to be removed and replaced, more support poles replaced.

He checked more of the perimeter and saw a couple of familiar legs up on a ladder. He slowed, killed the engine and heard humming. "Hey, apple girl," he yelled.

She laughed and came down a couple of steps, her bag nearly full. "What's up, boss?"

"Got another bear scare. Damn things broke down some more fencing."

Her eyes got wide. "They aren't in here, are they?"

"Nah. One thing about bears, they're kind of hard to hide in daylight. They're big and clumsy."

"Shew. Try not to scare me."

"You're working this weekend, huh? What about Jed?"

"He's coming up tomorrow afternoon, which usually means he'll be here tonight. I think he spends the night over at the Best Western in Fortuna. I'll work till lunchtime tomorrow, then he'll come over. He wants to take the girls to the redwoods and coast on a picnic before it gets too cold."

"Nice," he said. "I guess it's working out."

"So far," she said. "I'm trying not to let the fact that he's given me so much influence my opinion of him. Know what I mean?"

Tom nodded. Her love was not for sale. "You like baseball?" he heard himself ask.

She looked a little perplexed, but nodded. "Why?"

"Red Sox played the Yankees last night," he said idly.

"Did you see that game?" she asked, suddenly excited.

"Did you?" he asked back.

"I don't have a TV, but Buddy and Jerome were talking about it-Jeter took three bases. Must have been awesome. And he put it into overtime!"

"So, you're a Yankees fan?"

"Me? I'm a California girl, it's the Giants for me."

"Well, I was raised here and I'm all about the Red Sox!" he informed her.

"I think I have a better track record, but you do what you have to do."

"Hah! Maybe you've had a little luck here and there, but better record? I beg to differ."

"What are you talking about? Giants knocked out the Sox 4-2!"

"And the next two games? Sox put 'em down!"

"Don't get cocky-it's not over."

"It's over-they didn't make the series!"

"They will next year-and your sucky Sox won't be there for it." She stepped closer to him even though she had a full, heavy bag of apples hanging off her shoulders. "What are you doing throwing your lot in with an East Coast team? Have you no loyalty?"

He laughed and lifted the canvas apple bag from her. She would be fun to attend a game with. Not that that would ever happen, but it would be fun. "I spent a lot of time in other places, I guess I turned." He walked to the big bin and unloaded her apples for her. Then he handed her back the bag. "I suppose you watch a lot of chick flicks," he said.

"Tom, try to keep up here-no TV. And no money for movies."

"Back when you did have a TV and went to movies..." he said.

"Some," she admitted. "But I'll tell you something if you promise not to share."

"What?" he asked.

She leaned close. "I like disaster films," she whispered. "The kind that blow up the world. I'm not fussy-it can be asteroids, aliens or Mother Nature. I think I'm a special-effects junkie."

"Yeah?" he asked, feeling like he'd suddenly grown lots more teeth in his mouth, he was smiling so big. "What was the last good one you saw?"

"It's been a while-but I think it was Day After Tomorrow-the glacier. I really loved that. Before that I saw New York City demolished about three times-asteroids and aliens and even volcanoes."

He laughed, hands on his hips. "Tell you what, one of these times you come out with the kids, we'll find a way to get them to sleep and watch a newer disaster movie."

She actually took a step back. Away. "That could be fun," she said. But her posture and the way she said it made it sound like anything but fun.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said.

"No really. What?"

"I'd love that," she said. "But the girls have to get baths and go to sleep after dinner and I have to get them home for that, Tom. And I get up at five. I mean, it sounds like fun, but it's not practical."

"We'll do it on a weekend," he said.

"I think you have other things to do on weekends..."

"Probably not every weekend," he said.

She gave him a smile that said she was pretty sure he was booked.

So he got a little more aggressive. "Not every weekend. We'll make it work because I love watching cities get blown up."

"You do?"

He shrugged. "As long as it's pretend. Get back to work-have to check the fence. Don't want the bear family eating all our apples!"