Second Chance Ranch (18 page)

“Too bad.”

“Eewww. Is that what we have to do?”

Sets of horrified eyes bore into her. The noise level grew and Jen sensed mutiny was on its way. Where was saving grace when you needed it most?

“Don’t let any handsome sixth grader steal my spot.” Zac squeezed her hand before catching Patrick and pulling him aside.

“Jen, do we have to do this?” A girl pulled her arm from her partner’s grip. “Camp is supposed to be fun.”

“And well rounded. You keep forgetting that part,” she said as she tried to figure out what Zac was up to.

“Can’t we save that for school?”

“Attention everyone, we’ve got a change in plans.” Patrick walked over to the kitchen counter and thumbed through the stack of CDs. He pulled one out, showed it to Zac who nodded.

“How about if we forget the Square Dance--”

Cheers filled the room. The boys raced to the flat screen hooked to the video games and flopped down on the furniture. Patrick shook his head and waved them back into place.

“We’re going to learn to line dance instead.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

He’d initially come to talk to Jennifer, to explain about the mix up in ranch ownership. How he’d do his best to help her find the perfect place to move her camp. But when he stepped in the door and saw her laughing with the kids and trying to reassure them they were going to enjoy themselves, he couldn’t bring himself to wipe the smile from her face. There’d be plenty of time for her to hate him later. Since church service that morning, he felt his heart shift and it had shifted in the direction of Jennifer O’Reilly. He wasn’t sure what exactly he was supposed to do with his rediscovered feelings, but he knew one thing for certain. She needed help and he was the one to give it to her.

Square Dancing. How lame.

But, it was a start.

Zac stepped up and indicated the kids spread out. “This, my friends, is a skill you’ll use the rest of your lives.” Groans louder than before lifted to the timber rafters as the boys skulked back to their places and the girls inched their way around in one bunch. Zac urged a couple of the girls to the right, the others to the left and shifted the shy to grumpy ratio.

“Lots of western dances start with these easy steps. And we don’t have to listen to corny music.” He clapped his hands and looked for Patrick. “Patrick? What did you find?”

“Looks like we have just about everything country here.” He stood beside the granite counter outside the kitchen. Using both hands, he flipped through a stack of CDs. “What do you want?”

“Brooks and Dunn? Boot Scootin’ Boogie?”

Capable fingers snapped up a plastic case. “Got it.”

Zac grinned. “All right, campers. Let’s have some fun. Form two lines. Go boy-girl-boy-girl.” He picked and sorted through the kids as they volleyed for position. Satisfied with his work, he looked around until he spotted Jen.

“Jen, take the back, okay? You’ve done this as long as I have.” He met her bright gaze across the room, her sweet lips parted in a smile that made him want to hang up thoughts of dancing and take his girl out for a moonlight walk.

His girl.
Not yet. First he had to tell her he owned the Trails’ End.

Shaking away the mood before it ruined his night, Zac looked over the expectant faces filled with a mix of excitement and dread. This was Jen’s world now. She had a soft heart, he’d always known that. He’d taken it for granted, too. The Lord had jolted him this morning when He’d grabbed Zac’s attention with a swift punch to the conscience, right there between the Gospel lesson and the Offering. He and Jennifer might have a chasm of differences yawning between them, but they also had a thread of common goals that kept them tethered together. Zac was tired of being the outsider in her life. He wanted smack in the middle of the stir.

“See Jennifer O’Reilly, head nurse and chief bandage wrapper back there?” He nodded at her over the herd of adolescents. “Well, she’s been known to wear a path in the old wood floor when the right song is playing. And she’s partial to Brooks and Dunn, so you guys watch me and Jen will watch you. By the end of the night, you’ll be Boot Scootin’ all the way back to your cabins.”

Girls giggled and boys groaned. Jen stepped back and forth behind the row lining up her crew, a soft rosy glow washing her face. She hugged a little boy who looked uncertain about the whole dance thing and pointed to two of the girls in front of her. She said something to the small group and they all laughed with the boy grabbing the hands of the two girls.

