“Nothing like being out here,” Jordan said. “A weekend isn’t really enough.”
“Maybe not, but I plan to make the most of it.”
He nodded. “Yep. Me too.”
They paddled leisurely, taking in the sights . . . a family of mallard ducks, some kids with colorful floatable toys, fishermen, and the general beauty of the tree-rimmed mountain lake. By the time they were back at their section of campground, the trailer tour was in full swing.
“Where do we put the kayaks?” Dillon asked as she tugged her kayak up onto the beach area.
“Here. They’re for everyone to use. Just stick the life vest and paddle inside.”
She was unfastening her vest when she heard Vivian calling down to them. “Where have you guys been?” she demanded. “Don’t you know it’s trailer tour time?”
“No worries,” Jordan called back. “We’re here now.”
“Yes, but your trailers should be open and ready for—”
“And they will be,” Jordan assured her. “Relax.”
She scowled and turned, marching away.
“I don’t think she liked your suggestion,” Dillon said quietly.
“Well, I think she’s taking this too seriously.” Jordan gave Dillon a hand as they stepped over a fallen log. “This is supposed to be fun.”
“I’m having fun,” she told him.
He grinned. “Me too.”
He continued to hold her hand as they walked into the campground. Not that she minded—she didn’t!
“Wow, the place has really filled up,” she observed. “It’s so colorful and cute. I can’t wait to take some photos.”
“Our fellow campers are already on the prowl,” Jordan said as they paused by his trailer.
“Looks like the competition has begun.”
He winked, then released her hand. “And may the best trailers win.”
As she went over to unlock her trailer’s door, she doubted that she had a real chance to win, but she was excited about having other trailer aficionados stopping by her campsite—and curious to hear their comments. She was equally curious to see their trailers.
Dillon hooked her trailer door open, leaving the screen door closed to keep the bugs out. Besides that, it was an awfully cute screen door. She was just adjusting the Desert Rose nameplate when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning, she felt slightly dismayed to see Vivian.
“Thought I’d start with you.” Vivian’s smile looked stiff. “As the newest member, I’m sure everyone will be curious.” She reached for the screen door handle. “Mind if I go in?”
“Not at all.” Dillon smiled. “Make yourself at home.” She considered going in with her, but wasn’t sure she wanted to hear Vivian’s comments. She felt certain that her trailer wouldn’t match up to Vivian’s perfectionist expectations. And really, she didn’t care. She loved Desert Rose, and that was enough.
After a few minutes, Vivian came out. “You’ve done a nice job with it, Dillon.” Her smile looked more genuine as she unpeeled a chocolate kiss from the bowl Dillon had placed on the counter. “Kudos to you.”
“Thanks. That means a lot coming from you. I mean, because you’re an expert,” Dillon said. “Mind if I go look at your trailer now?”
“Of course not. That’s what this is all about. And no one needs to stick with their trailer. Everyone in our group is trustworthy.” She popped the chocolate into her mouth, then headed for Jordan’s trailer.
Dillon was eager to see Vivian’s trailer. With the way it was parked, she still hadn’t seen the exterior set up. But as soon as she stepped into Vivian’s camp spot, she could see it was perfection. Like something right out of one of the vintage trailer books—only better. White wicker furnishings were stylishly arranged with soft pink cushions. And a small white table with two pink canvas chairs was completely set for what looked like a rather formal dinner. Complete with a lacy tablecloth, pink roses, candles, china, and crystal. A little over the top for Dillon’s taste, but admittedly pretty.
Inside the trailer was similar to the outside, but even more elegant. A small crystal chandelier hung over the dinette table, which was set similar to the one outside. The walls were covered in embossed wallpaper that had a pale-pink-and-white treatment. The window coverings were white lace, and the countertops were white marble—the real thing. The floors were hardwood, with a couple of expensive-looking Persian rugs. This was definitely not a space to bring children or pets.
