"Guess what?" Meredith bounced up to Josh, eyes sparkling.
"Chicken butt?" Tanner shot back grinning.
Jacob burst into a fit of laughter.
Caleb's lips twitched but he knew better than to smile, and Rachel, bless her heart, dutifully frowned.
"I'm trying to teach him not to stay stuff like that," Josh said, tapping the brim of his boy's baseball cap and trying to keep a stern face.
They were all hanging around the baseball field waiting for Jacob's t-ball game to start.
Meredith nudged gently him with her elbow. "C'mon, you're trying not to laugh too."
Tanner laughed. "He likes to pretend he doesn't have a sense of humor anymore."
"What is it you want to tell me, Mer?" he asked, taking her hand in his and ignoring Tanner.
"My parents are coming to visit next weekend!" Her eyes lit with happiness. "I know we're going camping. They said they'd like to come with us!"
Josh liked Tom and Macy a lot, but he'd hoped to spend more time with Meredith and Jacob alone on the trip. He told himself it wasn't to make sure he was doing the right thing marrying her, but he wasn't certain.
He'd followed his friends' advice and continued to pray about what he should do. This time he was waiting patiently, and interestingly this verse came to him this morning.
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.—Romans 8:25
What he was waiting for patiently was yet to be determined, but Josh wasn't giving up and he was trusting God to work this out according to His will.
He'd been quiet too long and Mer looked suddenly unsure. "Is it ok if they join us?"
He forced a smile. "Of course. I just didn't realize your parents liked camping."
That was true. He doubted the Jones had ever been camping in their life. Come to think of it he wasn't sure Meredith had either.
"Great!" She stood on her tiptoes, lifted her chin, and he dutifully dropped a kiss on her lips. "I can't wait for you to get to know them better."
"Yeah, me too." From the look Caleb threw him, Josh knew he sounded less than enthusiastic. He was immediately contrite. What was wrong with him? "I'm looking forward to it. You like camping, don't you?"
Meredith's face scrunched and she smiled. "I've never been before, but I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with my guy and nature."
"I'm super excited," Rachel said, easing the tension. "Whoo-hoo go nature!"
"What kind of coffee are you drinking, Rach?" Tanner's gaze zeroed in on her paper cup.
Josh bit back laughter.
"Ha, ha. Seriously, Caleb and I can't wait to camp."
"Speak for yourself." Caleb shook his head. "Tanner snores like a freight train. I think the married couples should share a tent, and everyone else can do the men's and women's cabin thing."
"And men think women cause drama," Rachel laughed, a bit nervously, seemingly taken aback by Caleb's comment. "Meredith and I get along just fine."
"You ladies have a palace-sized tent and it's just the two of you this year," he complained, but his tone lacked bite. Everyone knew Caleb loved nature and fishing, but maybe not in that order. He just wasn't partial to beaches. None of them were.
"Aw, c'mon, you saying you don't cherish our dude time?" Sarcasm dripped from Josh's question.
"I'm hurt." Tanner folded his arm over his heart dramatically.
"You guys are so needy sometimes," Caleb drawled and they all laughed.
Meredith's eyes widened. "Hey, I have a great idea! We can invite Dani! Jacob can spend time with her and we'll be there to make sure everything's good."
Josh froze. What? He'd been making an effort not to think about Dani, and the last thing he wanted was for her to join their yearly campout. Lord, this cannot happen. Could it?
Jacob's brows knitted and he looked from Meredith to Josh. "What do you mean...make sure everything's good?"
Meredith blinked, startled like she wasn't certain how to respond. In fact, no one seemed to know what to say.
Josh thought quickly, but he saw Dani approach and his chest tightened as she stepped up to their group as if she belonged there. As if she'd never left. How long had she been listening?
Her eyes sparkled with love and she bestowed a radiant smile on Jacob. "Meredith meant they can make sure I don't do something silly." She reached over to give him a hug and he went right into her arms. "Like sit in poison oak or knock the tent down. Or maybe..." She paused dramatically. "Try to feed the bears!"
Jacob giggled. "Feed the bears!"
"You never know. I haven't been on a camping trip before. Not in the woods anyway. I like to sleep where I know I won't find a snake on my pillow."
Jacob snorted a laugh. "They're no snakes in the tents." He shook his head, seeming to think. "Are there Dad?"
"Not that I've seen."
"What about bears, Dad, are there bears?"
"Possibly, but they're rare in this part of Texas."
"Rare." Jacob's brows drew together. "That means we probably won't see any, right?"
"Right. But the poison oak threat is real. Your mom did that once." Josh tried not to smile but failed.
"She did?" Their son was thoroughly amused.
"She thought the leaves would make a good pillow." His gaze slid to Dani's and held a heart-stopping instant. Memories flooded him. He saw a flash of pain in her eyes before she quickly glanced away.
"Did you really do that?" Jacob asked, looking sympathetic.
