Forever (11 page)

“Some of us didn’t spend our summers at church camp, okay?”

Bailey glared at Cody and returned the gesture.

Before Jenny could continue the checklist, Bailey’s phone sprang to life, and a song began to blare from the tinny speaker. Something about holding on to every moment. Bailey snatched

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her phone and hurried out of the kitchen into the dining room to answer it.

Jenny wanted to follow her, to listen to her end of the conversation, but she resisted. Lately Bryan Smythe had been calling, showering Bailey with flowery compliments and brazen proclamations. Last night after his call, Jenny had found Bailey lying on her bed. Jim was in the living room with the boys, talking to them about fall sports and whether they wanted to play soccer or football.

“I’m so confused.” Bailey sat up. Her shoulders sagged forward. “I’m dating Tanner, and I still like him. I’ve liked him since fourth grade. But every time we talk, I wait for him to ask me about dance or drama-something that’s interesting to me.”

“Hmm.” Jenny didn’t want to steer her daughter in any one direction. But she needed to help her see the whole picture. “Tanner’s never seen you dance, honey.

He’s never been to one of your shows.”

“Exactly.” She exhaled hard.

“But … you’ve never invited him to a performance either.” Jenny sat cross-legged on the bed and leaned her elbow on her knee. “Right?”

“Of course not.” Bailey had looked horrified. “I’d be so embarrassed having Tanner in the audience. He’s used to seeing me in a cheerleader’s uniform, not in a costume acting onstage.”

“Okay, so all I’m saying is you can’t judge him for not asking about dance and drama. Not when you haven’t allowed him a window into that part of your life.”

She ran her fingers along the bedspread between them. “True.”

“So which part’s confusing?”

Bailey lifted her chin. “The Bryan part.”

“Bryan Smythe from CKT?”

“Yes.” Her voice had taken on a dreamy quality. “He’s tall and dark and broad shouldered. And no one can sing like Bryan. No one.”

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“He called you again, didn’t he?”

“Yes.” She fiddled with the promise ring on her left hand, the ring Jenny and Jim had given her on her thirteenth birthday as a symbol of her determination to stay pure. “Tim Reed’s flitting around talking to every girl he comes across, but Bryan … Bryan’s crazy about me, Mom.”

Jenny reminded herself not to react too strongly. She enjoyed these talks with Bailey, and she couldn’t jump to conclusions. But to Jenny something about Bryan Smythe didn’t feel genuine. “What did he say?”

“Well, he asked me if I was still with Tanner, and I said I was. Then he told me that one day-even if he had to wait a long time-I would see the light.”

“See the light?”

“You know, like dump Tanner and go out with him. He said he’d be right there waiting for me, because one day-” her eyes got big-“he’s going to marry me, and then I’d belong to him forever.” She leaned in, her voice full of excitement.

“Isn’t that amazing?”

Jenny winced. She wanted to tell her daughter the entire conversation was ridiculous. Bailey and the guys she knew were too young to talk about anything so important. But if it felt real to Bailey, Jenny knew better. She had to take the discussion seriously. “Dump Tanner? I don’t know. Something about it sounds awfully callous, honey.”

“I know.” She straightened, more serious again. “Those were his words. I’m just saying, at least he’s pursuing me. My talks with Tanner are so … I don’t know… so simple. ‘How’s baseball?’; ‘Good.’ ‘How’s your family?’; ‘Fine.She groaned. “Where’s his passion? It’s like he’s barely alive sometimes.”

Jenny’s memory of last night’s conversation faded as Bailey returned to the kitchen. Her eyes shone brighter than before, and there was a spring in her step. She looked at Katy. “Bryan’s going to teen camp too. I guess he signed up at the last minute.”

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“Good.” Katy stood and rinsed her plate in the sink. “The more guys, the better the show.” She looked over her shoulder at Bailey and Connor. “I think it’ll be a strong cast.”

“Great,” Connor mumbled. “Tim and Bryan in the same show? There goes my chance at a lead.”

Katy pretended not to hear him, but Jenny stepped in. “That’s the wrong attitude, buddy.”

Connor rebounded quickly. “I know. Sorry.” He cleared his plate, rinsed it, and stuck it in the dishwasher. His tone improved almost instantly. “You’re right.

