Destiny Interrupted
Page 9
“I understand,” Whitney acknowledged, still in a daze. “I finally understand everything perfectly. I’m sorry if I misjudged you in any way. I completely understand now.” She looked at Kyle with probing intensity. “Knowing Trevor like you do and knowing the truth, knowing Laura Benson and her relationship with him, I’m asking you this directly: Do you think I should stay?”
Kyle didn’t even hesitate. “Of course I do. I think it would be best for the both of you. I know it would be best for Trevor and you’ll have to decide what would be best for you. I think it would be best.” Kyle walked toward her and extended his large hand in a gesture of warm reconciliation. “I hope all is forgiven between us.”
Whitney grasped his large hand between both of hers and held it tightly, glancing up again into his broad features. “I appreciate you telling me this. Thank you, Kyle. Thank you with all my heart.”
“You know if you ever need to talk…”
“I might need to take you up on that,” Whitney replied.
“I hope you will,” Kyle answered, dipping his cap in farewell.
After Kyle turned to walk away, Whitney sat immobile for some time, trying to absorb what she’d been told. She might not ever have known the truth about that day if Kyle hadn’t explained it to her. Whitney’s heart almost hurt from the knowledge of what had happened. It added an even deeper element to her and Trevor’s pain. No wonder Trevor hadn’t easily given up on her at the hospital. No wonder he hadn’t walked away until he had been forced away by her father. He had stayed by her side and had intended to stay by her side. That very day, he had asked her to make a long-term commitment to him and he had made that same commitment back. Whitney knew Trevor would never have taken that lightly. She knew that much about him.
Whitney continued to sit quietly in a surrealistic haze. Should she choose to stay at camp now that she knew the truth? She’d risked a lot already in coming here and she had paid a heavy emotional price for those risks. Could she risk more?
But they had been engaged, Whitney reminded herself. Even if it had been for one short day, she and Trevor had made a deep and long-lasting promise to each other that they would spend their lives together. Only outside circumstances had torn them apart.
“Whitney?”
Whitney turned her head, startled. She’d been so deeply engrossed in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard Jenny’s approach.
“Are you okay?” Jenny asked, studying Whitney’s frozen features with concern.
Whitney abruptly stood, brushing the hay from her jeans as she did. “I just had the chance to speak to Kyle,” Whitney informed her, her voice still affected.
“Did you?” Jenny asked, staring closely at her friend. Her blue eyes were discerning, trying to read below the surface. “Is that why you’ve been out here for so long?”
“Yes,” Whitney said, pushing her hands in her pockets so Jenny couldn’t see their light trembling. She took in a calming breath, trying to steady the beating of her erratic heart.
“Were you able to work everything out?” Jenny questioned, still concerned.
Whitney stiffly nodded, forcibly trying to regain her composure. “Kyle apologized for what he said the other night. He understands what happened and he apologized for accusing me like he did. Thanks for defending me when you talked to him. I think it helped him change his mind about me.”
“You didn’t deserve what he said,” Jenny said with a frown. “Not one bit. I know it and he knows it. Trevor knows it, too.”
Whitney let her dark brown eyes settle on Jenny’s probing blue ones. “After mine and Kyle’s conversation, I’m seriously reconsidering my decision to leave.”
Jenny popped her head up, obviously surprised. “You might be staying?”
Whitney slowly nodded.
“If it means anything, I personally hope you’ll stay,” Jenny said. “I know things have been hard on you but I believe they’ll change. In fact, I told Trevor I’d use whatever influence I had to sway you to stay if I could. He asked me if I would.”
Whitney lifted her brows. “Trevor asked you to talk me into staying?”
“He did,” Jenny said. “He expressed regret over everything that happened and for his behavior toward you when you first came. It kind of helped me not feel as upset about everything. I was almost ready to quit myself.” Jenny subtly inclined her head toward the dining hall. “They’re having stroganoff tonight and they’ve already started serving. Are you ready?”
“Yes,” Whitney answered half-heartedly, still trying to recover her equilibrium. “I am.”
They turned together toward the hall. Shortly afterward, they were at their usual table in their usual spot in the dining hall, unusually uncommunicative as they sat together. Whitney slowly picked at her steaming meal, still grappling with what she’d found out earlier from Kyle, hardly able to force her attention to her food. She knew Jenny believed other things were distracting her mind but she couldn’t yet tell Jenny the truth about what lay heavily in her heart.
Jenny suddenly nudged Whitney discreetly in the side. “Don’t look now but Trevor is heading our way,” she whispered softly. “It certainly says something if he’s willing to be seen in public with you like this. This is the first time he’s done that since you’ve been here.”
Whitney needed the forewarning. She’d barely masked her earlier tumultuous emotions when Trevor came toward the two of them and sat directly beside Whitney, lightly brushing her arm as he sat down beside her at the table. Whitney couldn’t help but notice many interested eyes upon them. Others were obviously surprised by the attention, as well. Trevor seemed unmoved by the curiosity surrounding his approach and began eating.
