Not Until Us (Hope Springs Book 4)

by Valerie M. Bodden

  Everyone gasped.

  “Is she okay?” Grace moved to Dan’s side lickety-split and laid a hand on his arm.

  Jade ignored the unpleasant flash of feelings in her stomach. The fact that this was the seventh time Grace had touched Dan tonight didn’t affect Jade in the least.

  “She’s going to be fine.” But Dan’s face remained grim. “But she can’t chaperone for camp tomorrow. Which means we have to cancel the trip.”

  Grace’s hand flew to cover her mouth, and Jade almost rolled her eyes.

  Talk about overreacting. It wasn’t the end of the world. In fact, if she were scheduled to go on the trip, she’d be relieved. Who wanted to spend the weekend in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of bratty kids?

  “But it’s all the kids have been talking about for weeks.” Grace looked near tears. “They’ll all be crushed.”

  “I know.” Dan seemed pretty crushed himself. “I really wanted this to happen.”

  A twinge of regret went through Jade for his sake.

  “I know you did.” Grace patted his shoulder. Make that eight times she’d touched him tonight.

  “Unless―” Dan scanned the room, a gleam in his eyes as if he’d had a brilliant idea. “One of you wonderful ladies wants to save my life by filling in.” He folded his hands in front of him, as if praying. “Sis?”

  Leah raised her shoulders. “You know I would have been the first to sign up, but I’m catering a wedding tomorrow and then I’m slammed all week.”

  “And I’m doing the cake for the wedding. Sorry.” Peyton gave him a sympathetic look.

  “I don’t think you want Joy keeping your campers up all night with her crying,” Ariana added.

  “Violet?” Dan turned to Jade’s sister, eyes pleading.

  Vi chewed her lip. “You know I would, but between the store and the wedding plans and . . .”

  “I know.” Dan waved her off. “Forget I asked.”

  His gaze moved to the chair across the room. “Emma? Pretty please? You’re my last hope.”

  Emma shook her head. “I’m sorry. Any other time, I would. But I have a new horse arriving tomorrow, and I’ve been told he’s a handful.”

  Dan’s shoulders fell, and he slumped into a chair. “I guess that’s it then.” He pulled out his phone, his voice sharp with defeat. “I hate to call everyone so late, but I don’t want the kids to show up bright and early tomorrow only to find out we’re not going.”

  “Wait!” Vi shouted, making everyone jump. “What about Jade?”

  Jade felt all the eyes in the room shift to her.

  She gave an uncomfortable laugh. “What about Jade?”

  “You could do it.” Vi said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

  Jade was pretty sure this time her laugh came out as more of a desperate gulp for air. “Do what?”

  “Chaperone.” Vi nudged her.

  “Oh— I— Well―” Jade could feel the heat climbing up her neck to her cheeks, and she resisted the temptation to give her sister a quick elbow to the ribs.

  “Oh, that’s so perfect.” Grace beamed at Jade as if she’d agreed to do it.

  “No. I mean, wait. I mean―” Jade stopped to sort out her flustered thoughts. “Camp isn’t really my thing. I don’t know the first thing about the outdoors or survival or kids.”

  “We can help you with that.” Dan spoke for the first time since Vi had volunteered her, and Jade let herself meet his eyes.

  Which was a mistake. The look he gave her—head tilted to the side as if waiting for her to say yes—almost made her lose her resolve.

  She contemplated the front door. Too bad it was too far across the room to make a quick, unobtrusive escape, especially with everyone watching her.

  “I’m supposed to be here to spend time with Vi. I can’t just up and leave for a weekend.” There. That tactic had to work.

  “Of course you can.” Vi patted Jade’s knee. “I have you all summer. I can spare you for five days for a good cause.”

  Five days?

  Jade almost choked. She’d been unsure when she’d thought the camp was only for a weekend. But five days? She’d never survive.

  “But―” More arguments spun through Jade’s brain, but the way Dan was looking at her made her forget every single one.

  His eyes pleaded with her. But more than that, his look said he believed she could do it. That he was counting on her.

