Andrew stared at Cali’s footprints on the wet sand. She’d vanished. Lord, he could taste her on his lips, feel the heated press of her body. She was so passionately alive. He wanted some of that furious energy. “Some?” He smiled, unamused. He wanted all of it. From anger to desire, Cali made him feel alive. It was such a rare feeling. He wanted to meet her in that violent storm of emotion. He was sick of lukewarm humans. What was it God was recorded as saying in the Bible? Andrew was no scholar, but it struck a chord with him. Something about “the tepid, I will vomit from my mouth.” That was how he felt. His last charge had refused every invitation to embrace joy and hope. She’d married her verbally abusive, bank-employed boyfriend rather than accept her best friend’s challenge to take her nursing degree to Africa and made a difference. So her best friend went alone, flying out on the wedding day. In time he’d forget his first love, marry someone else, be happy, and Andrew’s charge would be left with financial security and no joy.
