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Papa joined the e

Even though Prohibition al, there was plenty to be had for the rants from Russia, Ger andand they didn’t cotton to being told how to live, not by each other or by a government that hardly seeh they tended to look a little worn, many of the men had plenty of money in the bank When wheat sold for a dollar thirty a bushel and cost forty cents to grow, everyone in toas happy With enough land, a man could become rich

“Dalhart is on its way,” Papa said loudly enough to be heard above the onna build us a dao to Amarillo for a little culture?”

“We need electricity in town That’s the ticket,” Mr Hurst added

Mae the food, which had never yet been done to her standards in her absence Charlotte and Suzanna laughed with their pretty, well-dressed friends,mothers

Elsa spotted Rafe, standing with the other Italian families in the corner by a food table His black hair, floppy on top and shorter along his ears, needed cutting The pomade he’d used made it shiny but couldn’t quite control it He wore a plain shirt, worn at the elbows, brown pants, saddle-leather brown suspenders, and a plaid bow tie A pretty, dark-haired girl clung to his arm

In the six weeks since she’d seen Rafe, his face had been further tanned by hours in the fields

Look this way, she thought, and then: No, don’t

He would pretend not to know her Or, worse, not even to see her

Elsa forced herself toher heels click on the hardwood dance floor

She put the Dutch oven down on the white-clothed table

“Heavens, Elsa Ham in the ?” Mama said

Elsa took the pot up and carried it to the next table Each step took her closer to Rafe

She set the pot down as quietly as possible

Rafe looked over, saw her He didn’t s next to him