Take Three

  “Definitely not.” This time her smile felt sad. If she wound up in New York, that would be the end for her and Cody. Distance would have the final say. “My dad can’t stand it either.” The conversation was easy, without the walls she’d felt between the two of them for so much of the last school year. “When we go to New York, we shop, sightsee, go to the theater. We stay three days and then we’re gone. But that’s not how it would be if I lived there.” She looked at him. “I’d be commuting in on a bridge or by subway, walking fast and afraid of getting accosted. I’d pay high rent for a small apartment and have almost no fresh air.” The sky was nearly dark, but in the dim light that remained, a pair of eagles drifted up from the branches of a nearby pine. A breeze brushed against her face, and for a few seconds she closed her eyes. When she opened them, she smiled. “No moments like this.”

  “What about Tim?” Cody seemed guarded when he talked about Tim. “How does he feel about the city?”

  “He loves it. I think he could live there for the next five years. Maybe forever. He really wants to perform.”

  “Are there churches in Manhattan?”

  “A few.” She uttered a sad laugh. “But Broadway’s a long way from the Bible Belt.” They talked for a few minutes about a church not far from Times Square. “If I lived there, I guess I’d go there.”

  Again Cody was quiet. Their hour was almost up, and they needed to get back soon. Besides, if it got too dark they could be in trouble. Neither of them had brought a flashlight. “So you really think it could happen, huh? You and Tim, performing on Broadway, living in New York City?” His smile was more guarded now.

  “I guess.” She’d longed for the chance to perform professionally since her early days with Christian Kids Theater. But here, with the crisp lake air around them, and Cody by her side, her dreams were no longer clear. “What about you?” She hadn’t asked for a long time, and now she wanted to know. Even if she was afraid of his answer. “Any girls in your life?”

  “Me?” A quiet laugh rattled around in his chest. “Definitely not. God’s still making me into the guy I need to be. I want that before I want a girlfriend.”

  His answer left her starry-eyed.

  “I’m saving my heart for her.” His eyes shone as he looked at her. “Really.”

  “I’m impressed. Not many guys are willing to talk about something like that.”

  “Yeah, well. She’ll be worth the wait.” He looked out at the water again. “Whoever she is.”

  For the craziest moment, Bailey wondered if she might ever be that girl, the one Cody was saving his heart for. But she dismissed the idea as soon as it came. She had a boyfriend. She could hardly think about loving the friend beside her when she had just finished talking about possibly building a life with Tim in New York City.

  “What are you thinking?” Again Cody seemed to read her mind.

  “Nothing.” Her smile faded. “Nothing I can tell you anyway.” She stood, brushed the sand off her shorts, and kicked at his tennis shoe. She hopped off the rock and onto the path. “I’d say let’s race back, but I can’t afford another sprained ankle.”

  Again he laughed. He stepped on the path beside her. “That’s just one of the things I love about you, Bailey. You make me laugh.”

  “Same with you.”

  “Can I tell you something?” They were facing each other, maybe a little too close. He took a slight step back, keeping distance between them.

  “Sure.” She tapped his foot again. “You can tell me anything, Cody Coleman.”

  “Okay, now don’t weird out on me or think I’m trying to get between you and Tim or anything.”

  “Go on.” She giggled. “At this rate you’ll never spit it out.”

  He turned so they were both facing the lake, side by side. He crossed his arms and clenched his jaw, his eyes set straight ahead. Whatever he wanted to say, he was struggling. Finally he turned to her again and she watched his guard fall a little. “I’m glad we…I don’t know, I’m glad we found this again.” He hesitated. “I thank God every day for you. For your family and your friendship.”

  Bailey tilted her head and let her eyes get lost in his. The moon was making its way into the sky and it shone on his face. Whatever else the future held, she’d remember this moment as long as she lived. She didn’t want it to end. Without wondering whether it was right or wrong, she put her arms around his neck and hugged him. “That means the world, Cody.” The hug lasted longer than usual, and it took her breath. “I’m glad you told me.” She pulled back and felt her eyes start to dance. “Okay, my turn.”