Anyone can win a part on any given day.”

“Exactly!” Katy grabbed her suitcase and sleeping bag. “The kids and I will load the Suburban.”

“Five minutes and I’ll be out there.” Jenny watched them grab the gear and head out to the garage.

Cody finished at the same time and headed for his room downstairs. “Workouts at ten today, right, Coach?” he called over his shoulder.

“Ten and two for you, Coleman. After last year, your two-adays can start this week.”

“Ugh.” He disappeared down the hallway toward his room. Jenny came up behind Jim and put her arms around his shoulders. “You doing okay?”

He swiveled his barstool to face her. “About the coaching stuff?”

“Yeah.” Jenny eyed the boys. They were busy at the far end of the bar, comparing notes on who’d eaten the most toast. She turned her attention back to her husband. “If it’s really on your mind, we can talk about it.”

“No. You’re right. The older kids need the stability. I won’t even think about it until next summer, okay?”

Jenny was overcome with a combination of relief and anxiety, and she tried not to let either show. Only one more year in Bloomington? She loved this city, her involvement with CKT,

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and her relationship with the other parents. She loved the rolling hills and open farmlands and the proximity to Indiana University, where they could see theater and sporting events, and she loved their recent connection with the Baxter family.

One more year? What if that’s all they had? Bloomington was the perfect place to raise a family, and the thought of ever leaving put knots in Jenny’s stomach.

But for Jim she would’ve moved to the moon and somehow figured out a way to enjoy it. After all, he had pulled out of the NFL for her. She could pull out of Bloomington if it meant seeing him do the job he loved.

She kissed him and searched his eyes. “You’re sure? You love coaching. I know that.”

“I am coaching.” He brushed his knuckles against her cheek. “Clear Creek High needs me.”

She rubbed the tip of her nose against his. “I love you, Jim Flanigan.”

“I love you too.”

“Yuck.” Ricky, their youngest, wrinkled his nose and set down his piece of toast. “I’m never getting married. All that yucky kissing.”

“I’m getting married.” Shawn raised his fork in the air. “The sooner the better.

That way I can love her longer.”

His brothers turned on him.

“Sic k. “

“Gross.”

Shawn pierced the air with his fork again. “Of course, by then I’ll run as fast as a cheetah. If she wants to kiss me, she’ll have to catch me first.”

Jenny’s heart melted. Shawn, the oldest of their kids adopted from Haiti, was always the tenderhearted child. Tenderhearted and obsessed with animal facts.

She could hardly wait to see what God did with that combination in the years to come.

“All right, guys.” Jim maneuvered his way around Jenny. “Let’s finish eating.

The gazebo’s calling us!”

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Jenny gently took hold of his arm. “I’m leaving. The camp’s on the other side of Lake Monroe-at the retreat center. I’ll be back in a couple hours.”

“Be safe. Tell the kids I love ‘em.”

At that instant, Bailey and Connor appeared and piled on top of their dad.

“We couldn’t leave without saying good-bye.” Bailey planted a kiss on her father’s cheek. “Pray for us, okay?”

“I will.” Jim chuckled and hugged Connor. “Keep an eye on your sister.”

“I will.”

Jenny waved at Jim and the boys and then put her arms around the shoulders of Bailey and Connor. “Let’s go. You’ll wind up sleeping on the floor if we don’t hurry.”

“True.” Bailey hurried her pace. “I call front.”

“Katy’s got the front,” Connor pointed out.

And with that they made their way to the Suburban in the garage, the adventure of teen camp just an hour away. And as the bantering continued, as Katy chatted with Jenny about Dayne Matthews and his struggles with his current film, as Bailey talked to Connor about Bryan Smythe and Connor guessed about whether Sydney or Chelsea would be on the blue team, Jenny couldn’t help but be grateful for one very wonderful thing.

No matter what the future held, they still had one more year in Bloomington.

Katy was glad for the distraction.

CKT teen camp was one of the most anticipated events of the summer, and this year’s group figured to be the best ever. She would roll up her sleeves and dive in, working alongside the other counselors to make sure they somehow had enough time

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for all the activities scheduled. Katy was heading up the blue team, and her close friend Rhonda was in charge of yellow.

