Page 24 of Let's Go To Camp!

The sound of eggs pelting the door could be heard. A moment later, the Littles also heard them hitting glass and looked to see some splattering on the window.

Then, though, much as the night before, they heard Declan yelling, “Hey! Who’s doing that?”

The women peered out the window to see him rushing into the clearing and looking around the trees where the eggs had been flying from.

A minute later, apparently unable to catch whoever it had been, Declan came onto the porch. Maisie had the door open now, waiting for him.

“Thanks for chasing them off.”

He looked disappointed. “I wanted to catch them. This is getting ridiculous!” Looking at her outfit, he smiled apologetically. “You look cute. But I suspect you want to change.”

She glanced down to see the egg on her chest. It matched what she’d already raked off her face, though some sticky remnants remained on her skin.

“Do you mind waiting a few minutes?”

He took her hand and smiled into her eyes. “You take all the time you need.”

Maisie hurried toward the bedroom.

This was not how she’d imagined her date starting.

***

With her Little clothes ruined for the night, Maisie dressed in a “big girl” outfit.

If there was a bright side, it allowed them to leave camp and go back into the “vanilla world,” heading to a nearby town that was about fifteen miles away.

“I’m sorry about what happened back there,” Declan said as he guided the car carefully around some mountain curves.

There was still plenty of sunlight, and Maisie could see the beautiful scenery as they drove along.

“Thank you. But it’s not your fault. I can’t believe Derek did that!”

“You still think it’s him?”

“Has to be. Why would someone else target me like that?”

“Well, maybe because you’re beautiful. Could be jealous of you.”

She tried to hide the fact that she was blushing, choosing to look out the passenger window at the picturesque valley below.

“I’m not beautiful,” she said, before adding quickly, “but thank you.”

“Really? Because I’d say you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. And that’s a fact.”

She wanted to keep staring out the window, afraid she’d blush too hard otherwise, but she needed to look at Declan to search him for any insincerity. Part of her thought he was just being nice.

But when she finally looked at him, she saw nothing but honesty.

She smiled.

“Thank you,” she said again.

“I’m just telling the truth.”

They finished their descent down the mountain, the road leveling out as the car zoomed toward the town.

A sense of peace and security washed over Maisie. She was more content than she’d ever been, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on why. It just seemed as if her whole life had led to that moment. Right there. Sitting in that car with that man.

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