Page 8 of Worlds Apart
Martin kept glancing at Sunny, whose expression was frozen. “I didn’t lift up the payroll folder, no. It was probably under there.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “Men are all the same. How you find your own shoes in the morning is a miracle.” She tugged on Sunny’s arm. “Bring your drink along. I want to show you your tent. We’re not booked up this week, so I gave you one of the Duma tents; it has the best view.”
“Oh, I’m…” Sunny quickly swallowed the last of her gin and tonic, then she set her glass down. “I’m done.” She sounded as if she had something in her mouth. “Sorry.” She carefully took the slice of lime out and put it in the empty glass. “Sorry.” There was a furtive glance at Martin, then she looked away. “Thank you so much for the drink.”
“Any time.” Martin watched them walk away, Alice’s arm firmly around her friend’s shoulders. He was hoping he might catch a whisper of their conversation, but the wind stole their words away.
ChapterThree
It wasseven in the morning and the sun was up, which meant Sunny could walk to the reception area without an armed guard. The lecture from Alice had been stern the night before. This was an open camp, which meant that anything from elephants to jackals to leopards could wander freely. She was not to leave her tent after dark without waving down a guard with her flashlight.
She slid on her hiking boots after checking for unexpected critters and unzipped the tall tent flap that was her front door for the next week.
The tent itself was a slice of five-star luxury in the middle of the wilderness. There was an elaborately carved wooden bed with a feather topper and soft-as-silk cotton sheets. The bathroom sported a clawfoot tub and shower that overlooked a nearby stream where water trickled softly beneath greenery. Soft woolen rugs were scattered over the floors and plush robes and house slippers were waiting for her.
She and Alice had opened a bottle of wine the night before and watched the sun set in the most brilliant display Sunny had ever seen.
When she stepped onto her small porch, there was an insulated thermos cup full of black tea, as she’d requested, and a covered plate of pastries.
She grabbed a croissant and the tea as she walked toward the reception tent, which was the heart of the safari camp and the gathering place for all the guests for meals and game rides.
“Good morning, Sunny.” John, the driver from the day before, waved from beside the Land Cruiser where he was talking with another driver.
“Morning.” Sunny waved at him. John was friendly and so far, Sunny hadn’t embarrassed herself in front of him like she had with Alice’s boss the day before.
Martin Karanja hadn’t joined them for dinner the night before. Alice told her she was overreacting, but Sunny wanted to die when she realized that the man she’d so boldly asked to fix her a gin and tonic was the owner of the entire operation.
Typical! Go to a new country and mistake the owner of the camp for a bartender. Well done, Sunny.
He must have thought she was so rude.
“How did you sleep?”
She started when she heard Martin’s voice from over her shoulder. “Hi.”
“Good morning.” His smile was wide and teasing. “Were you comfortable sleeping with the zebras?”
“I decided to sleep in the tent.” Sunny pointed over her shoulder. “Sleepingwiththe zebras seemed a little risky after the whole hyena lecture that Alice gave me last night.”
Wait, was she flirting with him? What was her mouth doing?
What are you doing Sunny???
Martin smiled. “Probably a good plan.”
Sunny was going to blame his smile, which was handsome, wide, and disarming. It would be strangenotto flirt when in the presence of that smile.
“I’m sorry I thought you were a bartender,” she blurted.
There she was. Back in awkward form.
Martin frowned. “Are you saying my gin and tonic wasn’t professional?”
“What?” She blinked. “No! I just—”
“Please.” He lifted a hand and laughed a little. “I was not offended at all. And I’m glad my cocktail skills have not diminished.”
“Everything is amazing.” She looked around. “The views. The food. The rooms—tents.” She lifted her cup. “Even the tea is good. And I get my own mug.”
