A Friend to Trust
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Lee Tobin McClain
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HarlequinChapter One
“Mom! You said Mr. Stan would be in charge here.”
The boy’s anxiety-laced words made Hayley Harris look up from the paperwork she was frantically trying to complete on each new camper at the Bright Tomorrows Residential Academy’s summer camp.
Standing above her at the outdoor check-in table was the ninth teen boy in the group of twenty-eight campers. All young teenagers, and all somehow at risk. The one in front of her appeared to be about thirteen, tall and lanky, and he was looking worriedly at his frowning mother.
Hayley pushed back her hair. Why hadn’t she brought a ponytail holder? It was hot in the afternoon sunshine.
She took a deep breath, then another, and managed a sympathetic smile. She had expected Stan Davidson to be in charge here, too. His absence meant she was winging it, getting all the campers registered while appearing to be a calm, confident leader.
That shouldn’t be a problem. She’d run the school cafeteria for three years and was used to hectic situations. Stan knew her and her qualifications well, and he’d hired her for the camp position almost as soon as she’d applied.
But there was a lot riding on this job. If she hoped to get the recommendations she needed for her fast-track teacher-training program, she needed to shine as a camp co-director. Even if things weren’t going according to plan. Even if Stan, her far more experienced partner, had gone AWOL.
The air smelled of the large ponderosa pines that surrounded the school grounds. Behind the mother-son pair, the Colorado Rocky Mountains loomed, gorgeous, still snowcapped even in mid-June. God had created the mountains, and the worried boy, and the Bright Tomorrows Academy where the camp was being held. He knew everything that was going to happen today, and He had it under control.
Calmed by the natural beauty and her understanding of where it came from, she felt her shoulders loosen. Everything would be okay.
Unfortunately, the environment wasn’t having the same effect on the mother and son in front of her.
“The brochure indicated that Stan Davidson was in charge,” the mother said to the boy then frowned at Hayley as if she’d outright lied or else kidnapped her co-director. “I spoke to him just yesterday, and he didn’t mention a word about not being here.”
Nothing was going as planned today, but Haley mustered up a smile. She had to make this work. Had to help these boys have breakthroughs this summer. To Hayley, it was personal. And this summer job was her big chance. “Stan is running behind today, but I’m sure he’ll be here any minute. Meanwhile, your name?”
“He’s Jeremy Ruffles, and he needs a male influence.” The boy’s mother stepped closer.
“He’ll get plenty of that.” Hayley tried to make eye contact with the boy and failed because he was staring down at his feet, chewing on his lower lip. Poor kid. She scanned the group of counselors standing near the dorm building behind her. There was Markus, a kind college-aged intern, and she beckoned to him. “Could you take Jeremy to room...” She checked her list. “To room 302, and help him get settled?” Using the residential school as a camp meant the boys got to stay in a dormitory, not tents or cabins.
“Sure thing. Come on this way.”
Only as Jeremy and his mother turned and started walking away did Hayley see the dog beside the boy. A gorgeous, fluffy-white Samoyed, wearing a red vest that identified it as a working dog. The dog trotted beside Jeremy, bumping against his leg, so striking that people stopped their conversations to stare at it and smile.
The dog must have been sitting quietly at the boy’s feet while she’d checked him in, but even so, she should have noticed. Shouldn’t be so frazzled. She had to pull it together.
Quickly, Hayley scanned her paperwork. How had she missed that there was a service or emotional support dog coming to camp? Maybe he was the mother’s dog. But no, he was in harness, sticking close to the boy, who was holding his leash.
Before Hayley could figure out what to ask, the mother turned back. “I’m not happy with the organization here. We waited in line for twenty minutes!” She stomped off after her son.
“I’m sorry about that, ma’am,” Hayley said to her retreating back. No, now wasn’t the time to dig into the service dog issue. Not that it was an issue, or not an insurmountable one. It was just that if Jeremy’s roommate was allergic to animals or had a fear of them, they’d have to make a last-minute change. The dog was gorgeous, but with that amount of fur... Hayley made a mental note to tell the cleaning staff they’d need to take extra care in Jeremy’s room.
