Reunion Read online

  “A wonderful story of love, forgiveness, and stewardship over the world God has given us. I’m looking forward to more stories from Karen Ball!”

  —FRANCINE RIVERS

  “Karen Ball writes with a gifted pen. Reunion is brimming with God’s loving spirit, Karen’s marvelous zest for life, and a page-turning story of two very special people who discover the meaning of true love. Definitely a keeper!”

  —LORI COPELAND

  “To paraphrase a proverb: ‘There are three things which are too wonderful for me, four which I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the song of a wolf in the night, the way of a horse on a mountain trail, and the way of a man with a maid.’ They’re all here, within this book. Experience the wonder for yourself!”

  —ANGELA ELWELL HUNT

  “Move over, romance writers—there’s a new kid on the block! Karen Ball has come up with a barn-burner of a romance!”

  —GILBERT MORRIS

  TAYLOR LAUGHED. “I’D BE A GOOD CASE FOR AN ANGEL TO CUT his wings on, wouldn’t I?”

  “You’d definitely be a challenge.” His eyes twinkled. “But a delightful one.”

  She was surprised—and a bit disturbed—at how good his comment made her feel.

  “Well—” he stepped back—“I’d better get some rest. My boss is a regular slave driver. Believes in starting the day at the most unearthly hour.”

  She grinned. “Terrible the things a working man has to suffer.”

  “Indeed. But it’s really not all that bad.”

  “Oh?”

  “Nope …” His gaze roamed her face. “It’s not bad at all.” He reached out a finger to tilt her chin. “Because this particular boss has the most amazing …” He lowered his head, his warm breath fanning her face.

  Taylor’s breath caught in her throat, and she was sure her heart had stopped beating. He was going to kiss her. She was sure of it.

  “… cook,” he finished, pressing his lips, with feather softness, to her forehead. Then he stepped back, walked to the door, and left.

  Shaking herself free from Connor’s spell, she laughed lightly. I wonder … She glanced after him. I wonder if guardian angels are tall and broad shouldered and have smiles that can melt your insides?

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  REUNION

  published by Palisades

  a division of Multnomah Books

  © 1996 by Karen Ball

  Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV)

  © 1973, 1984 by International Bible Society,

  used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House

  Also quoted: New American Standard Bible (NASB)

  © 1960, 1977 by the Lockman Foundation

  Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.

  MULTNOMAH and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.

  For information:

  MULTNOMAH BOOKS

  12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200

  Colorado Springs, CO 80921

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

  Ball, Karen, 1957

  Reunion / Karen M. Ball.

  p. cm.

  eISBN: 978-0-307-78595-4

  I. Title.

  PS3552.A4553 R4 1999

  813′.54—dc21 99-22189

  v3.1

  To Mom and Dad—

  You taught me to love and respect the beautiful world God gave us—and you endured my owning nearly every kind of four-legged creature (and a few feathered ones) known to man! I love you.

  To Angie, Frani, Gil, and Johnnie—

  You’ve been telling me for years to get out there and write. So this is all your fault!

  I’m grateful to each of you for your encouragement, guidance, and instruction—but most of all for your friendship.

  Speak up for those who cannot speak

  for themselves.…

  Speak up and judge fairly.

  PROVERBS 31:8–9 (NIV)

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Epigraph

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Letter from the Author

  Preview of Danger in the Shadows

  Other Books by Palisades Pure Romance

  PROLOGUE

  November

  THE LAST THING ON JOSH’S MIND THAT MORNING WAS DEATH.

  He was too in love with life. He had a wife he adored and a life that challenged and delighted him.

  So when he stepped out of his tent on that cold autumn day and drew in a deep breath of the clean, cold mountain air he loved, there was only one thing on his mind: having as much fun as possible. After all, this was the last day of his annual week-long camping trip with the boys from church, and he always did his best to end things with a bang.

  And nothing livened up a day like a trust walk.

  Josh studied his charges as they gathered in the clearing. Varying in age from twelve to eighteen, they’d all piled out of their tents, dressed in flannel shirts, jeans, and hiking boots, ready to take on the wilds of a Wyoming mountain.

  “Do we have to be blindfolded?” whined Eric, one of the younger boys, scanning the rough terrain and woods around them. Eric’s family had moved to Wyoming less than a year ago, and the boy was still getting used to the rugged wilderness surrounding them.

  “ ’Course you do!” Josh grinned at this quick response from Mike—one of the juniors—who added emphasis by tapping the bill of Eric’s baseball cap. “That’s what makes this so much fun.”

  “But—”

  “Don’t worry, kid.” Mike slung his arm around the smaller boy’s slender shoulders. “I’ll be there to make sure you survive.”

