When he joined her again he gave her a searching look. “You okay? Hear something?”
She gave him a weak smile. “I’m fine. Everything is fine.”
“That might be stretching the truth. River’s right ahead. There’s a path running beside it. We’ll use it but we’ll have to be careful not to run into anyone.”
“You lead, I follow.”
“When we get down a way we’ll stop and cool off for a while.”
“Gives me something to look forward to.”
Chance started down the path. “I’ll give you this, Ellen Cox, you’re a trouper.”
The path widened and she walked beside him. “You might want to save that praise until you see how I do over the next few of days.”
He took her hand and squeezed it. “We’ll make it.”
Ellen couldn’t contain the “Aw” that came out at the sight of the river. It was breathtaking. The water flowing over the white rounded boulders whooshed and boiled as it made its way to the coast. The contrast of the vivid vegetation framing it and the blue of the sky above made for a perfect picture. If it hadn’t been for the situation they were in she would have sworn she was in paradise.
Chance let go of her hand and stood beside her. “It’s just one of the many things I love about this country, the beauty.”
They started moving again. “Still, you’ve had a hard time dealing with all the needs you see and keeping the hospital going.”
“I have to admit that the struggle to retain staff, find funding and most of all making a real difference here has started to eat away at me.”
It was the first time she’d heard him really share his feelings about anything personal. “So your plan was to discourage help when it shows up?”
As they walked along the path beside the river he pointed down, “Watch the rocks. We don’t need a twisted ankle to deal with.”
A couple of minutes went by as they maneuvered over a narrow, difficult area. Back on a wider section, Ellen said, “You didn’t answer my question.”
“I don’t discourage people from coming. In fact, I encourage them. We need the help down here.”
“I didn’t get that kind of welcome.”
“Only because you reminded me of my ex-wife at first, then because you didn’t. I wasn’t sure you could handle this type of work. I was concerned for your safety. Still am.” He took her hand and helped her down over a slippery area.
It was nice to have someone care but she was a survivor. She’d learned that when her mother had died and during those days in the hospital. “But there’s more to it.”
It took him a second to answer. “I was attracted to you and I didn’t want to be.”
“Why’s that such a bad thing?”
“Because I have nothing real to offer you.”
Before she could get him to clarify that statement he said, “Here’s a good place to rest.” The river slowed and created a pool. “I’ll keep watch while you clean up. Just be sure not to swallow any water despite how temping it might be.”
Ellen crouched beside the river. She must look a fright. Cupping her hands, she splashed water onto her face. She did it again, rubbing her hands down her cheeks, and was amazed at the dirt that came off. The water felt wonderful. Cool and refreshing. Cupping another handful of liquid, she ran her hand along the back of her neck. Now, if she could just have a drink.
She sat on a rock and started working with her bootlace. “I’m going to take my boots off and cool off my feet for a second.”
“No. Don’t.” Chance’s tone was sharp. “You won’t be able to get them back on because your feet will be so swollen. Hopefully, we’ll be somewhere tonight where you can remove them.”
Ellen started re-lacing her boot. So much for the pleasure of having water run over her throbbing feet. Done, she stood. “Your turn.”
Chance stepped to the river and began cleaning himself. As she expected, he poured and splashed the water into his hair. He slung his head back. His hair curled and dripped around the collar of his safari shirt. In an odd way he belonged to the wild uncertain world around them.
While he was doing that she checked up and down the path. Pulling her band from her hair, she let it fall then gathered it again, working to get all the loose strands back under control.
The shrill call of a bird had her jerking around to search the area behind them. She looked back at Chance. He was on guard as well.
Stepping away from the river, he picked up his bag and came to her. “Come on, we’re both tired and jumpy. We need to rest. Get out of the heat. We’ll start again in an hour or so.” He pushed leaves of rhododendron the size of a man and vines out of the away, putting distance between them and the path. They soon came to a banyan tree.
“This should do. We have cover here.” He bent over and weaved his way between the roots that grew almost head high in abundance around the tree.
Ellen followed.
Chance put his satchel on the ground, lay down and used the bag as a pillow. Ellen took the space beside him, doing the same with her backpack. After they were settled and still, the birds started talking again. She looked up into the tree, catching glimpses of sky through the thick canopy.
“Chance,” she whispered.
“Mmm?”
“Tell me about your ex.”
He rolled his head toward her and opened one eye. “Why do you want to know about her?”
There was a hint of pain in his voice. She must have destroyed him.
“Because I think she is part of the reason why you’ve been trying to stop anything from happening between us.”
Chance looked away. She wasn’t sure if his eyes were closed or if he was staring off into the distance.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I met her at a fund-raiser. She was all about looks, which worked because she had them. In spades. Blonde, blue-eyed, leggy.”
Ellen’s lips tightened. Like her.
“I fell for her right away. She liked the good things in life and she was more than glad to hitch a ride with me. What she didn’t bargain on was living in Honduras. She came from a middle-class background where they camped on vacation and didn’t have the comforts of high living so I thought she would do fine down here, especially staying at the resort. It didn’t take her long to start complaining about the heat, the bugs, the rain and most of all having to spend the day by herself. She wanted nothing to do with the clinic. There wasn’t enough to do and she was lonely.”
Ellen could hear the disgust and disappointment
