Not Until Us (Hope Springs Book 4)

by Valerie M. Bodden

  The bus bumped down the long gravel driveway, and Jade watched as the trees on either side of them closed in, shutting out the rest of the world.

  “Look.” She pointed to a stand of trees, where a buck stood staring at the bus, his tail quivering.

  Penelope turned her head toward the spot. “That’s a daddy deer.” Her know-it-all voice made Jade smile. A second later, the deer sprang into the forest and was gone.

  Penelope turned away from the window. “Do you think that deer has any babies?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “But it’s not with them. Maybe it left them like my daddy left me.”

  Jade’s smile shriveled. “Oh, I’m―” But she had no idea what to say to that.

  Penelope’s lip quivered, but she shook her head. “Mommy said not to think about it this week.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Not that Jade had ever succeeded in trying not to think about something. Just look at the way her eyes had been glued to Dan during the entire bus ride.

  The bus stopped in front of a dilapidated building of weathered gray boards.

  “Is that where we sleep?” Penelope’s eyes were wide.

  “I sure hope not,” Jade muttered.

  “I can be with you, though, right, wherever we sleep?” Penelope grabbed Jade’s hand in her sweaty palm, and Jade squeezed.

  “I don’t see why not.”

  Dan stood in the aisle at the front of the bus, holding up a hand until the kids quieted. “Grab your things and let’s gather right over there in front of the lodge―” He pointed to the tumbledown building, and Jade almost fell off the bus seat. If that was a lodge, she was a princess. But she dutifully helped shepherd the children to the spot he’d indicated.

  Once everyone was there, Dan pointed down a narrow footpath. “The cabins we’ll be staying in are a little hike down this trail. Once I’ve called out your assigned cabin, you can follow your leader to it and get settled in.”

  He first called off the campers in Tyler’s cabin, then in his own, putting one of the older boys in charge of getting the others settled while he gave out the girls’ cabin assignments.

  Jade watched with interest. Maybe she could have an older girl in her group take on some of the responsibility.

  “For those of you who don’t know, this is Miss Jade. She’ll have Melody, Dakota, Sarah, Libby, Lily, Andrea, Abby, Brooklyn, and Madison.”

  A group of girls moved to surround her. A couple looked about Penelope’s age, but most looked to be about nine or ten and two of the girls were probably closer to their early teens.

  “Miss Jade.” Someone shook her arm, and Jade looked down as Dan read off Grace’s campers. “He didn’t say me.”

  “Oh.” Jade listened as Dan called Penelope’s name for Grace’s cabin. “I’m sure we can get that switched.”

  She surveyed the other girls in her group. “Hang tight a second. We just need to talk to Pastor Dan.”

  Dan was making a few scribbles on his list, but he looked up with a smile as they approached. “You got the best cabin. It’s the shortest walk too.”

  “Oh, thanks. Just real quick, is there any way to put Penelope in my cabin instead of Miss Grace’s? We kind of became BFFs on the bus.” She held up their linked hands as proof, and Penelope giggled.

  Dan’s smile dimmed, and he avoided her eyes. “Actually, we can’t change up the cabin assignments.” He held up his list as if that were all the evidence he needed, and she grabbed it out of his hand. How difficult was it to swap Penelope’s name from one list to another?

  “Why not?” Her finger slid down the list of names until it landed on her own. “Oh.”

  Penelope’s name had been printed under hers, but it had been crossed out and added in pencil under Grace’s. Her memory cut to watching Dan talking with Brianna outside the bus this morning. She’d wondered what that was about. Guess she didn’t have to wonder anymore.

  Dan scrubbed a hand down his face. “I’m sorry. I―”

  Jade thrust the clipboard back at him. “It’s no problem.”

  She crouched to be at eye level with Penelope, whose cheeks were streaked with tears. “Here’s the deal. We’ll still see each other lots, but you’ll sleep in Miss Grace’s cabin. If you want to know the truth, Miss Grace is much better at camping than I am, so you’ll be in good hands.”

