Beatrice exhaled deeply. “That’s good.”
“Sure is. That should help the bottom line.”
“Oh, it does. Though not completely. And all this is coming at a bad time. But I have to have this work done. And soon. How do you prefer to be paid?”
“We ask you to put a third down on signing the contract. Another third when we’re halfway finished and the balance on completion.”
“I see. And how long will it take to get it done?”
“Less than a week.”
“A week.” She felt her eyebrows zing to her hairline. She’d have to have all the money in a week’s time. It had been a few months since she went to the bank and asked for a loan, but she was going to have to do it now. She would never hire someone to do work unless she had the funds to pay.
“Is that a problem?” Luke asked.
“I have some financial transfers I need to make, is all,” she hemmed. “Can I call you tomorrow? I don’t want to sign the contract until I know for certain that I have everything in order.”
“Sure, that’s fine,” Luke replied. He pulled out his aviator sunglasses and put them on. He started walking back toward his truck. He pointed to the dining hall. “Is that where the kids eat?”
“Yes. Three meals a day, plus snacks, fruit and milk for them around three in the afternoon. One night a week we have story hour around a campfire and Amanda, our cook, and the counselors make s’mores for the kids. It’s really fun. Sometimes Bruce will play his guitar and we sing songs.”
“Wow.” He stopped in his tracks. “My kids would love that. Have you ever thought of having kids from town as day campers?”
“Actually, I did, but I wanted to focus on kids with special needs. I felt they would benefit the most from my camp. Though I have a few vacant spots right now...” With her need for income increasing by the minute, maybe it was time to make some changes. “Are you interested? For Timmy and Annie?”
“We sure are.”
“Let’s give it a try,” she suggested.
“Great. Sarah can drop the kids off before she goes to work, or I could bring them out. And then pick them up before supper.”
“I appreciate your help, Luke,” she said knowing that tuition for two children was a dribble in the bucket. But she’d take it. “We have plenty of activities for the kids. When would you like to bring Annie and Timmy out here?”
“Let me talk to Sarah. How about Saturday?”
She held out her hand. “Mr. Bosworth, you have a deal. Saturday morning at eight o’clock we start nautical flag lessons. Bruce is starting classes on sailing. All we have is a small sailboat but he will teach the older kids the basics.”
“Wonderful. Aw, Beatrice, you’re a lifesaver!”
“Hardly that.” She thought of Rand’s work on the trenches. He was the real hero.
* * *
BEATRICE TIED ELI’S sneaker as the boy shoved a too-large piece of waffle into his mouth. Syrup dribbled down his chin. Chris instantly picked up a paper napkin and wiped his brother’s chin.
“You’re such a slob,” Chris said.
Beatrice put Eli’s foot down. “That was a thoughtful thing you just did, Chris, wiping Eli’s chin for him. But why did you say what you said?”
Chris stared at her like she was nuts. “He is a slob.”
Eli shook his head until his thick hair fell down over his forehead. “Nah-uh. I’m not. I’m hungry.”
Beatrice walked behind Chris, put her hands on his shoulders and leaned down to whisper in his ear. “That was a loving thing you did for him, but your words hid your true feelings. I’m guessing that’s how your parents treated you. Is that right?”
Chris was silent. His right forefinger traced the tines of his unused fork. “Maybe.”
“Your actions always show me that you care about Eli a great deal. But the words out of your mouth can be hurtful.”
Chris tilted his face toward her and whispered, “I don’t want to hurt him. I want to help him grow up.”
“I want that, too.” She smiled. “Very much.” She kissed his temple.
“What did you do that for?” Chris asked.
“Because I care about you, too.”
“Beatrice. There you are.” Maisie’s voice carried across the dining hall as she raced in the front door.
Beatrice looked up. “What is it?”
“The day campers are here.” Maisie glanced over her shoulder.
“Finish your breakfast, Eli. Bruce is starting those nautical flag lessons today.”
Eli grinned. “Yes!”
Beatrice crossed the room as quickly as her boot would allow and followed Maisie.
Coming up the road and onto the gravel drive was Sarah’s red SUV.
Luke and Sarah got out of their red Envoy. “The kids are excited about your camp,” Luke said.
“I want to thank you and Sarah,” Beatrice said, watching as the back door opened and Mrs. Beabots got out.
“Mrs. Beabots!” Beatrice exclaimed and hugged her. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“I couldn’t wait to visit, Beatrice. You know, I used to come here all the time, back in the day.” She gazed over at the dining hall. “I’m thrilled you didn’t tear anything down.”
“No, I refurbished it all. I’m still at it,” she said glumly.
“That’s what Luke tells me. He and a few others. Hmm. Well, I wanted to help, so I made a half-dozen pies for the children for their snack time.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Beabots. Why don’t we go up to my office to finish the paperwork. Maisie will take the kids.” The kids ran off with Maisie, and Beatrice turned to Sarah and Luke. “Thanks for bringing Annie and Timmy. I need all the help I can get.”
“That’s what Rand told us,” Luke said, picking up Charlotte.
“He did?” she squeaked. Beatrice clamped her lips shut, realizing she’d sounded offended.
