“And I’ll walk you to your cabin.”
Meghan took a step forward, then turned back to Alex. “I appreciate your help, really I do, but I’m fine. My knee’s feeling better already, and I’m sure you want to get settled.”
Alex Markham had managed to wreak havoc with her emotions, and she needed distance to help her regain some perspective.
“Okay, but I think you should get your leg checked out by a professional.” He caught her gaze, causing her stomach to flip. “Isn’t there a doctor or clinic nearby?”
“He’s right, Meghan,” Kate added. “You should see a doctor. Just to make sure nothing is broken or torn.”
Meghan shook her head. “I’ll be fine. It’s been a long day, and tomorrow will be just as long. I’ll see you all in the morning.”
Before anyone could say another word, Meghan started down the paved walkway that ran beside a row of chalets, determined not to limp. Everything she’d said had been true. All she needed was some pain medicine and an ice pack, and she’d be as good as new by morning.
Alex—and Kate, for that matter—was making far too big a deal about nothing.
Something rustled behind the purple flowering bougainvillea hedge to her right. Meghan squinted at the thick climbing vine. There were intermittent spotlights along the path, but clouds had covered up the stars and moon, leaving it too dark to see anything.
Meghan sped up, trying to put as little weight as possible on her bad leg as she hobbled down the path. She was beginning to see a poacher behind every bush. She shook her head. This was crazy. Alex and his paranoia were rubbing off on her. It was probably nothing more than a bush baby or a monkey looking for a free handout.
Meghan repositioned the strap of her camera bag over her shoulder. She’d been foolish to venture out without her flashlight, but Alex had her completely rattled. How could a man she knew nothing about leave her so flustered? Clearly she’d been out in the bush too long. For the most part, the men who stayed at the lodge were either over sixty or had wives or girlfriends. None of them had garnered a second look from her.
She started down the row of chalets where the staff stayed. Tonight was quiet, as most people were up at the lodge eating dinner.
Meghan stopped. This time she was sure she’d heard something, and whatever it was sounded too big to be a monkey.
“Hello?”
No answer.
She continued down the path, past her chalet, ready to prove to Alex that there was no bogeyman or saboteur—
Meghan froze as the main power switched off, leaving her in total darkness. Without a flashlight, it was almost impossible to see what was ahead of her. She’d wandered too far down the path to be able to find her chalet, but neither did she want to stay where she was. She knew from experience that power outages could potentially last for hours.
She turned back toward the chalets and took an uneasy step forward. Her knee buckled, and she hit the ground full force. Meghan screamed at the impact, felt her head hit something hard, then gave way to the blackness surrounding her.
* * *
“Is she always so...?” Alex searched for the right word as Meghan disappeared down the path toward her chalet.
“Bullheaded?” Kate suggested.
“I was thinking more independent, but bullheaded works.”
“Yes, but she’s fantastic to work with. She’s creative, funny, focused...”
He followed Kate toward the reception area of the lodge that was decorated with woven baskets and life-size wooden carvings of monkeys, turtles and warthogs. A group of tourists were climbing into one of the vehicles, cameras and extra lenses in hand, for a night safari in the bush. There were more people around than he’d expected. And any one of them could be responsible for their crash earlier.
He couldn’t worry about that now. He had other things to do. He needed to get the key to his room and check with the airport to see if they would deliver his suitcase tomorrow. Otherwise, the one extra set of clothes he’d packed in his carry-on was going to have to be supplemented by a few souvenir shirts and shorts in the gift shop.
“What’s her story?” he asked as they approached the front desk, hoping he might discover something beyond what Meghan had told him.
“Meghan’s? She grew up as an only child, divorced parents, boarding schools—she comes by her independence naturally.”
He might have just met Meghan, but something about her intrigued him. She was down-to-earth, witty and passionate, which made a refreshing change from most of the women his friends had tried to set him up with lately.
“What about you?” Kate leaned against the polished wooden counter. “We usually eat dinner together about this time in the restaurant. Care to join me and tell me a little more about yourself?”
Alex took his key from the receptionist and weighed his options. Hungry or not, he wasn’t here to socialize. His first priority was to keep an eye on Meghan, a task that was proving to be far from easy. Which meant for starters he needed to find out where she was staying. “I’d love to, but jet lag is starting to hit hard. I’ve got a granola bar and trail mix that will hold me over until tomorrow. Which way to my chalet?”
Kate looked at his key and pointed to her right. “You’re number five. The staff chalets are all located straight down that path a hundred yards or so. I’m number two if you need anything.”
“And Meghan?” He caught a hint of amusement in her eyes at the question and tried to cover his tracks. “Just in case I need something and can’t find you.”
“Of course. She’s in number seven.”
“Great. Thanks.”
On his way out, he paused at an aerial photo of the Chizoba Safari Lodge and its adjoining game reserve. Besides the two-dozen luxury chalets with thatched roofs for guests that overlooked the grassy veld, there was a restaurant, bar, day spa, activity center and swimming pool. It was all very impressive. But he wasn’t here to enjoy a vacation.
Alex headed in the direction of the chalet where he’d be staying. Somehow he was going to have to find a way to keep tabs on Meghan without her thinking he was stalking her. Because, in his eyes, everything that had happened today had only confirmed her father’s fears.
Halfway down the paved walkway, the power went out, throwing him into pitch darkness. Great. Alex stopped midstride, surprised at how dark it was. No lights meant there was no way he was going to find his cabin. He stood in the middle of the path and made a mental note to carry a flashlight with him if it turned out that power outages were the norm. Which they probably were.
Poachers, charging rhinos, failing brakes... It was as if he’d stepped into a different reality where, on top of everything else, beautiful women like Meghan had somehow managed to yank his heartstrings.
Alex heard the scream from where he stood.
Meghan?
He squinted, but his eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the darkness. Silence followed. He didn’t have a choice but to try to find her. A dozen yards later, he ran smack-dab into something—or somebody. He heard her scream again as he tripped and landed on the ground beside her.
He rolled onto his side and groaned. “Meghan?”
“Alex? What in the world are you doing here?” Funny. It was the same question he’d asked himself a dozen times the past twelve hours.
“I heard a scream,” he answered.
“It was me. Sorry. Just help me up. Please.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just...tripped.”