Page 109 of Love in the Wild

Once the line was empty, Grady stood in front of the tables and lifted his hands. “All right, folks. Let’s bow our heads.”

Gage tucked his chin as Grady thanked the Lord for the food and everyone who had worked so hard to make this event a success. He named off everyone from the pastor to the butcher who processed the meat. The list was long enough that little kids were starting to whine.

“...Hadley Morgan and Gage Howard…”

Grady kept listing off people who’d helped, but Gage was still stuck on his own name. He hadn’t done much, but he’d gotten a mention in Grady’s prayer.

How many people would notice and turn up their noses? How many people here would pull their kids closer if they knew where he came from? The mention of the Howard name was enough to put most people in Blackwater on high alert.

When Grady finally said “Amen,” the chatter resumed, and everyone dug into the food on their plates. Hadley picked up a burger dripping with ketchup and mustard and let out a low groan as she chewed.

“That good, huh?” Gage asked.

“I’m so hungry. I think I skipped breakfast.”

“I’m sorry. I could have brought you something.” The idea of Hadley being even the slightest bit hungry had all kinds of alarms blaring in his head.

“You were busy too. Besides, I was saving my appetite for this beauty.” She held up the burger like it was a prize-winning culinary dish.

Gage had missed breakfast too, but that didn’t bother him as much as hearing Hadley skipped it.

Anna wiped her hands on a napkin and asked, “Dawson, how’s the studying going for the sergeant’s exam?”

“It’s going. It’s not a piece of cake by any means.”

“I’ve been quizzing him at home. He’s doing really well,” Olivia said, looking at her boyfriend like he was her hero.

Jacob jogged up to the table dressed in a baseball uniform. Red clay was smeared over the front of the blue-and-white team name on his chest. “Hey! We made it!”

Lyric walked up behind Jacob and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “And he won.”

“Good job, man,” Dawson said, offering Jacob a fist bump.

“Thanks. I scored a run.”

“Even better,” Dawson added. “Now go get some food.”

The kid ran off at full speed as if he hadn’t just played a sport for hours. Lyric shook her head but followed him with a smile on her face.

Hadley chatted between bites until Jacob got back to the table. After that, the kid took over the conversation, excitedly telling everything that went on in the whole ballgame.

Gage sat highly aware of Hadley beside him. She won over everyone she met, and people flocked to her like starving animals at feeding time. Everyone wanted a piece of the joy she radiated.

Once everyone sat around with empty plates, Bro. Higgins stood back from the tables and raised his voice. “Can I get everyone’s attention?”

The gathering quieted in seconds, and some started angling their chairs to face the preacher. Gage did the same, and Hadley moved hers to be beside him. She slid her arm through his and linked their fingers together.

The surge of warmth in his chest was new, but he was getting used to his body’s reactions around Hadley. She brought out something inside him he hadn’t known existed.

“I want to thank Mr. Chambers for letting us come out here and fish today. He’s opened his home many times, and we appreciate the chance to enjoy God’s beautiful creation with so many friends. The kids have been running around having fun all day, and that’s all thanks to our volunteers who put a lot into making this an awesome day for us.”

That was something Gage noticed too. The people who made this a fun day for the kids did a ton of work, and everyone seemed happy and willing to do it. With so many hands helping out, no one seemed tired or irritated.

“I know we’ve had a great time here today, but let’s not forget why we’re able to hang out and have such a great time together. Jesus called us to be fishers of men, and some of His disciples were fishermen by trade. They understood the difference between catching fish and catching hearts.

“Men, I’m talking to you. As the leaders of our households, it’s our job to lead our families to Christ just as He ordered. The disciples left their homes to follow Jesus, and we’re called to go into the world and spread the news about Him. Are you ready to take up your cross and follow Him?”

Gage’s chest tightened. He’d heard about the path to salvation. Mr. Chambers was drilling it into his head every chance he got. Why did the road seem so long? Why was the stretch of road between Gage and Christ riddled with potholes and snares? Every time he thought he was making progress, a piece of his past came up to grab him, rooting him in place.

---