  But Penelope threw her arms around Jade. “You said we’d make each other brave. I can’t be brave without you.”

  Jade’s heart cracked, but she kept her voice soothing. “You’ve already been so brave. And you’ve made me brave. If you can do this, you’ll be the bravest person I’ve ever met.”

  Penelope let out a hiccupping cry. “I want to go home.” Her hiccups soon escalated to deep sobs, and Jade clutched her close. She had no idea what else to do.

  “Oh, sweetie, you’re going to have so much fun with Miss Grace. She―”

  “Take her to your cabin.” Dan’s voice cut through her own.

  Jade looked up at him. “But―”

  Dan shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Dan reached a hand to help her up and nodded. “I’m sure.”

  She eyed his hand but stood without taking it—which was a challenge with Penelope wrapped around her. Still, she’d take the risk of falling flat on her back over the risk of one simple touch of his hand. “Thank you.”

  Dan’s eyes searched hers, and she forced herself to look away.

  “Come on.” She pulled Penelope away from Dan toward the rest of their group. “Let’s go check out our cabin.”

  He’d done the right thing. Hadn’t he? Letting Penelope switch to Jade’s cabin.

  He wasn’t sure if it was Penelope’s tears or the look of hurt on Jade’s face when she realized why he had assigned Penelope to Grace’s cabin that had made him change his mind.

  There would likely be consequences when they got home. There was no way Penelope wouldn’t tell Brianna about all the fun she’d had with Jade. But hopefully by then Brianna would realize that Jade hadn’t been a bad influence and would rethink her judgment.

  He plopped his small bag onto the bottom of one of the bunks and broke up a fight between two boys who each wanted the top bunk.

  “Why don’t we―”

  But his words were cut off as a sharp scream ripped through the open door of their cabin. Dan’s head jerked up. That was a woman’s scream. Jade?

  He was already tearing out of his cabin, his feet pounding over the packed dirt trail that led to the girls’ cabins on the other side of the small clearing.

  As he ran, he realized he should have grabbed the first aid kit. Or maybe a weapon. Who knew what was going on over there?

  He burst in the door of Jade’s cabin without knocking. “What’s wrong?”

  He pulled up short, a dozen girls gaping at him as he stood in the doorway gasping for air. “I thought I heard a scream.”

  Everyone appeared to be in one piece, and there were no apparent signs of danger.

  Until he spotted Jade standing on a rickety old chair in the far corner of the room.

  “There are ladybugs.” She pointed to the opposite corner.

  “Ladybugs?” Dan repeated dully. What did ladybugs have to do with anything?

  “Miss Jade doesn’t like ladybugs.” Penelope let out a giggle, and the other girls joined in.

  “Oh.” Dan raised an eyebrow at Jade, and she gave him a chagrined look.

  “I got bit by one once.”

  “By a ladybug? I don’t think they bite.”

  Jade gave him an indignant look. “They do when you accidentally lay on one that has crawled into your bed.”

  The girls laughed harder, and Dan pressed his lips together to keep from joining in.

  “Who wants to help me save Miss Jade from the ladybugs?” He strode to the corner she had indicated. Sure enough, a dozen or so ladybugs were scattered across the wall and floor there. With
the girls’ help, he scooped them up and transplanted them outdoors.

  “There.” He crossed to the chair Jade was still perched on and held out a hand. “Now will you get down? I think that chair is more dangerous than all the ladybugs in the woods combined. It looks like it’s about to fall apart.”

  She stared at his hand, as if afraid it was leprous. But he grabbed her arm as she wobbled. She might not want his help, but he didn’t need a camp leader with a broken neck.

  He ignored the zing that shot from his hand, up his arm, and right to his heart at the feel of her skin under his fingers. It had been a long time since he’d held her hand.

  She pulled away the moment she was on the ground, and he backed toward the door. “We’re going to do a devotion in ten minutes. Then how about a swim before lunch?”

  The girls all cheered, but Jade looked panicked.

  “Don’t worry.” He couldn’t resist teasing her. “There shouldn’t be any ladybugs in the water.” He waited for the look of relief on her face, then added, “Just snakes.”

