“That’s great. You’ll freak out, probably fall in the water, and I’ll feel compelled to jump in and save yet another person.”He shook his head. “Let me just tell you, that water is freezing.”
“I’m not going to fall in the water.” At least I hope not.
Gus started the old truck, then managed to shift into first gear to follow the cars, which were packed to capacity, as always.“Clearly, you’re doing this to prove something to your father.”
“And to myself,” Jayce was quick to say. “But yeah . . . I’m anxious to see the look on his face when I say I’m going.”
Gus didn’t say anything, and the rest of the trip was quiet until they pulled into the parking lot at Bluespring.
“That phone of yours, can it look up just about anything?” Gus’s face was drawn and serious.
“Pretty much. Google is pretty smart. What do you need to know?”
“Where is Jug Rock?”
Jayce typed Jug Rock into his phone. “Here’s what Wikipedia says about it.” He read from his phone screen.
Jug Rock is a natural geological formation located outside of Shoals, Indiana, in the valley of the East Fork of the White River. It is composed of sandstone and is the largest freestanding table rock formation in the United States east of the Mississippi River.
“Then it lists an address in Shoals, Indiana,” Jayce said. “It’s about twenty miles from Montgomery.”
Gus glared at him. “You can get all that information from a phone?”
“Yep.” Jayce stepped out of the truck and took a deep breath, eyeing the entrance to the cave. After everyone poured out ofthe limos, Jayce pulled out the first load of equipment. He was happy to see that Veronica wasn’t in a wetsuit. She’d be filmingout of the water today. He started walking toward the entrance, his heart like a bass drum in his chest. Veronica came upbeside him.
“How’s it going with the Amish girl?” She nudged him.
Jayce smiled as thoughts of the day before soothed his pulse. “I like her. A lot.”
“Think you’ll stay friends after we go home?”
He repositioned a box under his arm. “Maybe I won’t go home.”
Veronica stopped walking. “You’re kidding, right?”
Jayce shrugged. “I like it here.”
She tucked her blonde hair behind her ears. “If you’re saying this because of that girl, I’d be careful about overhaulingyour life to live the way they do.” She shifted her stance and put a hand on her hip. “Listen, Jayce. I know you don’t getalong with your father, but you’ve got a good life in LA. And you said after this project, you’ll have enough money to getyour own place and get out from under your dad’s thumb.”
“Have you taken the time to really look around? It’s peaceful here. The people are nice.” He nodded at Gus after he walkedby them. “Well, most of them.”
Veronica grinned as she poked him on the shoulder with her finger. “Hey, no making fun of my hero.”
Jayce laughed as his father walked by glaring at him. “We don’t have all day, so hurry up!”
“I don’t know how I ever dated him.” Veronica shook her head.
“Neither does anyone else.” Jayce started walking again, then made the usual number of trips back to haul the rest of theequipment. Finally, it was time for everyone to get in the boats.
“I’m going with you today, Dad.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets since they were shaking.
His father snickered. “Um, really?”
“Yeah. I’ll be going on the boat to help out.”
His father stared at him, tipping his head to one side. “We don’t need you to go today.”
“Well, I’m going.” Jayce felt good about proving to himself that he could do something he feared, but he needed to show his father too.
“No, you’re not. We aren’t going to be more than a couple hours anyway.” His father walked to the far end of the dock andstepped into one of the boats. Jayce followed him, knowing he should just stay behind and let it go, but years of bullyingpushed him forward.
“Why are you doing this? I finally tell you I’m ready to go, and now you’re saying I’m not going.” Jayce clenched his handsat his sides.
“Because we don’t need you in the boat today. You’d only be in the way.”
Jayce had never wanted to hit anyone so much in his entire life. As his hands balled into fists, he felt the fire in his chest,the pounding of his temples, and the urge to lash out at a man he loved but didn’t respect. But then who would he be? Whatkind of person? Worse than his father? What would Evelyn think? More importantly . . . what would God think?
He relaxed his hands even though he was trembling. Surely his father would love for him to lose his cool in front of everyone.But the man’s expression wasn’t the usual mocking glare. There was something sad in his eyes, a look Jayce remembered seeingwhen his mother left. Jayce felt sick. About everything.
Gus cleared his throat. “I can stay back so the boy can go.”
His father held the expression for a few long moments before he turned to answer. “Appreciate the offer, Gus, but you’ve kinda become our lifeguard.” He smiled at Gus, then stepped into the boat. And just like that, his father was back to the man Jayce knew. Maybe he couldn’t change. But Jayce could.
Jayce glanced at Gus, who opened his mouth possibly to argue, but he didn’t say anything.
He glanced at Veronica, and she had the same sympathetic look he’d seen plenty of times. He avoided looking at anyone elseas he turned and walked away. And he didn’t stop walking when he got to the parking lot. Nor did he tour the property as he’ddone in the past.
He walked to the road and just kept going.
* * *
Evelyn and her mother were hanging clothes on the line Monday afternoon when they both looked up as the sky became cloudy.
“It’s not supposed to rain,” her mother
