Daniel eased down to sit beside her.“Dad said he figured you didn’t know anything about it.But your mom said she had talked to you about it and you agreed.I should have known you would never do something like that.”
Maggie looked at him.“You should have called me and let me know.I can’t believe she was going to do that.”She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.
“Your mom views Walker as a nuisance.She never was an animal lover.”Daniel draped his arm over his knees and glanced down.
Maggie swallowed hard as Walker lay down and rested his head in her lap.“I know, but still.”
Daniel cocked his head.“I think Dad scared her from trying to take him anywhere else to have it done.He told her that if Walker came up missing, he was going to report her to the police.That scared her into not trying to find a vet who would do what she was asking.”
Maggie’s shoulders slumped.“Thank God for your dad.He always was a good man.”
Daniel smiled and nodded in agreement.“So, you are home for the summer.Any plans?I’m sure you have an apprenticeship with some big, fancy law firm.”
Just the thought made her stomach turn.“Yeah.Mom has the Smiths coming over for dinner.She expects they’ll offer me a summer internship.”
Daniel snorted and stood.“You don’t sound overly excited.”He held out his hand.She took it and got to her feet.
She dusted off the seat of her jeans and shook her head.“It seems like everything has changed in a day.From Walker to Mason …” her voice drifted off.
Daniel frowned.“What’s going on with Mason?”
She shook her head.She wasn’t ready to talk about it with anyone.
Daniel didn’t push.He was like that.He never forced her to talk about anything she didn’t want to talk about.
He pointed to the garage.“I don’t think you’ve seen my van since I finished it.Come on, I’ll show you.”
Chapter5
Maggie grabbed Walker’s leash and gave him a gentle tug.They walked slowly toward the open garage where a white Econoline van was parked.She cocked her head.“Looks like an ordinary van.”
Daniel went to the side door.“From the outside it looks like an ordinary van.But wait until you see the inside.”He opened the door and stepped aside for her.
Walker immediately put his paws on the sidestep of the van ready for a tour.
Maggie peered inside.“Wow, you can totally live here.”
Daniel smiled.“Oh, I have.I spent three months in Wyoming last summer in this.I have both shore power and solar power.I did a lot of boondocking.”
Maggie furrowed her brows.“What’s boondocking?”
He grinned.“Camping without power.”He nodded toward the van.“Go on inside and look around.“
She stepped inside.
There was a small sink directly in front of her.She opened the cabinet underneath and spotted a two-burner propane stove.
“You can cook inside or, in nice weather, take it outside.There’s a small portable table you can put it on if you want to experience cooking in the great outdoors,” Daniel stated.
She looked at him over her shoulder.“I take it you cooked outside a lot.”
He smiled.“Every chance I could.I think the only time I cooked inside was when it was raining.”
She turned back to the small cabinet.Underneath were cooking utensils, plates and cups, along with a small skillet.She found a small crock pot.“Where is the plug-in for the electric?”
Daniel helped Walker inside and pointed.“There’s an outlet here.”He patted the opposite side of the van.“As well as a small table that flips up.”He released a latch and flipped a small wooden table top up.He pulled out a small folding stool.“You can eat here or use this as a mobile workstation.”He patted the top before storing the tabletop and chair away.
“That’s a really good use of space.”She smiled and looked toward the back of the van.“Nice bed.”
