“Maybe not . . .”
“I can admit that I am weak. Even this morning, I woke up feeling a little bummed too.”
“You did?” Margot looked interested. “Why?”
Dillon didn’t want to admit that she’d felt bummed about Jordan, regretting the way things had gone at the dance. “That doesn’t really matter. The point is that I gave that weakness to God and now I feel fine. In fact, I feel happy.”
“Well, good for you.” Margot’s tone was sarcastic.
“I’m not trying to sound smug,” Dillon clarified. “It’s just that I like having a connection with my heavenly Father. You know I never knew my earthly dad.”
“I know . . . and I’ve told you before that I’m sorry about that.”
“I wasn’t trying to guilt you, Margot. Just making a point. I like being able to take my troubles to God. It makes a huge difference in my life. And I just wish you could experience it too.” Dillon stood. “I’m sorry if that sounded like a sermon. But it’s only because I care about you.”
Margot’s eyes widened. “Really, Dilly, you truly care about me?”
“Of course. You’re my mom.”
“I know . . . but I’ve been a pretty lousy mom.”
Dillon put a hand on Margot’s shoulder. “You probably did the best you could. And you did me a big favor when you let me come live with Grandma and Grandpa.”
“I know you won’t believe this, Dilly, but that was a sacrifice. I really wanted you with me. I felt like such a loser to let you go.”
“Well, thank you for the sacrifice.” Dillon’s smile felt sad. “At least we’re learning to get along better now. That’s something.”
Margot nodded. “Yes, I hope so.”
Now Dillon did something she couldn’t remember ever doing before. She leaned down and hugged her mother. “Hopefully we’ll get better at it too.” She could see that Margot was starting to cry again, but with nothing more to say, Dillon excused herself. Whatever this was that Margot was struggling through might be good for her. And perhaps it was a trial she needed to face alone.
Although Dillon had thoroughly enjoyed her days off thanks to her new campsite, she was glad to get back to her weekday routine on Monday. It was fun seeing the kids again and she could tell they were happy to see her too. As her last class began—and Janelle dropped off the twins, then left—Dillon wondered if Jordan might possibly pick up his nieces. She hoped so. But before class was over, Janelle showed up. And she was just in time to see both twins performing face-floating accompanied by kicking.
“That’s wonderful,” Janelle told Dillon after the class ended. “I am so impressed with their progress. Thank you for working so hard with them.”
“They’re doing the work,” Dillon told her as she wrapped her towel around her shoulders.
“Can Dillon come to our party?” Chloe asked her mom.
“Yes, yes,” Emma chimed in. “Can Dillon come?”
“Of course.” Janelle smiled at Dillon. “If she wants to come.”
“What kind of party?” Dillon asked the twins.
“Our birthday!” they said in unison.
“When is your birthday?” Dillon asked.
“Tomorrow,” they answered.
“And the party is a barbecue at my house tomorrow night,” Janelle explained. “We’d love to have you join us, if you’re interested.”
“I’d love to come.” Dillon nodded. “Sounds like fun.”
Janelle gave her the details, and Dillon assured her she’d be there. As Dillon went into the dressing room, she felt fairly sure this would be an opportunity to see Jordan, but that wasn’t why she’d agreed. In fact, the idea of facing him made her a bit nervous. She’d come to the conclusion that if she was flaky and fickle, he was equally so. And under the circumstances, she’d nearly convinced herself to forget all about Jordan Atwood. She didn’t need to be jerked around like that.
Dillon tried to relax as she rang Janelle’s doorbell. This is no big deal, she told herself, and it’s not about Jordan. To her surprise an attractive gray-haired woman answered. “Oh?” Dillon smiled nervously. “I thought this was Janelle’s—”
“This is Janelle’s house.” The woman opened the door wider. “I’m Janelle’s mom.” She stuck out her hand. “Donna Atwood.”
“I’m Dillon Michaels.” She shook her hand.
“I guessed that already.” Donna smiled, but her eyes looked serious. “You have a pair of sincere fans in my granddaughters.”
