Seeing flying squirrels from a distance had never given James a clear picture of how cartoon-like the species actually was. Rocky’s big black eyes were oversized for his little face and his rounded ears were far larger in proportion to his head than those of a mouse. If there ever was a creature that embodied sweet innocence and natural appeal, it was that squirrel.
“His fur is very silky,” Megan said. “You can all take turns petting him if you do it slowly and don’t make too much noise. We don’t want to scare him, do we?”
“No, ma’am,” Bobby Joe said, obviously in awe of both Megan and her pet.
James stood back till all the boys had had a chance to touch the finely striped fur. He hadn’t intended to take part in Megan’s exhibition but when she held the little squirrel up to him, he stuck out a forefinger and acquiesced. The cinnamon-brown coat was so thick, so fine, short and soft, it felt more like warm velvet than the fur of an animal.
“Very nice,” James said, doing his best to ignore the knowing look on her face.
“I’m glad you like Rocky better than poor Buckets. Someday, you’ll have to fill me in on why you’re not crazy about horses,” Megan murmured for his ears only.
“In your dreams,” James countered. He watched her tuck the now-weary Rocky into her pocket and button the flap. “Are you going to introduce the boys to the rest of your menagerie now?”
“If you have no objections.”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “None at all.”
“Do you have anything against burros?”
“Cousins of horses? Count me out.”
“They’re really cute, big ears and everything.”
James arched an eyebrow. “And a big mouth, judging by the sound of that braying. Folks can probably hear him all the way to Serenity. Does he holler like that all the time?”
“No. Only when he’s feeling left out. Soon as we’re done and I put him in with Buckets for company he’ll quiet right down.”
“I sure hope so.”
Dropping back, James brought up the rear as Megan led the boys around her cabin to where the burro was penned. As he’d suspected, it was one of those tattered-looking, dusty-gray animals with a darker stripe down its spine and across its withers. It had ears the size of canoe paddles. When it lifted its head to bray, it laid those enormous ears back against its neck and, sides heaving, put its whole body into the effort. It sounded more like “haw-hee” than “hee-haw.” The boys started imitating the sound, adding to the cacophony.
Gathering the children closer, Megan spoke softly so they’d have to be quiet to hear her. “This is Beethoven. I call him that because he’s so musical. I’ll bring him out and you can all pet him at the same time if you want. He won’t mind. He’s used to a lot of attention. He really likes people.”
James arched his eyebrows and rolled his eyes.
“Of course, he’s also very stubborn sometimes. Maybe we should name him Mr. Harris, instead of Beethoven.”
“Oh, no,” James said before the joke could go any further. “Having two of us with the same name would be way too confusing. Besides, I never sing.”
“Never?”
The mischievous twinkle in her eyes nearly made him smile in spite of his resolve to remain solemn. “Never.”
“Not even in church?”
“Nope. My Sundays are spoken for. I don’t get out much.”
“You can’t work 24/7!”
“Oh? Why not?”
“Because it’s inhuman. It’s un-American. It’s—”
“It’s what I want,” he insisted. “This job is my life. I chose it. I like things the way they are.”
“I never said you didn’t.”
“You implied I shouldn’t be so dedicated.” Folding his arms across his chest he faced her, waiting for an argument.
Instead, Megan snapped a rope on the burro’s halter and led it out of its small pen, pausing just beyond the gate. She scratched Beethoven’s fuzzy forehead and let the children get absorbed in petting him before she spoke aside to James.
Her voice was gentle, her manner subdued. “What I was trying to point out was everyone’s need for rest, for downtime. That’s all. I know what it’s like to be so gung ho that you work yourself to death. I did that in college. Believe me, total immersion in my studies was more than counterproductive. It was unhealthy.”
“You made yourself sick?”
“In a manner of speaking.” She paused. “I had an emotional breakdown.”
He sensed how difficult that admission had been for her and softened his stance. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Megan shook her head slowly, as if entertaining the sweetest of memories. “I’m not. I had to get all the way to rock bottom before I gave in enough for the Lord to get my attention and lift me up. The trip was rough but worth it, believe me.”
“I’m not going to even pretend I understand what you just said.”
“That’s okay,” Megan said with a laugh. “You’ll have two whole weeks to figure it out.”
By evening, Megan was exhausted. After making the drive up from Bald Knob, getting her animals unloaded and safely settled, introducing the boys to the project and unpacking her clothes and personal items, she was so tired she regretfully declined James’s invitation for supper.
“Thanks,” she said, yawning behind her hand. “Roxy wants to join you but I’ll take a rain check. I’d probably doze off at the table and fall headfirst into my mashed potatoes.”
“That would liven up the meal.”
“Yeah. I’ll bet the kids would love it.”
James chuckled. “I can guarantee they would.”
Megan leaned on the edge of the half-open door to her cabin. “I’m afraid I’m done for the day, in more ways than one. Tell the boys I’ll see them tomorrow.”
“They’ll be disappointed.”
“They’ll also learn that adults have lives beyond working all the time, unlike somebody I could mention.”
“I work hard because I enjoy it,” James countered.