“Please don’t be angry.” Mrs. Beabots put her hand on Beatrice’s arm. “We want to help you preserve the camp. The thing is, we just didn’t know you needed us. And, sweetie, friends like to know they’re needed.”
“You’re too kind.” Her eyes misted as Mrs. Beabots put her arms around Beatrice and hugged her.
“Beatrice. We’re here for you. You’ve done so much for these children. Now—” Mrs. Beabots took her hand “—help me with these pies.”
Luke lifted the hatch. There were two rows of double-crusted pies dusted with sugar.
“There’s blueberry, apple, blackberry and peach. I wasn’t sure what the children would prefer, so I made all four,” Mrs. Beabots said.
“Yeah,” Sarah chuckled. “She went crazy.”
Beatrice led the way to the kitchen, where they deposited the pies and she introduced Amanda to everyone.
Leaving Mrs. Beabots with chatty Amanda, she took Sarah and Luke to her office, where she’d laid out the paperwork.
“It’s pretty standard. Mostly contact information so that we can get in touch with you.” She always shied away from mentioning “emergencies.” After the fire, she didn’t want to bring a single negative vision to anyone’s head, including her own.
Once the paperwork was finished, Beatrice thanked them and walked Luke and Sarah and Mrs. Beabots back to their vehicle.
Mrs. Beabots hugged Beatrice and said, “You know, when I used to come out here, they had roses all around the dining hall.”
“I saw photographs of how it used to be. The roses were lovely, but I haven’t had the, er, uh— What I mean is that landscaping hasn’t been in my budget.”
“Well, I think I can take care of that for you. I’ll have Lester MacDougal clear out some of my roses from my gardens and bring some plants out here for you. He’s got the greenest thumb.”
“Not as green as yours,” Sarah said.
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“True. But I’ve taught him nearly everything he knows. Except, of course, for the things your mother, God rest her soul, taught him when he first walked into town.”
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Beabots. Roses would be wonderful. I wonder if Lester would consider giving the children a lesson on horticulture.”
“Why don’t you ask him, dear? I think he’d be delighted,” Mrs. Beabots said as Luke held the door for her.
As they drove away, Beatrice’s mood sank.
She was grateful for her friends’ help. But it didn’t cut it.
She was out of money. She’d cut back on food, laundry supplies and new games and equipment. The budget had been whittled to the bone, but she still didn’t have enough money to cover Luke’s contract.
After all this work, would she still lose everything?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE DAY AFTER Rand returned, he headed to the camp. Chris and Eli spotted his truck and ran to see him.
He handed ILFD ball caps to Chris and Eli, and both boys eagerly fit the hats on their heads.
“There,” Rand said. “Those are perfect. My old one was too big for either of you.”
“And smelly.” Eli wrinkled his nose as he beamed up at Rand.
“That, too.”
Chris smashed the bill down on his forehead. “That’s from working hard.” Though he didn’t smile, Rand saw something in Chris’s eyes he hadn’t seen before. It nearly bordered on respect. He felt his heart trip.
He’d talked with the boys once from Michigan, and assured them he’d see them soon. He’d kept Beatrice’s warnings about not letting the boys get too attached in his mind, but he hadn’t wanted to let them down, either.
“You guys helped me a lot.”
“So, we made restitution?” Chris asked timidly.
“Yes, Chris, you did.”
“And me, too,” Eli added.
Rand smiled. “You sure did.” Rand carried his pickax and shovel to the end of the long trench.
“What are you doing now? I thought you were finished,” Chris asked.
“I talked to Mr. Bosworth this morning and he told me that I’m about two feet short on this end. It’s not much, but I don’t want anyone to accuse me of imperfect work.”
“So, can we help you again?”
Rand pulled a pair of work gloves out of his back jeans pocket. “Since I only brought one shovel, you’ll have to take turns.” He gave the gloves to Chris. “Use these. I know they’re too big, but they might help.”
Chris put them on, but they were much too large. He handed them back to Rand. “You need them more than I do, anyway.” He took the shovel, his eyes still cast downward. “But thanks for...offering.”
“Of course.”
Rand noticed that Chris watched him with a different kind of intensity than he’d experienced from the boy on previous visits. “Something’s on your mind. I can tell.”
“I was wondering. Eli and I were wondering...”
Eli sprang across the area and stood close to Rand. “We want to see your station. Would you take us sometime?”
“To the fire station?”
“Yeah,” Eli said. “I want to get inside the truck. Maybe turn on the siren.”
“No sirens,” Rand replied. “Those are for official use only.”
“That’s okay,” Chris began. “We won’t touch anything. But I, uh, um, we both want to see what it’s like.”
“Yeah. Do you have a pole and everything?”
“Yes.” Rand put his hand on Eli’s head. “We have a pole that we slide down. It’s faster than stairs.”
“Oh, cool.” Eli grinned.
Rand’s eyes tracked to the more serious Chris. “I suppose you want to slide down the pole?”
“No. I want to learn how to do what you do.”
Rand cocked his head. “And what is that? Exactly?”
“Protect people.”
Rand felt his heart stop. Like an ax sliding through a burned-out tree, Rand fell for the kid.
