There were two steps that led up to the bed which spanned the width of the van.
“I installed the steps because I took Coco with me when I went camping.”He smiled as he spoke of his chocolate Labrador.
“Oh, I bet he had fun camping,” Maggie said wistfully.She loved the idea of escaping where no one could find her.
Walker bumped into the steps.Then gingerly he put one foot in front of the other and climbed on top of the bed.
“Walker, I don’t know if Daniel wants you up there.”
Daniel laughed.“Leave him alone.Why don’t you climb in?I paid a little more for the bed.I can’t sleep in an uncomfortable bed.”
Walker walked in a circle and then curled into a ball at the end of the bed.
Maggie smiled.“Looks like Walker approves.”She climbed into the bed and lay down, straightening her legs.“There’s plenty of room.I’m surprised since it’s a van.”She sat up and rubbed Walker’s head.
“There’s storage both under the bed as well as cabinet storage over the bed.”Daniel stepped up on the bottom step of the bed and reached up to the ceiling.He flipped down a screen.“I installed a TV to stream movies.”
Maggie shoved up on her elbows and nodded.“You have thought of everything.”
Daniel shrugged.“Just the basics.It’s good to get away and spend time in nature.Away from people.”
Something shifted in her chest.“Getting away sounds nice.”
Daniel nodded.“Too bad you will be too busy with your internship to do some camping.”
Maggie snorted.“Even if I wasn’t working, I can’t go camping.I don’t even own a tent.Besides, tent camping doesn’t sound very appealing.”
Daniel parked his hands on his hips.“You don’t have to tent camp.You could take my van.”
Maggie eased off the bed and chuckled.“I wish.”
Daniel studied her.“What’s stopping you?”
Dealing with Mason, her duty to a possible internship at a prestigious law firm, her parents’ expectations.
Most of all, fear.That’s what was stopping her.
Those thoughts ran through her mind, but she didn’t have the courage to say the words out loud.
“Think about it.”Daniel stepped out of the van.Maggie looked at Walker, smiling at how he seemed right at home in the van.
She glanced around at the interior of the van.For a second she envisioned herself on a cross-country trip toward Colorado.A smile settled on her lips.
Her phone buzzed suddenly in her jeans pocket.Reluctantly she pulled it out, only to see it was her mother calling.She reluctantly answered the call.
“Hi, Mom.”She said with a forced smile.
“Did you pick up the dessert?You’ve been gone a while.”Her mother sounded exasperated.
Maggie’s eyes went wide.“I got distracted.I’m on my way there.”
Her mother huffed.“Well, hurry up.You still need to get ready for dinner.”She ended the call.
Maggie’s shoulders slumped.Reality had pulled her out of her daydreams and into the prison she had found herself in.
Chapter6
Maggie pushed her food around on the expensive China plate that her mother used for special guests.