“I know. And I admire your dedication. You’re doing a marvelous job.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.”
He smiled. “No, I don’t suppose you would. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Another yawn slipped out.
“Hey, I’m keeping you when you should be relaxing.” He backed away from the door. “Have a good night.”
“Thanks. You, too.”
She watched him turn and descend the wooden steps, then start down the hill toward the dining hall. There was still a spring in his step. She, on the other hand, felt like an old washrag, wrung out and limp.
Pushing her hair back off her forehead she noticed it felt damp. Little wonder. The humidity so near the Spring River had to be close to a hundred percent. Thankfully, there was also a slight breeze filtering through the trees. The warm evening would have been stifling without it.
Megan couldn’t recall the last time she’d been so tired she’d lost her appetite. Till now, she hadn’t realized what a toll the long day had taken. Not only had she been worried about her darling animals—and her sister—she’d felt as if she were on display and being tested every moment James Harris was nearby.
“That’s because I was,” she murmured. No wonder she was worn-out.
She sat down in the recliner, leaned back and sighed. A cooling draft from the open window soothed her. Outside, a whippoorwill called. Another answered. Tiny tree frogs began a squeaky chorus, punctuated by the louder croaks of others of their species.
Her mind drifted. Reality faded. Soon, sleep took her back in time. She and her sister were seated on the lawn in front of their childhood home. They were picking broad spears of grass, holding them taut between their thumbs, and trying to blow over them to make them whistle.
“Come live in Calico Rock with Mom and me,” Megan said. “It’s not too late to change your m
ind.”
Roxanne shook her head as she pulled up another tuft of grass. “No way. Daddy needs me.”
“I need you. We need you,” Megan argued. “You act like it’s Mom’s fault their marriage broke up.”
Roxy’s eyes flashed. “Well, it certainly isn’t Daddy’s.”
“It is so.”
“No way. You’re just being hateful.”
Megan sighed. “Okay. I didn’t want to be the one to tell you this but somebody better. Our father’s been doing bad things. Hurting Mom. They had a big fight about it. That’s why they’re getting a divorce.”
“No way!” The younger girl jumped to her feet and started away. “I don’t believe you. He didn’t do anything bad. He wouldn’t.”
Following, Megan grabbed her arm to stop her. “You’re still a kid. How would you know?”
Roxy whirled, red with anger, and jerked free. “I’m old enough.”
“You’re a baby. I’m almost eighteen.”
“That doesn’t make you a genius,” she screeched. “You don’t know what you’re talking about! Daddy loves us. Mom must be crazy to think he doesn’t. And you’re just as bad as her for believing it.”
Megan’s eyes grew moist, blurring the scene and leaving her casting around for her sibling through a haze of tears. Poor Roxy had never been able to get past their father’s charm and see the man for what he was, had she?
On the other hand, Megan had sided with their brokenhearted mother so completely she’d given their father little opportunity to repent or explain his supposed indiscretions. And that had been the final wedge that had split their family irrevocably.
Half-awake, Megan tried to shout to her sister, to beg her not to go away. Her voice choked with emotion. Her cheeks were wet and flushed. The images in her mind were fading rapidly.
“Wait,” she called, “don’t go!”
A sense of loss weighed heavily on her heart. She fought awakening. In the distance a dog barked. Wiggles? Growing consciousness brought a return to the present.
Megan’s lids fluttered, then lifted. Her eyes snapped open. Someone was bending over and staring at her, practically nose to nose. Only the belated realization that it was James Harris kept her initial gasp from turning into a scream.
“Megan? Megan, are you okay?”
“Of course I am.” She rubbed her eyes and brushed the tears from her cheeks. “What are you doing here?”
He pointed to the end table. “Inez sent you a bite to eat. When I got to the porch I thought I heard you crying. I was afraid something was wrong so I came on in. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It was just a bad dream,” she alibied. “I’m fine.”
“Your sister’s reading the boys a bedtime story. Do you want me to stay with you till she gets here?”
Megan pulled a face. “No need. I’ll be fine. I always have nightmares when I’m stressed or overtired.”
“You’re probably hungry,” he said.
“I don’t think so.”
“I do. Skipping meals is bad for you.”
She gave him a lopsided smile. “You’ve been hanging around little kids too much, mister. You’re starting to treat everybody like one.”
“Only if they deserve it.” He lifted one edge of the foil cover from the plate and waved it under her nose. “This is chicken and potato salad. If you’re not going to eat it soon, we’d better refrigerate it so it doesn’t spoil.”
“You could have left it on the porch.”
“Why tempt Wiggles? He’s out there, remember? The bones might splinter and hurt him. You wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?”
“You barge into my house, scare me out of my wits and you’re blaming it all on my poor innocent dog?”
“I didn’t barge, I knocked. You were too busy fighting dragons to hear me so I did the only sensible thing. The screen door wasn’t latched and the door was standing wide-open. If you’re afraid of prowlers you sure have a funny way of showing it.”
“I’m not afraid of anything. I just expect a little privacy, that’s all.” She hadn’t meant her words to sound so reproachful. Before she could soften her stance, however, he answered in kind.