It all appeared so natural, so effortless. Why he hadn’t he seen it before? Jen didn’t just run a camp. She created a home. A safe place for the kids to be themselves.

And in order for her to do her best at what she did, she didn’t need the millstone of a ranch around her neck dragging her down. He’d make her see that first
and then
spring his news on her.

Standing front and center, he waited for the noise to die down. Tonight, he’d help her create an unforgettable night for the kids. He’d help her do what she loved.

“Patrick, you gonna join us?” Jen yelled across the room as she waved to an empty spot beside her. “Zac’s one of the best teachers around.”

Squaring his shoulders at her praise, he waved to Patrick. “C’mon, Pat. Grab a back seat and let Jen help you along.”

Patrick held his hands up. “Someone’s gotta run the music. I’ll watch and catch up the next time.”

“Let’s start simple. Watch my feet and follow me.” Zac turned his back on the kids. He started with a simple side step, half pivot, foot kick. Rustling and giggles erupted. Glancing over his shoulder, he caught sight of a bit more stepping and kicking going on than called for.

“Whoa there, guys. I can see I need to be a little more hands on.” He parted the front line and inserted right in the middle. “All right let’s try this again. Side-step, half pivot, front kick. Got it?”

A couple of them got it. They tried again. More got it. Finally Zac waved his arms and pointed to Patrick. “We need music and a demonstration. Jennifer, come up here and help me show our fine audience how it’s done.”

Her clear laugh called all sorts of memories to mind, but Zac shook them away. He wanted the present. He wanted more. Kids laughed as she picked her way to the front of the room, handing out hugs like salted caramel treats. “Zac’s right. Watch how we do it and follow along when you feel like it.”

Guitar music filled the room and he began to tap his foot. He’d danced with Jen back when they were in junior high school. Back then, she had to drag him out onto the floor. By the time he figured out girls loved a willing dancer, he decided this dancing stuff was all right. He glanced over at Jen as she moved to the introductory chords.

“Listen to the beat,” she was telling the kids. “Start by clapping.”

Zac joined in, clapping with her. Soon they began to move and the side step, half pivot, front kick just happened. The kids continued to clap while he and Jen finished one complete move.

“See?” Zac called into the crowd. “It’s sorta like square dancing.” A little girl at the back of the room twirled around and kicked out an impressive two-step. He waved and caught her attention. “You’re a natural. Come up here and help.”

She sashayed her way up to the front and stood at Zac’s other side. “What’s your name, young lady?”

“Kelsey. I love dancing.”

“All right, then. Let’s do it.” With the music blaring, the kids clapping in time, the three of them moving, soon the whole room stepped in time to the tune.

Jen laughed beside him, the sweetest, happiest sound he’d ever heard. “Zac, this is great! They’re loving it. You’re wonderful.”

Warmth spread through him like hot clover honey. Pretty sad situation when such a simple line dance could make him feel ten feet tall. “Ready for a couple more steps?”

The kids cheered. Step-step, hop, kick, turn. Jen danced beside him in fluid motion. Busy watching her move in perfect rhythm, he forgot to turn.

“Zac, the other way.” She reached out and snagged him before he tripped over Kelsey.

Her elegant fingers brushed his sleeve sending a zing of awareness straight through him. He caught his step and turned. Kelsey danced on his right, her feet a blur of motion. She clapped and turned and there he was again – a step behind.

“Just checkin’ on you.” He stepped out of the line before he hurt himself and just watched the fun.

The refrain wound up. “Boot scootin’ boogie,” the kids all shouted, shaking their hands in the air. Laughter rang along with their cheers of success.

“Way to go.” Zac cheered. “You guys just learned your first line dance. You were great.”

