her, trying to determine if she was fearful or just prissy. Whatever the case, it really chafed him that she would flat-out refuse.
Stepping onto the pine-needle-covered ground, he rounded the vehicle to stand beside her. “I don’t know how you expect to encourage the kids to do any of these things when you won’t do them yourself. This—” he swept his arm wide, indicating the complex matrix that was the zip line and challenge course “—is why most of them are coming to camp in the first place. They’re tired of sitting on the sidelines. They want to experience the game.”
“I want them to experience it, too. I want them to have fun and try new things.”
He looked down at her, hating that he was now questioning why God had put her in his path. “I see how it is. Do as I say, not as I do.”
Her glare darted to him.
“Well, forgive me,” he said, “but I’d prefer my camp companions to lead by example.”
She walked away as other staff and volunteers began to arrive.
Just as well because he needed to reel in his anger. How could she refuse to participate?
People waved, chatting as they passed him on their way in.
Still waiting for his anger to dissipate, he grabbed the cooler and hauled it to a nearby picnic table, then did the same with the snacks. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this upset. Even his brothers, who knew all too well how to push his buttons, had never succeeded in making him this mad.
When it appeared everyone had arrived, Levi gathered them to announce how the events would unfold.
Teri came alongside Daniel as he watched his friend. “Where’s Blythe?”
He glanced to his right, noticing the outline of her petite figure standing near the lake beside a row of canoes. “Over there.” He pointed beyond the edge of the woods.
Teri looked confused. “Is something wrong?”
“Why don’t you ask Blythe?”
With a shrug, Teri took off in Blythe’s direction.
Daniel immediately felt like a heel. This wasn’t Teri’s problem to deal with, it was his. Yet here he stood.
Lord, do You really want Blythe to be in this position of camp companion, or did I misunderstand You? After all, just because Jack said she could take on the role, didn’t mean God wanted her to.
Levi directed a question his way from the front of the group.
After answering, Daniel glanced toward the lake again. Teri and Blythe were talking, even laughing. Had she explained to Teri why she was over there and not with the group? And why did it bother him so much that they were laughing together?
Focusing on Levi atop one of the platforms, he tried to keep his attention where it needed to be. Yet a short time later, he saw Blythe coming toward him. And for some reason, that made him nervous. What if she decided to quit? Campers would be here in less than twenty-four hours.
She can’t quit completely—she’s the overseer.
Like that was a positive.
She stopped beside him, but didn’t say a word initially. After a moment, though, she leaned toward him, arms crossed. “I’m afraid.” Her voice was so low he almost didn’t hear her.
“What are you afraid of?”
She shrugged. “Embarrassing myself. Getting hurt...”
“Why would you—?”
She looked up at him then, and the genuine fear in her pretty eyes silenced him. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed it before.
“But Teri encouraged me to at least give things a try,” she added.
“How?”
Just then, Teri called Blythe’s name. And as Blythe turned to walk away, she smiled. “She said please.”
When Blythe volunteered to be a camp companion, she’d envisioned herself cheering campers on as they tackled the challenge course or took flight on the zip line. What she hadn’t counted on was being an active participant.
Obviously, she should have asked for all of the facts first, then made an informed decision. Instead, she’d jumped right in, eager to help the kids, never imagining something like Adventure Haven. The enormity of this place was unlike anything she’d ever seen.
Standing at the edge of the small lake earlier today, she’d wrestled with herself, torn between facing her fears and just giving up. Which, in turn, meant letting the kids down.
Then Teri came along and not only encouraged her, but helped her see that she wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Still, what Daniel had planned for her next might be pushing it.
With the team building stuff over and everyone back at camp, he’d been determined to familiarize Blythe with each of the outdoor events, something the other companions had already done. Never mind that her body was already sore from the team exercises. Though, she had to admit, it had been fun. Who knew that trying to get half a dozen people over a wooden wall in the fastest amount of time could be so enjoyable? She’d been the last one to make it, of course. And if her teammates hadn’t pulled her over, she’d still be there.
Perhaps she truly was an arts-and-crafts kind of girl. But that wasn’t about to stop Daniel. He’d started his instructional tour at the lake where canoeing proved to be quite a challenge for her and fishing had been a fiasco. If she never had to bait another hook, that would be fine by her.
Now, with the late afternoon sun dancing through the trees, they were at the zip-line tower, and the possibilities of what could go wrong here were too numerous to count.
Atop the wooden platform, she eyed the mountains in the distance. “Did I mention that I’m afraid of heights?”
“Blythe, you can’t allow yourself to be a prisoner of your fears.” Daniel rummaged through a plastic bin. “Life is an adventure. Besides, you’ll be wearing a harness.” He held one up before setting it aside and continuing to dig.
“How will that help me if the line itself loosens from the post and comes crashing down?”
He paused his search and gave her a matter-of-fact look. “Blythe, the cables are bolted into the posts. They’ve been inspected multiple times. They’re not coming down.”
She knew he was trying to make her feel better, but he wasn’t succeeding. “They said the Titanic was unsinkable.”
Hands on his hips, he blew out an exasperated breath. “Look, Blythe, I truly appreciate you volunteering to be a camp companion. There’s a lot to that role, and you’ve been a real trouper these last few days. But if you’re not cut out for this type of work, just tell me.”
Studying the intricate web of cables and platforms, she said, “I just don’t understand why the camp companions have to do all of these activities.”
“They don’t, actually.” He reached into the box again. “However, I want them to be familiar with every aspect of them.”
Indignation stiffened her spine. “You mean the other counselors didn’t have to do all of these things?”
“No.” Holding a helmet, he faced her once again. “They chose to.”
Her shoulders sagged. “Oh. So, what do you do if there’s a camper who doesn’t want to participate in something?”
“We give them a pep talk, the way Teri did with you. Encourage them to give it a try. But we’re not going to make them do anything, Blythe.” He handed her the helmet. “Here, put this on.”
“Why?”