  She took a deep breath. For once it would be nice to live up to someone’s belief in her.

  “Okay,” she finally said. “What time do we leave?”

  The whole room erupted in cheers, and Jade had to admit to herself that it felt good to be the reason.

  But it felt even better to be the recipient of Dan’s quiet smile and mouthed “thank you.”

  Chapter 15

  When Jade’s alarm went off at four o’clock the next morning, she asked herself for the thousandth time what she’d gotten herself into.

  It didn’t help that she’d spent half the night dreaming about all the creepy crawly critters she might encounter at the camp. Twice, she’d woken up and had to turn on the flashlight on her phone to make sure there were no bugs in her bed. And that was here in Vi’s apartment. How much worse would it be in a cabin tonight?

  She picked up the small bag she’d packed last night and stepped silently into the bathroom to get ready without waking Vi.

  If she was honest with herself, it wasn’t the bugs that scared her most about camp. It was that this was a Jesus camp—not exactly somewhere she’d fit in. Even though she’d been going to church with Vi since she’d come back, that didn’t exactly make her an expert in all things Jesus. What if one of the kids called her out on her lack of Bible knowledge? Or, worse, what if they asked if she believed in God? It’d be wrong to lie to them, wouldn’t it? But in this case, she was pretty sure it’d be worse to tell them the truth: that she hadn’t been sure there was a God for many years now. And even if there was, she wasn’t sure she wanted anything to do with him.

  She sighed as she applied a light layer of makeup. Faith seemed to come so easily to Vi and her friends—it was something they simply talked about in the course of regular conversation, as if it were as natural as talking about the weather.

  Even when she was little, Jade had never been completely comfortable talking about God. But now, after everything she’d done, she was the last person who should be taking a group of kids to church camp.

  You’re just there to chaperone, she reminded herself. It’s not like you have to preach.

  Besides, she was an actor. How hard could it be to play the role of Miss Holy Camp Leader?

  She fixed her hair in a loose ponytail. At least she looked the part, in a cutoff pair of khaki shorts and a short-sleeved white blouse.

  She was as ready as she’d ever be. She grabbed her bag and padded out of the bathroom, stopping to pull Vi’s blankets up over her shoulders. She kissed her fingertips and pressed them to the top of Vi’s head. All those years in LA, she’d told herself she didn’t need her sister, even if she was her last remaining family, but she’d been wrong. Being home with Vi had filled spots in her heart she hadn’t realized were empty.

  With one last glance at her sleeping sister, Jade tiptoed out of the apartment. The door across the hall opened at the same time as she stepped onto the landing, and Jade pressed a hand to her heart.

  “Good morning.” Nate grinned at her, his dog Tony straining at the leash to get a sniff of her legs.

  “Ugh. Violet warned me you were a morning person.” But she smiled at him. The truth was, she liked Vi’s fiancé.

  Nate laughed. “Guilty as charged. But you look pretty chipper yourself. All ready for camp?”

  Jade shrugged. “Honestly? I have no idea what I’m doing.”

  Nate let the dog tug him down the steps, and Jade followed.

  “Thanks for doing this,” Nate said over his shoulder. “It means a lot. To all of us.” />
  Jade nodded as he opened the door for her. She got the impression that their church was more important to Vi and her friends than pretty much anything else.

  “Wish me luck.” She passed through the door and headed to Vi’s car, which her sister had said she should take and leave in the church parking lot.

  “You won’t need luck.” Nate’s voice followed her. “You’ve got God on your side.”

  Jade closed the car door without responding. She wasn’t so sure of that.

  A soft spray of light was just creeping over the lake as Jade turned onto Hope Street. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen the sun rise because she’d gotten up so early instead of because she’d stayed up so late.

  Something about the muted light and the quiet of the morning stirred a longing in her soul, but she couldn’t place what it was she longed for.

  Peace, maybe.

  But as she drove into the church parking lot, she suppressed a groan. Peace was the last thing she was going to find today.

  Dozens of kids surrounded an old school bus that had been repainted green and gold. Some of the kids looked sleepy, but others had already started a game of tag.