The bedding was layered and beautiful. And the small gilt framed paintings on the wall looked like originals. The bathroom had more marble and the tiny shower had a lace shower curtain. Everything looked fresh and clean and shining and expensive. Scented candles in cut-crystal containers were artfully placed, along with a couple small vases of pale pink roses. It was stunningly beautiful. But overwhelming.
“Wow,” Dillon said as she exited the trailer to discover an older couple preparing to go inside.
“How was it?” the woman asked.
“Wow,” Dillon said again.
The woman rolled her eyes. “That’s what I figured.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Lynette Miller and this is Jim.”
Dillon introduced herself as she shook their hands. “I’m new. My trailer’s over there. Nothing like this.”
“No one’s is ever anything like Vivian’s.” Jim just shook his head.
“She keeps raising the bar,” Lynette said.
“That doesn’t mean you have to keep hopping over it,” her husband told her.
Lynette laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m not even trying.” She pointed down the road. “We’re the lime-green job in space #29.” Then they went inside Vivian’s trailer. As Dillon walked away she could hear them saying it was “just too much.” And Dillon agreed.
As she visited the other trailers, she felt a real sense of relief. No one’s trailer compared with Vivian’s. And that was refreshing. Some were bare bones but handsome. Some were shabby-chic and clever. Some were completely vintage, with everything restored to its original appearance. But all were unique and interesting. And Dillon felt like her trailer fit in just fine. Maybe not with Vivian’s showpiece, but she was in good company with the rest of them—and that felt great!
CHAPTER
31
Dillon had made several new friends by the time she was helping to set up the potluck in the covered communal area. Everyone was still chatting about the trailer tour, and not surprisingly, Vivian’s trailer—or the palace, as several women were now calling it—was the hottest topic. Fortunately Vivian wasn’t around to overhear them.
“Who’s she trying to impress anyway?” A no-nonsense woman named Dee stuck a spoon into a big bowl of pasta salad. Her trailer was the smallest. A cute, well-equipped blue teardrop with just enough room for Dee and her terrier, Scotty.
“I thought Viv outdid herself last year,” Lynette said. “Boy, was I wrong.”
“China and crystal,” another woman said. “How on earth did she pack all that—and why?”
“And that wicker outdoor furniture,” Dee added. “She couldn’t have gotten all that into her station wagon.”
“I’ll bet she hired someone to bring it up here for her,” someone said. “I heard she was the first one here. She probably needed several hours just to set everything up.”
“Maybe Jordan brought it up for her,” Dee suggested. “They’ve always been on good terms.”
“Which makes no sense if you ask me. Jordan is down-to-earth and Vivian . . . well, not so much.”
Dillon looked up from where she was slicing onions to see that Vivian was approaching. She quickly called out a greeting to her—partly to warn the other women, and partly because she didn’t want Vivian to hear their comments. Not that the women were being mean exactly, but they were certainly being candid.
“This all looks good,” Vivian announced as she set a big green salad and bag of chips on the table.
“And those burgers sure smell good.” Dee
nodded over to the barbecue area where the men were congregated. “I’m starved.”
“Don’t forget to vote,” Vivian said in a cheerful tone. “Jordan plans to count right after dinner, and we don’t want anyone to miss out.”
The discussion returned to the trailer tour observations, only without any derogatory mention of “the palace.”
“I loved that Desert Rose,” a woman Dillon hadn’t met declared. “Very fresh and fun. Whose is it, anyway?”
“It’s Dillon’s,” Lynette told her, pointing to Dillon. “Our newest member. Dillon, this is Kate Green.”
Dillon waved her knife. “Nice to meet you.”
“Well, your trailer is really sweet,” Kate told her. “Nicely done.”
“Thanks.” Dillon turned to the sound of shrill little-girl voices. “Emma and Chloe,” she exclaimed. “You’re here!”
They both hugged her. “Mama said to ask which one is your trailer.”
Dillon laid down her knife next to the generous pile of onion slices. “Why don’t I show you?” She rinsed her hands in the big cement sink, then took the girls down to her trailer. “I’m right next to your uncle. My trailer is called Desert Rose.” She pointed to it.
