A gentle breeze played on the Jeffrey pines, the air carrying their faint vanilla sweetness. Far down in the valley as she was, direct sunlight disappeared early, leaving the rest of the day to fade to darkness.She found the campground as deserted as she’d left it. Besides her ancient camper there were only two other vehicles backed into campsites, which didn’t surprise her. Mid-June was too early for any but the most serious of campers and backpackers. Most families traveled later in the summer when the temperatures were friendlier, though they would pay in mosquito bites. Gloria enjoyed the colder months with minimal pests, both insect and humans, to disrupt her solitude. During the summer, she’d talk to hundreds of people a day and feel completely sapped. These quiet times recharged her batteries.Wasn’t that why she’d turned down Sol’s invitation to join the cowboys at their campfire pit? Part of her current project did involve the crew, but beyond a few meetings, she wasn’t likely to work with them.