  Jade sucked in a deep breath and let it out. She could do this.

  She opened the car door and grabbed her bag out of the backseat, the early morning humidity clinging to her skin. She made her way toward the bus, thankful that other than a few curious glances, most of the kids ignored her.

  As she came around the side of the bus, her eyes fell on Dan, who was squatting next to a boy with red hair and two missing front teeth.

  “All right, bud, you’re all set. Why don’t you go grab a seat?” Dan rumpled the kid’s hair and straightened as the boy scampered toward the bus door.

  “Thanks for coming.” His smile was warm but guarded.

  “Did you think I wouldn’t show?”

  He looked away, and she could almost hear the unspoken words. It wouldn’t be the first time.

  “So how does this work?” She jumped to fill the silence.

  “Well, we get on the bus and we sit down, and the driver drives us there.” Dan gave her a lazy grin.

  “You know what I mean.” She resisted the playful push she was tempted to give him. Grace may feel free to touch him whenever she wanted, but Jade most definitely did not.

  “For now, we’ll just be one big group. But when we get there, I’ll give out cabin assignments. Each chaperone will lead a cabin of about a dozen kids. You’ll take your cabin to their activities, oversee meals, make sure they go to bed on time, that sort of thing.”

  Jade gaped at him. That sort of thing?

  She’d figured she was along as an extra pair of hands and eyes. Not as a leader.

  “Is that all you brought?” Dan gestured to the gym bag slung over her shoulder.

  “Yeah. Why? Is it not enough?” Leave it to her to forget all the important things.

  “No, it’s good.” Dan rubbed a hand over his hair. “I’m just surprised.”

  “Why?” She slid the bag off her shoulder and looked at it. It was just an ordinary bag.

  “To be honest, I had these visions of you showing up with three suitcases.” He cringed. “Sorry.”

  She let herself laugh. “I guess I’m full of surprises.”

  He studied her, as if trying to solve a riddle. “Yes. I guess you are.” After a second, he seemed to shake himself. “If you want to get on the bus, we’ll be leaving soon. We’re just waiting for a couple more kids.”

  Jade nodded, but as she turned toward the bus door, a woman about her age approached, pulling a crying little girl behind her.

  “Sorry we’re late, Pastor Dan.” The woman stopped in front of them, the little girl cowering behind her. “Penelope got cold feet right as we were leaving, but I told her―” She broke off as she noticed Jade. “What are you doing here?” The woman’s voice was filled with resentment.

  “I’m sorry?” Jade’s back stiffened, and every muscle in her shoulders tightened. Did she know this woman?

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” Dan stepped in smoothly. “Brianna, this is Jade Falter. She grew up in Hope Springs and is visiting for the summer. Jade, this is Brianna Miller. She was a few years ahead of us in high school.”

  Jade tried to smile, but her face had gone numb.

  “I believe you knew my ex-husband Derrick.” Brianna’s stony look could have rivaled the boulders that littered much of the shoreline.

  Jade could feel the color slip right off her cheeks. Of course it was Brianna. President of the senior class the year Jade was a freshman. Head cheerleader. All-around popular girl.

  “I’d heard you were home. You’re helping with this?”

  Jade heard the implication, the subtle suggestion that she, of all people, wasn’t fit to be chaperoning a church camp.

  More to escape the look Dan was directing between her and Brianna than for any other reason, Jade crouched at the still-crying girl’s side.

  “Do you want to know a secret?” Jade cupped a hand around her mouth, then mock whispered, “I’m nervous about camp too.”

  The girl’s eyes widened, but she let out a small giggle.

  Jade held out her hand. “Maybe if we stick together, we’ll both be braver.”

  After a second, the girl reached out a tentative hand and set it in Jade’s.

  The warmth of her fingers sent a jolt right to Jade’s heart.

  She swallowed down the sudden lump of emotion and stood up, leading the girl to the bus door.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Penelope.” The girl had a slight speech impediment, which only endeared her to Jade more.

