gail. "I think all it needs is a good paddling!"
This made them all laugh.
Later that afternoon, Clyde stopped by her office. "I
heard you had an irate visitor today. How're you holding up,
old girl?"
"Okay, I guess. Got a minute, Clyde?"
"Sure,I was about to ask you the same." He sat down
across from her and leaned back in the chair. "Now, don't
you go letting that Snider boy get to you none. It's all just a
lot of hot air and bluster, you know."
"I don't know that, Clyde. I've been wondering...
remember Buckie's pro-development comments at my house
on Thanksgiving?"
"Sure, but you've been doing the research about this devel-
oper, right? And writing what you know to be the truth?"
"That's right. Although, I must admit I do find pleasure
in exposing the very worst of the things I've heard about
him-not that I've heard anything good."
"Do you think you're being unfair in any way?"
She thought for a moment, wanting to be completely
honest with herself and Clyde both. "No. I think I'm just
telling it like it is."
He smiled. "Well, that's all anyone expects." He reached
into his pocket and pulled out a piece of neatly folded paper.
"Just got this from Gavin."
"Oh, really? How is he? Did he receive my letter apolo-
gizing about my accusation over his paternity identity with
Leah?"
Clyde chuckled. "Yes, and I think I was as much to blame
as you for that little misunderstanding. But with Gavin's his-
tory, it was an easy mistake to make. Anyway, he said to tell Looking for You All My Life111
you thanks for the letter, and that he'll tell you in person that
there are no hard feelings."
"In person?"
He nodded grimly. "Yep. Gavin wants to come back to
Pine Mountain."
"And how do you feel about that?" She studied his face.
He shrugged. "Don't rightly know yet. Guess it depends
mostly on him. I'll tell you this though, Maggie, I'm sure not
getting my hopes up for that boy."
"But you'll give him a chance?"
"A chance? For what?"
"To show you that he's changed."
"What makes you so sure he has? I've known him his
whole life. He's never changed before."
Suddenly she felt unsure about a lot of things. She'd
always considered herself a fairly intuitive person, but lately
she was questioning her own intuitions on many levels. It
was possible to make mistakes. "I don't really know, Clyde,
and I suppose I could be wrong about him. I guess I just want