"Okay, Christy," Jaeson called out, his arms still around the batter. "Give us your best shot."

Christy pretended to be spitting on her hands and sending signals to the catcher.

"Come on, pitcher," Jaeson yelled, "let us have it!"

With a dramatic windup, Christy let the ball go. It was a ridiculous pitch that landed almost four feet away from the plate on the left side. Everyone laughed, including Christy.

"If that's your best," Jaeson heckled, "we don't want to see your worst."

"I was just testing you," Christy called back. "Wanted to see if you would swing at anything. Here comes a good one."

Christy pitched a nice, slow ball straight over home plate. With Jaeson's help, the girl smacked the ball almost all the way to the woods. Everyone cheered as she ran the bases with Jaeson by her side. The other three runners came home with hoots and hollers.

A fielder threw the ball to second base just as Jaeson and the girl touched third. Now it was a battle to see if they could make it home. Jaeson picked up the girl, carrying her under his arm like a footbajl, as he charged home. They made it a few seconds before the ball did, and Jaeson put the girl down firmly on home plate, like an explorer planting a flag and claiming the land.

A small crowd of campers had gathered, and everyone was still cheering when the next girl stepped up to bat. "I want Jaeson to help me too," she said.

"Naw, you can do it yourself. Go ahead and try," Jaeson coached from the sidelines.

With the first pitch, the girl looked as though she deliberately swung and missed. Perhaps she hoped her lack of coordination would bringJaeson to her side.

"Come on!" he called out. "I know you can do better than that."

She positioned the bat over her shoulder and turned to Christy with a fierce look on her face. Christy wanted to laugh. This girl was taking the game more seriously than it was intended. Christy gave her an easy low ball, and the girl hit a grounder that dribbled right back to Christy. Watching the girl run to first base out of the corner of her eye, Christy made sure she was almost there before s.n.a.t.c.hing up the grounder and tossing it to first base. The girl was safe'. By the look on her face, she was quite proud of herself.

In the distance, they heard the camp bell ringing, which was their signal to go to the evening meeting. Everyone groaned. Christy's girls complained that they didn't have a chance to bat.

"Can we finish our game tomorrow?" they asked.

"Sure," Christy agreed. "How about tomorrow right after lunch?"

"You were too nice to them," Sara said. "You were trying to make them win."

"She would pitch the same way if you were up to bat," Jaeson said, coming to Christy's defense and joining them as they headed back to main camp. "That's what counselors are supposed to doa"be fair to everybody."

The girl Jaeson had helped around the bases now had a hold of his arm and looked like she intended to remain attached permanently to him. Sara grabbed Jaeson's other arm.

Looking up at him with her ginger eyes, she pleaded, "Will you play with us tomorrow afternoon? Pleeeease?"

"Sure," Jaeson said, catching Christy's eye and giving her a big smile,. "Christy and I make a good team, don't you think?"

That comment prompted a round of agreement from the girls, including Jocelyn's bright statement, "Why don't you two get married? Then you could do this every day for the rest of your lives."

"Hey, yeah!" Jeanine agreed. "You could build a little cabin over there in the woods, and we'd all come and stay with you. You could take us canoeing and play baseball every day."

Christy was too embarra.s.sed to look at Jaeson, but she could feel his amused glance. Fortunately they were back at camp and could file into the meeting hall with the rest of the campers. The singing started a few minutes after they walked in. Christy's girls, full of energy, sang loudly, nudging each other and making up their own hand motions to go along with the motions they had already learned. Christy looked across the room and noticed Jaeson sitting with his boys. He turned and gazed back at her, giving one of his thumbs-up signs. She smiled back, hoping her girls hadn't noticed.

Then Christy spotted a film projector set up in the back. She remembered Dean Ferrill telling them at the counselors meeting that they had a movie for the kids tonight that should get them thinking. At devos that night the counselors were supposed to take advantage of the film's message to see if any of their campers wanted to make a commitment to Christ.

The lights were out, and the movie started. Christy felt a firm hand on her shoulder. Jaeson whispered in her ear, "Come with me."

