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  As she climbed into her own bed a short time later, after first making sure Sheila was all right, Lexa pondered the change in her own thinking. For the first time in her life, she truly belonged somewhere. Surely God Himself led her to the TeamWork camp. She was part of a group working toward a common goal, helping others and making lasting friends along the way. It felt good. But it was about more than making herself feel good. It was about serving the Heavenly Father. By doing that, she showed others how much He loves them, too. And that felt right.

  Then there was a very tall, handsome man named Sam Lewis. Lexa smiled as she pictured him in her mind. The hole in her heart was mending, a void in her life slowly being filled. After what Rebekah told her about Shelby, Lexa hoped she could help Sam fill the void in his heart. They needed each other. At least for now.

  ~~**~~

  Margarita missed the first few days of school following the incident in the San Antonio marketplace, but started coming back later in the week. Lexa noticed with relief that the girl looked all right and her spirits were what she’d consider normal. While never giddy with happiness, Margarita participated in class and worked hard.

  Every now and then, the little girl’s eyes fell on Lexa. Those eyes were way too young to look so haunted. Full of sadness. Lexa spent as much one-on-one time with her as she could. Sometimes in the late afternoon, Margarita would grow weary, and she’d crawl onto Lexa’s lap. Stroking her long hair, Lexa sang quiet songs and stole a kiss on her forehead every now and again. Snuggling closer, Margarita put one finger in her mouth and closed her eyes.

  Pray for her, Lexa. It was that same small voice that whispered, more and more in her mind, in her heart.

  Lexa wrestled with confiding in either Rebekah or Sam about Sheila. The scene with her husband—if that’s who he really was—didn’t sit well. The whole thing seemed shady, with him all dressed in black and tying Sheila’s hands behind her back. In the dark. No, this wasn’t good at all.

  After debating it all the next day, Lexa decided she had to tell someone, for Sheila’s own good. Working with Josh at the worksite, she sensed he could tell something was bothering her, but respected her silence. The Lord would honor her decision if she told Sam, not as breaking a promise to someone, but in order to protect that person from possible physical harm. As the leader of the camp, Sam should know.

  “Sam, I need to talk with you about something.” Lexa opened the screen door to his office that evening with barely a knock, and stepped over the threshold without waiting for his invitation.

  “Come in, come in,” Sam welcomed, gesturing with one hand. “You’re just the kind of welcome interruption I love. Sit down, please.” He pulled out a chair for her. Dropping down beside her, his smile was expectant.

  It was good to see him so relaxed, and Lexa prayed what she had to say wouldn’t upset him. “You’re certainly in a good mood.”

  “I just found out TeamWork has added a major new source of funding. Which means,” he said, his smile widening, “we can keep going for at least the next three years.”

  Lexa frowned. “Was there ever any doubt?”

  Sam’s broad shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Let’s just say we were in a moderate amount of danger. Even though the volunteers all pay their own way, there’s still an enormous amount of expense with building materials, food supplies, that kind of thing.”

  “Not to mention the upkeep of the transportation.”

  Sam laughed and his eyes sparkled. “You’re good for me, Lexa.”

  “I’m thankful for this new source of funding. It makes me happy to see you so happy.” His smile grew brighter as quickly as Lexa’s faded. She mulled over how best to broach the subject of Sheila. She’d gone over and over it in her mind. Best to plunge right in. She inhaled a quick breath.

  “What’s up?” He leaned close, one brow quirked. “Something’s bothering you. Speak to me.”

  “I walked into something disturbing when I went back to the dorm last night. I left the bonfire a little early,” she admitted.

  “Was I that boring?” Sam teased, crossing his hands behind his head.

  He did that a lot, along with raking his hand through that gorgeous mane of hair and chewing on his lower lip when he was worried. That last one was particularly endearing. Shifting in the uncomfortable chair, Lexa focused on what she needed to tell him.

  “I had a headache and was really tired, so I left. This is serious, Sam. Obviously, I walked into a situation I wasn’t supposed to see.”