Surreptitiously, Haley checked the time again. Where was Stan? Her sixtysomething partner in this endeavor had years of experience running the camp. Maybe he’d know what was up with Jeremy and his dog.
Maybe he’d know how to smooth Mom’s ruffled feathers.
A thread of worry wound itself around her heart. Stan was never late. What if something had happened to him?
Nothing’s wrong. Just prove you can do this.
It was an unorthodox way to transition from her current school-year job, directing food service at Bright Tomorrows, to working directly with the boys. The fast-track teaching certification program, the only one she could afford, would accept the camp director job as education experience, but only if she got two positive recommendations and no complaints about her work.
She beckoned to the next family in the check-in line. “Hi, I’m Hayley, one half of the director team. And you are...?”
She continued checking campers in, trying to project warmth and friendliness and reassurance. Even though the boys, every one of them, presented a tough image, Hayley knew from other kids she’d worked with that images didn’t reflect reality. A lot of these boys were probably scared inside.
There were twenty-eight of them, all in the summer before eighth grade. All at risk in one way or another.
If they had a wonderful time here, they might return and spend their high school years at Bright Tomorrows Residential Academy. That would be a boon for the school, always struggling to boost its enrollment.
Just as she finished with the last two boys and sent them along with one of the counselors to get set up in the dormitory, Nate Fisher walked in.
Or maybe strode was a better word. Marched?
Nate was a pastor, but he carried himself like the soldier he’d been.
At six feet tall with dark hair and eyes and a strong jaw, he was good-looking enough to draw the eye of every female in the room. The combination of nurturing pastor and tough veteran was irresistible.
Hayley, however, had so far managed to resist, despite the efforts of her friends to match them up.
She shoved her laptop aside, along with the confusing feelings Nate often evoked in her, and stood. “Pastor Nate. How come you’re wearing a Bright Tomorrows shirt? We don’t need you until Sunday.” Nate had worked with the campers on spiritual development for the past two summers and was slated to do the same this year.
“Actually,” Nate said, “you need me now. Stan’s had a heart attack.”
Haley gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth as her stomach plummeted. “Oh no! Is he okay?” She noticed that a couple of the families had overheard something in her voice and looked back in their direction. Not wanting to alarm them, she walked around the table to stand closer to Nate. Her heart twisted at the thought of fit, energetic, Stan Davidson having such a serious health crisis. “Please tell me he’s doing okay.”
“He’s going to recover, but he’s in the hospital and facing a lot more tests. They don’t expect him to be able to work for three or four weeks.”
Haley swallowed. “The camp program is only six weeks long.” She glanced around at the milling counselors, the couple of families who’d come back into the area. What would they do without him? She’d expected to learn the ropes from Stan, not jump in and take his place.
“Uh—Hayley.” Nate cleared his throat. “The board of directors asked me to fill in.”
She must have misheard that. “They asked you to what?”
“Fill in. Take Stan’s place leading the summer program. Co-leading it. With you.”
“But...you know nothing about it.” And I really don’t want to work with you that closely. “I’m sure you have all kinds of important things to do for the church.”
He looked at her sharply, as if to detect whether she’d been sarcastic. Had she been? She hardly knew herself. Nate was an excellent pastor, full of charm, a good speaker, always ready to reach out and lend a hand. He even did a lot of the maintenance at the church, saving the congregation from having to hire repair workers. In fact, he volunteered for everything that needed doing in the town of Little Mesa.
The woman who’d complained before, Jeremy’s mom, came toward them. She was definitely marching and definitely displeased. “There are no towels or linens in the room.” She propped her hands on her hips and scowled at Hayley.
“They were on the packing list,” Hayley said gently. “Campers bring their own sheets and towels.”
“I never received a list!”
Jeremy came out of the dorm then, chatting easily with the counselor who’d helped them, his dog trotting beside him.