Christy slipped out without her girls noticing and followed Jaeson. As soon as the door to the meeting hall closed behind them, he took Christy's hand and said, "Time for your canoe lesson."

"Now?"

Jaeson, still holding her hand, pulled her along with him as he jogged toward the lake. "Now's the best time. Right after sunset. The water is smooth, and its nice and quiet."

"But are you sure this is okay?" Christy puffed. She couldn't help but feel they were sneaking off, leaving their campers behind. They would get in trouble for this, she just knew it.

"We'll be back before the movie is over. It won't be a problem. Trust me."

Jaeson kept a firm hold on her hand as they wound through the woods. They arrived at the boat shack winded. He had the wild look of an adventurer in his eyes when he handed Christy her life jacket and paddle. She still felt they were doing something wrong and would get caught.

"Are you sure this is okay, Jaeson?"

"You want to learn to canoe, don't you? Now's your golden opportunity. Just look at the lake. Isn't it beautiful?"

She had to admit that Jaeson was right. The lake looked like the polished floor of a ballet studio, with the fading golden lights of the summer evening dancing across it.

"Get in," Jaeson ordered when he had positioned the canoe halfway into the water.

Christy carefully balanced her way to the front bench and held on, trying to keep the canoe steady. Jaeson dropped his full weight on the back bench and used his paddle to push off from sh.o.r.e.

Suddenly it was quiet. The only sounds were the calm water rippling up against the canoe's side and the evening chorus of bullfrogs and crickets along the sh.o.r.e.

"Jaeson," Christy whispered, "are you sure we should be out here?"

"Relax, will you? I've done this a bunch of times." Then Jaeson's voice became softer, "Isn't it beautiful out here? I love this. Come on. Relax, Christy. I promise tonight will be the highlight of your whole week."

Christy's fingers clutched the paddle in her lap. Her eyes darted back and forth across the darkening waters as they headed for the middle of the lake.

Relax, huh?

of the lake, Jaeson said, "Now, the first thing you need to know is how to hold the paddle. I noticed you were holding it like this today."

He showed Christy in the dim light that he had both hands on the neck of the paddle. "You need to put one hand on the top like this and the other right about here."

Christy held up her paddle and followed his instructions.

"Good. I knew you would be a fast learner. When you're in the canoe alone, you have to paddle from the back if you want to control which way it goes. You were trying to steer it from the front this afternoon. Watch."

Jaeson dipped his paddle in the water on the right side, and as he gave a mighty stroke, the canoe lunged forward. Another stroke on the left side, and the canoe charged again. Jaeson kept the canoe going straight from his control point at the back.

"You try it," Jaeson said. "Turn around and face me, and your end will become the back of the canoe."

Christy lifted one long leg and tried to swing it over to the other side without tipping the canoe. It felt terribly awkward. She managed to get both legs over and sat facing Jaeson. It was too dark to see his expression clearly, but she thought he was smiling at her.

Does he think I'm a klutz or what? I can't tell if he's smiling at me or laughing at me.

"Are you right-handed?" Jaeson asked.

"Yes, why?"

"I have a theory that you'll have more strength paddling on your left side, because your right hand will be on top of the paddle, and that's your strongest. So start your paddle on the left side. Remember to put your hand on top."

Christy followed his instructions.

"Good. Always start with a strong stroke, and then switch to the other side and give it another strong stroke."

Christy did, and Jaeson praised her. "See how different it feels when you're at the back of the canoe? You have much more control."

'You're right," Christy said. "Thanks for the lesson."

Jaeson started to scan the treetops on the other side of the lake. "It won't be here for another ten minutes," he said. "Good thing I brought provisions for us."

"What won't be here?"

"You'll see. Thirsty?" Jaeson reached for a bundle on the floor in the center of the canoe.

Christy had noticed it when she had climbed in but thought it was just a blanket. He undid the bundle and revealed a variety of "provisions."

"What's that?" Christy asked.

"Our moonlight picnic," he said, placing a lantern onto the center seat. He lit the wick inside. Jaeson pulled out a gla.s.s and scooped up some lake water and placed it next to the lantern. He picked up a dozen squashed wild-flowers from the bundle and dunked them in the vase.