  “Sorry.” His smile sobered. “I noticed you leaving. I missed you. I was hoping we could do some more . . . talking after the bonfire. Tell me what happened.” Sam leaned his elbows on his knees, and his fingers tapped his chin as he waited.

  Lexa drew in a deep breath. “When I walked back into the dorm, it was dark. I thought I heard an odd noise, and then, all of a sudden, this big guy—dressed all in black, mind you—darts across the room. Well, lumbers is more like it. Anyway,” Lexa continued, shaking her head, “he goes tearing out of the dorm like a tornado, ripping the door right off its hinges. Then, I found out he tied Sheila’s hands behind her back. Not very well, I might add. This man was certainly no Boy Scout.”

  Pausing, Lexa looked up at Sam to gauge his reaction. Those piercing eyes watched as he gave her his full attention. So far, he didn’t look surprised. Concerned, yes, but surprise didn’t register in his expression. “Doesn’t that sound strange to you? Sam?” Lexa insisted, impatient when he didn’t respond as quickly as she expected. “It was obvious this guy wasn’t up to any good. And, even more than that, Sheila admitted he’s her husband.” She didn’t intend to reveal that specific bit of detail, but he needed the facts.

  “Yes,” he said, “it sounds strange, but not altogether hard to believe. That probably was Sheila’s husband, especially if she told you it was.” The words were slow, measured. “You’re right in that he’s up to no good. And I wondered what happened to the door, but I figured it was the wind since it was pretty strong the other day.” He sighed. “It’s probably a good thing you showed up when you did. I’m thankful Sheila wasn’t hurt. Or you.”

  “What is he, an ex-convict or something? He looked the part, I’ll say that much.”

  “Bingo.”

  Lexa stared at him. “Are you serious? The guy really is an ex-con?”

  Sam nodded. “His name’s Howard Morris, and he’s got a record a mile long. Mostly things like felony robberies, although he attacked a woman a couple of years ago. They think the attack was motivated by robbery, and not anything more sinister. He got off on some legal technicality.”

  Lexa tilted her head, trying to catch Sam’s full attention. He avoided eye contact with her. It was uncharacteristic. She didn’t like it. “What is it you’re not telling me? And why is it that Sheila’s allowed to stay here in the camp, knowing it’s a strong possibility this man might show up unannounced?”

  Sam’s eyes moved back up in a slow path to meet hers. “You’re getting to know me pretty well already, Lexa. I’m not sure I should tell you, to be honest.”

  “Well, I told you about Sheila even though she begged me not to. That way, I figure we’re even.” Lexa tamped down the irritation creeping into her tone. “Not that I’m keeping score.” Lexa shot him a helpless expression.

  “I’m glad you did. And thank you for not crossing your arms in that annoying way you usually do when you’re all spunky and mad. And it’s about time you started telling me things.”

  “Meaning?” Lexa fought the overwhelming desire to cross her arms, but let them fall to her lap instead.

  Sam chuckled. “Meaning I want to be part of your life, if you’ll let me. It’s what being in a relationship means, after all.” His eyes held hers, unwavering. “You’re becoming very important to me. I want you to feel comfortable coming to me with things that are on your mind, bothering you. I have the feeling that’s something you found very hard to do. Am I right?”

  Lexa hesitate
d for a long moment before nodding. “Okay, I’ll give you that much. You’re right. I’ve always been rather hesitant to open up to others in the past.”

  “No way!” Grasping one of her hands, Sam squeezed it and studied her fingers as if they were the most fascinating things in the world. The man seemed to have a great fondness for holding her hand. She certainly wasn’t complaining.

  “You know, Sam, you asked me what I was afraid of.” Lexa watched as he traced the pathway of a line etched into her palm. “I’ve been afraid of too much in my life. Being here at the TeamWork camp just this short amount of time, and meeting you, has shown me that much. I think one of the things I’ve always been most afraid of is being hurt.”

  “And if you open up to someone, you’ll be hurt? Is that part of why you’re afraid?”

