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Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

His reasonableness. He stifled a snort and shifted uncomfortably on the log. No one who knew him would say he was reasonable. Looked like he should work on that.

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Do not be anxious. Let your requests be made known to God with thanksgiving.

Being a Christian was hard. There were so many rules that went contrary to Weston’s nature. What if he liked being anxious?

Except, he didn’t. And that last bit reminded him why. Because the peace of God wasn’t compatible with him clinging to anxious, negative thoughts.

Had he mentioned that it was hard? Because… it was hard.

Rejoicing and looking on the bright side was easy for someone like Paisley.

But was it, really? She didn’t know her dad. Wasn’t sure if her mom was sober. If anyone had grounds for being wary and tentative, it was her. What was her secret?

He read the words on his phone again.

Paisley’s secret was right there. That’s how she lived. While Weston kept holding God at arm’s length, unsure if He was trustworthy, Paisley was all in. She trusted.

What would it be like to trust like that? Could he even do it if he really tried?

Weston laid a few more sticks on his fire. The water was steaming now. Sunshine shafted through a gap in the hills, lighting up the top of a mountain to the south.

This was his favorite time of day. Always had been. And today it was more true than ever before.

He heard a zipping sound and turned to see Paisley stumbling out of her tent, wearing a rumpled hoodie and flannel pajama pants adorned in… Weston tried not to stare, but really? Pink unicorns. Didn’t that just figure? They were just as cute as she was.

Not that he’d ever admit it to her, but she was growing on him. A few weeks ago, he’d have said she was growing on him like a foot fungus, but maybe she wasn’t that bad.

Her wide eyes met his as she straightened, combing her fingers through her mass of blond hair. “I didn’t know you were up,” she whispered, reaching behind her to tug the zipper closed.

“Best time of day.” Weston should stop looking at her, but he couldn’t. She was just so… wholesome. Pretty, but not fussy about it. And that positive attitude was a bit of an attraction, too.

There, he’d admitted it to himself. That was as far as it would ever go. He wasn’t relationship material. Just ask Rayna. Paisley was only trying to figure him out. Once she succeeded, she’d move on to someone else. Spritely butterflies didn’t linger with guys like him.

“Water’s nearly hot. Coffee in a few?” He wiped the smirk off his face.

“You have a sick sense of humor. Tea all the way. But first, the latrine.” She picked her way around the logs and rocks between her and the shielded area.

Well, he could help with the tea. They’d set up a camp stove last night to reheat the stew Mom sent along. He’d fill the kettle and turn it on for her. See? He could be nice.

He’d just settled back beside the small fire with his coffee grounds beside him, waiting for the water to boil, when she came back to the kitchen area and squirted sanitizer on her hands. “Weston?”

“Hmm?” He didn’t look over.

“Thanks for putting on the water. At least, I assume it was you, since no one else seems to be up.”

“No problem.” It was all he could do not to grin at her pleasure. Because all of a sudden, he’d do nearly anything to hear her gratefulness.

He looked down at his phone lying on the log, the screen black now. Was that how God felt when one of His people was thankful? In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul prayed about everything with thanksgiving. And God gave peace. Which probably made it easier for Paul to keep a good attitude. And for God to keep giving peace.

Huh.

The other tent on the boys’ side bulged. Someone grunted. There was a scuffling sound. Then a zip before Harvey practically rolled out the door. There were other voices now.