“Well, I got a break from my residency when I heard there was going to be a celebration and we didn’t want to miss it.”
“We?” Cassie said, her breath hitching as he turned around and pointed behind him.
Cassie’s eyes welled up at the sight of her mother. She rushed toward her and flung her arms around her neck.
“Hello, sweetheart,” her mother whispered in her ear. “I’m so, so proud of you.”
“Mom, I—I just don’t know what to say. I can’t believe you’re here,” Cassie said as she brushed away a tear. She hadn’t seen her mother in months and had wished she’d been able to be there for the vaquita presentation and now—here she was. “How—what—”
Taylor’s mother Felicia stepped up and gave her a hug, too, with Taylor beaming from behind her.
“We got an offer we couldn’t refuse,” Taylor said. She pointed at Alex. “This guy sure knows how to treat your family right. We had quite an interesting trip on the private jet.”
Cassie’s eyes widened and she turned to Alex, who looked quite pleased with himself. “I couldn’t help it. I knew you’d want them here for the ground-breaking. It wouldn’t be a celebration without family. All of our family.”
He turned and looked down to the beach, where his mother and his Uncle Pablo walked slowly with their toes in the water, talking non-stop as they had been for almost two weeks now. Senora Vasquez was almost unrecognizable from when Cassie had first met her, in her Chanel suit and pearls. Now, her dark hair flowed over her shoulders and her long, brightly colored skirt fluttered over her bare feet.
Cassie’s joy spread all the way to her own toes, and she grabbed her mother’s hand. “Oh, I need introduce you all,” she said.
“We met earlier at the air strip,” Megan said. “Quite an amazing man you have here, Cass.”
Cassie looked around at her family—her old family and her new one—and knew her mom was right. Between all these people who loved her and her vow to the vaquita, her world was bright, and looked brighter by the day.
“I’m so happy for you, Cassie,” Megan said. “It’s like a dream come true.”
Cassie looked up into her mother’s eyes. Her breath hitched a bit—her mom had dark circles under her eyes and although she was clearly happy for Cassie, she looked tired.
“Are you all right?”
Her mom nodded. “Sure. I’m just a little short on sleep. Running the girls’ home is a little rough sometimes. All worth it, mind you, but rough.”
“Mom, are you sure this is right for you? I want you to be as happy as I am.”
Megan laughed. “Well, aside from the fact that I’m past the boyfriend stage, it’s what Erica and I always said we wanted to do. We need to give it the old college try, right?”
“Sure. But please be open. I’d love it if you could come here with me, watch the sanctuary and the resort grow. Maybe be a grandma.”
Cassie blushed as her mother nodded and smiled as her mother dropped a light kiss on her cheek.”
“I know this is where you’re supposed to be. I know you and Alex will be happy here. Don’t you worry about me. I just want you to be happy.”
Cassie caught Alex’s eye and smiled as he waved from the tents and showed the press the drawings of the new resort and the plans of the sanctuary—the sanctuary she’d not long ago given up hope for.
She thought of how close she had come to believing he would never give it all up for his family. She knew now that he was her rock, her rescuer, and she could rest her heart in his hands and not take on the world alone. She was overwhelmed with gratitude as she turned to the sea, to her sanctuary. “Yes, we will be happy here.”
“Whiskers,” Megan said, jumping up and rushing to give Whiskers a pet and Jimmy a hug.
“Hi, Megan. Nice to see you all here for the fireworks,” Jimmy said as he greeted his old friends.
“Did somebody say fireworks?” Kyle asked, looking up at the sky.
“No, no fireworks, Kyle.” Alex shook his head.
“Well, that’s too bad,” Kyle said as he and Taylor headed toward the displays and food tables. “Come on, let’s get this party started. There’s a lot to celebrate.”
Alex cleared his throat. “I know you all just arrived, but would mind if I steal Cassie for just a moment? We’ll be right back.”
Cassie thought she saw him wink at her mother, but that couldn’t be. They’d just met.
“What is it, Alex?” she asked.
“Just come with me. I want to show you something.”
“Sorry,” she called over her shoulder to her family as they headed toward a table in the shade and the mariachis began playing.
“We’re fine,” Megan said. “Take your time.”
“What’s going on?” Cassie asked again as he started the Jeep and headed away from the ocean, circling a bit south of the resort property and climbing up to a cliff overlooking the ocean. He hadn’t answered either time, so she decided she’d just go along for the ride. He hadn’t steered her wrong yet, and she trusted that this, too, would be worth it.
