by JoAnn Durgin
The back driver’s side door flew open and Angelina Morris scooted out of the car like she had a rattler nipping at her heels. Now almost 15, the once tiny seven-year-old girl Lexa had befriended on her first TeamWork mission had grown surprisingly tall. While Angelina favored her petite mother’s dark, delicate features and slender frame, she’d inherited her height from her late father.
“An-An-Angie, w-w-wait!” Sheila slipped out of the back seat and hurried after her daughter.
Dean stepped outside and closed the front passenger door. Leaning against the taxi, he rapped his knuckles on the roof. The expression on his face said it all as his gaze met Sam’s. Although he gave him a nod, Dean’s mouth was set in a firm line and the muscles in his cheeks flexed. Normally steady and unflappable, his disgruntlement might have a lot to do with the tall teenager with straight dark hair tied in a ponytail who climbed out of the car next.
From the way he eyed Angelina, this kid might cause trouble if they didn’t rein him in quickly. With Lexa beside him, Sam strode forward, his hand outstretched. “You must be Felipe. I’m Sam Lewis, and this is my wife Lexa. Thanks for coming to help us out.”
“Hey.” Felipe shook his hand and nodded to Lexa before shooting another glance at Angelina. The girl tapped her foot up and down, turned her head, and avoided looking in their direction. But not before Sam caught the spark in Angelina’s eyes as her gaze skimmed over Felipe. Wonderful. He wasn’t ready for her to be intrigued by boys. He’d already been praying for when his own son and daughters reached the age of dating. Thirty sounded about right.
“This should be interesting,” Lexa murmured. No kidding.
“How was the trip?” Sam made sure to keep his tone non-threatening and non-judgmental although he wanted to grill Felipe on whether he’d misbehaved or been disrespectful to Angelina. He must have done something. Said something. She wouldn’t be looking at him that way if they’d discussed something as mundane as school or the weather.
“The trip was okay. We made it alive, so that’s cool.” Raising one hand, Felipe flashed a smile. “I swear I didn’t do anything, man. Just tried to talk to her.” Ah, yes, a natural charmer with the edge of bad boy in him. Straight white teeth and clear brown eyes. Good-looking kid, muscular and lean in jeans and a red T-shirt strained across his chest.
No wonder Sheila might be worried since she’d once fallen for a similar type in Howard Morris, Angelina’s father. A boy who’d gotten Sheila pregnant as a teenager, abused her, and then fallen into a life of crime that eventually got him killed. And now the best thing Howard Morris had ever done was in his mission camp watching a boy who may—or may not—mean trouble.
Teenage hormones in kids raised in Christian homes were hard enough to control at times, so an extra dose of prayer for this young man couldn’t hurt. “I’d appreciate your help unloading the suitcases,” he said to Felipe, pleased when he readily fell into step beside him.
When they reached the taxi, Dean shook Sam’s hand and quickly embraced him. “I hope it wasn’t a mistake to bring him here,” he said under his breath as Felipe walked to the back of the taxi with the driver. “I feel like I should apologize for his behavior before we even get started.”
“No worries,” Sam said. “Give him a little time. It’ll work out.” They needed to give Felipe the benefit of the doubt and follow the innocent until proven guilty credo. Get to know him.
As Dean settled the taxi fare with the driver, Felipe worked beside Sam to haul the suitcases and bags from the trunk. After setting them on the ground, Felipe sauntered in Angelina’s direction. From where she talked with Lexa, casting frequent glances at the teenage boy, Sheila looked prepared to throttle him.
Dean chuckled under his breath. “I might need you to send Lexa or the TeamWork posse after that kid.”
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Sam said. “From what I can see, Sheila’s already got a good handle on it.”
“Sheila’s an amazing woman, Sam. I wish I’d gotten to know her before this trip. Makes me wonder if I’ve been asleep at the wheel.” They both watched as the taxi departed down the narrow gravel path leading back to the main, two-lane road a quarter mile away.
“I’d say it’s more like you’ve been on autopilot and haven’t seen the road directly in front of you. You’ve also been busy growing your business, and that takes a significant chunk of time.” Sam angled his head toward Felipe. “Not to mention you’ve had your hands full. We’ll help keep an eye on Felipe if you want to get to know Sheila better while you’re here.”