“I forgot to check the schedule,” Jenny remarked conversationally, taking a light sip of her drink as she tried to soften the strained atmosphere. “Who is it that’s going to be coming to camp next week, Trevor?”
“The staff from Forrester Investments,” Trevor informed her, his tone smooth and steady. “They have about forty employees coming this year.”
“I remember them from last year,” Jenny replied, doing her utmost to appear unruffled. “They’re the members of that corporation that do all those team-building activities, aren’t they?”
“Yes,” Trevor confirmed.
“They’re one of the easiest groups to work with,” Jenny explained as she turned toward Whitney, purposefully including her in the conversation. “They bring in some of their own consultants and all we have to do is be on call to help out occasionally. We end up getting a lot of spare time—and lots of great tips.” Jenny lifted her blue eyes toward Trevor. “Whitney might be able to get some of those great tips. We talked earlier and she’s actually reconsidering staying here at camp.”
Trevor abruptly turned toward Whitney, his dark eyes honing in on hers in earnestness. “You’re considering staying?”
Whitney slowly nodded. “After talking with Kyle earlier, I’m leaning more toward ‘yes’ than ‘no.’”
If Whitney had harbored any hesitation at all about remaining, if she’d had any previous restraint, it disappeared after Trevor’s reaction to her words. He didn’t say anything but he seemed relieved. His features had lost any apparent tension and there seemed to be a genuine glow of satisfaction on his face and around his mouth. That became enough to put any of Whitney’s remaining unease to rest. She would plan on remaining at camp.
Chapter Seven
After Whitney had made the decision to remain at camp, she scarcely had time to evaluate what it meant for her personally because she and Jenny had an extremely busy following two days as they prepared for the upcoming one-week session with the Forrester group. She scarcely saw Trevor during that preparation time and felt somewhat disappointed about his noticeable distance, especially when he seemed preoccupied and aloof whenever she did happen to see him. She wondered if all her weighty deliberations and inward struggles had been for naught—as if nothing had changed between them and her presence
didn’t matter. But once the professional group had arrived and started their team-building activities, Whitney subtly observed how Trevor began joining her and Jenny in their rotations more and more often throughout the day. Though they couldn’t speak privately during their time together, Trevor began getting more involved and staying close by her. It helped Whitney’s heart feel more reassured about her decision.
Jenny casually mentioned Trevor’s increased involvement while she and Whitney helped prepare the conference room for one of the Forrester group’s mid-morning meetings. “I’ve never seen Trevor spend time with any of the counselors in their rotations like he has been spending with you,” Jenny told her as they worked steadily. “He’s never done that with anyone before.”
“Not even with Laura Benson?”
“Not even with Laura Benson,” Jenny instantly replied, subtly glancing at her for a moment. “As far as I’m concerned, that can only mean one thing.”
Whitney didn’t respond but she felt deeply gratified by Jenny’s observation. Perhaps Trevor’s feelings for her were changing, as she’d hoped. “When I used to work here,” Whitney explained, “Trevor and I would spend every day together. We were rarely apart.”
Jenny busily helped Whitney arrange the folding chairs they were setting up in a large semi-circle. “Are you glad you made the decision to stay?” Jenny questioned.
Whitney let out a slow breath. “Those first couple of days, I felt a little unsure about my choice. But I am feeling better since Trevor has been hanging around us more. I am still nervous. I know Laura Benson is returning soon and I can’t completely trust where her and Trevor’s relationship stands.”
“No, but you can trust that Trevor still has feelings for you,” Jenny countered firmly. “He’s watched closely by everyone at camp and he knows it. The fact that he’s willing to spend time with you in such an open, visual way tells me more than anything. Word will obviously get back to Laura Benson and if Trevor was worried about it, he’d stop.”
“Do you know how long he’s dated Laura?” Whitney questioned.
“For a few months, I think, but I don’t know for sure. It could be longer. I don’t know Laura too well. She mostly hangs out with Mindi and her group.” Jenny paused her work as she looked at Whitney judiciously, her lips twisting in resignation. “No matter what the status of that relationship is it’s going to be really tough on you when Laura gets back.”
“I don’t look forward to it,” Whitney soberly conceded.
When the side door suddenly opened, Whitney abruptly felt grateful they’d dropped their earlier conversation. Trevor stepped inside in a dark green camp T-shirt, his dark brown eyes looking directly at the two of them. “They need three more participants for the ropes course to even out the groups,” Trevor addressed them. “Are you two willing to join me as part of a team? The department head asked me to invite you.”
Whitney and Jenny looked at each other in uncertainty. “That would be fine,” Jenny finally answered for them. “We’re almost finished in here. I think we could spare the time.”
It seemed strange to Whitney as she and Jenny turned together to follow Trevor outside that no one questioned her ability to actively participate in the activities as they’d done when she had first come back to camp. Even the few weeks she’d been here had given her a renewed strength and vitality that she hadn’t felt in a long time. Her color had come back and she knew she didn’t appear as frail and fragile.