  He studied her, and there in the moonlight he almost looked like he had feelings for her. Feelings more than friendship. His voice was low and soft against her heart. “Go on.”

  She could feel her expression growing more serious, deeper. “I was so mad at you last fall, when you wouldn’t talk to me.” She gently touched her fingers to the side of his face. “I thought in all our lives we’d never have a day like this again.”

  “I was worried about it.”

  “But here we are.” She eased her hands back to her sides, keeping her behavior appropriate. “That’s why God’s so amazing. He knows how to fix things, even after we make a mess of them.”

  “Exactly.” He reached out his hand. “Come on; it’ll be pitch dark in a few minutes.”

  She took his hand and felt the thrill of his touch all the way to her toes. Once they were on a steadier part of the path again she drew her fingers from his and kept the conversation light. But her heart was beating so hard she wondered if he would say something about the sound. Holding hands with Tim never made her feel like this, which was why she definitely couldn’t hold hands with Cody now, here. She wasn’t ready to analyze what that meant or what it said about her relationship with Tim. Better simply to keep her distance where Cody was concerned. Besides, he was holding out body and soul for the girl of his dreams. She didn’t want to get in the way of that, even if a part of her desperately wished she were that girl.

  On the way back, Cody told her about a bear sighting in the woods not far from the campsite.

  “Great.” She was about to tell him the story of her little brother BJ and the northern copperhead he rode his bike over, when her foot settled on something soft and slithery. She screamed and fell all at the same time, her ankle giving way beneath her as she dropped. She had no idea how Cody moved so fast or how in the dim light he was able to catch her, but the next thing she knew, she was in his arms, clinging to his neck. She pointed down at the ground. “There’s a snake, Cody! Be careful.”

  He set her down a few feet away and went back to the spot where she’d felt the snake. Using the toe of his shoe, he pressed around and came up with something long and bendable. “This, you mean?”

  He brought it closer and she stifled another scream. “Don’t, Cody! It could be poisonous. Shawn says copperheads are all around this lake.”

  “Well,” he held his hands out so she could see exactly what had frightened her. “This branch is definitely not part of the copperhead family. I promise.”

  Bailey straightened and stared at the thing Cody was holding. “A branch? You’ve gotta be kidding. I could feel it moving.”

  “It’s a young branch. A little more flexible than some.” He tossed it off the path and grinned at her. “You probably scared it to death.”

  She tested her ankle, but it was fine, and suddenly she pictured herself stepping on the branch and practically jumping into Cody’s arms. She burst into laughter again and had to hold onto Cody’s waist as they walked. Otherwise she would’ve fallen to the ground, unable to breathe.

  The other campers already had flashlights out, and as they reached base camp, everyone wanted to know what was so funny. Bailey told her snake story, but when she reached the part about stepping on the branch, she cracked up again and Cody had to finish for her.

  It was like that throughout the weekend. She had hours of solitude with the Lord, times w
hen she could pray about the direction God had for her life, and whether New York City was something she really wanted. Other hours she and the girls talked, and still others, when she and Cody sat alone, rebuilding their friendship. Always their time together ended in laughter, except for once—the last night of the retreat.

  That night, with the moon a little more than a thumbnail of light overhead, they sat by the fire until everyone else had turned in. They talked about Cody’s mother and Bailey’s family and Cody’s dream to help kids the way Bailey’s parents had helped him. They sat close together, neither of them seeming to mind when their knees touched a time or two.

  Before they turned in, Cody held out his hands to her. “Pray with me, Bailey. Will you?”

  She didn’t hesitate. She slipped her fingers into his and together they bowed their heads. She started the prayer, the way she’d seen her mom and dad pray together so many times over the years. “Dear Lord, this time away has been so good for us, for the friendships that have grown stronger and for the way You feel closer than ever.” She paused, working to focus. “Thank You for Cody and his friendship. Please, Lord, keep the two of us close to You, and let Cody know how much he means to me.”