“It’s mutual.” Dillon held up the pair of wrapped packages for the girls. “I hope they’ll like these.”
“Janelle and the girls are in the kitchen.” Donna lowered her voice. “But I was hoping to get in a private word with you.”
“Oh?”
Donna took the presents, setting them on the foyer table. “We can go in there.” As Dillon was led into a den-like room, a brand-new wave of nerves hit her. What was going on? For some reason she felt like she was in trouble . . . like being called on the carpet.
“I know you probably think this is quite mysterious.” Donna closed the door, standing in front of it. “But I wanted to ask you a couple of questions.”
“Questions?” Dillon pursed her lips.
“It’s not that I’m trying to manage my son’s life, Dillon. Goodness knows, he’s a grown man. But I suppose it’s hard to stop being a mother . . . and I’m still somewhat protective of him.”
Dillon felt her brows rising, but said nothing.
“I know that Jordan has become interested in you, Dillon. Don’t ask me how I know, because as you may have guessed, Jordan is rather tight-lipped about his feelings.”
Dillon simply nodded, waiting with curiosity.
“So I’m going to tip his hand a bit, Dillon. I’m sure Jordan would throw a fit if he knew, but I suppose a mother has some rights.”
Dillon wasn’t so sure. She resented it when Margot had attempted to influence her own love life. Still, she just waited.
“Jordan got his heart badly broken about six or seven years ago. He never speaks of it, but I know it took a toll on him. He’s very careful now.”
Dillon nodded. “I’d wondered if something like that had happened. But if it’s been that long . . . wouldn’t he have moved past it by now?”
“Most people would . . . but Jordan is the sort of fellow who—when he gives his heart—goes all out.”
“That’s an admirable quality.”
“I agree. And although I can tell he’s interested in you—and, according to my daughter and the twins, you’re worthy of his interest—Janelle mentioned there’s another fellow vying for your attention.”
Dillon attempted to briefly explain the trouble with Brandon. “I keep telling him that it’s completely over, but he just kept pressuring me. Fortunately, he’s gone back to Colorado now and I assume it’s the last I’ll hear from him.”
Donna sighed. “Well, that’s a relief.”
“I suspected that Jordan may have resented Brandon a little. But I wish he would’ve given me the opportunity to explain it to him . . . instead of jumping to conclusions.”
“Well, like I said, when it comes to his heart, Jordan has a tendency to hold back.”
Dillon nodded. “May I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Can you tell me a bit more about this heartbreak that happened to Jordan? Just a little heads-up to help me navigate.”
“Sure. He met this girl in Seattle. They went together for a few years. He brought her home several times. We all liked her and thought she was the one. So did Jordan. He planned to propose at Christmas, but just a week before the holidays, she broke up and ran off to Vegas to marry Jordan’s best friend.”
“Ouch.” Dillon frowned. “That’s pretty harsh.”
“Yes. It wasn’t a very festive Christmas that year.”
Dillon put her hand on Donna’s arm. “Well, I can assure you I’d never do anything like that.”
>
“But you just told me how you suddenly left your boyfriend in Colorado, Dillon.”
“That was different.” Dillon quickly explained Brandon’s neglect and fear of commitment and how he took her for granted.
“But it sounds like he’s changed.”
“I admit he was acting like he’s changed, but I wasn’t convinced. Besides that, my feelings for him changed when I left Colorado.”
“That’s good to know.” Donna checked her watch. “Well, I don’t want to keep you too long, don’t want to arouse suspicion.”
“Right.” Dillon was trying to gauge this woman. On one hand she acted sincerely concerned for her son’s welfare, but the situation also felt intrusive . . . and Dillon still wasn’t sure that Donna fully approved of her. To make matters worse, Dillon felt more uneasy than ever. How was she supposed to act now? They were barely in the kitchen when the twins rushed over to her. Thankful for this distraction, she allowed them to monopolize her completely, even agreeing to visit their bedroom upstairs.
