“We’ve been through a lot together and we talk about our problems while we work. They have my back, just like today,” Tiffany said. “That don’t mean we won’t argue again, maybe a lot, before we leave here, but no one else would understand this place, not even if we tried to tell them about it, or how much being here is helping us. I wonder if what we feel is something like the military does when they go out on missions and are away from their homes. It’s kind of like a bond that can’t be explained.”

“Maybe so.” Just thinking about the bond she didn’t have with her sister made Jayden’s chest feel heavy. “Go wash your hands and face in the bathroom, and then you can cut the cake into squares for me. We’re having pulled pork sandwiches, slaw, and baked beans tonight. I thought something like strawberry cake and ice cream would be good for dessert after spending a day out in the fields.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Tiffany nodded.

Jayden removed the lid from a huge slow cooker and used two forks to pull apart the pork roasts that had been cooking all day. While she worked, she thought about what Tiffany had said and wished that she and Skyler could form a bond like her three girls had done. She had no doubt that if her sister had seen a rat right above her head, she would have kept her mouth shut until the damned thing jumped down on Jayden. Then Skyler would have laughed, but not hard enough to ruin her makeup. If these girls could overcome the past, maybe there would be hope for the future for Jayden and Skyler.

“Everything smells so good.” Tiffany slipped an apron over her dirty uniform. “I’m wearing this so I don’t get bits of hay in the cake. I hate to admit it, but I hate the thought of going home now. I’ve gotten spoiled having good food three times a day.”

“And you are beginning to have a beautiful, healthy glow about you,” Jayden said.

“No, because I’ve worked it off.” Tiffany pulled on a pair of latex gloves, picked up a knife, and began cutting the sheet cake into squares. “When I get done, do I get to lick the knife?”

“Just be careful and don’t cut your tongue. You’re sassy enough without having a split tongue,” Jayden joked.

“Just think how much I could cuss Keelan out if I had two tongues going at once.” Tiffany giggled. “I really don’t like that girl. I bet this camp hasn’t done her a bit of good, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if she gets sent home before this month is over. Do you realize that we’re half done now?”

“Yes, I already thought of that.” Jayden dipped the meat up into a big silver serving pan. “I hear the herd coming. Would you help me serve?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Tiffany nodded. “They’d better get what they want, because I’m hungry, and when I get done making my tray, there won’t be any leftovers for the hogs.”

Novalene came in first, poured glasses of sweet tea, and carried them to the adult table. “The girls are making a run through the bathhouse to clean up their faces and hands,” she said. “Diana is keeping an eye on them.”

“The only thing I really like about kitchen duty is that I don’t have to stand with my toes on the edge of the sidewalk,” Tiffany told her. “I always feel like I’m going to either fall forward or get off balance and go sideways and knock someone down. If I ever do, I hope I’m standing next to Keelan.”

In a few minutes, Elijah came inside. His face had been washed. His shirtsleeves were rolled up above his clean arms. He looked over the top of Tiffany’s head and winked at her. Just that small gesture jacked up her pulse a notch or two.

Lightning zigzagged through the sky, crackling every now and then when it hit an old scrub oak tree or bounced across the flat land in a ball of fire. Thunder followed right behind it so low overhead that it sounded like drums being beaten right above the cabin roofs. The black clouds brought on darkness earlier than usual. The first raindrops fell, stirring up dust when they hit the ground. Then it got serious, and the wind blew in hard rain that came down in great waves.

Jayden was doing some prep work for breakfast the next day, and Elijah was waiting for the rain to slack off before he jogged to his own house. He lingered behind, wishing for an excuse to stay, and then realized that he didn’t need a reason. It was raining outside. He liked being with Jayden. That was enough.

“I’m glad that there’s lightning with the rain.” Elijah watched her line up flour, sugar, and baking powder and then set a big bowl beside all of it. “Need some help?”

“No, I’ve got it under control, but what’s that about lightning?” Jayden asked. “I doubt the girls are brave enough to dance in their underwear in this kind of rain, anyway, even after all the double-dog daring.”

“I was thinking that if they did, I’d have to go home in this weather, and I’d rather have my shower indoors,” he chuckled. “But if you wanted to dance with me in this downpour, I will put some Travis Tritt on the loudspeaker, and we can dodge the lightning bolts.”

“Some example we’d be setting when we told the girls they couldn’t play in the rain if there was lightning,” she told him.

“If we were the only ones here, would you dance in the rain with me?” he flirted.

“Yep, I would, but not in my underwear,” she answered.

Heat crawled from Elijah’s neck to his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he blushed, or even why, but he was damn glad that he was far enough away that Jayden couldn’t see his burning cheeks. He had expected her to get red cheeks when he made that statement, but she’d come right back with a saucy comment.

“For real?” His voice sounded a little higher than normal even in his own ears.

“Might be fun.” She smiled. “I’m a dancing-in-the-rain virgin. How about you?”

“Never done it before,” he answered, “but I’d be willing to give it up for you.”

“Well, thank you.”

She was flirting back, and he liked it—a lot. “You are very welcome. What are you getting things ready for?”

“Chicken and waffles,” she answered. “What else have you never done?” She crossed the room and sat down at the table with him.

“Show me yours, and I might show you mine.” Damn, but it felt good to flirt again, to even want to for that matter. Could it be that his luck was changing? Man, that was a thought he never figured would pop into his mind.

“I’ve never gone skinny-dippin’,” she answered.

“I haven’t, either,” he said. “Would you do that with me if we had a pool, or if we were on a secluded beach?”

“Maybe.” She nodded. “Now your turn.”

“I’m thirty-four years old. I’ve been here for two years and was on an extended deployment before that. I haven’t dated in more than three years and would probably need a Dating for Dummies book to even know where to begin,” he answered. “I’d be willing to give up a few hours to read the book, if you’d agree to go out with me.” If she could feel the same sparks between them that he did, he would truly feel like his luck had changed.

“I’d probably have to borrow it and read it before I’d agree but, just so I’d know, exactly what would a date with you mean?” she asked.