"I'm afraid so. It wasn't one of my finer moments," she admitted with a shy smile.
Josh noticed her hand shook slightly when she pushed a strand of hair from her face.
Tanner clapped Jacob's shoulder. "We couldn't believe she did it either."
"Hey, now." Dani tossed an admonishing look at Tanner. "You didn't know it was poison oak either. None of us did."
"Well, we sure knew in the morning. The itch was impossible!" Tanner shook his head, but his expression was warm with the memory of their time on the island, the ultimate camping trip they took together.
"Will you come with us?" Jacob asked eagerly, turning to his mother.
"Sounds like fun." Jacob hollered his delight, but Dani had to add, "I have to ask Mrs. Huckabee if she'll be alright for the weekend."
Rachel asked what everyone else was thinking. "Why would you do that?"
"I've been going over there during the day to keep her company. It was part of our rental agreement."
"Interesting," Rach mused. "I didn't know she was looking for company."
"Guess she was desperate enough to accept even mine," Dani blurted, a note of sadness in the careless words.
Rachel turned and faced her. "That's not what I meant."
Meredith's gaze narrowed. "I'm surprised. Mrs. Huckabee doesn't usually take to strangers."
Josh watched Dani stiffen like she wasn't sure if she'd done something wrong. "She seems to enjoy the company."
The uncertainty in her voice reminded him of the girl she'd been before she became famous. She'd been sweet and innocent and a bit socially awkward despite her popularity. His protective instincts stirred.
"Oh, ok." Meredith glanced away, waving at the t-ball coach. "Jacob, Coach Lopez is calling the players to the field. Looks like the game's about to start. You ready?" she asked Jacob giving him a high-five.
"Yeah! Let's go!" he cried, taking Meredith's hand and following her onto the field. "Bye Mama! Bye Dad!"
Dani waved.
"She helps coach," Josh explained, seeing Dani's confusion.
Caleb let out a low groan. "We told him he needs to man up and not let his woman coach the team."
A flash of pain flickered in Dani's eyes, but he might have imagined it because it was gone in an instant. His woman. That's how Caleb referred to Meredith. Was that what upset Dani? No. She was probably feeling threatened that Mer was doing something a mother might do for her son. That was it.
"What's wrong with a woman coaching a kid's t-ball team?" Rachel demanded, her gaze sliding from Dani like she too had witnessed the pain.
"Everything." Caleb's tone was flat. "That's a man's job."
"Oh, you did not say that." Rach propped her fists on her hips. "Can you believe him, Dani?"
"Sure, I can. He's the same old Caleb he's always been. Funny, a little old-fashioned, but sweet. He's a keeper. Don't let him get away, Rach."
"Aww," Caleb threw his arm around Dani's shoulders and gave her a side hug. "I've missed you, Dani."
Josh tensed, not sure why it bothered him that Caleb was hugging her.
Rachel rolled her eyes, good-naturedly. "Your days as a blonde have affected your judgment, Danielle."
"I won't argue with you there," Dani said easily. "I'll blame my insanity on the bleach, but as you can see—" She pointed to her dark, naturally curly locks. "I'm back to my old self."
Tanner stepped up and hugged her next. "Don't worry, Dani, we all have insane moments."
"Uh-huh," Rachel mused. "Is that what happened when you told Olivia you wanted to date other people?"
"I did no such thing. She asked if I thought we should see other people to be sure of our relationship. What could I say?" He stared at them with confusion.
"No. You say NO," Caleb snapped slowly. "That's what you should've said."
Tanner threw his arms up. "I didn't say yes."
"You told her if that's what she wanted to do," Rachel deadpanned.
"What's wrong with that? She wouldn't have brought it up if she didn't want us to see other people."
"Oh, Tanner," Dani said sympathetically, patting his shoulder.
"Why don't you just call her?" Josh asked. "You don't want her to be the one who got away. You'll regret it forever."
"Sure, Josh, I'll get right on that," Tanner drawled his gaze skipping from Josh to Dani making it impossible to misunderstand his meaning.
It didn't take a genius to figure it out. Tanner thought Dani was the one who got away from Josh. Their time had come and gone, but everyone was suddenly awkwardly quiet. His gaze swung to Dani, but she was carefully avoiding his gaze.
She looked troubled and sad. He remembered that look well, her forehead was crinkled and two white teeth caught her full bottom lip.
"You should definitely call her, Tanner. If you love someone, you have to let them know. Before it's too late."
Josh's heart twisted at the sound of her soft, sweet voice. Was she thinking about the two of them?
Tanner and Dani shared a look. He nodded. "Yeah, I think I will."
The game started and they talked and laughed as if they were all still the best of friends. Maybe God was showing him what his relationship with Dani was always meant to be. Friends. It was possible.
Josh's gaze caught hers, and the glimpse of longing in her eyes made his chest tighten. Lord God, help him. Dani was his past. Meredith was his future.
But, if he was honest, he wasn't completely sure.