  It was Cody’s turn, and he gave her fingers a subtle squeeze as he started. “God, You know how I feel about Bailey,” he hesitated for a moment, as if his feelings for her weren’t something he was willing to actually put into words. “I begged You for a second chance at her friendship, and now here we are. Copperhead snake branches and all.” They both shared a couple seconds of quiet laughter, the sound of the fire crackling a few feet away. When he had control again, he finished. “Lord, I ask that You protect what we’ve found on the far side of Lake Monroe this weekend. Life is too short to waste on half-hearted connections and meaningless run-throughs. Now I feel closer to Bailey than ever before, and I’m blessed for the fact.

  “People could live all their lives and never have a friend like Bailey Flanigan. So thank You, Lord. And I pray for her audition coming up. If You want her to live in New York, to perform there and be part of maybe a revival taking place in that city, then throw open the doors for her this August. Let her stand out and let her get a role in a Broadway play.” He paused, and there was no hiding the sadness that had crept into his voice. “But only if it’s Your will, Father. Otherwise, shut the door. Then she’ll know which way You’re leading her. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  Bailey didn’t want to let go of his hands, but slowly he let go first. She had lost her breath somewhere around the part about half-hearted connections and meaningless run-throughs, and when he asked God to let her go to New York only if it was His will, she felt her heart go into a rhythm she didn’t recognize. She swallowed hard, trying to find a way to set her world back on its axis.

  But as they stood and shared a long hug, and as he walked her to her cabin and they said good night, Bailey was breathing normally again. She was dating Tim, and until that changed, she couldn’t let herself have feelings for Cody beyond the ones they’d found here at camp. She lay in her bed in her sleeping bag for a long time, looking out the window at a brilliant spread of stars.

  God had met her in this place, in a number of ways. She felt ready to take her finals, ready to take on the challenges of the summer, ready for her audition. And she felt certain about one thing. She didn’t want to settle for an existence of half-hearted connections and meaningless run-throughs. Not with Cody or Tim or God Himself.

  And after this weekend, settling for anything less than God’s best wasn’t even an option.

  Four

  CHASE WAS GRATEFUL THE PREMIERE WAS almost over. The night seemed to last forever, and he could hardly wait to talk to Kelly, to see how she and the girls were doing. He’d been caught off guard earlier in the limo at the start of the night. He could barely focus on their prayer because of Kendall’s hand in his. And so his prayer had been a personal one. God, thank You for bringing Kendall and her father to us at a time when we were ready to close shop and quit. We’re here at the top of a mountain that belongs only to You. Please…don’t let me forget our mission…

  Keith was looking at him, which could only mean one thing. A question had come his way. He shot his friend a desperate look, one Keith must’ve read immediately.

  “As a director,” Keith spoke into the microphone, showing none of the concern he must’ve been feeling, “what was the most difficult part of making this movie?”

  Chase nodded and took the mic. “The actors made it easy on me, really. The hardest part was making sure the intensity of their emotions came across in every scene.”

  “You pulled it off!” a person from the middle row shouted. “Great job, Chase!”

  He nodded, humbled. How could this be happening, the audience so taken by a film they almost couldn’t make? This moment, this realization that God was opening the floodgates was more than he could fully comprehend. He only wished Kelly were here to share it with him.

  Finally the question-and-answer session ended, and as they filed out of the theater and into the lobby, as one person after another congratulated them, Chase’s emotions shifted from exultation to something quite disturbing: Fear. Because the higher God took them, the more difficult the expectations. How were they going to top this moment? Chase swallowed hard and kept his attention on the moment at hand. Don’t be ridiculous, he told himself.

  He put his inner dialogue to rest and focused on the numerous executives in attendance from every major movie studio. Everyone wanted to talk to the up-and-coming producers from Jeremiah Productions—Chase or Keith, Luke or Ben. From across the room, Chase noticed that even Kendall was brought into a number of conversations by executives anxious for a chance. He admired her professionalism and ability to hold her own with Hollywood’s movers and shakers.

