“Yeah, it’s really big and roomy,” Chloe told her. “We like it!”
“Do you want us to say our prayers?” Emma asked.
“Sure.” Dillon sat at the banquette beneath them. “Go ahead.” She smiled as the girls took turns praying, adding their own personal touches then simultaneously saying amen.
“Can you read us a bedtime story?” Chloe asked.
“A story?”
“Yeah!” Emma said. “We saw your books in the bench, Dillon.”
“Hmm . . . how about if I just tell you a story?” Both girls agreed, so Dillon dredged her memory for one of the old fairy tales her grandma used to tell her. Grandma had been a great storyteller, but her fairy tales had always been different from the Disney versions. “How about Cindy, queen of the ash bin?” Dillon asked. The girls both cheerfully agreed, and Dillon started with “Once upon a time . . .” Sitting below them, she began to tell them a condensed version of her grandma’s take on Cinderella—as well as she could remember it.
When she finished, it was quiet above, so she went outside to turn off her string lights and close the main door. She was surprised to see Jordan sitting in one of her camp chairs. “What’re you doing here?” she asked.
“Just enjoying story time.” He chuckled.
“Oh.” She sat down in the other chair.
“And giving my sister her space to get ready for bed. It’s pretty tight in there.”
“It’s quiet out here. Does that mean the campers have all gone to bed?”
“That’s not unusual on the first night out. Folks are tired from all the preparations and getting set up. Tomorrow night is when it gets more lively.”
“Congratulations on winning the grand prize.”
Jordan laughed. “I think you deserve part of it.”
“Well, I got my own.” She remembered Vivian’s face. “But I feel bad for Vivian’s sake. She looked pretty disappointed. Think of all the work she must’ve put into her trailer and everything.”
“Yeah, I felt a little sorry for her too. She’s used to winning. But most everyone thought she took it too far this year. I mean, this is camping, right?”
“Yeah . . . but she’s so into design . . . and there’s her shop . . . I can sort of understand. Not that I’d ever be into that much glitz and glamour.”
“Well, don’t worry, Vivian will get over it.”
“Yes, I’m sure she will. I was thinking the twins should go see her trailer tomorrow. I think they’d be impressed.”
“Yeah, maybe they can have a tea party. My nieces love tea parties.”
“Not a bad idea.”
“Speaking of tomorrow, want to go kayaking in the morning?”
“Sure.”
“I thought it’d be fun to see the sunrise over the lake, but that means getting up early. Like five thirty.”
“That’s okay. But what about the girls? I shouldn’t leave them—”
“Don’t worry, I’ll let Janelle know.”
“Great. Then I’d love to see the sunrise from a kayak.”
“Which is why I’ll tell you good night now.” Jordan sat for a moment, gazing at her and almost making her wonder if he planned to kiss her . . . but then he stood. “See you in the morning. Sleep well.”
She told him good night too. Then, giving him time to get back to his campsite, she turned off the lights and went inside. All was quiet, and she felt certain the girls were asleep as she quietly got ready for bed. Even though she’d been sleeping in her snug little trailer for a while now, it felt like a new experience to know she was sharing it with the little girls. Like three happy campers!
CHAPTER
32
The sunrise was well worth getting up for the next morning. The entire lake glowed like burnished gold. And the snow-capped mountains east of them were painted a peachy pink. “It’s magical,” Dillon said as they paused in the center of the serene lake to take it in.
Jordan nodded. “I thought you’d like it.” The kayaks barely rocked in the placid water, the silence broken only with the occasional sounds of nearby birds. “Looks like we’re going to have a great day. Nothing but blue sky and sunshine.”
Dillon sighed happily. Had there ever been a better start to a day . . . a better weekend? She didn’t think so. She wished it could last forever.
“Want to paddle over to the lodge for some coffee?” he asked.
“Sure.” She followed his lead at first. Then, feeling she was really getting the hang of it, she paddled faster and quickly shot ahead of him. And then the race was on, both of them paddling full-out until they reached the beach next to the lodge simultaneously.
