Everlasting Love by Valerie Hansen

ability to concentrate on her heavenly Father while most of her brain felt like it was getting one of Bobby Joe’s swirlies!
    Picturing such a silly scenario brought a chuckle. She rubbed her eyes. Clearly, this project at Camp Refuge had cast her as a student, as well as a teacher. She could show the children how to properly care for animals and encourage love and trust between them, but the real results were going to be up to God—on all fronts.
    Megan could understand how easy it would be to adopt James’s habit of seeing himself in charge of whatever happened, good or bad. However, there was much more going on here than that. It looked as if she was about to enter another advanced course in what she’d come to think of as “God School.”
    Self-doubt immediately began to flutter at the fringes of her mind like tiny moths circling a lightbulb on a summer’s eve. How could she hope to show anyone else the path to peace and happiness when she, herself, lacked absolute trust? She was human. She had misgivings, fears. Everybody did. The question was, why was she still fretting about those concerns when she should have given them over to the Lord’s keeping and gone to sleep long ago?
    Megan took her frustrations out on her feather pillow by pounding it into a more comfortable shape.
    Something told her she’d just been given her first exam in the new class God had enrolled her in. And she’d flunked, big-time.
    Â 
    James awoke to daylight from a fitful sleep, wondering how any time could have passed. If he hadn’t had his boys to worry about, he’d have pulled the covers over his head and dozed for at least another hour. Unfortunately, he could hear that they were already up so he had no choice but to join them.
    He got to the door of the communal bathroom in time to see Zac put a headlock on his brother and start for one of the stalls.
    James’s loud “Good morning” put a quick end to the prank.
    â€œHey, Mr. Harris,” the oldest boy called, giving Bobby Joe a parting pat on the head, “long time no see. I thought you were gonna sleep all day.”
    Yawning, James raked his fingers through his hair to comb it back. “Don’t tempt me.”
    Zac was grinning and leering at the same time. “You sure stayed up late enough last night. So, when’s that sweet thing comin’ back to see us?”
    The arch of James’s eyebrow was no accident. He stared at Zac without speaking until the boy flinched, then looking around, James said, “I expect you all to treat Ms. White with the same respect and consideration you give me and everybody else who works here. The same goes for her animals. Understand?”
    As soon as the boys nodded, he continued. “When she gets here and sets up her program, I’ll make up a daily schedule. Anybody who wants to learn about the animals will have a turn. But…if any of you cause trouble, that will end your chances to spend time in her campsite. Is that clear?”
    Mumbled answers of “Yes, sir” echoed in the cavernous, tiled bathroom.
    â€œGood,” James said. “I’m glad to hear it. Now, if you guys are finished with your showers, I’d like to take one.”
    All the children scattered except Zac, who lounged with his thin back against a porcelain sink, crossed his arms and grinned from ear to ear.
    James eyed him cautiously. “Yes?”
    â€œI was just thinkin’,” Zac drawled. “If you want me to keep those kids busy so you can romance Miss Megan without bein’ disturbed, it’s gonna cost you.”
    â€œOh, it is, huh?” His mouth twitched with a suppressed smile. “And what makes you think I have any such notion?”
    The boy huffed. “Man, if you don’t, you’re dumber than I thought you were.”
    It was all James could do to keep from bursting out laughing. Instead, he grabbed a towel by one corner, flicked