The counselor stopped beside a couple of other boys, and it was clear he was introducing Jeremy. The dog sat beside him, eyes sparkling, ears attentive, mouth curved up in what seemed to be a smile.
“Girl or boy?” she heard one of the other boys ask.
“Girl,” Jeremy answered. “Her name’s Snowflake.”
The dog was gorgeous, but how long would her fur stay so beautifully white in a camp environment?
The other boys seemed fascinated by the friendly, alert dog, one of them reaching out to pet it. The counselor deterred him, gently, pointing to the dog’s red service vest. But Jeremy spoke and nodded, kneeling beside the dog. First one boy, then the other, reached out to pat the dog’s snowy head.
The best thing was that Jeremy was smiling and talking to the other boys. Maybe when his mother left, the problems would resolve.
“I’m going to complain to the people in charge.” Jeremy’s mother lifted her chin and flared her nostrils. She didn’t seem to notice that her son had come out of the dorm. That, or she just paid him no attention. “I’m shocked and unimpressed.”
Hayley opened her mouth to speak and then shut it again, her stomach churning. Would this woman really complain? Any serious grievance would make a terrible impression on the teaching program’s admissions committee.
Beside her, Nate cleared his throat and stuck out his right hand to the angry woman. “I’m Nate Fisher, and I’m going to help run the camp for the moment,” he said, giving her the eye contact and smile that made him a popular pastor.
“But—”
“Although you were expected to bring your own linens and towels, I’m sure we can find some spares for your son.” There was the tiniest touch of censure in Nate’s voice, and the woman closed her mouth abruptly. “Would you like for me to walk you to your car,” he went on, “and you can tell me what you’re hoping your son will gain from the camp experience?”
Hayley had to turn away so that her smile didn’t show. Nate had neatly turned things around, putting the woman in her place without ever being impolite.
When she looked back, the two of them were walking toward the parking lot, talking earnestly.
Nate had a ridiculous amount of charm, as well as leadership abilities he’d no doubt developed in the military and honed in his role as a church pastor. He would be a boon for the program. Maybe he could even prevent the cranky woman from reporting her dissatisfaction.
She should welcome his assistance, be grateful for it. He’d showed up like a rescuing superhero, and any sensible woman would embrace his support. But Hayley was wary of a man like Nate, who represented all she’d vowed to forgo.
Hayley started gathering up paperwork. She was worried about Stan, wanted to drop everything and go to the hospital to check on him, but she was responsible for the boys and the camp.
She thought through the rest of the day, trying to plan for the new circumstances. The counselors were already dividing the boys into groups for an icebreaker activity and then they’d all have dinner together in the cafeteria. Dinner that Hayley would oversee, of course, since she ran food services at the school year-round.
Hopefully, at some point soon, she’d make the switch from food service to teaching, but for now, during this summer’s camp, she’d do a little of both.
After dinner, the counselors would have hall meetings to make sure everyone understood the rules and complete more icebreakers to help the boys bond together.
Nate came back toward her. “I think she’s calmed down,” he said. “Tell me what I can do to help now, and when there’s a free moment, we can talk about the change of co-directors and how we’ll need to punt.”
He sounded so calm and sure of himself, and his attitude convinced Hayley that it was really true. She’d be directing the camp with Nate all summer.
She needed him, the boys and the camp needed him. She should be welcoming and grateful. Should be eager to plan how to work together. That was what a true professional would feel and how a true professional would act.
But Hayley’s background meant that confidence was hard to come by. And something about Nate’s apparently endless self-assurance—as well as his good looks and charming smile—rubbed her the wrong way.
“There won’t be a free moment anytime soon.” Hayley glanced down at her tablet, which held her to-do list. “I guess just...look around for any other wandering parents and make sure there are no more complaints? And encourage them to say their goodbyes and go. I’ll make sure the volunteers are set for now, and then I’ll be cooking in the cafeteria. Training my temporary staff, as well, so maybe we can talk after lights out? Briefly?”