“I plan on it, but I hope Sheila feels the same way considering I brought the juvenile delinquent into the equation.”
“Maybe you and Sheila can spend time together chaperoning Felipe and Angelina.”
Dean cracked a grin at Sam’s suggestion. “I like the way you think.”
“Every now and then I come up with something inspired.”
Both men turned when Felipe’s voice rose. Standing in front of Sheila, he raised both hands as if in surrender.
“Mrs. Morris, is it okay if I talk with Angie for a minute? Just talk. I swear I’m not gonna say anything bad to her. Promise I’ll be good.” He lowered his hands to his sides. “I’ll keep my hands to myself. Nothing going on here.”
“M-m-make s-s-sure it d-d-doesn’t.” With a wary expression, Sheila gave him a slight nod.
If Sam wasn’t mistaken, there was a hint of puppy love in the way that young man looked at Angelina. Good old-fashioned infatuation. He’d take that any day over the alternative.
Dean grunted. “The ride out here to the camp was forty minutes of Felipe saying every dumb, inappropriate thing he could to try and get a rise out of us.”
“He’s probably just testing your limits,” Sam said. “How was the plane flight?”
“Surprisingly quiet and uneventful. I don’t think Felipe’s ever been on a plane before so he might have been nervous. He didn’t ask for anything to drink or snack on and didn’t say much of anything. Mainly hunkered down in his seat and closed his eyes. Then made up for lost time in the taxi.”
Sam gave the other man a quick squeeze on one shoulder. “Like I said, give us a few days. I’ve talked with the guys and they’ll be great with Felipe. We’ll put him to work and he’ll feel a part of the team soon enough.”
“I hope you’re right.” Dean didn’t sound hopeful. “I appreciate your efforts to make him feel welcome.” His dark eyes met Sam’s. “When he says something surly or uncooperative, I have to remind myself where he’s coming from. Felipe’s had a tough time of it and he’s only a kid.”
“Any idea how much longer he’ll be with you?”
“Indefinitely at this point or until he comes of age to go it alone. I’m fine having him around. The company’s nice in some ways.”
“Is he still resistant to going to church with you?”
“Yes. Stubborn as can be. I’ve focused on modeling a moral lifestyle without trying to harp on him. He’s had some adjustments in the past six months.”
Sam nodded. “So have you, and I’m sure you’re more of an influence than you know.”
“Not so sure about that based on recent events.” Regret surfaced in Dean’s expression.
“Keep working with him. How’s he doing in school?”
Dean’s frown faded, replaced by a smile tinged with what looked like pride. “Believe it or not, the kid’s a borderline genius when he applies himself.”
“Good to hear. If you want, come with me while I say hello to the ladies.” Removing his Stetson, Sam walked to Sheila and wrapped his arms around the woman who was similar in height and size as Lexa. “Great to see you. Welcome.”
“W-w-wouldn’t m-miss it, P-P-Papa B-Bear.” Sheila returned his hug and then motioned to her daughter. “A-An-gie, c-c-come o-over h-h-here and s-say h-hi to S-Sam a-and L-L-Lexa.”
With a frown aimed at Felipe, the young girl ran over to them. Her frown eased when Lexa opened her arms wid
e. To one side, Dean joined Sheila and engaged her in quiet conversation. Based on the light in Dean’s eyes when his gaze rested on Sheila, this work camp was growing more interesting by the minute.
Gathering Angelina in her embrace, Lexa kissed her cheek. “We’re so happy you and your mom are here with us on this mission. Everyone’s looking forward to seeing you.”
Sam smiled as he watched them together. Leave it to his wife to make everyone feel immediately at ease and welcomed. Loved.
“Me, too. I’ve missed you, Lexa.” Angelina’s dark-eyed gaze briefly met Sam’s over Lexa’s shoulder and she gave him a sweet smile. Those eyes held a maturity and wisdom well beyond her tender years. Like Felipe, she’d already experienced more loss and heartache than most people did in a lifetime. These two teenagers might be good for each other during this mission.