“Wow.” Jordan got out of his kayak and helped her out as well. “You gave me a real run for the money there.”
“That was fun.” She laughed as he helped her up the shore, still holding her hand as they walked up to the lodge. She smiled up at him. “You better watch out, I might just beat you on the way back.”
“I accept the challenge.” Still hand in hand, he led her up to the coffee kiosk outside of the lodge and they both ordered coffee. He only released her hand to pay for their drinks. Dillon couldn’t help but think this really did feel like a date. At least something more than just friendship.
They found a lakeside bench and sat to drink their coffees, talking about everything from the weekend activities to city politics. Then, realizing what time it was, Jordan reminded her that they’d both signed up to help fix breakfast this morning. He took her empty cup and she sprinted down toward the kayaks. “Catch me if you can,” she yelled as she got into hers and started to paddle.
Despite her lead, Jordan soon caught up, and then, when she got tired of paddling hard, he slowed down to keep pace with her. By the time they reached camp, it was clear that the other campers were up and moving around. Dillon checked on her trailer and the girls to discover that Janelle had crawled into Dillon’s bed. “I hope you don’t mind,” Janelle said sheepishly. “But I came to check on the girls and, well, your bed was still warm and—”
“That’s okay,” Dillon told her. “I don’t blame you.”
“It’s so comfortable.” Janelle sat up, stretching. “Way better than my brother’s spare bunk. You know how to live.”
Dillon laughed. “Well, you girls just make yourselves at home. I promised to help with breakfast. You have about half an hour before it’ll be ready.”
Breakfast was fun and the morning continued in a lovely, laid-back sort of way. Dillon enjoyed getting to know the other campers as well as taking a short hike with Jordan. Once again, he was attentive and, unless it was her imagination, romantic. But after their hike he had to meet with Jim Miller and a couple of others regarding “tonight’s entertainment.” He wouldn’t go into any detail but assured her it should be amusing.
Shortly before noon, she went with Janelle and the twins to visit Vivian’s palace trailer—although Dillon had no intention of calling it that. She suspected Vivian was already feeling a bit hurt. And it was a relief when Chloe and Emma both made a big fuss over how fancy everything was—exclaiming over every detail.
“It really is beautiful,” Dillon told Vivian as the women went back outside. “I couldn’t believe you didn’t win a prize last night. No one’s trailer compares to this.”
“Well, I have to admit I went a little overboard.” Vivian looked sheepish. “But I wanted to get photos for a couple of projects I’m working on. Shots of my trailer will be in the real glamping section.”
“Glamping?” Janelle asked as they sat down in the wicker chairs.
“Glamorous camping,” Dillon explained. “I even have a glamping book that I got at the Silver Slipper.”
“I just love that book,” Vivian admitted.
Dillon smiled at her. “To be honest, I learned a lot about trailers and camping from that book.”
“So I decided to make The Silver Slipper a real glamping trailer,” Vivian told them. “And I’ve already gotten some grea
t photos to use.”
“I noticed you’ve been taking a lot of photos during the trailer tour,” Dillon said.
“Yes. I’m collecting for our club calendar as well as a book I’m putting together.” She turned to Dillon. “In fact, I got some very good ones of your Desert Rose.”
“Isn’t her trailer sweet?” Janelle said. “So different.”
“Yes, and if Dillon agrees, I’ll feature it—not only in the calendar but for my book as well.”
“Of course, I’ll agree. I’d love to be part of both projects.” Dillon smiled. Was it possible that Vivian was actually warming up to her? She hoped so.
As the girls came out to explore the exterior of Vivian’s glamping trailer, Dillon shared Jordan’s suggestion that it would make a great location for a fancy tea party. Naturally, the girls jumped—literally—at this idea and Vivian eagerly agreed to host it. “How about this afternoon,” she suggested. “And since it was his idea, we’ll insist that Jordan comes too.”
“But we have to go swimming too,” Emma told her mom. “Remember, Dillon’s our lifeguard?”
