Kicking Eternity

Chapter Nine

Chapter 9

Raine watched the campers and their counselors filter toward the road. In the light from the dying campfire, Jesse crouched beside Kallie with Jillian asleep in her lap. Firelight reflected off the blond of Kallie’s hair.

What would it be like to have a husband, a child? She shook the thought off. Lord, I believe You will get me to Africa over the obstacles of my father, and Cal—

As if he’d heard her prayer, Cal hunkered down beside her on the sand. She looked up at the glow of yellow flame on Cal’s face. Her heart picked up speed. She’d never seen him attend campfire. What was he doing here?

Night shadowed his eyes. “Stick around a few?”

She leaned forward, about to stand. “I, uh, I have to get going.”

“Just a couple of minutes. There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

What could she say? ‘No’ would be rude. “Just a few minutes.”

“Jess,” Cal called to his brother, “I’ll douse the fire.” He popped up and walked toward Jesse.

Jesse looked up, surprised.

Cal reached for the bucket. “You get your girls home.” Cal jutted his chin toward Kallie who was rubbing her back with one hand.

Jesse grinned at Cal. “Thanks, bro!”

Cal headed toward the water. Jesse scooped up Jillian and draped her limp form over one shoulder. He held a hand out to Kallie. She grabbed it and hefted her pregnant body from the sand.

Lord— Raine’s heart groaned.

Jesse and Kallie waved and moved toward the road to follow the string of campers threading toward camp.

The bucket sloshed seawater as Cal set it down. He sat facing her, knees drawn up in front of him. One hand clasped his wrist. “I want to paint you.”

She sucked in a breath. What?

“Your eyes are as big as sand dollars. Don’t freak, okay? I’ve wanted to paint you since the first time I saw you on the Canteen porch. You’ve got great bone structure. You could sit for me after dinner for like… a week.”

No! The answer is ‘no’! “When will you surf?” She grasped at something, anything, to buy time to think.

“If I want to surf, I can get my butt out of bed in the morning.”

“I don’t know,” she hedged. She didn’t want Cal staring at her for who knew how long.

“Look, I’m an artist. I don’t see someone every day I want to paint.”

All she could think about was how they were alone in the firelight right now. God, help me.

Wind blew off the ocean feeding the fire. Now she could see Cal’s eyes boring into hers. She shook her head. “I can’t, Cal—”

“Why?”

“It’s the same conversation we keep having.”

“You’re avoiding me. I used to see you fifteen times a day. This is the first time I’ve seen you this week, and I had to come looking for you.”

“I’m busy—”

“I don’t care if you hate my guts. Sit for me and I’ll leave you alone the rest of the summer. You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to. It’s easier to paint without conversation anyway. You can pray for all I care.”