Page 18 of The Journey of a Lifetime (Tiny Homes and Happy Tails #2)

M aggie wasn’t sure what to say. Cindy has certainly been brainwashed by Tony. She didn’t want to say the wrong thing, yet she wanted to give the girl some encouragement.

She smiled. “I want to thank you for watching Walker while I was in the store. This is a spur of the moment road trip, and I didn’t think things through.”

Cindy blinked. Her face went pink with embarrassment at the compliment. She ducked her head. “It was nothing.”

Maggie shook her head. ‘No, you were a big help. Thank you.”

Cindy smiled and sat up a little straighter. “So where are you stopping tonight?”

Maggie cut her eyes at the girl. “Well, we are stopping in Wichita, Kansas, for the night. I already booked a campsite at this cute RV park. It even has a swing set at our site.”

Cindy shifted in her seat. “Maybe you should just drop me off at the next exit at a gas station and I’ll call Tony to come get me.”

Maggie shifted in her seat. “I thought you didn’t have a cell phone?”

Cindy shrugged. “I don’t. But I’m sure I can borrow one from someone.”

Maggie didn’t volunteer her own phone. She didn’t know how to convince Cindy not to go back to her abuser, and she knew, if she pushed too hard, Cindy would do the opposite.

“You know, I could use some help with Walker on my trip. Why don’t you just go with us to Estes Park.

Once we get there you can call Tony and find out where he is.

He can come get you or I can give you the money for a bus ticket to meet him. ”

Cindy blinked as if contemplating her options. She glanced in the back of the van. “There’s no place for me to sleep. I’ll just be in the way.”

Maggie shook her head. “You can take the bed. I was going to set up a tent for tonight anyway. It will be the first time I camped in a tent, and it was one of the things I wanted to do on this trip.”

Cindy’s eyes widened. “You’re giving me your bed?”

Maggie snorted. “Sure. But only for tonight.”

Cindy’s shoulders slumped.

Maggie grinned. “Tomorrow night you’ll take the tent, and I’ll get the bed. We can rotate.”

The reassurance drew a smile out of Cindy. “Okay. But you must let me pay my way somehow. Let me make dinner tonight.”

Maggie cut her eyes at her. “Do you know how to make burgers?”

Cindy lit up. “Absolutely. My mom taught me. I can make the best burgers in the South.”

Walker gave an affirming bark.

Both girls laughed at the canine.

“Looks like you’ll have to make extra for Walker. He seems excited to have the best burger in the South.” Maggie chuckled.

Maggie managed to make good time to Wichita. They got caught up in traffic, so, when they finally pulled into the camp site, they were starving.