Whitney became further convinced that they didn’t overly protect her when she was asked to be one of the first, along with three other women and two men, to participate in the ropes course in her group. There were four other groups scattered about the course, each starting at a different section. The participants were blindfolded and then, with the commands and suggestions of the others, they were to try to make it through the course as quickly as possible, supposedly developing teamwork and camaraderie that would hopefully translate into a better work environment.
Despite the fact that Whitney had done the ropes course when she’d worked at the camp before, she had never attempted it blindfolded. As they began the team-building exercise, she became amazed at the difficulties that arose in simply not being able to see. As each group settled into their places, with the others shouting orders at them, Whitney quickly picked up on the fact that they would have other obstacles to face in their journey. They had planted vocal adversaries among each group shouting instructions, those who would shout the wrong orders about where they were to go and what they were to do. Until the members of her small climbing group could effectively learn to steer clear of the voices that were shouting the wrong instructions, there was a mass of tangled limbs, twisted ropes and trampled, crushed feet.
Whitney couldn’t help but be amused by their stymied progress. She found herself often holding still to try to sift through the voices surrounding them. Once she learned that the deep, familiar voice that she’d been carefully listening to had been assigned to give them the correct directions, she could easily call out to the others in her group and have them follow her. Within minutes, they were already passing another team and they had passed two others by the time they made it back to where they’d originated. There was loud applause and shrill, piercing whistles as they pulled off their blindfolds.
“This is our newest mid-level manager,” the leader of the group announced as he lifted Whitney’s hand high above her head in triumphal victory.
Trevor, Jenny and Whitney were laughing together about the whole experience as they excused themselves to go back to finish the preparations they’d begun in the meeting hall. When Jenny left Trevor and Whitney alone to go copy some of the papers that needed to be passed out to the group, Trevor glanced down at Whitney’s still-flushed features, his dark eyes settling on her mouth as he carefully studied her expression. He paused a few telling moments before he spoke. “Today is the first time I’ve heard you laugh since you came back,” he casually remarked.
Whitney fell abruptly silent after Trevor’s observation. In actuality, it was the first time she could remember laughing in an extremely long time. There hadn’t been much to be happy about since the accident. Most of her emotions had been heavy, overwhelming and bleak.
“Have you made any plans for the upcoming break?” Trevor suddenly asked.
Following the week-long camp with the Forrester group, there was to be a five-day vacation for camp employees. Jenny had invited Whitney and two other counselors to her home to spend the time with her since Jenny’s home was only a two-and-a-half hour drive away. “Jenny and I have made plans,” Whitney told him. “We’re spending the time with a couple of other counselors at Jenny’s home. Her home is just a couple of hours away.”
“You might want to re-think about staying at camp with me,” Trevor said. “There’s another group coming up here that I think you might want to see.”
“Another group?” Whitney questioned, confused. “I didn’t think there was another group scheduled for at least another week.”
“It’s a private group,” Trevor explained. “It’s my family.”
Whitney eyed him with unmasked surprise, her lips parting in awe. Trevor was asking her to stay at camp to see his family? He wanted her to be with him while they were visiting? “I’ll talk to Jenny to see how she feels,” Whitney told him, trying to hide her startled reaction to his invitation as her heart pounded noticeably in her chest.
“If you do stay, I’d like to take you up the canyon four-wheeling before they come,” Trevor said. “I thought it might be a way to overcome a few of the more unpleasant memories we both have of the last time we were together in the canyon.”
“That sounds fun,” Whitney said somewhat breathlessly, still trying to mask her surprise—not only at his invitation but at Trevor’s willingness to go four-wheeling with her again. What did all of this mean?
Jenny soon joined them and Whitney’s and Trevor’s private conversation came to an end. Whitney must not
have been able to hide her reaction to it very well because after Trevor left, Jenny turned toward her quizzically. “Did something happen with Trevor while I was gone?”
“He asked me to stay here at camp with him during the break,” Whitney said, still in latent awe. “His family is coming up and he wants me to join them.”
“You told him ‘yes,’ didn’t you?” Jenny questioned immediately.
“I told him that I’d talk to you to see how you felt about it.”
“Are you kidding me? You don’t need to talk to me,” Jenny reprimanded her. “You already know what you should do.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course I do,” Jenny affirmed. “It’s what you hoped would happen in the first place, isn’t it? This is a no-brainer. The decision was made a long time ago, even before you came back. You need to stay.”
Whitney glanced at her roommate gratefully. “I think I got put with the right person when I came.”
“You certainly did,” Jenny agreed with a decisive nod. “I’ll keep you on the right track even if you don’t do it yourself.”
Whitney rode a four-wheeler behind Trevor’s dark green one as they climbed the rocky trail toward the nearby tree-lined canyon. She felt surprise at her own ease at being alone with Trevor like this. Always before when they had been together, there had been some degree of anxious awkwardness that had settled inside her, making her feel almost stiff and unnatural in his presence. That discomfort had almost disappeared, despite the fact that only a few sparse remnants had been left at camp during the five-day break.