Page 58 of Love Everlasting

“No, but it sure was a whole lot more fun,” Chase said, helping Shannon to her feet. He shook Sam’s hand, then Cat’s, delivering the easy smile that was a key indicator winning at sack races wasn’t his top priority.

Now souls? Shannon brushed off her shorts, hooking an arm to Cat’s waist to give her a congratulatory squeeze before shaking Sam’s hand. In the brief time she and Chase had been hanging out, she’d learned that the state of a person’s soul was his win of choice, given the countless discussions they’d had about both Cat and Sam.

“I need meat,” Chase said as the aroma of BBQ wafted their way. He draped an arm over Shannon’s shoulder. “Hungry?”

“Ravenous.” Tightening her ponytail, she flashed a smile at Sam. “Lacey and Jack said they’d save us a table, so you better go get Jasmine.”

Sam glanced toward the bleachers, smile flat. “Wish I could stay, but I promised Jazz Sandfly BBQ.”

“Oh, a BBQ snob—I see how it is.” Cat ruffled Sam’s hair.

He slapped her hand away with a mock scowl. “Yeah, well, hot dogs and burgers don’t rank too high on her BBQ scale, Catfish, so I owe her after she sat through an afternoon of sweaty games and grubby kids.”

“Not to mention Rupert,” Cat said with a chuckle.

“Well, we’ll miss you.” Shannon gave Sam a hug.

“Speak for yourself,” Chase said, draping an arm around both Cat’s and Shannon’s shoulders to usher them toward the picnic tables down by the lake. He tossed Sam a grin. “See you around, Doc.”

Cat glanced back at the bleachers as she, Chase, and Shannon made their way to the table. “Is it just me, or do Sam and Jasmine seem like a mismatch?”

“I don’t know. Being in love is a tricky business,” Chase said. “You don’t always get to pick who you’re going to fall for.”

“Humph.” Cat snatched up a pebble and hurled it. “I plan to. I know exactly what I want in a man, and I refuse to settle for less.”

“Less being …?” Chase eyed Cat with a faint smile, his arm still hooked over Shannon’s shoulder.

“Boring. Unadventurous.” Cat sailed another rock. “You know, hamstrung by a mindset that doesn’t allow him to experience life or love to the fullest.”

“You mean like me?” Chase said, the humor in his eyes undaunted by Cat’s opinion.

“Well, now that you mention it, Rev, yes.”

“Cat!” Shannon couldn’t thwart the shock in her tone.

“I mean, come on, Shan—here he is, one of the most totally hot guys we’ve ever seen, and he’s so mired in morality, he can hardly have any fun.”

“Stop it, Cat,” Shannon whispered loudly. Her gaze darted to the table where Lacey was waving them down while Jack played Power Rangers with their brother Davey and his best friend, Spence. “Mom would have a cow if she heard you talking like that, especially to the associate pastor of our church.”

“So you think I’m totally hot, huh?” Chase said with a lazy smile.

Cat shrugged. “Sure, but what good is it if you can’t have any fun?”

“You’d be surprised how much fun I have, Catherine Marie,” he said in a husky tone, giving her neck a tweak before he sat down next to Shannon.

Shannon battled the squirm of a smile when Cat’s face whooshed bright red.

“Can we eat now, Lace—please? We’re starving to death, aren’t we, Spence?” Shannon’s brother Davey hopped up and down like he had to use the little boy’s room, a Power Ranger action figure fisted in both hands.

“Uh-huh,” Davey’s best friend agreed in a quiet tone that made Shannon smile, along with the sweet owl glasses he wore.

“And look—Debbie’s so hungry, she’s crying!” Davey pointed at the precious orphan that Lacey and Jack befriended last year before Ben Carmichael saved her life with heart surgery. She sat slumped over the table with tears in her eyes, chin silently quivering on top of folded arms.

“Debbie?” Lacey leaned forward to peer into Debbie’s sorrowful face, then immediately gathered her up in her arms. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” she whispered, rocking the little girl while Debbie sobbed against Lacey’s neck.

“Deb?” Jack abandoned his Power Ranger to sit beside Lacey, stroking the little girl’s hair. “Why are you crying, Peanut? Come here …” He tugged Debbie from Lacey’s arms and set her on his lap, gently brushing the tears from her eyes.

Small for nine years old, Debbie’s little body shuddered with sobs while Lacey wiped her nose with a tissue. Blonde ringlets that had grown back after cancer treatment were now coiled in disarray, bobbing with every heave of her chest. “B-Because I h-have t-to leave and I w-won’t ever s-see you a-again …” she whispered, barely discernable for the congestion in her voice.