Christy laughed at his creativity. "This is charming, aeson.

"Charming?" he repeated. "It's been called many things, but I think I like charming the best so far."

Christy took it from his comment that during his years as a camp counselor, he had taken more than one girl out for a moonlight picnic. She wondered if tonight was any different for him. Was she special to him? Or was she just another girl counselor he could flirt with for the week? She wanted to be his favorite, the only girl he had ever done this with. She wanted it to be romantic and as wonderful for him as it was for her.

Jaeson handed Christy an opened bottle of mineral water and a napkin.

"Thank you, kind sir," she said, playing along with the fun.

"And now for the best part," Jaeson announced. "Peanut b.u.t.ter cookies saved from Sunday night!"

He handed Christy a cookie that was about seventy-five percent there.

"That's the biggest one," he said. "They get a little crumbly after the second day."

Christy laughed. "This is great, Jaeson! How fun. Thanks for bringing me out here."

She bit into the cookie and listened to the sound of the lake gently lapping at the side of the canoe.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Jaeson rummaged through the bundle and came up with a portable CD player. He popped in a CD, cranked the volume all the way up, and balanced it on the middle seat with the earphones pointed in Christy's direction. The music came out soft, just loud enough.

"Alittle music," he said.

Christy felt like giggling; this was all so fun. A breeze blew over them, bringing with it the cool, pungent smell of moss, with just a hint of coconut tanning lotion.

"So," Jaeson leaned back slightly and took a bite out of his cookie, "tell me your dreams."

"What?"

"What do you wish? What are your dreams for the future?"

Christy was caught off guard. Whenever she dreamed of the future, the dreams included Todd. She couldn't tell that to Jaeson. Not here with the music and lantern light and everything.

"I don't know if I really have any dreams or wishes for the future," she answered.

"Sure you do. You have to. Everyone has to have a dream. Do you Want to hear mine?"

"Sure," Christy said.

"I want to be a pilot. I want to fly my own plane. Not those big commercial airplanes or military jets. I want a little plane. I'd even be happy as a crop duster. That's my wish."

"Have you taken any flying lessons?" Christy asked.

"No, but I have some information on them. I'm saving up my money because they're not cheap. Maybe by this fall I'll start lessons."

"That's a good dream." Christy took a sip from her bottle. "I bet you'll make a great pilot."

"Your turn," Jaeson said. "What's your dream?"

"Well, I only thought of one thing. I've never told anyone this before, I don't think."

"You can tell me. All secrets shared on moonlight picnics are safe with me." Jaeson reached for another cookie and listened intently, waiting for her answer.

"I'd like to go to England. To Europe, actually. I've always wanted to visit a real castle and go for a ride in a gondola in Venice. That's my dream," Christy said, feeling brave.

"That's a jolly good dream," Jaeson said with a British accent. "You do have a bit of a Mary Poppins look about you. I'm sure your wish will come true."

Just then he spotted something over the top of Christy's head. It was easier to see his expression now, and Christy noticed his face lighting up with delight.

"Here he comes," Jaeson said. "Look!"

Christy turned around and saw what Jaeson was so excited about. The moon, a big, fat, b.u.t.tery ball, had just popped over the treetops and was dripping its golden light onto the lake.

"Right on time." Jaeson gently paddled the canoe around so Christy wouldn't have to look over her shoulder.

"It's so beautiful!" Christy whispered as they watched the moon rise over the lake and shine on them like a searchlight. Everything around them took on a hazy, amber glow, and for some reason it felt warmer.

They sat in silence, enjoying the night show and listening to the muted melodies floating from the CD player. Christy knew Jaeson had been right when he said this would be the highlight of her week. Still, as wonderful and romantic and peaceful as everything was, thoughts of Todd crept into the fantasy evening.

There's nothing wrong with me being here with Jaeson and enjoying this, romantic moment with him. It doesn't change anything between Todd and me.

Just then Jaeson leaned toward Christy, his hand reaching for her face.