Page 10 of Let's Go To Camp!

“Same!” Maisie said. “Except I don’t just wear one at night. When I can get away with it, I’m padded. And don’t worry about any of this. There is no judgement here. We’re at a Littles’ camp. And now we’re friends. This is a safe space.”

The others agreed giddily with the sentiments.

“So, do you all want to go to the store? I need a new outfit! And maybe some of that protection we were talking about,” Maisie told them.

“Let’s go!” Sophia said.

They were still chatting and looking around as they approached the swimming area.

“Ooh, look at those slides!” Naomi said. “I want to do that blue one first.”

“When is swim time?” Sophia asked.

“I don’t know,” Naomi replied. “Maybe the hours are posted on that sign.”

They walked to where a white sign was bolted onto the fence. Sure enough, bold red letters stated the pool’s hours. Maisie glanced at it for a moment, but her attention was diverted elsewhere as she overheard the conversation of an approaching group.

“That voice?” she said to herself. “It can’t be.”

“What’s up?” Naomi asked, her eyes still on the sign.

Maisie scanned her surroundings, her attention coming to rest on a group of Littles who’d just come from a nearby building.

“Nothing,” she said. “Just…talking to myself.”

She squinted as she watched the group of four making their way closer and closer on the sidewalk. They seemed engaged in conversation, and while she couldn’t tell what they were saying, they were laughing and having a good time, not paying a bit of attention to her.

That was just fine with her. If her fear proved correct, she sure didn’t want to be noticed right now!

Her heart rate increased. She held her breath, silently praying that her mind was just playing tricks on her. The four were still too far away for her to really see their faces in great detail, but it sure looked like…

“Shit! Derek Preston!” she cried, far louder than she wished. Gasping, she covered her mouth and then turned to her roomies. “I’ve got to hide! Like, right now!”

Naomi was the first to look away from the pool sign. She must have noticed the panic in Maisie’s eyes and realized it was a DEFCON One type of nuclear situation, because she said, “Quick! Through the gate.”

They were so close to the gate that they didn’t have to travel far. But they were still visible as they scurried along the concrete area that ran between the pools and slides.

“We can hide behind that,” Naomi suggested in a loud whisper, indicating a tall, faux rock wall.

The women ducked behind it and hunkered low, trying to make themselves as small as possible so that they were all shielded from view. Maisie breathed a sigh of relief, thankful for the concealment. But that didn’t change the fact that she had just seen her worst nightmare right there at Camp Mountainville!

“What’s going on?” Sophia asked.

“Yeah. And are you okay?” Naomi probed.

“I’m fine. I think,” Maisie answered. She took another few deep breaths as she staved off the anxiety attack that threatened to seize her.

How could it be? Derek was at Camp Mountainville? What the heck?

Right now, though, she had bigger problems. Two camp employees rounded the wall and stood looking down at the Littles, clearly curious as to what was going on.

“Girls, the waterpark is currently closed,” the woman said.

Maisie looked up at the forty-something-year-old woman and smiled uneasily. She instantly recognized her as Chloe, the camp director. “Sorry, ma’am.”

Her eyes then fell to the man she was with.

The exquisite, handsome, strong, sexy man. The one with all the Daddy vibes.

---