“It’s beautiful,” Emma declared.
“Can we go inside?” Chloe asked.
“Sure. I’ll go check on your mom.” Dillon found Janelle with their bags out in front of Jordan’s trailer. They greeted each other and Janelle complimented Dillon on Jordan’s new décor.
“He told me you fixed it up, but I had no idea it would be so cool.”
“He wanted it to be nice for you and the girls.” Dillon explained the girls were in her trailer now. “Have you decided who’s sleeping where?”
“I told the girls they could choose since it was their idea to come camping.” She nodded to Jordan’s trailer. “They already saw this and said they want to stay here, so it looks like I’ll be bunking with you—if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
“Good. I think it’ll be better than being with my brother. He snores.”
Dillon laughed. “Want to see your digs?”
“You bet.”
Dillon led her over to find the twins up on the front bunk. “We want to stay with Dillon,” Chloe announced. “Mama can stay with Uncle Jordan.”
“But you said—”
“We changed our mind,” Emma told her.
“We love Dillon’s trailer. And it’s bigger too.”
“Well, I guess this is what I get for letting the girls decide,” Janelle told Dillon.
“You could stay too if you want. Might be cozy, but it’s—”
“No, that might hurt Jordan’s feelings.” Janelle wrinkled her nose. “I’ll bunk with my brother.”
Dinner was a fun gathering. The twins stuck to Dillon like glue. Not that she minded. It was actually fun to have two such devoted fans. And already they were making plans with her to “swim” in the lake the next day. Dillon wasn’t sure how much actual swimming they would do, but at least they could have fun in the water. And Dillon assured Janelle that she was happy to play lifeguard. Of course, when some other parents overheard this, they asked if she’d want to keep an eye on their kids too.
“Sure,” Dillon told them. “I used to lifeguard at the pool as a teenager.”
“She’s our swimming teacher,” Chloe told them. “And she’s really good.”
“Well, we won’t have any lessons tomorrow.” Dillon grinned. “Just free play.”
After dinner was cleaned up, the campers drifted off in separate ways. Some went back to their sites to visit, some took walks, some started games of horseshoes or lawn bowling. And Jordan announced he was going to go count votes.
“And I’m going with him,” Jim Miller announced. “Just to make sure he doesn’t cheat.” He laughed as he elbowed Jordan.
“I think I’ll go back to my trailer,” Dillon told Janelle and the girls.
“Can we come with you?” Chloe asked.
“Sure. And I even packed a few things that might interest you girls.”
“Can I come too?” Janelle asked in a little girl voice.
“Of course.”
As they trekked over to Dillon’s site, the girls bubbled about how cool everything was and how fun it was to go camping. And although Dillon was already thoroughly enjoying herself, their enthusiasm just enhanced it all.
At her trailer, she opened one of the banquette’s bench seats to show the girls where she’d packed checkers and several other board games as well as drawing paper, felt-tip pens, and a few other fun things.
“You brought these for us?” Chloe asked incredulously.
“Sure. I hope you find something you like in there.” She went outside where Janelle had already made herself comfortable. “I guess we’ll see how long they can be entertained without the help of electronics.”
“I love being disconnected like this.” Janelle sighed. “No one can call me to work.”
“Will it be a problem if you get a buyer or something?”
“I’ve got my girl Tessa on it. If anything really big comes up, she’ll leave a message for me at the lodge or drive up here. But I’m hoping for just a quiet, uninterrupted weekend. I’m way overdue.”
For the next hour, they just visited congenially, listening to the girls as they played games and drew pictures at the table inside. Then, as it began to get dark, Jordan stopped by to announce it was campfire time. “Be sure and get something warm to wear or bring blankets,” he said as he handed them sticks for roasting marshmallows. “It gets cold up here quickly, and the fire only warms your front side.”
Before long, wearing sweatshirts and carrying their sticks, they joined the others around a big, crackling fire. Jim Miller had his guitar and was starting to lead them in a goofy camp song. His wife, Lynette, was managing the s’mores station. And everyone looked happy to be there.