He was studying her, his head tilted to one side, his expression speculative. She forced herself to meet his eyes. Calm, steady, professional.
“Sure. After lights out.” He turned and headed for a small group of parents emerging from the dorm building.
She tore her eyes away. Nate Fisher was attractive and appealing, and that was just what she needed to be cautious about.
If she really had to work with him, which seemed inevitable, she needed to keep him at a safe distance.
By ten o’clock, Nate was exhausted. Twenty-eight boys, all jostling for status, most homesick. Quite a handful.
He’d worked with new recruits during his time in the army, but they were way more disciplined than these boys. And he’d been the chaplain for the campers for the past two years, but he’d never known all that went on behind the scenes until today. Glancing over Stan’s notes for half an hour had been the extent of his training before being thrown into the role.
It didn’t help that his pretty co-director seemed to hate him.
That didn’t make sense. He was doing her a favor, right? And he and Hayley were friends, kind of. At least, they hung out with the same group of people. She was an active member of his church.
Although, come to think of it, they hadn’t spent much time one-on-one.
That was odd, because their friends were always suggesting that he should ask her out. If he’d been interested in getting into a relationship, he would probably have done it, because Hayley was pretty and smart and caring.
Caring toward other people. Not so much toward him.
He walked out to the bench where they’d agreed to meet. Hayley was already there, slumped, scrolling on her phone. “Hey,” he said softly so as not to startle her.
“Hey, Nate,” she said and looked up at him. “Thank you for stepping in today. You were a big help, but you don’t have to continue.”
Yes, she definitely had an attitude toward him. “I’ll stay the course.”
“But...how will you do it alongside your other full-time job?”
That wasn’t her problem, but in the interest of workplace harmony, he sketched out the basics of his plan. “Church programming slows down in the summer, and the staff-parish relations committee is bringing in some guest speakers.” He would lose whatever recreational time he had, but that was fine. Since his vast error of judgment that had cost his twin brother’s life, Nate had made a vow: other people’s needs came before his own.
There was a shout from the direction of the cottages. Not a having-fun shout; an upset shout. “Uh-oh,” Nate said, and both he and Hayley started walking in that direction.
Reggie, one of the younger counselors who stood out because of the tattoos that covered both arms, ran toward them. “We can’t find the Margolis brothers,” he said breathlessly.
Nate’s brain and heart snapped into emergency mode as he called the sullen, almost-same-age boys to mind. “When did you see them last?”
“The campers went to wash up and then we were going to have hall meetings,” he said. “Jeff Margolis wasn’t there, and his roommate said he went to take a shower, but he never came back. We checked to see if he was with his brother, and it turns out Mark is missing, too.”
Another counselor emerged from the dorms and came over. “They’re not in the building. I checked everywhere.”
“Where are the other boys?” Hayley asked.
“They’re inside, doing hall meetings. We didn’t want to freak everyone out, so we kept it between the two of us.”
“Good decision,” Nate said. “Let’s split up. You two take the area in front of the school, and Hayley and I will search behind it.” He quickly put their numbers into his phone.
The two counselors looked relieved to be told what to do. They hurried off toward the front of the residence hall.
“Text me if you find out anything,” he called after them, only belatedly recognizing that he was using his drill sergeant voice.
Hayley looked up at him, frowning. “I get that this is an emergency, but you don’t need to take over like that. We should work as a team.”
“Sorry,” Nate said automatically. Military personnel understood the importance of having one person in charge in a dangerous situation. Civilians sometimes didn’t, and there was no time to explain. “Let’s start doing circles around our section.”
“You do that,” Hayley said, still frowning. “I think I’ll look over by the old shed.”
“We need to stay together.” He barked it out, a clear order. They needed to search, now.
She lifted an eyebrow, clearly unintimidated. “Then come with me. I have a hunch about this.”
What good was a hunch when two kids were missing? On the other hand, Hayley worked here year-round and knew the lay of this land better than Nate did. He wasn’t the officer in charge. She was. He nodded and fell into step behind her.
