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the window before returning his attention to me. “I wanted to apologize. And to see if there was anything I could do to help.”
    “ That’s really nice, but I don’t want you to keep feeling bad about what happened,” I told him. Ever since we’d met the previous day, I had known that Martin was a good man. Everything that I had learned about him since then just confirmed that fact. I didn’t want him to continue beating himself up over this.
    Martin looked troubled. “You know, I was carrying my surfboard, and I never even saw you. I just remember bumping into something. When I turned around, you were lying there. I thought maybe I’d killed you.” Pensive, he shook his head and rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “We checked you out to be sure you were breathing. I found your passport in your purse and called your name a couple of times, but you didn’t wake up so we called an ambulance.”
    “ I’d say you’ve gone above and beyond what you needed to do.”
    He shook his head slowly. “It’s the least I could do.” He sat quiet for a moment, his eyes looking down at his hands, which were clasped between his knees. “Anyway, I couldn’t sleep that night. I knew that I needed to apologize in person.” He looked back up at me. “Then, when you told me you’d just gotten here and were traveling alone, I felt even worse.”
    “ I don’t want you feeling that way,” I told him reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”
    “I hope so ,” he said as I finished the soup and began to make my way toward the edge of the bed. He looked at me questioningly. “What do you need?”
    I swung my feet out from under the covers and placed them on the floor , pulling my nightgown down over my legs. “I just want to brush my teeth and wash up before bed.”
    Martin nodded. “Stay there.”
    Getting up from the chair and moving it toward the foot of the bed, he placed the food tray on the nearby dresser and put the lamp back on the bedside table. Then, he found my toiletries bag and helped me walk to the bathroom before excusing himself for a few minutes. Once I had finished, I emerged from the bathroom to find him standing there waiting for me. There was a comforting smile on his face as he offered me his arm. I wrapped my hand around his thick bicep, and he steadied me and watched my feet as I made my way back to bed.
    “I should probably let you get some sleep ,” he said as I climbed in under the covers. “Do you need anything?”
    I shook my head. “No, thanks. I just took a vicodin. I should be fine.”
    “Okay.” He walked toward to door of the bedroom and turned around . “Just call me if you need anything. I’ll keep my door open.”
    “ Thank you,” I said.
    “Goodnight.” He closed the door partially on his way out of the room.
    “Night, ” I said quietly, but I don’t think that he heard me.
    I turned off the bedside lamp and lay in the dark for a while wondering how long it would take to feel better. Then, I wondered if my Australian travel plans had been temporarily altered or permanently derailed. When I was beginning to wonder if this was all part of some grand plan and what it might be, I fell asleep.

Chapter 7
    JANUARY 7
    At some point during the night, I had to pee. I’m sure it was the combination of soup and tea before bed. I didn’t want to wake Martin and was pretty sure that I could get to the bathroom and back if I took it slow. I turned on the light by the bed and made it to the bathroom like a champ. Things didn’t go so well on my way back however. About halfway across the bedroom floor, I became dizzy and grabbed for the dresser, ending up with the food tray in my hand instead. Then, I blacked out and fell.
    When I awoke, I was face down, my forehead was wet, and the pain in my head was searing.
    Martin turned on the light and walked in quickly, kneeling down beside me to see fresh blood on my face and the floor. “Oh, shit. Eva, what