After taking an inventory of what was in the van, filling the water tank, and driving over to a big box store for a few essentials like a new cast-iron skillet, along with a cooler to serve as their drink refrigerator and one of those big plastic storage totes for Frankie’s food, Daisy stood looking around the apartment one last time as she made sure she had everything she and Frankie would need while they were gone. The couple had given her a power source with two solar panels, so they had plenty of power to run anything they wanted.
Callan was already outside, dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a gray tee, loading the camper van. He’d quickly volunteered, saying if he left it to her, everything would end up piled on the table and tiny counter, falling over while they drove. He had a point.
“Ye sure you haven’t forgotten anything, lass?” Callan called out, his voice tinged with excitement.
“We’re good. If I bring one more thing, we’ll have to put it on the roof.” She laughed, making a note when they stopped to fill up with gas to introduce Callan to the concept of road trip snacks.
As they drove away, Frankie wearing a harness that attached to a hook in the van, the dog stuck his head out the window, ears blowing back, as the apartment faded into the distance.
CHAPTER 14
Callan was familiar with the traffic around Boston, but as they took the carriage onto the big road, his mouth dropped open, green eyes wide, at the sheer number of metal carriages traveling the road. He turned to Daisy. “Where are they all going?”
She shifted in the seat, her hair piled on top of her head, silver rings catching the light as she gestured to the road in front of them. The black shorts and white shirt were verra fetching on her as she blew a lock of hair out of her face, the scent of oranges from her shampoo filling the van. He had tasted an orange a few days ago, and found he liked it verra much, though he did not care for the grapefruit she gave him.
“Who knows? Work, vacation, running errands.”
Callan shook his head, smiling at her annoyance with the other cars who tended to dart in front of her without so much as a by your leave.
“Ye said ye planned our trip. Where are we visiting first?”
When she abruptly changed lanes, Callan gripped the belt, praying it would hold him if she crashed the beast.
“Salem. It’s famous for the witch trials.”
“Witches?” Mayhap there would be a powerful witch there to aid him in returning to his own time? Though Callan was beginning to like this new world, and going home would mean leaving Daisy. The longer he was with her, the less he wished to leave.
He glanced over at her to see she had her hand out the window, the sun kissing her skin as she let the wind blow through her fingers.
“I thought you’d enjoy stopping at some historical sites and some just for fun things along the way to North Carolina. There are tours and museums dedicated to the witch trials. It was a dark time in history.”
She bit her lip. “Maybe you’ll meet a witch who can help you go home.”
But when she said it, Callan heard a note of sadness creep into her voice.
Then she smiled as they drove down the highway, pointing to a small furry animal sitting on the side of the road, ignoring everything around it.
“Welcome to road trip life. It’s all about the journey, not to mention the bumps and detours.”
As Boston disappeared behind them, Callan felt a chapter close and another begin. He might not know where they were going, but for the first time since the damned fates had tossed him through time, he was eager to see where the journey led.
“I forgot to get gas after Dave checked the van over, so we’ll need to stop and fill up. These old vans get lousy gas mileage.”
She swerved abruptly to take the exit, horns blaring as he caught a fleeting glance of a sign telling them there was gas and food ahead.
“Will ye show me where the food goes for the metal beast?” He followed her out of the van, stretching and inhaling deeply, though he found the air tinged with an unfamiliar, unpleasant scent.
“What is that stench?”
“It’s gasoline.” She pulled the plastic card, a credit card, out of her pocket and put it into the machine. “I rather like the smell.”
She showed him how to feed the van gas to make it go. Once the beast was full, she closed the mouth of the carriage and turned to him. “You can pump gas the next time and I’ll walk the dog.”
“Aye. Can I drive the metal beast?”
“The van?” She blinked at him, looking at him as if he were a witless lad of nine summers.
“Not yet. We’ll find an empty parking lot and I’ll give you a lesson because we have a lot of driving ahead of us, and it would be nice to share the driving.”