In the girls’ room, Dillon took her time to examine every nook and cranny. They obviously enjoyed this attention and eagerly showed her everything—from Emma’s ant farm to Chloe’s international doll collection.
“So have you gotten any birthday presents yet?” Dillon sat on one of the beds, still not ready to join the party downstairs.
They showed her a couple of things their mom had given them earlier, and then Dillon confided to them that she shared their birthday month.
“When’s your birthday?” Emma asked.
“Oh, later this week.”
“When? When?” Chloe pressed.
“Sunday.” Dillon told them the actual date.
“We’re birthday buddies,” Emma declared.
“Speaking of birthdays . . . we should probably go downstairs for your party.” They all trooped down the stairs, reaching the foyer just as Jordan entered with an armload of gifts. Naturally his nieces, like magnets, went straight to him—asking what was in the packages and if they could open them.
“You know what your mom said,” he told the girls. “After we eat, and before the cake.” He greeted Dillon. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“The girls invited me.” She picked up the gifts she’d brought, still on the foyer table, and followed their merry processional into the kitchen. She really didn’t want to overthink this evening, but after Donna’s questions . . . followed by Jordan’s polite but somewhat cool greeting, she wondered if she’d been wrong to come. Especially since it had been the girls who’d invited her—not the hostess. And so she decided that, as soon as the girls finished opening their gifts, she would excuse herself . . . and make a quick and hopefully graceful getaway from what was probably meant to be a family get-together.
CHAPTER
25
Dillon was relieved to discover that a few other non-relative friends, including Vivian Porter, were also guests at the twins’ birthday party. “I’m surprised to see you here,” Vivian told Dillon as the guests were ushered outside for dinner. “I didn’t realize you were friends with the family.”
As they sat down at a long picnic table covered in a brightly colored plastic tablecloth, Dillon explained about swimming lessons. She nodded to the nearby in-ground swimming pool. “I understand Janelle’s urgency now. I’m glad the girls are becoming water-safe. And they should be swimming before long.”
“That’s right,” Janelle told Vivian as she set a generous plate of hamburgers in the center of the table. “Dillon was our miracle worker. Emma and Chloe have made marvelous progress.”
“It’s about time,” Jordan teased his nieces. “Seven-year-olds should know how to swim.”
“We do,” Emma insisted.
“Well, almost,” Dillon corrected. “Your floating skills are definitely superb. And before your session ends, I’m sure you’ll be nearly swimming.”
“I asked the girls to do a demonstration,” Janelle said as she sat down. “After dinner.”
“Shouldn’t they wait half an hour before going into the water?” Donna asked.
“That’s an old wives’ tale,” Dillon explained.
Janelle asked Jordan to say a birthday blessing, and then they began to eat. There were about a dozen people at the table, and everyone was well acquainted, chattering back and forth as if they’d been friends for quite some time. Even so, Dillon tried not to feel like the odd man out. And when there was a lull, she turned to Vivian.
“My trailer is completely finished now,” she told her. “Inside and out.”
Vivian looked impressed. “Good for you. I’d love to see it sometime.”
“Anytime you like. I think it turned out pretty cute. I love it.”
“Have you taken it anywhere yet?” Vivian asked her.
“Not really, although I did move it to a better location on the farm.” Dillon didn’t admit how much help she’d needed from Grandpa.
“That’s nice, but it’s not the same as towing it on a real road,” Vivian pointed out. “Anything can happen when you’re traveling at sixty miles an hour. And what about your pickup—last time I saw you in it, you were broken down.”
“It’s running just fine now. My grandpa checked it over for me.”
“Even so, your trailer could have a problem on the highway. Happens all the time with old trailers that haven’t been maintained.”
“I’m sure my trailer will be fine.” Dillon felt defensive. “It’s very sturdy and solid and—”
“Don’t be so sure,” Jordan chimed in. “That old Oasis sat for a long time, Dillon.” He paused to tell the others that Dillon had taken possession of Uncle Jack’s trailer.
