Free Everlasting Love by Valerie Hansen Page B

Well, it was too late to do anything about that now. He’d have to grin and bear it.
    Megan motioned with her whole arm. “Come on. Show the boys there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
    He came, all right, looking as if his best friend had abandoned him, his favorite truck had been wrecked, he’d just eaten a meal of unripe wild persimmons and had been punched in the stomach for dessert. Clearly he was having to force himself to approach. If it hadn’t been for the boys watching his every move, Megan doubted she’d have been able to talk him into helping at all.
    â€œOffer the sugar on your open hand,” she said. “Then hold real still and she’ll take it from you.”
    The private look James shot her way as she handed him the sugar cube was anything but amiable. It was a good thing Buckets cared more about food than anything else, including how friendly her benefactors might be, Megan thought, because if she’d been in the horse’s shoes, she might have nipped a man with such a rotten attitude, just on general principles!

Chapter Six
    M egan couldn’t believe the man’s absurd reluctance. What a shame he didn’t prize the affection animals offered. In respect to their immense tolerance, they were often like abused children who looked to their abusers for solace because they knew no alternative.
    The young people at Camp Refuge were not the only ones who needed to learn how to enjoy and fully appreciate the blessings of God’s creations, were they? A certain stubborn man could use a dose of the same medicine.
    Megan smiled, amused at the picture those thoughts created. She could see herself holding a big spoon brimming with the antidote for James’s paradoxical disposition and trying to coax him into opening his mouth to take it.
    â€œSpooning it in won’t be the hardest part,” she muttered. “Getting him to swallow will be the real trick.”
    He jerked his hand away before Buckets could gobble up the sugar. “What?”
    â€œNothing. Sorry.” Realizing she’d been thinking aloud, Megan blushed. “Tell you what. This is taking longer than I’d planned. Let’s leave Buckets and go see something smaller. I think you’ll all like Rocky.”
    The abject relief on James’s face almost made her laugh. Poor guy. He’d been about as eager to feed the horse as she would have been to offer one of her pet bunnies to a hungry snake. She didn’t care if it was the way of nature for creature to eat creature, she didn’t intend to facilitate it. Which was one reason she’d chosen not to include reptiles in her menagerie. Besides, they weren’t exactly cuddly.
    On the other hand, studies had proven the beneficial physical affects of petting an animal’s warm, soft fur. Not only did doing that have the advantage of encouraging a feeling of rapport and companionship, it also lowered a person’s blood pressure and slowed his or her pulse.
    Megan knew from personal experience that there was wonderful solace to be found in havinga pet. When it seemed no one else understood her feelings, her animals were always empathetic. They might not fathom the depths of her needs but they gave all they had, which was good enough for her.
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    Little Rocky was an instant hit with everyone. James had to smile at the flying squirrel’s antics—and at its owner’s. Over her camp uniform, Megan had donned a loose shirt with big pockets. Rocky was playing hide-and-seek by scampering over her shoulders and ducking in and out of those pockets.
    Just when it looked like the tiny squirrel would finally hold still, it took off again, made a mad dash up to Megan’s shoulder and hid under her hair, bringing a chorus of squeals and laughter from the boys.
    She giggled, too. “Hey, that tickles.”
    â€œHe never runs away?” James asked.
    â€œHasn’t so far. I’ve had him four years