Bear’s eyes met hers, warm with affection. “We both did.”
The past five months had been a whirlwind of planning meetings, construction weekends, and community fundraisers. Bear had worked tirelessly with the boys, teaching them not just construction skills but responsibility, integrity, and the value of earning trust. Joy had provided food for work sessions, turning Velvet Mornings into an unofficial headquarters for the project.
Who had time to sit around and be traumatized when there were obstacle courses to build?
“Looks like they’re ready for the ribbon cutting,” Bear noted as Mayor Patterson approached the entrance arch, oversized scissors in hand.
Joy quickly closed the service window. “Mind watching the truck for a few minutes? I want to see this.”
“Go ahead. I’ve got it covered.”
She hurried across the field, joining the crowd gathered around the entrance. The obstacle course stretched before them—a professional-grade training facility that rivaled anything Linear Tactical had built. Climbing walls, rope courses, balance beams, and strength challenges were arranged in a flowing circuit that could be adjusted for different skill levels.
Aaron stood with his original crew—Kyle, Jackson, and the others who’d helped steal the materials that started it all. They wore matching T-shirts that readOak Creek Youth Obstacle TeamwithFoundersprinted below. The pride on their faces made Joy’s chest tight with emotion.
“Before we cut this ribbon,” Mayor Patterson announced, “I want to recognize the young men who made this possible. What began as a mistake became an opportunity for growth, leadership, and community building. Aaron, would you like to say a few words?”
Aaron stepped forward, his shoulders straight. “Five months ago, my friends and I made some bad choices. We took things that didn’t belong to us because we wanted something we thought we couldn’t have any other way. Mr. Bollinger and Miss Davis could have just called the sheriff. Instead, they gave us a chance to make things right.”
He glanced at Bear, who nodded encouragingly from the truck.
“This course isn’t just about physical challenges,” Aaron continued. “It’s about learning that the right way might be harder, but it’s always worth it. It’s about trust, teamwork, and second chances. We’re grateful to everyone who believed in us when we didn’t deserve it.”
Applause erupted from the crowd. Joy blinked back tears as she watched these boys—young men now—stand taller under the community’s approval.
The ribbon cutting was followed by demonstration runs through the course. Aaron led the first group, moving with the fluid grace of someone who knew every handhold and foothold by heart. Parents cheered as their children attempted simpler obstacles under the supervision of the teen mentors.
Joy made her way back to the truck, where Bear had a line of customers. She slipped in beside him, falling into their practiced rhythm of taking orders and preparing food.
“Proud of them?” she asked during a brief lull.
“Incredibly.” Bear’s voice was gruff with emotion. “Aaron asked if I’d write him a recommendation letter for college. He wants to study engineering.”
“From thief to engineer.” Joy smiled. “That’s quite a journey.”
“One that started because you convinced me to give them a chance.”
She bumped his hip with hers. “We make a good team.”
“The best.” His hand found the small of her back, a casual touch that still sent electricity through her.
The morning flew by in a blur of coffee orders and congratulations. Joy watched the community embrace what these boys had built, seeing parents who’d been skeptical now signing their kids up for training sessions. Mrs. Fuller cornered Aaron to tell him how impressed she was with his leadership speech.
As the crowd began to thin for lunch, Bear pulled Joy aside. “Walk with me?”
“What about the truck?”
“Sloane agreed to handle things for a few minutes.” He took her hand, leading her away from the main activity.
They walked along the course perimeter, past the climbing wall where Jackson was patiently teaching a group of elementary school kids basic techniques. Past the balance beams where Kyle demonstrated proper form to a cluster of admiring preteens.
“Remember when we first found them out here?” Bear asked, stopping at the edge of the clearing. “That mess of stolen materials and half-baked plans?”
“I remember thinking they were in way over their heads.”
“These past months, working on this project, building something positive from something that started wrong—it made me think about us.”
Joy’s heart rate picked up. “Us?”