  Noting the uncertain look on the boy’s face, Josh decided it was time to step in. “You’ll be okay, Eric.” He smiled as he handed the boy one of the strips of cloth they used for blindfolds. “You might even have fun.”

  Josh was grateful that he had two seniors and a junior to help him oversee the trust walk this year. The younger boys were a good group, but they could be a handful.

  As he scanned the eager faces before him, Josh felt a surge of pride. These boys were ready to face the challenges waiting for them. They were all strong, physically and spi
ritually, and Josh was pleased that he’d had something to do with that.

  “Who are you gonna go with, Brad?”

  At Eric’s question, Josh’s sense of satisfaction dimmed a bit. Well, almost all of them.

  Tall and athletic, Brad Momadey was the kind of young man who drew attention. There was something about the way he stood and walked, the look in his brooding dark eyes, the remote yet kind way he treated others. Everything about the boy spoke confidence and dignity and gave an impression of underlying strength and intelligence. He was a natural leader and, for the most part, perceptive and considerate. Though Brad always held himself apart, Josh had never seen him treat the other youth group members with condescension or disdain. From all Josh had seen, Brad treated even the youngest or nerdiest kid with respect.

  Too bad he can’t extend that respect to Jim and me. All Josh or Jim Wilson, the youth pastor, had to do was say white and Brad would respond with a resounding black. The young man had made it abundantly clear he wanted nothing to do with either of them.

  Or with their God.

  Taylor, Josh’s wife, had helped him understand the situation a little better.

  “Brad’s Native American heritage goes deep.” She was part Ojibwa herself. “He knows the importance of honoring his elders”—she grinned at his incredulous look—“his tribal elders. He’s loyal to those in authority who are of his world”—her cheeky grin peeked out again—“and indifferent to those who aren’t.”

  Watching Brad now as he leaned against the tall trunk of an evergreen, his arms crossed over his chest, that slightly mocking light in his dark eyes, Josh knew Taylor had been right on target. Bradson Momadey respected and loved his parents and did his best to honor them—which was the main reason he came to the youth group at all.

  Brad’s only response to Eric’s question was a casual shrug. Josh sighed and turned his attention to his eager charges.

  “Okay, guys, line up and let’s count off.”

  He’d already explained how the hike worked. One person was blindfolded and led by the others for ten minutes. Then the team members would switch places. Rendezvous was in twenty minutes. The idea was to learn both to rely on each other and to take care of each other, making sure everyone stayed out of trouble.

  “Okay, remember, we meet back here in twenty minutes, so you older guys keep an eye on your watches. And one final caution: make sure your team sticks to the path. It’s been pretty warm lately, and the higher temps have caused some thawing. There are a lot of places that look safe but aren’t. Any questions?” When none were forthcoming, Josh inclined his head. “Okay, seniors and juniors, pick a team to follow.”

  Each of the older boys moved to stand next to one of the pairs—except Brad. He didn’t budge. He just stood there, leaning against the tree with casual disinterest.

  “We get Brad!” This pronouncement came from Billy, a sturdy sixth-grader, who grabbed his partner, the hesitant Eric, and hauled him over to stand next to the senior.

  Josh was pleased he managed to hold back his grin. Now there’s an interesting team. Eric, who’s scared of his shadow out here, and Billy, who’s not scared of anything. Those two would drive Brad crazy. If that wasn’t poetic justice, he didn’t know what was.

  “All set?” Josh said. “Go to it!”

  The group exploded into activity. Each of the teams was off and running—even Eric and Billy, except they didn’t exactly explode into action. Rather, they launched into a heated debate over who would wear the blindfold first. From his nearby leaning post, Brad watched the two kids push the cotton cloth back and forth between them.

  Of course, Josh hadn’t expected Brad to intervene. Not really. He was a law unto himself, though Josh gave him credit that he wasn’t blatantly defiant or disobedient. He would simply listen as Jim or Josh talked, wait until everyone else was involved in his or her activity, then go his own way. Quietly. And alone.

  Several times Jim had come close to asking Brad to leave the youth group, but Josh always talked him out of it.

  “The kid needs someplace to belong. Someplace where he’ll hear truth, even if he doesn’t seem to respond.” Reluctantly, Jim had agreed. But with graduation around the corner, Brad’s time with the group was coming to an end.

  What’s it going to take to reach this kid, Lord? Josh shook his head. He’d asked the question more times than he could count. With a sigh, he walked over to Brad. “Well, looks like you’ve got quite a job here with these two.”

  Brad didn’t budge. His dark gaze raked Josh with disdain.

  There’s got to be a way to get through to him, Lord! The memory of the morning he’d left for this trip ran through his mind. He’d held Taylor close and kissed her good-bye.

  “Pray for me.” He’d rested his chin on the top of her head, inhaling the sweet fragrance of her hair. “I have a feeling something incredible is going to happen on this trip. Something Brad won’t be able to resist.”