  “Nice to meet you, Penelope.” Jade stopped with one foot posed on the bus step. “Better say goodbye to your mommy.”

  Penelope waved toward Brianna and called out a goodbye, then bounded up the bus steps.

  As Jade followed, she pretended not to notice the sharp glare Brianna hit her with. Someday, she owed Brianna a proper apology. But for now, she’d have to settle for taking good care of her daughter. She only hoped she didn’t mess that up.

  Dan stared after Jade, completely dumbfounded. He was eternally grateful she’d agreed to chaperone, of course, but he had to admit he’d had his doubts about the whole plan. First, that she’d show up at all, and second, that she’d be prepared for what camp involved. But she’d shown up—on time and without a heap of luggage—and now she’d helped calm poor Penelope, who’d been going through such a rough time since her dad had split a few months ago.

  “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Brianna shuffled next to him, and Dan turned to her. She was frowning at the spot where her daughter had disappeared onto the bus.

  “Of course.” From the few times Brianna had come to him for counseling, he knew the divorce had been messy, so it was understandable that she was apprehensive about Penelope.

  She led him a few steps away from the bus, looking around as if she didn’t want to be overheard.

  “Don’t worry about anything.” Dan gave her a confident smile. “Take some time for yourself this week to relax. Penelope is in good hands.”

  Instead of seeming reassured, Brianna crossed her arms in front of her. “Jade Falter’s hands?”

  Dan tensed. “Yes. Jade and Grace and Tyler and I.”

  “Pastor, maybe you don’t remember Jade’s reputation, but I do. She was the first one Derrick cheated on me with. Under the bleachers. At homecoming.”

  Dan fought the urge to cover his ears. He’d known of Jade’s reputation, of course, but he’d always tried to avoid learning any specifics.

  “That was a long time ago, Brianna.” He worked to keep his tone gentle. “I’m sure you don’t still hold that against her.”

  Brianna grimaced. “Girls like her don’t change.”

  Dan clamped his jaw against his instinct to jump to Jade’s defense. Brianna’s father was Terrence, the church president, and Dan couldn’t afford to get into
an argument with his daughter.

  “The fact of the matter is, we have no one else who can chaperone, since Cassandra broke her leg. If Jade hadn’t stepped up at the last minute and volunteered, we’d have had to cancel the whole trip.” Not exactly the glowing defense he owed Jade for saving the trip, but maybe it was a neutral enough middle ground to diffuse Brianna’s anger.

  “Canceling might have been the smarter option.” Brianna smoothed her hair. “Trust me, she is not the kind of woman you want influencing young people.”

  Dan kneaded at a kink in his neck. “Penelope seems to like her.”

  Brianna’s cheeks reddened. “She likes chocolate cake too. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best thing for her.”

  The bus driver honked, and Dan peered at the vehicle. It was loaded with rambunctious kids eager to be on their way to camp.

  “We need to get going.” Dan sought his most mollifying tone. “Thanks for sharing your concerns. If you’d prefer for Penelope to stay home, we can get her off the bus. Otherwise―” He gestured toward the bus, indicating that he needed to go.

  Brianna threw her hands in the air. “I’m cleaning out the rest of Derrick’s stuff this week, and I don’t want her there for that. Take her. But―” She flailed a wild arm toward the bus. “I don’t want her anywhere near Jade. Put her in someone else’s cabin.” She strode toward her car without a backward glance.

  The tension in Dan’s jaw shot up through his forehead, but he jogged to the bus. He couldn’t worry about what Brianna thought right now. He had fifty excited kids to keep happy.

  And one chaperone he was going to have to avoid.

  Chapter 16

  “We’re here.” Penelope’s squeal nearly burst Jade’s eardrums. The little girl pointed to a wooden sign with the name Camp Oswego carved into it.

  Jade picked up on the girl’s contagious grin. In the two hours they’d been on the bus, Penelope had talked nonstop, and her childish enthusiasm had captured Jade’s heart.

  She had learned that Penelope was seven, that she loved unicorns, and that she absolutely did not like the dark. Jade tried not to think about what that last one meant for tonight.