he’d last updated six years ago. He needed an edge before the lodge owners let some big shot come in and take his customers. He didn’t normally care what others thought of him, but Tessa was the last person he wanted knowing that he was just getting by. She’d always acted standoffish and better than him in school. After marrying Brice, she really was better off—socially and financially.
But what was bothering him more was that he’d bought into her holiday excuses for being here. It wasn’t until she’d gone back to her room, leaving her scent behind to taunt him, that he realized she must have ulterior motives. She was up to something...or that husband of hers had put her up to something. Like trying to convince him to take over raising Nick. Or perhaps Big Business Brice had sent his trophy wife to convince him to sell out to his latest investment idea. He’d never liked Brice Henning. The guy was too polished. Too perfect and careful. As far as Mac was concerned, shiny surfaces hid things...like polished diamonds hid defects and rough pasts, or like a calm sea glistening in the moonlight hid sharks. He simply wasn’t the kind of guy Mac cared to share a beer with, not that Brice would stoop to drinking beer and socializing with a small-beans pilot.
Still, Mac sincerely felt Brice and Tessa had the better setup for raising a kid: being close to Nick’s school, material comforts and all. Plus, Nick had needed access to good counseling after his parents’ deaths. He’d needed to stay close to the friends he had for peer support. No one wanted the tragedy to send Nick veering along a downhill path. Mac had been doing his share, sending as much money as possible to support his nephew because Walkers took care of Walkers. Regardless of wills.
The money Nick had inherited had been put in a trust for him, but after paying off the debts his parents had, he and Tessa had agreed that the majority of the amount left needed to be saved for his college education. It had been the only thing he and Tessa had ever agreed on.
He hovered his finger over his mouse, then gave into his lack of focus and logged out.
Mac locked his window, grabbed his AWS cap and headed out the door, this time making sure to lock his quarters behind him.
“Morning,” Mac said, taking the mug of hot coffee Sue Bekker held out. He leaned an elbow against the low counter that divided the front desk from the rest of the office. “Sweetheart, you’re spoiling me.”
Sue blushed and patted his arm.
She was the mother of his old friend, Dr. Anna Bekker, who ran the Busara research and rescue camp for orphaned baby elephants. Sue was a skilled, albeit sometimes forgetful, woman who’d battled depression. But ever since she’d reconnected with her daughter and moved from America to live in the Serengeti and work for him, she seemed to embrace life. Something about the region did that to a person. Life here was simple, raw and beautiful. He loved it.
“Well, I figured you’d need it this morning,” she said. “They came in asking for you. The brunette said they were family,” she said, nodding through their glass office doors toward the pretty woman and lanky kid who stood facing one of the lodge’s attractions: a floor-to-ceiling wooden wall carved with images of wildlife, including a herd of elephants the park was so famous for.
Man. Nick had shot up in six months. He had definitely inherited the Walker gene for height. Couldn’t tell much about his face from where he stood. Not with all that hair hanging over it. The boy made a final crease on a flyer-turned-paper-airplane and shot it at the wall. His aunt mouthed something, but he ignored her, walked over to a stand of safari brochures and reversed the stacks in their holders. Mac couldn’t claim fame as having been the world’s easiest teenager. He’d been hell with wings. His gut told him karma had just caught up with him.
Tessa looked ready for action with her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail and a mini backpack slung stylishly over one shoulder. She was 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