Lexa smoothed one hand over Angelina’s long, straight black hair. “It seems like only yesterday when you sat on my lap in that schoolroom in San Antonio, staring at my braid.” She touched one of the girl’s earrings. “You’ve always liked wearing long, dangly earrings, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, and I wear my hair braided a lot. Like you.” Coming over to Sam, Angelina leaned her head against his chest for a brief moment and moved her arms around his middle. “Hi, Papa Bear. Love you.”
“Love you, too, Angel.” This girl held a special place in his heart and always reminded him of God’s providence. After returning her hug, Sam lowered his voice. “Felipe giving you any trouble?”
She laughed under her breath. “I can handle him.”
“Lexa and I are here for you and your mom. Call on us if you need anything.”
“I know. Thanks.” Angelina ran over to join the ladies.
Sam moved his focus to Marta. A worry line had surfaced between her brows as she talked with Lexa and Sheila. As he watched. Marta darted another glance in the direction where Eliot had parked his vehicle. She probably wondered if Eliot would ever make his appearance, and Sam figured he must be filing some report or catching up on phone calls or e-mails.
As if on cue, Eliot opened the door of the Hummer.
Chapter 2
~~♥~~
“Well, it’s about time,” Marta said, half under her breath, as Eliot tossed a duffel bag onto the ground and then jumped down from the vehicle.
Sam darted a glance at Marta. The upturn of her lips belied her sarcasm. If she were one of his kids, she’d be jumping up and down by now.
A few seconds later, Eliot closed the door of the Hummer and then slung the bag over one shoulder as he headed in their direction. A beep sounded as he pushed his keys into the front pocket of his khaki shorts. In work boots and a plain black T-shirt, he wore dark sunglasses and a red, backwards Astros baseball cap. His skin was deeply tanned, his jaw and chin covered with stubble, and his short brown hair was streaked with blonde highlights. That was new, most likely natural from the strong sun where he’d been until the last few days.
Although Sam had encouraged Eliot to take a few days of R&R before joining them, his international volunteer had declined and assured him he’d arrive today. True to form, Eliot was only off by a couple of minutes on his estimated time of arrival. Punctuality meant a lot in Eliot’s line of work. Important to the point of meaning the difference between life and death in the most literal sense.
Moving forward, Sam replaced his Stetson and walked to meet him halfway. “Welcome, brother.”
“Hey. Great to see you again, Sam. Everything according to His purpose.” As was his custom, Eliot bumped fists with him in greeting. “Better circumstances than New Orleans last month, that’s for sure.” After dropping the duffel bag to the ground, Eliot grabbed his hand and pulled him into a quick, tight hug.
“Hold up, buddy. Don’t crush me.” Eliot apparently didn’t know his own strength. Or maybe he did.
“Sorry about that.” Eliot leaned close and lowered his voice. “Lexa’s not expecting, is she?”
Sam chuckled. “Not that we’re aware of, no.”
Eliot turned to Lexa. “Mrs. TeamWork, always a pleasure.” In a surprise move, he swept her off the ground, whirling around with her in his arms, spinning in a full circle and making her laugh. Kissing her cheek, he lowered Lexa to the ground before turning to face Marta. A wide grin spread across his face. “Marta, you’re looking great as always. And irritated with me. As always. Glad to see you’re part of the TeamWork welcoming committee.” He lifted his arms to the sky. “Isn’t it great we could all be together in the Land of Enchantment?”
Something lit in Marta’s eyes. “Wouldn’t miss it. Took you long enough to get out of your vehicle. Checking up on your girlfriends around the globe?”
“You know it. Jealous?”
Marta squealed and then laughed when Eliot scooped her up in his arms and spun her around the same as he’d done with Lexa. Her protests faded and she flushed when he planted a noisy smacker on her cheek. Losing her footing when he set her back on the ground, appearing dazed, Marta playfully swatted Eliot when he attempted to steady her. “You’ve manhandled me enough, sir. I’m fine, thank you.”
“Ah, Marta. You love it. You know you do.”
“Didn’t say I didn’t, but were you downing straight caffeine shots on the drive here?”
“Caffeine’s my drug of choice.” Putting one hand over his mouth, Eliot blew into his palm and then sniffed as if checking his breath. “Is my caffeine breath offensive to you?”
Marta gaped. “You’re a nut, you know that?”
Laughing, he bowed before her. “Oui. And proud of it.”
