“What do you mean? Of course I’m fine,” she told Felix, calming her voice as best she could.
“If you’re worried about the van coming back to get us, I’m sure they’ll be back soon, that’s all,” Felix said.
She released the breath she’d be holding, thankful that she hadn’t been over there acting out the scene playing in her head. Miri looked up at the pink-and-purple sky as it quickly vanished, taken over by a creeping darkness. Darn it. She’d hoped the other van would make it back before sunset. It should have only taken them five or six hours to get Dr. Quinn to the hospital, drop the rest of the crew at the port to catch the boat to the resort, and make it back to pick up Miri and the others. At this rate, it might have been faster—and easier—to take a boat from Manacapuru up the Rio Negro and onward up the Rio Branco. If that had actually been an option.
Without warning, Rafa stood from his position betweenFelix and Logan, who’d already resumed their conversation, and meandered over to Miri before plopping on a log beside her.Oh God. What is he doing? What is he going to ask me?
“What?” she asked.
“What, what?” he retorted.
“What are you doing?” She eyed him suspiciously, trying to figure out his motive.
“You’re here all by yourself. I came over to keep you company…”
It had been ages since a man hadkept her company.
“You’re not actually worried about the van, are you?” he asked.
She shook her head and pulled out the satellite phone from a bag alongside her. “They would have called by now if there was an issue.” She shook the phone as if it proved there wasn’t a problem. Because, sure, a little wave solved everything.
“Got any snacks in there?” he asked, leaning over and peeking in.
She pulled the bag away and smiled. “Finished your M&M’s already?”
“Nope. I’m saving them for an emergency. Got any more Pringles?”
“I told you, the Pringles are mine.”
“I know, but I’m a huge Pringles fan.” His words hung in the air, and suddenly she wasn’t sure they were talking about snacks anymore.
“You are?”
“Mm-hmm,” he murmured, pressing his lips together.
“What kind?” she asked, staring at his mouth.
“It doesn’t matter. Ever since yesterday at the airport, however, I can’t seem to get them out of my mind.”
She gulped as her eyes shifted all over his face, though his eyes never left hers.
“What…what is it that you like about them?” she asked.
He shrugged. “What’s not to like about them? It’s no ordinary chip.”
“Some might say they are kind of boring.”
He laughed. “Boring? Hardly. So are you going to give me a taste?”
Miri’s eyes grew wide. “Here?”
“Why not here?”
“I mean, as in right now? In front of Felix and Logan?” she asked, shifting her gaze between them.
Rafa furrowed his brow. “Why would they care about us having a snack? Unless you don’t want to share,” he then added in a whisper.
Miri’s face turned bright red. No, purple. He was talking aboutactualPringles, not her. And now he likely thought she was an even bigger weirdo than he’d probably thought before.
