Kicking Eternity Read Online Free

who always does everything by the book.”
    “You make obedience sound like a character flaw.” Raine hated the defensiveness in her voice.
    “Why do you obey?” Aly threw it down like a gauntlet. “You follow rules because it makes you feel good.”
    “I want to make God feel good.”
    “You want to look down on the rest of us.”
    Anger blazed through Raine. Aly had no idea what her motives were.
    “When you’re perfect, you can do that sad little shake of the head that says, ‘I pity you’ to the rest of us.”
    “I never—”
    Aly spun toward Cal. “I know you’re all about introducing the ‘hottie Bible teacher’ to real life, but I can’t do this.” Aly threw her beer into a clump of seaweed and spun around. She tore off down the beach, her hair catching the moonlight as it streamed behind her, an ethereal ribbon.
    Raine gaped. “Where did that come from?”
    Cal shrugged. “Aly’s got issues that have nothing to do with you.”
    “She doesn’t know me. Is that what you think, too?
    “I think exactly what Aly said.” Cal leaned back against a slab in the jetty and looked at her. “That you’re a hottie.”
    The anger sucked out of her and something just as incendiary washed in. She dropped her gaze from Cal’s smirk.
    “And you probably need an education—”
    Her head jerked up.
    “I get your Biblical reference, but how many normal people would get it?” Cal pushed off the rocks and took hold of her shoulders. “If you’re going to be a missionary, you’re going to have to learn to relate to people who don’t know the Bible or live by its rules.”
    His words were true, and they sliced into her heart. She felt the tears forming in her eyes, the constricting of her throat, but she was locked into Cal’s hard stare. She knew she exposed her heart, but she couldn’t stop herself. His fingers warmed her skin through the cotton of her sleeve.
    She broke away and hunched her shoulders into the wind. Cal wasn’t going to see her lose it altogether. He batted her ignorance around like a badminton birdie. She should confront his disdain. Or, at least, stay away from him. But everything in her wanted to prove herself to Cal.
    He came alongside her. They walked in silence until she heard the snap of Cal opening another beer. She looked over at him.
    He took a swallow.
    Raine stretched her hand toward him. “Here, let me have the beer.” She snatched the can before she could analyze her motives. “I might as well start my education .” She put the can to her lips and let the cool liquid wash into her mouth. Her taste buds burned and popped with a rancid flavor that seemed to fill her whole head. She spewed it on the sand.
    Cal laughed. “You should see your face.”
    Raine licked the back of her hand trying to get the residue off her tongue.
    Cal gripped his stomach and laughed harder. “I guess it’s an acquired taste.”
    Finally, Raine laughed, too. They headed toward the road back to camp. She never expected to laugh tonight.
     

Chapter 3
     
    Drew glanced over at Kurt who stared through the truck windshield, his bony knee rat-a-tat-tatting against the glove box. Kurt had thrown this trip together like he thought he’d lose the courage if he didn’t do it immediately.
    Drew was still in shock. He eased the truck alongside the Level Three curb in front of the Orlando Airport and sucked in a long breath. This was it.
    They piled out of the truck. Drew let down the gate. Everything in him seized, not wanting to let Kurt go.
    Kurt slid his oversized bags to the edge of the gate and slung his backpack on top of them. He looked up. “I love you, man. I hate putting the miles between us.”
    Drew felt the tears fill up and spill down his cheeks as he stepped around the truck bed toward his brother, but he didn’t care. He threw his arms around Kurt’s knobby shoulders. “I’m going to miss you.” As he hung on, he felt the jerk in Kurt’s chest—Kurt who never cried, not even