Getting from my house to the interstate took only fifteen minutes. We would have almost a straight shot to Giant City State Park once we merged onto I-57 off I-94. Around the halfway point or a little farther, we’d find a hotel that allowed dogs, even though I knew Bandit would be fine overnight in the Explorer if necessary.
“Can you check on your phone for hotels south of Champaign that allow dogs?”
“Sure thing.” Hanna pulled her phone off the charger and began a search. “Hmm… there’s a half dozen or so cheap motels that allow pets.”
“How about something not so cheap that’s considered a hotel, not a motel?”
“One second. Okay, I found a nice hotel in Effingham that has rooms for eighty bucks a night and allows pets. How does that sound?”
“Get on their site and see what the rooms are like and if they offer Continental breakfast. That’ll save us a breakfast stop if they do.”
I glanced at Hanna and smiled. She was tapping away on her phone, looking at photos, and scrolling through the hotel amenities. Bandit jammed his nose through the opening between the seat and door on my left side. I gave him a pet.
“Hey, buddy. How you doing back there?”
He licked my hand and settled down.
“Okay, it looks like they offer Continental breakfast between six and eleven a.m. They have the typical rooms, either two queens or one king, a mini fridge, coffee station, and a table in the corner.”
“Can you reserve a room with two queens? That’ll give Bandit his own bed, and we can toss our duffel bags on there too.”
“Sure, I’ll do it right now and then program the hotel’s location into my phone.”
“Thanks, babe. It’ll take about three hours to get there, so you might as well recline your seat and relax.”
“You sure you don’t mind?”
“Nope. I’ve had an easy day. I found my desk full of paperwork and files when I walked in this morning. That was Frank’s way of paying me back for taking vacation.”
She chuckled. “So filing is a punishment?”
“Yep, you can say that.” I pointed at the upcoming road sign. “Here we go—merging onto I-57. This interstate will take us all the way there.”
“Easy enough in case you get tired, or I can drive the rest of the way in the morning.”
I liked that about Hanna. She was a hands-on type of woman, wasn’t afraid to pitch in at a second’s notice, and was always thoughtful. I reached over, squeezed her shoulder, and told her to get some rest. Minutes after she closed her eyes, I heard her breathing slow. I looked over, and she was fast asleep.
The drive was uneventful, and traffic flowed steadily. There wasn’t a single interstate accident to slow down our trip, and by ten o’clock, I’d pulled into the parking lot of the hotel chain where Hanna had made the reservation. She and Bandit both woke up when I killed the engine.
She yawned. “What’s going on? What time is it?”
Bandit whimpered, and I was sure he needed a bathroom break.
I laughed. “We’re here”—I glanced at my watch—“and it’s a few minutes after ten.”
“We’re at the hotel? I slept for three hours?”
“Yes, you did, and loudly, as a matter of fact.”
She punched my arm. “I don’t snore.”
“Oh, okay, it must have been Bandit, then. At least he won’t punch me for saying that. Why don’t you get your bearings for a minute and then go inside and check us in.” I pulled my credit card from my wallet and handed it to her. “Meanwhile, I’ll walk Bandit around the parking lot so he can do his thing.”
“Sure.” She rubbed her eyes, stretched, and opened the passenger-side door.
I got out, too, found Bandit’s leash, and clipped it to his collar. “C’mon, boy. Let’s take a walk around the parking lot perimeter.”
Hanna set off in one direction and Bandit and I in another. The parking lot was dimly lit, but the grassy perimeter was just beyond the pavement, and we headed that way. The headlights of a car briefly illuminated the parking lot. I looked back to make sure we weren’t walking in its path, but the driver had already turned in to an available spot and parked. Bandit and I continued on. Glancing back to see if Hanna was coming out, I noticed a man entering the building.
Bandit seemed to enjoy the different smells. “Come on, boy. Quit sniffing around and do your business.” Moments later, Hanna called out my name. I cupped my mouth and yelled back. “We’re over here by the grass, hon.”
“We’re all set and on the first floor,” Hanna said when she reached us.
“Great, that makes everything easier. Nice night, huh?”
She looked up at the full moon surrounded by puffy clouds. “The sky is beautiful. I can’t wait until tomorrow night when we’re sitting around a campfire and looking at the same night sky.”
“You like roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, right?”
“Of course, just not together in a bun.”
“Good one.” I gave her a hug. “Let’s take a few things inside. We’ll get Bandit squared away with dinner and then go eat. I saw one of those all-night restaurants across the street, and I’m starving.”
“Sounds good to me.”
After taking our bags inside, we passed the Explorer as we made our way to the restaurant.
“Do you think the canoe will be okay?”
I shrugged. “We don’t have much of a choice unless you want to bring it up to the room.” I gave her a wink. “There’s a cable lock on it that’s attached to the luggage carrier. I think it’ll be fine.”