As he pulled to a stop atop a cliff overlooking the sparkling sea, he hopped out and opened her door, extending his hand.
“Come with me,” he said, his eyes twinkling.
She followed him, and the warm breeze on her skin calmed her. She knew she was safe, and the warmth in her heart told her that she could trust him with anything.
Chapter 26
Alex’s nerves were a bit frazzled after the frenzy of the past couple of weeks, re-evaluating the resort and planning a party. But he was pleased with the outcome—Taylor had been a big help, Raul was really in his element, and what they’d come up with would be very unique. He truly knew of nothing like it anywhere.
And coordinating the arrival of Cassie’s mother had been a bit of a challenge, but Taylor had helped a lot. When he’d finally called her mother to introduce himself and tell her what he had planned, they’d had a very nice—even lengthy—conversation, after which she’d thanked him for the opportunity and promised secrecy about the trip—and for what was about to come next. He’d enjoyed their conversation and realized that he liked her a great deal, not surprised at all that Cassie’s mother was quite an interesting, insightful person like Cassie herself.
He took in a deep breath and pulled Cassie over to the center of a large concrete slab that he’d had poured, hoping that all went well.
“What is this, Alex?” Cassie asked as he stopped her in the center of the slab and turned her toward the sea.
“What do you see?”
“Oh,” she said, her hand on her heart. “This is the most perfect view of the sanctuary I’ve ever seen. It’s—it’s right in front of us and up this high I can see the whole thing. Well, what will be the whole thing. It’s beautiful.”
Alex stepped in front of her and took her hands in his. “Yes, beautiful,” he echoed, but he wasn’t looking at the sea. He was looking into the eyes of his friend, his compatriot, his partner in crime. He’d known she was special from the moment he’d crashed through the waves to save her, and he knew it even more so now.
He waved his hand over the concrete. “What do you think about it for a site for a house? Big, plate glass windows here overlooking the beach and the sanctuary—and over here, to see the resort.”
“It’s lovely,” she said. “And a kitchen right here, with the sink looking to the south.”
Alex laughed at how she guessed at where he’d planned to put the sink, and he couldn’t wait to show her the plans Pablo had drawn up for it. But he had something more important to do first.
He reached behind a small bush, pulled out a glass box and held it in front of her, smiling at her expression.
“Oh, Alex, the Murex.”
She took the box from him and opened it, gently lifting out the shell she’d almost drowned over, never letting go of it. “I wondered what happened to it. You kept it.”
“I did. I didn’t want to eve
r let it or you go, to be honest. It’s been on my nightstand all this time and it’s the last thing I see when I go to bed.”
Color crept into her cheeks, and he smiled as she put it up to her ear and then shook it.
“Oh, I thought I made sure it didn’t have anything living in it,” she said with a frown. “I hope I wasn’t wrong. Something’s rattling.”
Knowing she’d be devastated if she thought she’d killed something, he took the shell from her and reached for her hand, shaking out the contents into her palm. He took in a deep breath, hoping that all would go as planned.
He let his breath out when her eyes grew wide as she looked at the diamond ring he’d picked out. And he was able to breathe in again when she smiled and looked up at him, her eyes wet as she blinked against the sun.
“Alex?”
He bent down on one knee and reached for her other hand. “Cassie, will you marry me? Live here with me in this house we build for us, and help me make this place even more special than it already is?”
Cassie nodded slowly, put the ring on her finger and sat on his knee. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her palm on his cheek, the diamond sparkling in the sun.
“Alex, you’ve created my dream come true, in more ways than one. I can’t think of anything—and I mean anything—that would make me happier,” she said.
He pulled her toward him and rested his lips on hers, the sweet salt of her tears making him the happiest man alive.
* * *
THE END
* * *
I hope you enjoyed As Deep As The Ocean!
* * *
Next in this series:
* * *
As Bright As The Stars
* * *
I’d also like to introduce you to the first book in my new women’s fiction series:
* * *
Newport Harbor House
* * *
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About the Author
Cindy Nichols writes heartwarming stories interwoven with the bonds of friendship and family that combine what she loves most about women’s fiction and romance.
Cindy lives in and loves everything about the southwest, from its deserts and mountains to the sea. She discovered her passion for writing after a twenty-year career in education. When she’s not writing, she travels as much as she can with her children who, although adults, still need her no matter what they think.
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