Jen clapped loud and long for the kids. Golden highlights gleamed as her hair swept across her face in disarray. The tail of her shirt puffed out from the waistband of her jeans. She hadn’t spared the energy for the dance that was for sure. His gaze traveled down her long legs to her worn, rust colored boots. He almost laughed. Jen always put fashion in the most utilitarian of terms, her boots not excepting.

“Can we do another one?” Kelsey nudged him from the side. “That was fun.”

Zac went into the Electric Slide, using the same steps only adding more. They had a few dancers slip and slide through the steps, but everyone caught on to the rhythm and even got their turn rights and turn lefts. By the end of the evening, he looked across a floor full of happy, tired faces.

Patrick punched off the music. “So are you telling me this was more fun than square dancing?”

An automatic cheer went up. Patrick shook his head. “Guess I better spend my winter brushing up on line dancing for the next season of campers, unless you want to stick around, Zac?”

His heart jumped to this throat. He planned to stick around. He wasn’t so certain about the camp. “It’s a great place. Hey, how did your presentation to the Foundation turn out?”

A spark ignited in her already bright eyes. “Terrific. The hospital board toured the facility and seemed impressed. They asked questions about the development of the camp and my future plans. Oh, Zac, they sounded just as excited about the growth opportunities as I’d hoped.”

Acid churned in his stomach making it feel like a spiked lead ball ripping at his insides. Now was the perfect time to tell her. He could draw her aside and tell her the truth. He could tell her the whole deal was a huge misunderstanding and that Arthur Eklund’s will didn’t amount to a cup full of pennies…or he could savor her joy for just a little while longer. “And you were worried about impressing them.” The words stuck in his throat, but he pushed on. “Of course they loved your ideas.”

“I know. Thanks for having faith in me.” Jen brushed up against his arm and gave him a hug. Without thinking he encircled her waist and drew her closer, the soft tone of her laugh echoing into his chest. He felt like a heel the whole time he held her, knowing by the end of the week their relationship would never be the same again. God help him, he didn’t want to think that far ahead. He hadn’t a clue of how this whole thing could possibly turn out well.

“This is it, Zac.” Jen caught her breath. “This is what the camp here at Trails’ End is all about. Letting go and being yourself. God's grace and mercy at its best. They had a blast.”

He breathed in the scent of her warm skin as he rubbed his nose in her hair. “So did I.”

“Me, too.” Jen swayed in his grasp. “You can do everything, Zac.”

He shook his head. “I’m just an old cowboy, good at training horses, cutting hay, and taking a turn around a dance floor. Nothing special about that.”

Jen’s arms tightened around him. Her blue gaze soft and promising. “You’ve always been special, Zac Davidson. And if you weren’t so full of yourself, you’d see it.”

If they didn’t get out of the barn right now, he’d show Jen and everyone else there how full of love he was for Jennifer O’Reilly. Stuffing his arms in his jacket, he clasped her hand and tugged her toward the door. “C’mon. It looks like your folks have everything taken care of.”

* * *

Jen hesitated as Zac tugged her toward the door, his warm fingers tangled with hers. Patrick and a couple of the house parents were gathering the chairs and sweeping the floor. Tina stood beside the stereo speakers, grinning at her. When she opened her mouth, Tina frowned and waved her away before catching Patrick and handing him a stack of electronics cords.

She bumped into Zac’s shoulder. He pressed close, his arm settling around her waist. “Are you okay?”

She’d been dismissed by Tina which was better than asking permission to leave. “Of course. I just had a great night of dancing and the kids are all happy about it. Life couldn’t be better.”

“Doesn’t take much to make you happy, does it?” He held the door open as they stepped out into the cool night air.

Jen waved to the campers as they ran around under the glow of the yard lights. She spotted a couple of counselors standing along the corral fence watching the kids and Jen relaxed. “It never has.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I remember a gal all bent on getting into the right school years ago. Had to have a good pre-med program. Had to be DU. You can’t tell me your little world wouldn’t have caved if the University of Denver hadn’t accepted you.”