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In less than two minutes, he took the final turn and the facility came into view. He parked next to the large wood-framed main building and turned off the engine. He hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed with his surprise.
“Welcome to Camp Chance,” he said.
“Is it a summer camp for kids?” Penta swung her leg over and stepped away from the bike, turning in a circle as she took in the four long, low residences, the army-style obstacle course, the open-walled pavilion with its peeled wood posts and shingle roof.
“Sort of. It’s a youth-at-risk centre.” He dismounted, hips and back complaining faintly.
“Really?” She unbuckled her helmet and ran her fingers through the strands, fluffing the curls. The colour made him think of coffee grounds sprinkled with salt. “How long has it been here? I’ve never heard of it.”
“About twenty years. We keep a pretty low profile.”
She paused in her scrutiny to slide him a glance. “We?”
“I volunteer.” And donated money when he had a little extra, which wasn’t often. “There are paid staff, of course, and it’s run by a well-known society. But the existence of the camp is kept quiet.”
“Why?”
“A variety of reasons. Mostly for security and to protect the privacy of the residents.”
“I see.” A flicker with a red cap and a cream breast speckled with black flew by in a dipping, swooping motion, uttering a sharp kyeer-kyeer. “How long have you been a volunteer?”
“About eight years.” All staff and volunteers had to pass a criminal record check. He’d had to jump through a few extra hoops to get approved, but the camp counsellors had been eager to have him, seeing his prison stint as an advantage. He was someone who had been there, someone who could speak from experience.
“Is anyone here now?” She peered from side to side as if expecting people to magically materialize.
“No. The next intake is tomorrow. All visitors need to have prior clearance.”
Her grin flashed as swift and sharp as the flicker that had flown past. “Did you just sneak me into somewhere I’m not allowed?”
Her teasing startled a bark of laughter out of him. “I guess I did. You’re really breaking the rules today.”
“I guess I am.” She tilted her head inquiringly. “Does Linda know about this?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Words he hadn’t intended to utter tumbled from his lips. “I don’t want her to know. This is between me and the kids here.”
“If she did, she might be more receptive to you and Elle spending time together.”
No way in hell was he admitting to this caring, sensitive woman that he hadn’t trusted himself enough to be around Elle. The kids at the camp were different. They were scarred in ways he understood—which meant they understood him. Bringing a child untouched by fear, by violence, into his orbit was unthinkable. Linda’s decree that he keep away from their daughter had almost been a relief.
The older he got, the more he wondered if he’d accepted her decision out of fear. Had taken the coward’s way out, not been noble and self-sacrificing.
He would never forget the look of courageous terror on Elle’s face the first time he’d seen her. If a sixteen-year-old girl was brave enough to seek out her father, could he be brave enough to deserve her?
PENTA’S HEART OVERFLOWED with affection for this difficult man. He had shared a secret with her, one so private he hadn’t used it to mend his relationship with his daughter. It made her feel special, singled out—and needed in a way she hadn’t felt with another adult in a long, long time.
“Thank you for bringing me here. I’m honoured.” She bumped her shoulder against his bicep. “I still think you should tell Linda. Despite some evidence to the contrary”—she made sure to keep her tone light so he knew she was teasing—“you’re a good man, Cash.”
His only response was a grunt.
It wasn’t her place to push it, so she let the moment pass. “Can I have a tour? Is that allowed?”
He unclipped his helmet, took hers from her, and stowed them on the bike. “Sure.”
She didn’t have to feign interest as he showed her around the small facility. Volunteering here fed his soul, and as the tour went on he grew animated in a way she’d never seen. He had keys to all the buildings, though only showed her one of the residences. “You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all,” he explained.
