fidgeting impatiently with the pocket of her carpenter-style—and no doubt designer—khakis and what looked to him like the same stormy-blue shirt she’d had on last night. She picked up the plane herself, then scanned the lodge, as if worried they’d get kicked out. The kid was pushing her buttons like a pro. She glanced impatiently at her watch.
Well, a man has a right to coffee first, Princess Tess.
He took a long swig. Tessa turned and spotted him. And the day begins.
“That’s my nephew out there,” he said, breaking eye contact with Tessa. He didn’t share a lot of family information with anyone, but Sue did know he’d lost his brother in a crash.
“Oh! Well, go spend time with him. I have things covered here. Go. Go.” Sue waved him off.
Mac gulped the rest of the coffee down, then set his cap on his head and his hand on the glass door, but Tessa beat him to it. She slipped inside with Nick. An unwelcome fresh scent and all-encompassing energy filled the room. The same energy he’d felt when he’d set eyes on her at Maria and Allan’s wedding. The same energy that had filled his quarters last night.
He’d been stunned by her transformation when he saw her arrive at their siblings’ wedding. If that wasn’t enough, Maria and Allan had called out for them to join them on the floor after their first dance. The way she’d felt in his arms then was the way she’d felt in his arms at the funeral...and again last night. He didn’t like reacting to her. Didn’t want it. Didn’t understand it. They’d never gotten along. It was probably nothing but “hard to get” vibes challenging him. Well, she wasn’t single anymore. Vibes or not, she was off-limits.
“Hello again!” Sue greeted Nick and Tessa a bit too enthusiastically.
Mac held out his hand to shake Nick’s and pulled him into a one-arm hug, slapping his back.
“Hey, man, good to see you.”
“Yeah.”
Guess the feeling wasn’t mutual.
“Sue, this is Nick, my nephew, and Tessa, my, um...his aunt. My sister-in-law.” He scratched the back of his neck as brisk handshakes were exchanged. He needed air. He held the door wide open.
“It’s nice to meet you. Would you like some coffee? It’s freshly brewed,” Sue said, returning behind the front desk. He was not having them linger for coffee.
“We already had breakfast. Thanks, though.”
“If anyone comes asking for me specifically, catch me on the radio,” Mac said. He hesitated, then added, “And don’t forget to reschedule that group tour package for later this afternoon.”
“Group tour?” Sue looked understandably perplexed. Mac set his hands on the counter and leaned close, winking for good measure. The guilt for putting the glow in her cheeks was justified by desperately needing to signal her to play along without Tessa or Nick cluing in.
“Yes, you remember...the magazine photographers...and confirm tomorrow’s customers while you’re at it. Please.”
It took a second for her to catch on.
“Oh, yes, I remember,” she lied.
“Great. What would I do without you? Oh, and Sue, if you need to leave the office for whatever reason, don’t forget to lock up,” he added, ushering Tessa and Nick out the door.
“Of course. I always do,” she said, appearing even more perplexed.
Right.
Mac didn’t have the heart to tell her about last night, considering he had things under control. He had much bigger issues to deal with right now. He let the office door swing shut behind him.
“How’ve you been?” he asked, ruffling Nick’s hair in the hopes of reading his face. Nick ducked away from his touch.
Don’t touch the hair. Got it.
“I’m fine. Not here by choice, but whatever,” Nick said, hanging his head as he spoke and stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Tessa watched intently with her lips pressed together. She closed her eyes briefly, in an apparent apology for Nick’s rudeness, then wrinkled her face at Mac in a “would you like to deal with this every day?” expression.
“Whatever works for me,” Mac said. “Seeing as you two beat me out here, how about you help me run a check on my chopper and then we can head up? I’ll give you a taste of piloting if you want.”
Guy stuff. Right? Didn’t every kid like planes, trains and the whole array? Tessa gave him an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Mac caught on right away. He pinched the bridge of his nose. This was why he wasn’t good parent material. Guy stuff...except, maybe, when the kid’s parents had been killed in a plane crash. Hadn’t the flight over bothered him? Or maybe it had and that’s why Tessa was cautioning Mac. Then why’d she mention a tour last night? Unless Nick hadn’t said anything about not wanting to do an air tour until this morning.
Mac rubbed the cramp in his jaw. It didn’t matter. Accidents happened. The kid couldn’t stay grounded for life. Flying was in his blood. But Nick needed to feel in control again and Mac, more than anyone, understood that.
“What about a quick tour of the lodge and the gardens? Maybe a short hike,” Tessa suggested.
“Sure. We don’t have to go up if flying bothers you, Nick,” Mac said. “I assure you, my girl is safer than driving a car, but I can understand fear and...”
“I’m not afraid,” Nick said, raising his voice. “You think I’m some stupid wimp or something? I hate it when everyone treats me like a baby. I didn’t say I was afraid, Aunt Tessa. I said I just didn’t feel like it. I made it here on a plane, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did,” Mac said. Touchy one. “I’m just giving you options. I can get a jeep, take you on foot or take you up...anything you want, depending on what you’d like to see.”
“Then just do whatever Aunt Tessa wants and get us back home,” he said, storming away. Mac and Tessa watched as he cleared the building and made his way onto a lush terrace of grass and trees, then stopped cold when two vervet monkeys approached him, begging for food. He took several steps back. And then a few more, flattening his palms against the wall he’d backed into. Yeah, the kid was clearly not a wimp.
* * *
GET US BACK HOME. Tessa’s stomach twisted at Nick’s words. The poor kid was about to hurdle another life change—because of her. If she’d simply turned a blind eye and kept her suspicions to herself, they’d both be back at home in South Africa, safe and sound. Well, maybe safe. That was questionable. Now she had no idea when or if she’d ever have a home again. And Nick...his home was going to be here and he didn’t even know it.
“Do we rescue him?” Mac asked. The corner of his mouth twisted into a wry smile as the monkeys tried cornering the poor kid. Mac was enjoying this?
“Of course we do,” Tessa said, swatting his arm. Preying on Nick’s pride was mean, although she had to admit that perhaps he understood teen boys better than she did. She certainly wasn’t a model guardian. No doubt Mac would do better.