Minutes later, they crept up to the shed. Hayley raised her hand and put it to her ear, indicating that they should listen.
Sure enough, a low comment and a laugh, quickly stifled, came from inside. As did a vapory cloud of smoke.
The two of them glanced at each other then stepped forward together. Nate flung open one rickety wooden door and Hayley the other. They’d neither one thought to bring flashlights, but their phones did the job of revealing the two Margolis brothers inside, one sitting on an old tractor, the other leaning against the wall.
The one on the tractor, Mark, was smoking a cigarette while the other, Jeff, seemed to be using a vape pen. They didn’t even try to hide what they were doing, and Nate saw red. “Do you know how dangerous smoking is?” he demanded. “Hand it over. Now.” He held out his hand for the vape pen, looming over the kid.
He felt Hayley’s hand on his sleeve. “Nate.”
He was too angry to pay attention. “And you.” He pointed at Mark. “Put that cigarette out, now. All the way out. In addition to the damage to your lungs, cigarettes cause fires. Lives lost and property damage in the millions.”
“Nate.” Hayley’s hand tightened on his arm and she spoke quietly but emphatically. “Stand down. Let me handle the rest of this.”
“They need to—”
“Nate.” Her voice was a little sharper, and it brought him back to himself and the situation in front of him. The two boys looked scared, and young. Mark had ground out his cigarette and was stomping it, his shoulders hunched. Jeff had thrown his vape pen to the floor and backed into the corner of the shed like he was afraid Nate was going to hit him.
“Let’s all go cool off outside.” Hayley’s glare said that she meant the words for Nate as she took the pack of cigarettes, picked up the vape pen and beckoned for both of the boys to follow her.
Nate still felt angry, but he knew he’d gone too far. Hayley beckoned to the boys, and it was clear that she had the situation under control.
He walked away from the shed and texted the two searching counselors that the boys had been found. Meanwhile, Hayley talked to the boys, sternly, in a low voice, and then walked them back to the entrance of the dorm, where the counselors had just arrived.
Hayley walked toward Nate and, before she could open her mouth, he held up a hand. “I know, I know. You think I came down too hard on them.”
“You did. This is important to me, Nate. Really important. I want to do right by these boys.”
And he didn’t? “Sometimes tough love is the best way to reach kids.”
She raised an eyebrow. “It’s their first day. I don’t want to start with a hardline approach.”
“We need to start as we mean to go on. Stricter, even.”
Rather than continue the argument, she crossed her arms over her chest and studied him thoughtfully. “What’s really going on, Nate? I’ve known you awhile and I’ve seen you working with kids at church. I’ve never heard you get angry before.”
Her words stopped him, made him realize, suddenly, why he’d gotten so mad. He banged his fists together, lightly, and shook his head. “My mom has COPD. Years of smoking means it’s advancing fast. I can’t stand to see kids smoking.”
“Ouch.” She bit her lip as she looked up at him. “That makes sense. I’m sorry about your mom.”
The compassion in her voice touched a part of his heart he usually kept locked away. “Thanks.”
“And,” she said, “it’s probably not a bad idea to put a little fear into those boys, try to set them on the right path.” She turned. “I’m going to head for my cabin. It’s been a long day.”
“I’ll walk you back.”
“There’s no need.”
“I’m not letting you walk alone.”
She shrugged. “Fine.”
So they walked together down the road, the sky a dark, jewel-spattered bowl overhead, the air crisp. She was wearing a short-sleeved Bright Tomorrows T-shirt and jeans, and when she shivered, he felt a strange impulse to put an arm around her, barely stopping himself in time.
They didn’t have that close and affectionate of a relationship. Not by a mile.
When they reached her door, Hayley unlocked it and stepped inside. “Thanks,” she said. She flashed a smile that had him backing away fast to quell his own reaction. She had a great smile.
His phone buzzed, breaking the nighttime quiet. He glanced down to see a message from Stan.
We need to talk privately. ASAP. Something you need to know.