  Lexa nodded, not trusting herself to answer as he raised her palm and planted a quick, soft kiss. It was sensual in its sweetness. He couldn’t know its powerful effect on her. With everything he did, everything he said, Sam showed her he was falling in love with her. It was in the way he looked at her, sometimes when he didn’t realize she was aware. Maybe Sam didn’t understand it himself. Was it too soon? Granted, she didn’t have a lot of experience with matters of the heart. But one thing Lexa did know—the feelings she held for him were honest and real.

  Sam opened his mouth to speak again, but hesitated. Lexa presumed he planned on telling her about Shelby, but he must have changed his mind. Finally, he spoke. “I need to tell you something. Something about my past.” The words were quiet, spoken with conviction. It was like he had to get them out quickly before deciding against it.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Not yet. How about we meet tonight after the devotions, if you’re not too tired.”

  “How can I be tired, knowing I’ll be meeting you?”

  Sam’s hold on her hand lingered before releasing it. “I’ll see you tonight then, if not before. And thanks for telling me about Howard.”

  “Howard,” Lexa repeated, shaking her head. “Howard’s not a name for an ex-convict. Howard’s a name for a bookworm, a college professor. Or a computer nerd.” Preparing to leave the office, Lexa rose from the chair.

  “Trust me. This Howard’s an entirely different breed. Be careful, Lexa.” He walked with her toward the door.

  “Are you going to tell me more about Howard tonight? You were very deft in not answering all my questions.”

  That tiny frown line surfaced between his brows again. “As far as Howard is concerned, please always be on the alert. The board has discussed the situation with Mr. Morris several times. We decided to monitor it, believing the benefits for Sheila being here at the camp outweigh any possible danger.” He paused. “Trust me, keeping my TeamWork crew safe is my top priority. We don’t believe Howard will really hurt Sheila. Put it this way—he has an ulterior motive. Sheila has something he wants.” Sam stepped closer. “Please promise you’ll let me know if you ever see him lurking about the camp again.”

  Lexa nodded. “I promise. But may I make a suggestion?”

  “Sure. Lay it on me.” Sam leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.

  “Maybe you could assign one of the guys to keep an eye on Sheila every day. Schedule some kind of rotation. Just to make sure she stays safe, especially now that we’ve seen Howard lurking around. The fact that he made it into the women’s dorm is very unnerving. Husband or not, I think Howard should be seen as a potentially serious threat. If it’s okay with you, I’ll mention it to Rebekah and my other roommates. I’ll tell them only as much as you think they should know, but they’ll help keep an eye on Sheila.”

  Sam nodded. “I agree. Go ahead and tell them whatever you feel is best. I know you’ll handle it better than I could.”

  Lexa lifted her chin, meeting his eyes. “I feel strongly this is something we must do.”

  The slightest hint of a grin upturned his lips. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re a very wise woman?”

  Lexa laughed. “Not really. I didn’t expect to hear it from you, either, to be honest.”

  “Well, you are. Take it as a compliment, and don’t deny it. I’m beginning to see you’re one of the wisest women I’ve ever known.”

  “Better stop right there,” Lexa teased with a grin, holding up one hand. It might be his hormones guiding him, but it was flattering. “In the mind of Sam, you certainly didn’t think that when you first met me.”

  “Be quiet and accept it, Lexa. First impressions are hasty and usually incorrect.”

  “Thank you, Sam.”

  “That’s much better, but we’ll have to keep working on it.” He nodded. “I’ll speak to some of the other guys and put a TeamWork watch into place. I haven’t wanted to say too much about Sheila’s situation to the group as a whole, not wanting to alarm the volunteers unnecessarily, but you’re right. Now that Howard’s managed to infiltrate the camp and actually get to Sheila, wife or not, we need to be extra vigilant in protecting her.”

  Sam shuffled his feet and looked down at the floor. “In answer to your most recent question, no, I’m not going to talk about Howard Morris tonight. There’s something you should know. Something personal I need to tell you. It’s time.” His eyes looked far away.

  “Right. From your past.” It sounded so ominous. “Well, mister, as long as you weren’t once a woman or something like that.” As if. Her lips lifted in an attempt at a grin, but it fell far short. Teasing seemed so inherent in their relationship, and something was missing when it wasn’t in place.