Beyond that they had a new guy joining them-Aaron Woods, a twenty-four-year-old youth pastor from a church on the north side of Bloomington. He’d called in February asking how he could help, and Katy had checked his references. He had played football at Oregon State University and had an impeccable resume. He’d been a speaker at several youth church camps. Katy had him slated for games and the evening talk.

Even so, she’d be busy from early morning until late night. Which meant she’d have less time to worry about Dayne and the final scenes he was working on with Randi Wells this week. The movie was finished, and the early buzz predicted it would be a huge hit. Maybe Dayne’s biggest. But the director wanted them to retake a few of the love scenes. More kissing, more togetherness. More of everything he thought they’d done so well. Dayne planned to argue that what they had was already perfect. Decisions on the various shots would be made later today.

Katy’s conversation with Jenny dropped off, and Jenny turned the radio up. The song wasn’t on the Christian station, but it was a popular one by Switchfoot: “Dare You to Move.”

Katy stared out the window and lifted her eyes to the clear blue sky over Bloomington. Anxiety nipped at her heart. More passionate love scenes between Dayrie and Randi? The thought formed a picture in her mind, one she couldn’t dismiss. If only it were Thanksgiving already. He would be ready to move to Bloomington, and she would be wrapping up Cinderella. November was just three months away, but it felt like an eternity.

The song says it, Lord. Like the enemy is daring me to move, to try and keep on going when the man I love could very well spend the week in the arms of another woman. She kept, her prayer silent, between her and God. I don’t want to worry, and I don’t want to be jealous. I know Dayne’s heart belongs to inc. But please… let him

86 have influence over the clirector. He’s trying to do the right thing, She heard no immediate answer, but she felt a sense of knowing deep within her. God would take care of the situation with Dayne. She felt herself relax.

The Lord would go before her fiance, and all week long God would go before her, too. They had work to finish before they could rriove forward with their wedding plans. And God would help them get things done in a way that brought glory to His name. Dayne’s meeting with the director, her work with the teens-God would be there through all of it, one step at a time. He had brought them this far.

Certainly He would see them through to Thanksgiving.

lirector.

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ate answer, but 5 )01 would take ca relax. The Lor lg God would g )re they could n d would help

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to His name. a the teens-God ne He had roll ;ee them througl Father. Go before him this morning.

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DAYNE MATTHEWS stood outside the director’s door five minutes before their scheduled meeting. The rest of the cast didn’t know about the talk they’d planned for today. But Dayne had no choice. All last week he’d dreaded the retakes scheduled for this morning. Ross wanted more passion, but why? When they’d shot the scenes the first time, he’d been thrilled with what they’d caught on film.

There had even been rumors on the set last week that the director was going to up the ante, offer them a hefty bonus if they’d agree to partial nudity or a steamy shower scene. Dayne wasn’t doing either, no matter what was offered. And if Ross demanded the scenes, he’d simply walk off the set. His agent could work out the details.

He knocked on the director’s door, and a voice inside said, “Come in.”

Dayne entered and shut the door behind him. He crossed his arms and drew a long breath. “We need to talk.”

“Fine.” Ross seemed relaxed. He gestured for Dayne to sit down. “I want your input, Matthews. You know that.” Dayne took the seat opposite the director and gripped the

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chair’s arms. “It’s about the retakes. Why more passion? I don’t get it.”

Ross stood and walked around his desk. He flashed one of his laid-back grins.

“You look uptight, Matthews. Something wrong at home?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Dayne knew better than to rush ahead. His request had to be rational, not based on emotions. He crossed one leg over the other knee.

“Remember when we shot the love scenes? You thought they were amazing. So why change them?”

Ross leaned against the edge of his desk. “More is better. It’s the industry trend. You should know that. More steam, more passion. We reshoot, throw in a few shower and bed scenes, the tabloids get wind of it, and all of a sudden half of America can’t wait to see what edgy level of acting you and Randi are bringing to the picture.”

It was the answer Dayne expected. He nodded, thoughtful. “What about the other industry trend? The cleaner the film, the more money it makes.”

Ross tilted his head. “True.” He allowed an easy laugh. “But with you and Randi, we make money either way.”

“Okay, here’s the thing.” Dayne planted both feet on the floor. “I have a problem with making the scenes hotter. We do that and we change the whole genre.” He waved his hand in the air, trying not to let his frustration show.