  The ladybug thing was embarrassing, Jade could admit that. But there was no way she was going in that lake if there was even a remote chance there were snakes in it. Dan, Tyler, and Grace had all reassured her repeatedly that Dan had only been teasing, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

  Besides, she and Penelope and a few of the other girls were making the most incredible sandcastle known to man. So far, they had three levels, plus a tower and a moat. And she was in the middle of constructing a drawbridge right now.

  She’d probably have it done already if her eyes didn’t keep drifting to the water, where Dan and Grace and Tyler had started a game of water volleyball with the kids. She worked hard not to notice the nicely defined muscles of Dan’s chest and torso. Or the way he and Grace exchanged high fives every time their team scored a point—which seemed to be every five seconds.

  “How about this for the bridge, Miss Jade?” Penelope held a piece of bark out to her, and Jade took it.

  “Perfect, Penelope.” She placed it in the opening of the castle wall. “There. I think it’s done.”

  “Now what?” Penelope’s eyes traveled to the water.

  “You can swim, Penelope. I’ll be right here watching you.”

  “No.” Penelope’s sigh held a trace of annoyance. “I want to stay by you.”

  Jade watched the little girl. Was she really going to let her own hang-ups keep Penelope from having fun?

  “Tell you what, what if I come in a little way? Then will you swim?”

  “Yes!” Penelope was already dragging her toward the water.

  Jade cringed the moment she stepped into the shallows, but the water wasn’t as cold as she’d anticipated. She always forgot how much warmer inland lakes got than Lake Michigan. And with no waves to speak of, at least she wouldn’t get splashed.

  She walked in until the water skimmed her knees, and Penelope seemed content to swim right in front of her.

  She resisted as long as she could, but eventually her eyes were drawn back to the water volleyball game—just in time to see Dan laughing at something Grace was saying. Jade dropped her gaze to Penelope. There was no point in giving Dan another thought.

  It wasn’t like she could ever compete with a woman like Grace. And it wasn’t like she wanted to anyway.

  She’d known when she left Hope Springs that she’d never have a shot with Dan again. And she’d been fine with that.

  “Watch this, Miss Jade.”

  Jade turned to watch Penelope as she porpoised up and down in the water.

  “Wow, Penelope, that’s very— Yikes!” A wave of water hit her square in the back.

  She spun around, her mouth still open with shock. Which was how she ended up with a mouthful of water as another wave hit her.

  “Sorry.” But Dan was laughing too hard to be sincere. “Now you’re in the water.”

  She stared at him, water still dripping from her face and hair.

  “Why would you do that?” She infused her voice with as much anger as she could.

  Dan’s mouth fell open. “Oh, wow, Jade, I’m sorry.” He stopped laughing and stepped closer. “I didn’t mean―”

  She waited, hands on her hips, keeping her lips in a straight line.

  “I mean, I shouldn’t have―” Two more steps closer. “I thought―” Another step.

  Jade bent at the waist, slicing both hands into the water, then lifting them to send a huge splash cascading over him.

  He froze as the wave hit him, eyes closing instinctively.

  But when he opened them again, they were wide. All around them, the kids were laughing and clapping.

  “I can’t believe you did that.” But he was grinning too.

  “You totally deserved that,” Grace called from behind him, and he laughed, sloughing the water off his face.

  “I guess I did. Truce?” He held out a hand, and Jade eyed it. When he’d touched her arm in the cabin, the electricity had almost sent her sailing into the air.

  But everyone was watching. Waiting.

  Slowly, she placed her hand in his.

  The moment his fingers wrapped around hers, she was yanked forward and off her feet. Water closed over her head, and she flailed to regain her footing.

  When she came up spluttering, Dan smirked at her. “I can do this all day. Want to try again?”

  But she shook her head and wrung out her hair. The offer to touch his hand again was too tempting.

  “Smart decision. Truce for real this time?” Dan held out his hand, looking one hundred percent sincere. But Jade wasn’t falling for that again. Just because the guy was a pastor didn’t mean he was above tricking her a second time.

