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Them, together, building something new. Where, he didn’t know, but... yes. The sense of it filled him up, settled into his soul.
Beyond the fire, in the darkness, waves washed the shore, and overhead, the summer night stirred the leaves.
Do you love me, Doyle?
He drew in a breath.
Across the bonfire, Penny’s marshmallow lit.
I do, Lord.
Then feed my sheep.
He was back on the soccer field with Jamal and Rohan and Kemar and Gabriella, laughing.
Feed my sheep.
He was on the beach, walking hand in hand with Tia, the wind in her hair, her green eyes on his, her smile lighting him up.
Feed my sheep.
He was sitting with Jamal, telling him he was loved, no matter what happened with the Jamesons.
Go, make disciples.
Doyle pressed a hand to his chest.
“You okay, son?” His father’s voice lifted from across the flames. Doyle looked up, met his gaze.
“Yes. Yes, sir, I am good.”
Overhead, sparks winked out into the night, the stars watching.
And for the first time since longer than he could remember... he was very, very good.
* * *
“You’ll be brilliant. I have no doubt. You always seem to figure it out.”
Tia looked up to see her mother standing in the kitchen doorway, pausing a moment before she came into the room. She wore a tennis dress, diamond earrings, her dark hair back in a sleek ponytail.
“What?”
Her mother came over and sat down in the chair opposite where Tia sat at the table, her laptop open, scrolling through her slides. She’d put the presentation together herself, not sure anyone else could capture the essence of Hope House and the need for a proper, rebuilt hospital.
Especially since the treasure money would be held up for years in the war between Mariposa and the Netherlands over who was the rightful owner. Ethan was beside himself—but he’d been generous enough to call some friends and set up today’s presentation.
“You have that look on your face, your thinking look.”
“My...thinkinglook?”
Her mother nodded. “Reminds me of your father.”
Huh. Maybe. “I’m trying to secure funding for the hospital. An MRI machine.”
And a project kept her mind away from...
Yeah. Him.