Maggie glanced down at Walker who was lying at her feet.His head perked up when he heard his name.She nodded.“I bet he would love that too.So, since we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, we should get to bed.”She glanced over at the tent by the van.After a dinner of leftovers, she had helped Cindy set up the tent for the night.“Are you sure you want to sleep in the tent?”
Cindy’s eyes widened with excitement.“Absolutely.Do you mind if Walker sleeps with me?Just to ward off any snakes.”
Maggie laughed.“Of course.But I would be more worried about a squirrel than a snake.”
Cindy stood and reached for Walker’s leash.“I grew up in the country.I can sleep with a squirrel.Never a snake.”She gave a gentle pull on the leash and Walker followed close.
Maggie looked back at the fire.
Sleeping with a snake.
Those words drifted through her mind.It was funny.The longer she was away from Mason, the less stress she felt.Shouldn’t she be absolutely devastated over losing Mason?Did that make her a bad person that she was feeling free for the first time in her life?
Shaking her head, she stood up and stretched her arms over her head.She needed to make sure the coffeepot was ready for the morning and check the website for tickets to the museum.
She looked forward to sleeping in her bed tonight.She looked over at Walker and Cindy near a big oak tree.
Maggie watched as Cindy’s smile grew.She was animatedly talking to Walker, probably about sleeping together in the tent.
It was Cindy’s wide-eyed optimism that Maggie wished she had.Maybe with a few more miles between her and home, she would discover it along their journey.
Chapter26
Walker could barely contain his excitement as he walked between Maggie and Cindy in the old western town.
Maggie said they were heading toward the barn where they kept the horses.He’d never seen a horse in real life, only on TV.
The scent of musty buildings and dirt tickled his nose.While the image of buildings was not as crisp as it should be, he could see enough to know what they were.
He stopped walking to sniff the dewy grass and some daisies.He bit off a blade of sweet grass and chewed.
“Come on, Walker.We are almost to where the horses are,” Maggie encouraged.
He spit out the grass and trotted beside Maggie.
A strange scent had him lifting his head in the air to investigate further.He heard a whinnying, and knew he was close to these large animals.
“Aww, they are so gorgeous.”Cindy’s voice was full of awe.
“Come on, Walker.Let’s walk over to the fence so you can get a better look.
Two large beasts, their images blurry, stomped their hooves.The scent he was smelling was stronger now.He realized it was the musk of the horse’s flesh he’d been smelling.
He edged closer to the fence and poked his head through the gap.The horse’s large head bent down to meet his and their noses touched.
He pulled back at the strong scent, and the horse snorted as he pawed the earth.
Walker slowly poked his head back through the gap in the fence and touched his nose to the horse’s.His scent was strong but pleasant and his nostrils soft as velvet.He liked what he smelled.He nudged the horse’s nose with his and gave him a lick.
Salty.
Maggie and Cindy laughed, and he looked up at them.He didn’t know what was so funny.How else was he supposed to make friends?
He looked back at the horse.The horse blinked its long eyelashes, bent his head and gave his a long lick across his snout.
This time the girls laughed even louder.
“Aww, Walker.I think she likes you.”Maggie bent down and rubbed his head.