Initially he’d misjudged the boy. Those first days, Rand would have bet that Chris’s ability to polish his arrogance to a cynical gleam would never be tarnished. But somehow, Rand had gotten through to the kid. Or the fact that he’d nearly caused his own brother’s death had straightened him out? Whether it was circumstances or Rand’s skills or a bit of both, he might never know. But Chris was reaching out to him now.
Rand reached back, shoving aside the voice—that sounded suspiciously like Beatrice’s—that he was getting too close to the boys. Maybe he could even invite them to the family barbecue on Sunday.
“Yeah, let me set that up for you both. I’ll talk to the captain.”
“You’d do that for us?” Eli asked.
“Sure, I would.”
Chris pursed his lips together. To keep them from trembling? Rand wondered. Chris glanced to his brother. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Rand noticed that Eli didn’t take his eyes off Chris. The younger boy moved a step closer to his brother and simply stood next to him as if buffering him from the world or showing that he would be Chris’s pillar if he broke down.
“Well, we’d better get to these trenches.”
Rand measured out the distance and marked it with a line he drew into the earth with the end of the pickax. He pointed to Eli. “You stand aside and out of the way of flying debris. I don’t want you to get a rock or dirt in your eyes.”
“I’ll be careful,” Eli assured him with a bright smile.
“And, Chris, you wait ’til I have this trench area dug deep enough before you try to shovel. Once I start working, my mind stays pretty focused on the labor and not much else.”
At least it always had before. But as he began digging, Rand was keenly aware of his surroundings.
He’d had a hard time focusing on the work up in Michigan, too. Visions of Beatrice surrounded by fire haunted him like a never-ending nightmare. And the more he tried to wipe her from his brain, the more he thought about her.
Swirling around his visions of her were his thoughts about the boys.
He hoped they’d understood why he couldn’t call again, and believed him when he said he’d be back soon. He’d wanted to call, but it had been impossible. The smoke-jumper team had been deep in the forest, and their only connection to the outside world had been the radio to base camp and their radio to the pilots dropping water.
The last thing he wanted was further disruption in Chris’s or Eli’s life. Instead, he wanted somehow to give them a sense of security in their shattered lives.
Rand remembered how small and alone he’d felt when his father died. Though Rand had been just in his early teens, the impact of losing his father had been devastating.
Rand couldn’t imagine how lost Eli and Chris felt. They had no one.
He wanted to help them, despite Beatrice’s warnings.
Beatrice.
He’d thought surely the raging fire in Michigan would burn away whatever connection had been building between them.
But once they got within a hundred miles of Indian Lake on the way back from the Upper Peninsula, Rand began to watch the mileage signs on the side of the interstate like a kid anxious to arrive at a theme park. The soles of his feet itched to get home. All so that he could find some excuse to come out here to the camp and see her.
But then what?
He’d practically shoved her out of his life, and yet, here he was throwing down a pickax on her property—without her permission.
He didn’t care if she blew her stack with him. He’d think of something to make it right with her.
But what was it that he wanted? Could they be friends? He hoped so.
“When did you get back?” Beatrice asked with a harsh tone as she app
roached the trench.
He looked up and squinted. She was wearing a summer dress of some kind of gauzy green material. He’d never seen her in a dress, but he liked it. Her tan, taut arms were folded across her chest. There was a gold necklace around her neck and she had white pearl studs in her ears. Her blond hair was clipped at the back of her head, though tendrils fell down the right side of her face. He realized she was dressed up for something. It was Thursday so she wasn’t off to church.
“Uh, yesterday.” He lowered the pickax and noticed the lime-green straw sandal she wore. It had long ties that wrapped around her tan ankle. The air boot was wrapped around the other ankle. She was a vision. “You’re all dressed up.”
“I went to town.”
“Oh.” He smoothed his sweat-soaked hair away from his forehead. He wiped his palm on his thigh. The sweat wasn’t from the weather or labor. His discomfort was from the censure he saw in her eyes. “Well, wherever you went, you look...nice. Pretty.”
“Thanks. I was at the bank.”
“Miss Beatrice,” Eli said brightly. “Mr. Nelson gave Chris and me new hats. See?” He took off his cap and rushed to show her.
She touched the hat and dropped her hand. Her eyes flew to Rand’s face. “You bought them presents? Why?”
He didn’t like her caustic tone. As if he’d slipped the kids something illegal. “They helped me out here.” He gestured toward the trenches. “I wanted them to know I appreciated their efforts. They went above and beyond. They should be rewarded.” He paused and shot her a quelling look. “Don’t you agree?”
“I do. Thank you,” she said grudgingly.
He didn’t know what was going on, but he intended to find out. “So, the bank. How’d that go?”
“Fine.”
“I’m not buying it.”
She looked at Chris. “Boys, it’s nearly time for snacks. Why don’t you go up to the dining room and see if Amanda needs some help, hmm?”
Chris glanced down at his shovel. “But I haven’t done much here and I...”
Rand watched her jaw clench. He put his hand on Chris’s shoulder affectionately. “You better go on up, Chris. There’s lots of ways to help. Thanks, though.”
Rescued by the Firefighter Page 15