“Oh, I remember that trailer,” Janelle said. “I used to play house in it.”
“That’s sort of what I’m doing now,” Dillon said. “Playing house. But it’s been so much fun. I totally love it.”
“And she’s fixed that old trailer up real nice,” Jordan told Janelle. “You should see it.”
“I’d love to!”
“It’s like my little dollhouse,” Dillon admitted.
“I wish we had a trailer,” Chloe said wistfully.
“Me too,” Emma echoed. “Then we could go camping with Uncle Jordan.”
“Is your vintage club taking its annual trip this year?” Janelle asked Jordan.
“It’s next weekend,” Vivian told her. “At Silver Lake. I can’t wait. We’ve been planning on it for a year.”
“I wanna go,” Chloe said with longing.
“Me too,” Emma chimed.
“Why don’t you girls all come?” Jordan said to Janelle.
“For starters we don’t have a trailer.” Janelle passed the potato salad to her mom. “And, as you know, I’ve never been much of a camper and—” Before she could finish her excuses, her daughters cut her off with pleading and begging—and Janelle feigned an irritated look. “Thanks a lot, Uncle Jordan.”
He just laughed. “You three girls could stay with me. It might be crowded, but we could throw up a tent for overflow.”
Naturally, this got the twins even more excited, and they acted as if the plan were set in stone. “You have to come too,” Chloe told Dillon.
“Yes! We’ll all go camping together,” Emma chimed in.
“Oh, I don’t know . . .” As much as Dillon would love to be included, she didn’t think the decision should be up to the twins. “Sounds like this trip’s been planned for a long time. They might not have room for another trailer.”
“That’s true,” Vivian told Dillon. “We only reserved enough spots for the members of the club. And this time of year, Silver Lake Campground is always full.” She made a sympathetic smile. “Maybe next year.”
“But it’s Dillon’s birthday,” Chloe declared loudly. “She has to come camping with us. Don’t you, Dillon?”
“It’s your birthday?” Janelle asked Dillon.
“It’s on Sunday,” Emma declared. “She told us so.”
“Isn’t there some way to squeeze in another trailer?” Janelle asked Jordan. “After all, you’re president of the club.”
“It’s too late,” Vivian answered for him—perhaps a bit too quickly and eagerly. Or else Dillon was imagining things.
“Like Vivian suggested, maybe I can come next year.” Dillon wanted to be a good sport despite intense disappointment. How fun would it be to take her little trailer on a real campout—and at the lake?
“But it’s her birthday, Uncle Jordan,” Chloe insisted. “She has to come.”
“As a matter of fact, the Mortensons called yesterday. Rob has to travel for business this week and Rachel said there’s no way she’s towing the trailer and three kids on her own,” Jordan told Vivian. “No reason Dillon couldn’t use their spot. I haven’t canceled it yet.”
“But she’s not a member,” Vivian reminded him.
“Well, we can easily induct her.” Jordan grinned. “It’s not like we have a secret handshake or some painful initiation rituals.”
Vivian nodded with a smile, but she didn’t look overly pleased with this new development.
Janelle looked at her brother. “I think if you’re letting the girls and me come, Dillon should be welcome too.”
Jordan turned to Dillon. “So how about it? Wanna go camping with a bunch of fun-loving kooks?”
“If it’s really okay with everyone else, I’d love to come.” Dillon was afraid to be too happy. Especially since Vivian was still resistant. What if she lobbied other members and pulled the plug?
“It’s okay with me,” Jordan said.
“And he’s president,” Chloe declared. “Uncle Jordan can make the rules.”
“Well, just because you’re president doesn’t mean you make the rules,” Janelle explained. “To do that, you’d have to be king.” She grinned at Jordan. “And I don’t plan to start bowing down to my big brother.”
“What about Dillon’s trailer?” Vivian asked. “She hasn’t even taken it out yet. What if it’s not road worthy?”
“That’s a good point,” Jordan agreed. “It hasn’t been out for years. Anything could go wrong.”
The Happy Camper Page 20