“How about after swimming? Will that work?” Janelle suggested to Vivian. They agreed to come at three thirty. And, although Dillon hadn’t really wanted to come for tea before, now that it looked like Jordan might come, she felt differently. If nothing else, it might be interesting to see how Vivian handled everything.
It was nearly two by the time Dillon took Emma and Chloe down to the roped-off swimming area by the dock. Naturally, the water was much colder than the pools they were used to, so the girls were hesitant to go beyond knee-depth. Until they saw the older kids bravely taking the plunge. And then with the help of their floaty toys and the heat of the sun, they began to enjoy themselves.
When Janelle came to pick up the girls for the tea party, Dillon knew she couldn’t leave the other young swimmers unsupervised. Especially since it was clear a couple of them weren’t swimmers. “Tell Vivian I’ll have to take a rain check,” she called to Janelle. “Rather, a swim check.”
After they left, Dillon realized she didn’t really mind missing the elegant Silver Slipper tea party. She was more comfortable in the role of lifeguard. And she knew the parents of these kids appreciated it. Still she was curious about the interaction between Jordan and Vivian. She wasn’t too concerned about Jordan, but she had no doubts that Vivian had more than just a friendly interest. Anyone could see that.
As she sat on the dock, Dillon told herself that if Jordan’s feelings toward her were as strong as she believed, she had no reason to worry. Except for that one nagging concern . . . the rumor that Jordan was a confirmed bachelor. She understood his mother’s explanation . . . and it made sense that he would err on the side of caution. But she thought they’d made real progress in the past several days.
It was a little past five by the time the last of the kids left the swimming hole. On her way back to her trailer, feeling soggy and dirty but perfectly happy, Dillon took a peek at The Silver Slipper. To her surprise it looked like only Jordan and Vivian were sitting out in front . . . and they looked totally engrossed. Sitting head to head, in what appeared to be an intimate conversation, they didn’t even see her walking by.
Pulling her beach towel more tightly around her, Dillon hurried over to her trailer to discover Janelle and the girls sitting outside. The girls were coloring and Janelle was reading a novel. The picture of contentment.
“I thought you were at the tea party?” Dillon paused by the door.
“That’s all done,” Chloe informed her.
Janelle looked up from her book. “You look like a drowned rat.”
“I just had to jump in the lake to help Kerry Miller. He got in too deep.” Dillon forced a smile. “So . . . how was the tea party?”
“Nice. Although I’m not sure Vivian is used to exuberant young guests.” Janelle glanced at her girls, who were acting like perfect angels just now.
Dillon bit her tongue before mentioning that Jordan must’ve enjoyed himself—since he was still there! Instead, she went inside and began to clean up for dinner. Since she’d already done her KP duty, she was free to relax tonight. Still, she felt anything but relaxed as she remembered how Jordan and Vivian had looked so engrossed in each other’s company just now. What was going on?
As she toweled her hair, she wondered if she’d been deluded to assume that Jordan had feelings for only her. Was she that naïve? Maybe he was that eternal bachelor. Maybe he liked having a string of girls following him around. Perhaps he wanted one for each day of the week!
She didn’t believe that. Not really. But she did feel conflicted . . . and hurt. And although she’d never admit as much to anyone, she was also jealous of Vivian. Perhaps Vivian had reason to appear so confident and self-assured when it came to Jordan Atwood.
At dinnertime, Jordan sat with Janelle and the girls . . . and consequently Dillon as well. But she wasn’t sure he would’ve joined her if it wasn’t for his sister and nieces. As a result, Dillon found it hard to chat and she felt relieved when he announced that he’d be busy with a horseshoes tournament after dinner. “I’d ask you to join in, but everyone already signed up.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I’m not very good at horseshoes anyway.” She forced a smile. “I’ll be a spectator.” But when she went over to watch, she realized that Jordan and Vivian were partners.
“They won last year,” Lynette Miller told Dillon and Janelle. “Jim and I plan to give them a run for their money this year.”