“Fine. From now on, even if you’re incapacitated, you can either drag yourself down to the mess hall for meals or starve. How’s that?”
“Ridiculous,” Megan said with a wry smile. “But acceptable. I do appreciate your concern, I’m just not crazy about your methods. My heart’s still pounding.”
“Then don’t get hysterical in your sleep again.”
“Humph. I’ll make every effort not to. Thanks for caring about me. And thanks for worrying that I’d be hungry. It was sweet of you.”
James reared back as if ducking a punch. “Whoa. There you go again, besmirching my character. I’m not sweet. I’m just trying to keep my camp running on an even keel.”
“Whatever.” The warmer hue of his cheeks amused her. “I promise to make every effort to avoid accusing you of being nice again, okay?”
“Especially in public.”
“Especially in public.”
She watched him edge away, as if he’d suddenly realized their current circumstances were far too private and was uncomfortable about it. That reaction was interesting. It meant he was acknowledging her as a woman, not merely a colleague. It also demonstrated his high morals. If he hadn’t cared about giving the wrong impression, he wouldn’t have worried about being caught alone with her.
Megan was still smiling about their encounter long after James had left. Whether he liked hearing it or not, he was a real sweet guy. The kind of person who’d make a good, reliable friend. She hoped, before the end of her project, he’d learn to think of her the same way.
Chapter Seven
Roxy moped around for two days, waiting for Aaron’s return. When he finally did show up at the camp again he avoided her as if she were contagious, much to Megan’s relief. If they actually had exchanged a kiss, as Roxy had claimed, the young man had obviously thought better of it since then and decided to keep his distance. Given his apparent change of attitude toward her sister, Megan saw no reason to go out of her way to mention the possible rule infraction to James.
When he questioned her about Aaron’s moodiness, however, she spoke the truth. “Roxy probably made a pass at him and scared him.”
James scowled. “What makes you think that?”
“Some things Roxy said. She tends to exaggerate but I suspect she tried to get him to kiss her.”
The muttering that followed that statement was too muted to interpret fully but Megan got the gist. “Hey, lighten up,” she said. “I’ve warned her to leave him alone and it looks like Aaron is more than ready to see that she does.”
“And that’s supposed to make this idiotic arrangement work? If you believe that, you’re as crazy as your sister. So, are you going to drive her home or shall I?”
“Nobody’s going to drive Roxy anywhere. I promised Mom I’d give her time to think things through by keeping her with me, and I intend to do just that.”
“What about the boys? I thought you were supposed to be up here helping them.”
“There’s no reason why I can’t do both.”
James shook his head and scowled. “Oh, really? What about Zac?”
“What about him? I thought we were talking about Aaron.”
“No,” James drawled, “we were talking about your sister. That girl has as many emotional hang-ups as half the kids the state sends me.”
“Nonsense. You’re too used to looking for problems. There’s nothing wrong with Roxy that a cooling-off period won’t fix. She’s lived with our dad for five years. He’s recently remarried. Once she adjusts to the idea that she’s not the only one he loves she’ll be fine.”
“The only one? What about you? You’re his daughter, too, aren’t you?”
Megan’s lips pressed into a thin line. “When my father and mother divorced, I stayed with Mom. After they split u
p, I hardly ever saw my dad.”
“Then what about your sister? You two are still close, aren’t you?”
“I like to think we are,” Megan said softly. “I went away to college soon after the breakup. With me in school, even if we’d lived under same roof, Roxy and I wouldn’t have seen that much of each other, except on holidays and summer vacations.”
“So now you’re doing penance.”
“I never said anything of the kind!”
“You didn’t need to.” James sighed quietly. “All right. This is our problem as I see it. Roxy is infatuated with Aaron. He’s been avoiding her. Are you with me so far?”
“Yes. So?”
“So, I caught Zac pricking himself with a pin, trying to tattoo the back of his hand with an R inside a heart. I checked his file. There’s nobody in his life with that initial—except your sister.”
“Uh-oh.”
“No kidding. I suspect she flirted with Zac to get Aaron’s attention and Zac fell for her tricks, hook, line and sinker.”
“You can’t be sure of that. Roxy may have had nothing to do with how he feels. I can tell she isn’t a bit interested in him.”
“Can you?”
“Of course. I’ve always had a sixth sense about things like that. It’s similar to the way animals tell friends from enemies. I just seem to know what the people around me are feeling.”
“Is that so?”
Megan faced him, hands fisted on her hips, chin high, and declared, “Yes, it certainly is.”
“You can even tell how I feel?”
“Within reason, yes.”
“Then it won’t surprise you if I do this,” James said.
Before she realized his intention he’d slipped an arm around her waist, pulled her closer, planted a kiss on her slightly parted lips and abruptly released her.
Breathless, Megan could only stagger backward and stare at him. He looked irritated, though she couldn’t imagine why. His short-lived kiss had certainly not been disagreeable. Truth to tell, it had left her so bumfuzzled she could hardly move a muscle, let alone think straight. Her lips still tingled, her arms were covered with goose bumps and she wondered if she was about to land in a dazed heap at his feet.
Everlasting Love Page 7