  He surprised her by pulling her into the circle of his arms. Anchoring one firm hand behind her neck, he lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was tender, full of emotion, but over all too quick.

  As Lexa slowly opened her eyes, Sam was on his way back behind the desk. “I’ll see you tonight.” He was dismissing her.

  She blinked hard, dazed by the power of his kiss. Something was on Sam’s mind, and he was preoccupied. Most likely, it was a lot more than Sheila’s situation. Lexa’s heart pumped a little faster. Whatever it was, she’d know later that night.

  She found her voice. “If you’re lucky.”

  With a short grunt, Sam flung a balled-up piece of paper in her direction. But he didn’t look up, didn’t smile. Lexa darted out the door before it could hit her. This time, Sam didn’t laugh as she walked away.

  Neither did she.

  Chapter 24

  “Lexa, wits about you, girl!” Natalie gave her a gentle nudge as they worked side-by-side cleaning up after dinner early that evening. “Where are you, anyway? You look like you’re a million miles away. Everything okay?” Concern laced her question.

  Lexa continued picking up discarded cups and plates, tossing them into the bag Natalie held. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind. Thanks for the wakeup call.”

  Natalie respected her space as they worked together in companionable silence. From Connecticut, she had long dark hair, luminous deep blue eyes and was quieter than most of her other roommates. She told Lexa in the schoolroom one morning that she’d met Amy, a native of Pennsylvania, at a New England TeamWork event. The two had bonded and worked a couple of TeamWork missions together the last few years. Both were also close with Winnie, a native of Texas, and the three always bunked together at the work camps.

  While Lexa appreciated Natalie’s thoughtfulness and sensitivity, she couldn’t voice her uncertainties and fears. Maybe it wasn’t the best thing for her emotional or mental state to keep everything bottled up inside. Still, she’d been doing it for so long, it was second nature.

  Tell the Lord, Lexa. Trust Him as your best friend.

  What did Sam have to tell her? Why he couldn’t tell her in the privacy of his office, she had no idea. Anything was possible. As she helped Natalie gather the trash and the soda cans for recycling, Lexa prayed Sam didn’t have some startling new revelation to unload. Another thing she’d never particularly liked was surprises. Good or bad. In her experience, they usual
ly weren’t good.

  “Consider Jonah again,” Sam told them that evening. “Remember how he fled in the opposite direction from where God wanted him to go? Is that what you’re doing tonight? Are you fleeing from God and what He wants for your life? My guess is that simply because you’re sitting around this bonfire tonight, you’re exactly where God wants you. You’re here, supporting yourself financially, or with the help from others. You’re giving yourself, your time, your abilities, your all to TeamWork. And why? Why would you give of yourself so unselfishly for the good of others?” Sam paused, holding his open Bible in his hands, his eyes moving from face to face. The embers in the fire crackled, breaking the stillness.

  “Because you’re followers of Jesus Christ. Because you want to show others the kind of love Christ showed us by dying a horrible death upon a wooden cross on Calvary. How wonderful we can call Him Savior and Lord. Have you shared Him with someone today?” Another pregnant pause. Watching him, drinking in his words, Lexa admired how Sam captured the full attention of everyone gathered around the bonfire circle.

  “Have you told someone about the impact Christ has made in your life? Sometimes we get sheltered, especially in this camp environment. We’re like our own little holy huddle, if you want to call it that. But as Matthew Chapter Twenty-Eight—verses nineteen and twenty—tell us, it’s our responsibility, our duty, our great commission to go out into the world and tell the nations about Jesus Christ. Out into the world means outside your own personal comfort zone. But all it takes is one person at a time. One person telling another, then another, then another . . .”

  Sam pointed to several of the volunteers seated on benches around the circle. “It’s that complicated, and yet that simple. One at a time,” he reminded them as he finished.

  Sheila’s head rested on Lexa’s shoulder. Taking Sheila’s hand in hers, she held on tight as they prepared for the closing prayer. On the other side of her, Josh’s large hand captured hers and squeezed as they bowed their heads.