Dillon acted unconcerned as she watched for a while. There was no denying that Jordan and Vivian were good, but feeling increasingly uncomfortable, Dillon excused herself, explaining to Janelle she was tired. “I got up so early this morning. I think I need a little break.” And she did need a break.
Despite feeling more than a little glum over her assumptions about Jordan . . . and Vivian, Dillon felt encouraged to be back at her trailer. It was always amazing how Desert Rose welcomed her—with open arms. Dillon spent a little time just straightening things up, and then, happy to be alone at her own sweet campsite, she sat down with a book and pretended to read . . . but drifted off to sleep.
When she woke, it was dusky out and the twins were urging her to hurry up and come to the campfire with them. “And you better put on something warm,” Janelle told her. “You girls get on your long pants and sweatshirts.”
Before long, still feeling groggy from her after-dinner nap, Dillon trudged up the hill with Janelle and the girls to the campfire area. It wasn’t that she wasn’t enthused about this group time, especially since it had been fun last night. It was simply that she wasn’t eager to see Jordan. Especially if he was still cozying up with Vivian.
She convinced herself that she’d overblown everything between her and Jordan. That was her mistake. In Jordan’s defense, he’d simply been kind and thoughtful and helpful these past several days. And that little bit of hand-holding? Good grief, she’d held hands with boys in middle school . . . and it hadn’t meant they’d wanted to marry her. Really, she just needed to grow up and accept reality.
Because the log bench seats were mostly occupied, Dillon encouraged Janelle and the girls to squeeze into a spot in the front row so the girls could see better. Then she took a seat in back next to the Jacksons. Tonight, Jordan and Jim Miller were taking the lead in singing and storytelling. Then a small group of campers performed a humorous skit—naturally, the cast included Vivian. Despite Dillon’s resolve to keep a stiff upper lip, she felt herself crumbling inside. What had begun as an incredibly beautiful and perfect day was fading fast . . . and so was she.
So while the merry campers were in the midst of an exuberant cowboy song that they were performing in rounds, Dillon slipped away. Slinking into the shadows, she found her way back to her trailer. There she put a note on the door for Janelle, apologizing that she was so tired she’d gone to bed, but inviting Janelle to just come in and help the twins get ready for bed. She knew it was a coward�
��s way out, but she didn’t really care. She wanted to shed her tears without an audience.
When she finally heard them come in, Dillon pretended to be fast asleep, which was ridiculous because between the lights and bumps and loud whispering, she never would’ve slept through it. But she really didn’t want to face them. Didn’t want them to see she’d been crying.
“Does she know?” Emma whispered loudly while they were brushing their teeth in the tiny bathroom.
“I don’t think so,” Chloe answered.
“And don’t you girls say a word about it,” Janelle whispered. “Just get into bed and go to sleep.”
Dillon was curious as to what they were talking about, but at the same time preferred her ignorance. For all she knew, it was possible that Jordan had proposed marriage to Vivian tonight. Maybe in front of the whole group. Maybe that was what she’d heard them cheering so loudly about a few minutes ago.
In that case, she certainly wouldn’t want to hear about it. Not now. For the first time, in her sweet little trailer, she did not sleep like a log. She tossed and turned and wound up rising before the sun. She slipped into warm clothes, and thinking she’d take out a kayak—and clear her head—she went outside. But both kayaks were gone. She peered out onto the lake, spotting them at a distance. She really couldn’t tell who was in them, but for whatever reason she felt certain it was Jordan . . . and Vivian. Probably celebrating their engagement with the rising of the sun.
Dillon knew she was being perfectly silly. It was highly unlikely that Jordan had proposed to Vivian last night . . . or that he’d propose to anyone for that matter. But for some reason she couldn’t convince herself otherwise.
Dillon strolled around the campground, finally stopping at the dock. She sat on the bench and, feeling drained and empty, just gazed out over the lake. As she watched it slowly coming to life with the morning sun, there was no denying the beauty. But it just didn’t look as spectacular as it had yesterday. Her one consolation was that this camping weekend would end today. Everyone had to be out of the campground by two. Perhaps she would leave a bit earlier.
The Happy Camper Page 26