After s’mores, Jordan stood up. “As always, we need to have our business meeting. There’s not much to go over, and I’ll try to wrap it up quickly.” He went over some budget things, explaining that since campsite fees had gone up slightly, dues would be a bit higher for next year. Then he mentioned the plans for a vintage calendar, encouraging everyone to send him their best pictures to be considered for inclusion. “We’ll set it up online for everyone to vote in a month or two. Vivian has already offered to carry the calendars in her shop. And, of course, I’ll have them available at my store too. Any other businesses can contact me if they’re interested.” He turned to Jim. “Now, Jim has some announcements to make . . . regarding this afternoon’s vote.”
Jim stood and cleared his throat as he unfolded a piece of paper. “As usual, we had some close races. And I have to say that having been a member of this club for the last five years, I’m really impressed with how great everyone’s trailers look. I think we should put together a super-looking calendar and—”
“Oh, Jim,” his wife said, “just get to the point!”
Others chimed in.
“Okay, okay,” he said. “I’ll start by announcing the winner of the Best Trailer Exterior. This goes to the camper or campers who’ve put the most effort into restoring their trailer. And this year’s prize goes to Ben and Shelby Grant.” Everyone clapped and the Grants came up to receive a small trophy with a little trailer on it. “Good work on Suzy Q—she’s turned into a real cutie pie.” He looked at the paper. “The next prize goes to the Best Campsite. This is awarded for cleverness and creativity outside of the trailer. And as we all know, some of us put in more work than others. This year’s prize for the most attractive campsite goes to the Jacksons.”
Again the applause was enthusiastic. And Dillon had to agree, the Jacksons’ site was really great. It wasn’t just attractive, it was comfortable looking and inviting, and there were various things to do. Plus they had piped sixties music out via an old drive-in-theater speaker. The next prize, Jim announced, was for Best Interior Design. Dillon
wondered if this would go to Vivian, although there were a number of trailers that Dillon had liked better.
“This award goes to our newest member, Dillon Michaels, for her Desert Rose.” Everyone clapped loudly and the twins jumped up and down while cheering. “The Desert Rose definitely has a unique and very attractive color scheme and a lot of fun and unexpected perks throughout. Congratulations, Dillon!”
Dillon was too stunned to say anything more than thank you as she accepted her little trophy.
“And finally, our grand prize will go to the best overall trailer. This is judged on interior, exterior, campsite, and tow vehicle. And this year’s winner is our own president, Jordan Atwood. Good thing I didn’t let him count the votes this year.” Everyone clapped and cheered. “I gotta give it to you, Jordan, you really went all out this year. And we all thought it was about time you did something to your interior. That old sleeping bag on the sofa and using paper plates was wearing thin.” They all laughed.
Dillon glanced over to Vivian, wondering how she was taking all this. Despite all the effort she’d put into her incredibly elegant trailer, she hadn’t won a single prize. Hopefully she wasn’t feeling too bummed about it. But then again, maybe she’d forgotten that camping was by nature meant to be more casual and friendly. Maybe this would be a good reminder.
With everyone, or almost everyone, in good spirits, they continued to sing songs and make s’mores, and Jim actually told a fairly lame “ghost story.” When he finished, Janelle nudged Dillon. “I think my girls might need to call it a night.”
Dillon nodded. “Why don’t I take them? You stay here and enjoy the fire.”
“Oh, you don’t have to—”
“I want to.” Dillon took both their sticky hands and led them back to her trailer. With its outdoor lights glowing, it was very welcoming. She led them inside and set their bags down. “You girls wash up in the bathroom, get all that marshmallow goop off, and then get into your PJs and brush your teeth,” she told them.
To her relief, they didn’t protest. After a bit of help and instructions for using the little bathroom, they were ready for bed. She pulled down the mini ladder that doubled as a bed rail and helped them into the bunk. “You sure there’s enough room up there for both of you?” she asked.
The Happy Camper Page 25