  “Where’d you get your experience?” a vice president from one of the top studios caught up with Chase at the food table. “Your work as a director…it’s amazing. Impeccable.”

  “We had training from some of the best college professors in LA before leaving the U.S. for mission work,” Chase said. He tried to sound modest, but he couldn’t fight an overwhelming desire to impress the man. He gave the guy an unassuming smile. “It’s God’s gift, but a highlight of this experience has been winning at the festival.”

  “You deserve it.” The man nodded appreciatively. “It’s uncanny, having the ability to produce and direct a film of this caliber, with virtually no experience.” He shook his head, as if he couldn’t quite get over Chase’s talent. “Our team wants to work something out with you and Keith. For this film or the next. You’re exactly the kind of team we want to work with.”

  They exchanged business cards and the conversation ended, but it was followed by another dozen like it. At the end of two hours, Chase felt the strangest sensation that he’d missed out. Not in making the movie, but because he hadn’t really enjoyed what God had given them this night. He’d been tempted by Kendall, flattered by movie execs, and he’d spent much of the night regretting that he couldn’t be with Kelly when she needed him back home.

  Before the end of the night, Luke Baxter brought them a pre-liminary offer from American Pictures. The offer was beyond anything any of them had ever imagined: ten million dollars for The Last Letter. The figure was eight million more than any of them had hoped to get up front. In addition, the studio was still willing to front half the publicity and advertising money. Luke was giddy over the proposal. “They want a full theatrical release, a thousand screens across America.”

  Keith looked at him, and his eyes said everything he clearly couldn’t put into words. He came to Chase and hugged him hard, the way two friends embrace after surviving a war together. As Keith released him, Chase looked across the room. Kendall and Ben were having what looked like a serious conversation in the opposite corner of the lobby.

  Keith and Luke were going on about God’s mercy and grace, His perfect timing, and how they would have the freedom to
make more movies with the commitment from American Pictures. They were still celebrating, when Luke’s cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID and his eyes lit up. “NTM.” The last guests were gone by then, but Luke distanced himself from the group as he answered.

  Kendall and her father must’ve finished their conversation, because they crossed the lobby and joined Chase and Keith. Kendall looked weary, her eyes darker than Chase had ever seen them. “What’s all the excitement for?”

  “We’ve got an offer!” Keith stepped up and hugged Ben Adams. “American Pictures wants to give us ten million for a theatrical release!”

  Chase kept his attention on Keith and Ben. He could’ve been wrong, but Ben’s enthusiasm seemed tempered, somehow. He would have to ask him about it later. Luke returned to them a few minutes later. As he reached them, a grin spread across his face. “It’s happened!”

  “What?” Chase couldn’t imagine anything else tonight. Already he was dizzy from everything he was feeling.

  Keith moved in close to Chase so they could hear, and Luke gave each of them a strong pat on their backs. “NTM is printing a retraction tomorrow. I guess they got pressure from Brandon’s agent that he’d pull out of his existing contract Monday if they didn’t run something taking back the story.”

  Chase wished he had something to hold onto, but since there was nothing, he put his hand on Keith’s shoulder and grabbed tight. Wasn’t this what they’d prayed for? Wasn’t it what Keith had believed could happen, and what Kendall was absolutely convinced would take place? That NTM would back down and Hollywood’s top young actor, Brandon Paul, could actually star in their next film?

  Luke was going on about how NTM never does this, and how the news release would state that failed communication was to blame for their retraction. Chase wanted to be sure he understood. “What exactly does this mean for Unlocked?”

  This time Luke leaned his head back and laughed out loud. “It means you and Brandon Paul can take this deal to whatever studio you’d like. Sounds like American Pictures might be your first stop. Either way, NTM is so worried about losing Brandon, they’re even willing to let him film this movie before he fulfills his agreement with them. As long as he doesn’t pull out of his contract.”