Tilting her head, she quirked a brow. “I was referring to your hyperactive behavior. And what’s with the French?” Her violet-blue eyes widened. “Wait a second. Were you in France on your latest adventure?”
Eliot shrugged. “Relax. It’s only a word. Would you prefer another language?”
“Depends. How many languages do you know?”
“A few.”
Sam smiled at Marta and Eliot’s antics and exchanged a glance with Lexa. Eliot had slipped for a second there but he’d recovered well.
“Whoa. Who’s that dude? Is he with the NFL?” Sam looked over at Felipe, unaware the teenager had come to stand beside him.
“That’s my friend Eliot Marchand,” Dean said, joining them. “He’s not a pro athlete, but he could be if he wanted.”
“Yeah. He looks fierce.” Felipe’s gaze moved to Sam. “Is your hand okay, man? He must have a mean grip.”
“It’s fine, thanks. And yes, he does.”
With Marta by his side, Eliot greeted Sheila and Dean. After a few moments of conversation, Eliot hoisted what looked like the heaviest suitcase as if it was featherweight. Grabbing a few more bags with straps, he tugged them over his head. “Where to, Sam? Lead the way.”
From the corner of his eye, Sam spied Felipe assisting Sheila and Angelina with their remaining bags. If that was his effort to earn brownie points, it was a good start.
“Hold up a second,” Sam called to Eliot as Josh Grant approached and greeted the newcomers. Josh’s oldest daughter, Chloe, skipped beside her father, her blonde curls bouncing. The excitement in the air was nearly tangible, especially when Chloe threw her arms around Angelina and hugged her tight. Their kids all loved Angel and she’d be invaluable in helping the ladies on this mission.
“I got a message from Amy,” Josh told him. “They’ve had a smooth flight and they should be here in the next ten minutes. I told her we’d marked the big red X in the field for Landon to put down the bird.”
“Excellent,” Sam said. “Right on schedule.” That big X was far removed from where the other vehicles were parked and they’d followed the FAA’s explicit specifications. “Everyone able to make it?” Not that he doubted it, but the fact they’d cleared their schedules for two weeks was a testament of their loyalty to TeamWork and the mission.
“The Warnicks and the Thompsons are all onboard.” Josh nodded to Sheila
and Angelina. “I know you’re happy to have them here with us. Been a long time.” His gaze moved to Felipe. “Is that the boy you mentioned earlier?”
“Right,” Sam said, lowering his voice. “Felipe Hernandez. His mom’s in and out of detox and his dad’s in prison. From what I know, there were no other family members willing or qualified to take him. Dean’s his court-appointed guardian.”
Josh whistled under his breath and ran a hand through his blond hair. “That’s rough. You mentioned he had some trouble with the law. What happened?”
“He stole a car with some of his buddies. The judge in San Antonio granted special permission for Dean to bring him here. It was either this or juvenile detention.” At the moment, Felipe chatted up Eliot like they were old friends. “I don’t think he’s a bad kid. He’s just in need of some serious adult guidance. We’ll keep him busy, put him to work, and show him firsthand how giving back to others is a whole lot more gratifying.”
“Manual labor’s good for the soul.” Josh’s green-eyed gaze met his. “This mission’s going to be good for all of us, Sam. Back where we belong.”
“That’s the plan. If you and Chloe can wait here until the plane lands and then go out to welcome the others, I’m going to head back to the camp with this group.” He grinned. “When they get here, try not to hassle Marc too much.”
Josh laughed. “Come on, buddy. Don’t steal my fun. Somebody’s got to tease Thompson when you’re not around. The guy practically begs for it.”
“Tell the gang we’ll see them soon.”
Josh saluted him. “Will do, boss. We’ll meet you back at the camp in a bit.”
“Thanks.” Sam motioned to the others. “This way, folks. Follow me.”
Let the adventure begin.
Chapter 3
~~♥~~
Marta listened as the ladies and Angelina chatted on their way to the camp, their steps stirring up small clouds of brown dust. Not that they excluded her, but she was lost in thought and content not to engage in conversation. Marta caught Lexa’s glances directed her way more than once. Besides being her boss, Lexa was her friend. She’d observed her interactions with Eliot enough to understand their wonderful but unusual relationship. If she could even call it a relationship. Wacky pretty much described it.