***
Cassidy’s stomach knotted as they neared Camp Margo. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
“Why not?” Joel darted a quick glance at her before returning his eyes to the road.
“I haven’t been there in well over a decade. What’s the point of even going?” She stared out the window, focusing on a red butte in the distance. “I can’t reclaim that part of my childhood.”
“Nobody can, but sometimes it helps to remember the good times.”
“Camp was the only good part of my summers.” She leaned her head against the seat. “Depending on if my parents scheduled our vacation at the end of the summer or beginning, camp gave me something to look forward to, or fond memories to get me through wherever my parents took me afterward.”
“You stayed at camp the entire summer?”
“Pretty much. I never knew if my parents wanted a break from me, or genuinely thought they were giving me a great opportunity.” She’d always leaned toward the latter, but everything with her dad made her questions events, even from years ago.
“I would say it worked out either way. Admittedly you loved camp, so it was a positive experience.” Joel offered a compassionate smile.
“That’s true.” She picked up her water bottle, took a sip, then replaced it in the cup holder. “Deep down, I know my parents love me, but since Dad’s arrest, I can’t shake the feeling I don’t know him at all.”
“Which is understandable.” He switched hands on the wheel then reached over to give her hand a squeeze. “When a large betrayal happens, it makes you second guess everything. This is on a different level, but when I bought the hotel, the inspector was in cahoots with the seller.”
“How so?”
“There was a crack in the foundation the inspector failed to report, and it sucked up a large portion of my money which is why the motel isn’t finished yet. I’m working on finding the funds to finish now.”
“I’m so sorry.” She’d guess there’d been a hang up but hadn’t imagined it stemmed from corruption. “Can you take them to court?”
“I’ve already talked to a lawyer, and he said it would be a long shot for different reasons.” He put both hands on the steering wheel to navigate a turn. “I couldn’t understand why it happened, and it shook my faith a little. I’d prayed about the decision and had a clear answer from God, but then I hit a major snag. I wasn’t sure if I’d heard God wrong, and I doubted every decision I made on who to hire because I didn’t trust anyone.”
She blew out a breath that tickled her lips. “Boy, do I understand that.”
“I guess what I’m trying to say, is we’re going to face hurts in this life and situations we don’t understand, but that doesn’t change the facts.” He came to a stop in front of the entrance of Camp Margo and turned to look at her. “No matter what happens, God is in control. When everything else spins out of orbit, we have confidence that his power and strength and leadership will keep us in one piece.”
“You’re a wise man, Joel Kingston.”And one I could easily lose my heart to.
He snorted. “I wouldn’t say that, but I believe in letting experience teach me.”
Her gaze traveled to the entrance. Two stone pillars marked the driveway, and an iron arch overhead had the wordsCamp Margoscrolled into it. A two-foot-high stone wall extended out from the entrance fifty feet on each side. Flags from all fifty states danced above the wall as a breeze blew over the landscape.
Joel looked at her. “Are you ready?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes.”
The half-mile drive to the main part of the camp hadn’t changed much since she’d last been there the summer after seventh grade. Acacia trees lined the paved road that led to the camp’s administrative buildings.
“You’ll have to stop by the office and sign in first.” She pointed to a tan structure. “That should be it right there.”
Once in the office, she identified herself as a camp alumni and handed over her driver’s license. Because the camp hosted many politician’s children, security was stringent. After she’d been confirmed and approved, a junior worker gave her and Joel a lanyard with a laminated card attached that identified them as visitors.
Free to roam the camp now, Cassidy led Joel down a dirt path, pointing out buildings of note. “That’s the cafeteria. Most kids will tell horror stories of camp food that tore their stomach up for days until they adjusted, but we had gourmet chefs. No one ever complained about the food here.”
“But isn’t that part of the camp experience?” He wagged his brows and chuckled.
She smiled in return. “I wouldn’t know, and I’m content with that.”
They walked further down the path, and Joel pointed to a white metal building that stood out of place among the tan wooden ones. “What’s the one?”
“That’s the social hall. A few times every summer, the boys from Camp Daniel were invited to events, and that’s where they were held.” She nudged him in his side. “Many stolen kisses happened in the trees behind there.”
