hot morning breeze. “This is it, ladies. Now Miz Jayden will lead the way back to camp, and I’ll bring up the rear. Let’s get some speed now that y’all are warmed up. Mary will have breakfast ready when we get home.”
Home my butt, Jayden thought as she started a fast walk back toward the camp. As if God knew the land was barren and stark, and they needed something bright and pretty in their lives that morning, He gave them a beautiful sunrise. Streaks of pink, blue, and lavender lit up the sky out ahead. An orange ball peeked over the top of the mountain range to the east of them, but it didn’t seem to be in a hurry. When they reached the camp, it still wasn’t full light yet.
“Water!” Carmella groaned.
“I need my morning latte,” Ashlyn, the most fit one in the group, said.
“Sorry, but we don’t do fancy coffee here,” Elijah said just a split second before the siren sounded. “We do have some creamer and sugar if you can’t take it black. Line up, girls. Toes on the sidewalk and six inches between your shoulders.”
Jayden went on inside, headed straight for the coffeepot, and poured a mugful. “Smells good in here. What can I do to help?”
“You can take my place,” Henry said. “My old hip is giving me fits. I’m glad that we’re leaving this in Elijah’s hands pretty soon. Another year, and I wouldn’t be able to enjoy traveling with my pretty bride.”
“You’ve always been a charmer.” A brilliant smile covered Mary’s face. “Thanks for the offer, Jayden. You can help the girls with their trays. I’ll pour orange juice and coffee or milk for those who want it. I have help from the girls from each cabin for dinner and supper, but since the exercise regimen is important, I choose to do breakfast by myself.”
Carmella was the first one through the line that morning. She held her tray out for Jayden to put scrambled eggs onto it and kept it there for a double portion. “I’m starving. Give me two of those hash browns, and two biscuits with gravy. Do we get midmorning snacks?”
“No, ma’am. You get three meals a day,” Jayden answered as she finished dipping up gravy.
“This isn’t a country club.” Tiffany came up right behind Carmella. “You should know that by now.”
“Amen,” Quinley said. “I’m here to tell you that I would’ve sold my soul for a bag of potato chips and a good cold root beer last night.”
“Amen!” Violet said.
“Not me,” Rita said. “If my soul was up for sale, I’d have wanted a chocolate cake.”
“I could have said no to the chips, but not a double shot of Jameson,” Ashlyn muttered as she went through the line.
Jayden remembered the beer that Elijah had shared and felt a little guilty, but not enough that she wouldn’t gladly take another one if he offered it again in a few days. A pang of sadness struck her—she hoped that the girls would all be more secure within themselves when they left the camp.
When the girls were seated, Elijah held out his tray. “Just eggs, bacon, and a couple of those biscuits.”
“Yes, sir.” Jayden’s hand brushed against his as she put the food onto his tray. There was that little spark again. She chalked it up to the fact that she hadn’t had a date in a year, hadn’t been in a relationship in two years—and Elijah was a sexy guy who would stir any woman’s hormones. When she got home, she really should think about going out more.
Chapter Seven
Jayden thought about her grandparents that morning as she crossed the distance to the barn with her girls. When she was a little girl, her mother would let her spend weeks with them during the summer. That could have well been when she fell into the habit of getting up early so she could go help Gramps do the morning chores while Granny cooked breakfast. She remembered thinking that the morning dew was what made the air smell so fresh and clean. Gramps would tell her stories or else teach her some small lesson about farm life in those precious times she spent with him.
Will I be able to pass on anything that these three girls will remember? she wondered as she followed behind them. They weren’t talking, but she wanted them to bond together and become friends. There was a far better chance of them doing just that if she let