“What do you mean?”
Kamila shrugged. “What’s the saying? ‘Fake it till you make it’? I think all this faking it could make a new Jana.”
Jana didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing.
Chapter 16
Early the next morning, the whole party packed into the Land Cruisers for the drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Imani was clearly not loving another long trip and insisted they stop several times along the way because she had to go to the bathroom, or because her legs hurt, or because she wanted a samosa, but only one of the cheddar potato ones Mom made. Nelson was a pro, because every time Imani whined that she wanted to stop, he was at a clean, kid-friendly rest area within twenty minutes. Jana was genuinely grateful that Anil was with her, because he took half the complaints from Imani and half the attempts of diverting her attention from samosas. Neither of them said anything about their discussion the day before, but the tone between them had changed. They seemed kinder to each other. Or maybe it was only Jana who was kinder. She wasn’t entirely sure if she was overcompensating, or if she’d made actual progress in getting over him. But it was easier to be with him, and Jana was glad for that.
They finally reached Lake Manyara National Park and took a shortish game drive before heading to the hotel. Jana was immediately struck at how different this park felt compared to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. The Serengeti seemed vast—almost too vast. Dry and arid, and so, so flat. Ngorongoro was like an enormous bowl that contained every terrain possible in Tanzania—some forested areas, some arid spots, some wetlands, plus that pond stuffed full of flamingos.
But this didn’t feel anything like the others. It strangely felt like they were driving through a tropical rain forest. It was so much lusher…so much greener than the other parks.
“Lake Manyara is a bird-watchers’ paradise,” Nelson said as they passed a pond. This one was also full of flamingos, but the guide pointed out a sacred ibis and even a black heron. They passed through an enchanting forested area thick with twisty, lush trees.
“Look, Imani,” Anil said, pointing to the left when they’d stopped. “In that tree.”
Imani turned to where Anil was pointing. She eventually squealed, “Lion!” Asha and Nicole excitedly started taking pictures. Jana tried, but she couldn’t see any lion. Just trees.
“Here,” Anil said, coming up behind her. She was standing at her seat to look out the roof of the vehicle, and she tensed when Anil came so close.
He bent to her level and reached around Jana’s shoulder to point to the trees. “See the tree right in front of us?”
“Yes.” She squinted, trying to ignore the warmth radiating off him. Was he going to notice that she was covered with goosebumps even on a warm day?
There was most definitelynota lion in that tree. Lions were big. That tree was small. If there was a lion, she’d see it.
“There is a smaller tree directly behind it. The lioness is on a branch about halfway up that tree.”
Jana leaned forward, looking where he was pointing, and finally saw it. She didn’t know how she’d missed it before. A full-sized lioness lounging in a tree like she was a house cat instead of an apex predator.
“I see her!” Jana excitedly took a step back so she could tell Imani she saw the lion, forgetting that Anil was there.Right there. Behind her. She just backed into his whole entire body, and she was now pressed up against him. He was warm and solid, and his sandalwood and soap scent filled her nose. Jana closed her eyes as every nerve ending in her body came alive. He was going to step away from her now. He didn’t want to be this close to her.
But he didn’t move away. They stayed that way for a second or two. Or longer. Neither of them moved a muscle…They just looked at the lion in a tree with their bodies pressed together.
“Mommy!” Imani squealed. “Can you take a picture?”
“Yes! Excuse me!” She moved forward, trying to put some distance between her and Anil.
“Sorry!” he said awkwardly, moving back to stand on the other side of Imani.
The rest of the game drive was uneventful. They saw more birds, including a flock of vultures feasting on a gazelle carcass, which was pretty cool. They didn’t see any elephants, though.
The vehicle was mostly silent on the way to the Manyara hotel after the game drive. Jana couldn’t stop thinking about how firm Anil’s chest felt when she crashed into it. Or how he managed to still smell like soap even after the long drive. She tried so hard not to think about how much she’d wanted to lean into him for even one more second and let them just be there in that moment. No past baggage, no family complications, nothing but the two of them.
What was going on with her? She knew she’d never stopped being attracted to the man…but first that little daydream yesterday in the hotel, and now she’d practically swooned after he showed her a lion in a tree?
This had nothing to do with herpretendingto be okay with him. It was completely because of his ploy—or maybeeffortswas a better term—to patch things up between them. The moment he stopped giving her space, Jana just got caught in his charms all over again. But like Kamila had said, Anil’s goal was to build afriendshipbetween them. But of course, leave it to Jana Suleiman, always the overachiever, to skip over friendship and instead imagine him on his knees pleasuring her in her hotel suite.
Jana was pulled out of her unwanted train of thought when the Land Cruiser suddenly stopped short. Her hand reflexively shot out in front of Imani to protect her, and Anil’s did the same thing.
His eyes widened when their hands touched in front of Imani. Or maybe his eyes were wide because of the scene in front of the Land Cruiser.
“Mommy! Daddy!Zebras!”
That was why Nelson had stopped. In the middle of the road in front of them were two zebras. Two zebras who would probably prefer privacy for their carnal adventure.
Asha and Nicole in front of them started laughing, while Nelson honked the horn. The loud noise interrupted the amorous zebras’ coital activities, and Jana swore they glared at the Land Cruiser before strolling out of the middle of the road.