  She dropped her hands into the water and sent a small splash toward him. “Now we can have a truce.” She dashed out of the water and up the beach before he could retaliate.

  When she reached the spot where their sandcastle stood, she chanced a glance at the water. Dan was still watching her, an expression she didn’t recognize on his face. He took a couple steps toward the beach, and Jade’s stomach tumbled. He was going to come up by her.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something sailing through the air toward him.

  “Watch―”

  But her warning was too late. The volleyball smacked into the back of his head. He lifted one hand to his head and with the other scooped the ball out of the water.

  “Sorry, Pastor Dan,” an older boy with dark hair called.

  “That’s okay.” Dan threw the ball back, then with one last look at Jade, rejoined the volleyball game.

  Jade plopped into the sand to add a few decorative details to the castle, telling herself she was relieved.

  It was like he’d said—he was where he belonged, and she was where she belonged.

  And that was just the way she liked it.

  Chapter 17

  The campfire crackled in the growing dark, and Dan had to smile from his perch on the top of the picnic table. The first day of camp had gone even better than he’d hoped. The kids all seemed suitably worn out and happy. And other than one minor scrape and Jade’s ladybug emergency, the day had been incident free.

  As soon as the kids finished making their s’mores, they’d have a devotion, sing a few songs, and turn in for the night. His gaze drifted over the group. The older kids sat together on camp chairs, while Tyler had taken some of the younger kids to the other side of the clearing for a game of tag. Grace helped some kids make s’mores, while Jade led a group of chocolate and marshmallow covered kids to the bathroom to wash up.

  He allowed himself a contented sigh. This was exactly what he’d wanted camp to be—a chance for the kids to get together and enjoy God’s creation and time with each other. Maybe some of these kids would remain lifelong friends and encourage each other in their faith as they confronted all the things out there that were waiting to steal them from the truth. Dan had lost count of how many times he’d prayed for them,
but if he had one hope as a pastor, that would be it.

  “Pastor Dan, Pastor Dan.” A little girl named Melody pulled Jade toward him, one hand clasped in front of her as if she were holding a precious treasure. His eyes traveled to Jade’s face, and he almost laughed out loud at her repulsed expression. He wondered if Melody’s treasure was a ladybug. But when she opened her hand, a big juicy nightcrawler wriggled there.

  “It’s a worm! Isn’t it cute?” Melody sounded as if she’d found a puppy instead of a worm. “Do you want to hold it?”

  She held the worm out toward Dan, and he opened his hand so she could drop it in. Jade took a large step backward.

  “It is cute.” He let the worm squirm in his hand a few seconds, then passed it back to Melody.

  “Do you want to hold it, Miss Jade?” Melody asked.

  Dan coughed to cover his laugh as Jade’s face contorted. “That’s okay, sweetie. I’m good just looking at it.”

  “Do you want to pet it at least?” Melody thrust her hand at Jade.

  Dan was going to have to jump in and come to Jade’s rescue.

  But Jade poked out a tentative finger and inched it toward the worm, eyes squinted as if she couldn’t bear to watch what she was about to do.

  With a half gasp, she gave the worm the slightest brush of her finger, then snatched her hand back.

  “Oh, it’s slimy,” she choked out.

  Dan couldn’t hold back his laugh any longer, and Jade shot him a look.

  “What?” He held up his hands. “I’m actually impressed.” Which was the truth. This had to be so far from Jade’s normal life, but here she was, putting on a brave face and touching worms to make a little girl happy.

  “What y’all got there?” Grace came up alongside them and peered into Melody’s palm. “Oh, that’s a good one.” She held out her hand, and Melody dropped the worm into it.

  “Miss Jade didn’t want to hold it,” Melody said. “I think she’s scared of it.” Her stage whisper made them all laugh.

  “That’s the great thing about God. He made us all unique. So not everyone likes the same things.” Grace returned the worm to Melody. “But I happen to love worms. They remind me of fishing with my daddy. Come on, let’s go find it a nice home before it dries out.”