  “Something other than your boyish charm and disarming sincerity?”

  The image of her laughing eyes and sweet face lifted his sagging spirits. Even after nearly eight years, he could scarcely believe God had blessed him with such a wife. Their parting that morning had been bittersweet. She’d seemed uncertain, worried. So he held her close, kissed her, and promised her, “I’ll miss you. I’ll see you soon.”

  He felt a smile lift his lips. Taylor’s love and belief in him always made him feel he could do anything, overcome any obstacle—even the solid steel walls Brad seemed to have erected around his heart. He looked at the boy’s bored face. “You know it would only take a word from you, and they’d stop fighting.”

  Josh watched the mocking light deepen in Brad’s eyes.

  “Hey, they’re not my responsibility.”

  “Actually, I’m afraid they are.” He met and held Brad’s gaze.

  Brad’s defiance was almost palpable. “I don’t have to do this.”

  “True enough. So go ahead. Whatever happens to these two is up to you. But I just want you to know I trust you.”

  With that Josh turned and headed for the path into the woods. As he reached the edge of the clearing, he tossed one last comment over his shoulder. “By the way, Jim and I have a bet on how long it takes.”

  Brad snorted. “For what?”

  “For those two to drive you totally crazy.” He turned and grinned at Brad. “I give them two minutes. Tops.”

  Brad watched Josh disappear down the path, then looked away. What a jerk. “I just want you to know I trust you.” Like that mattered—

  A loud wail interrupted Brad’s thoughts, and he looked to see Billy sitting on top of Eric, trying to tie the blindfold on the smaller kid’s head. With a disgusted sigh, Brad stepped forward, grabbed Billy by the back of the shirt, and lifted him off his victim.

  “Hey!” Billy complained, and Brad let him go. The boy flopped on the ground in a pile next to his partner.

  Both boys looked up at him angrily, but Brad held up his hand. “Just knock it off!”

  They fell silent. Eric’s lip started to tremble.

  Oh no … not tears!

  “Here.” Brad quickly stepped toward Eric and extended a hand, pulling him up. “You go first, buddy. I’ll make sure Billy leads you right. And since you’ve spent at least five minutes fighting, you’ll only have five minutes to be blindfolded instead of ten. And that’s no sweat. You’ll be done in no time.”

  Eric took the blindfold, then looked up at Brad doubtfully. “You’ll watch him? Close?” He glared at Billy. “Make sure he doesn’t send me off a cliff?”

  “Oh, right!” Billy shot back. “Like you could walk that far!”

  Brad silenced the older boy with a look and put his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “I’ll watch him.”

  Eric put the blindfold over his eyes. Brad tied it at the back of his head.

  “Okay, Billy. Move it out.”

  Five minutes later, Brad was bored out of his mind. He watched as Eric
whipped off the blindfold with a triumphant grin and tossed it to Billy.

  Brad leaned down to Eric, his lips close to the kid’s ear. “Tell you what. You go ahead and lead Billy down the path. Do as good a job for him as he did for you. I’ll head back to the clearing and let Josh know everything’s okay.”

  A frown creased Eric’s brow. “I thought you were supposed to stay with us.”

  “Just until you got the hang of things. Besides, you know the way back, right?”

  Eric gave a slow nod. “Right.”

  “So no sweat.” Brad thumped Eric on the back. “See you there.”

  Josh stood in the clearing, watching the teams straggle in and checking off names to be sure everyone was back. The boys were whooping and hollering, laughing as they took off their blindfolds, giving each other high fives.

  Then he spotted Brad, leaning against a tree.

  Alone.

  Josh pushed away the sudden apprehension tugging at his gut. “Mike, have you seen Eric or Billy?”

  The blue-eyed junior cast a quick glance over the group, then shrugged. “No, come to think of it, I haven’t. I thought Brad was with them.”

  “Yeah, so did I.” With a sigh Josh walked over to Brad.

  “Where are the boys?” Josh tried to remain calm. Surely Brad hadn’t left them alone in the woods.

  Brad looked at him, his expression bored. “They’re coming.”

  “What do you mean, ‘they’re coming’? Why aren’t you with them?”

  Brad stiffened. “Hey, I told you they weren’t my responsibility.”

  “And I told you they were.”

  Before Brad could respond, Eric burst into the clearing, eyes wide, face pale.

  “Josh! Josh, you gotta come! Quick!”

  Josh pushed past the other boys who had swarmed around Eric. “What’s happened? Where’s Billy?”

  Eric was gasping, as though he’d run for all he was worth to get back as fast as he could. “He—he’s in trouble. He’s on a ledge. I—I think he’s gonna fall! I told him I’d come get you.” He grabbed Josh’s sleeve and pulled. “You gotta come! Now!”