by Rula Sinara
“Because I was a jerk and I’m sorry.”
“I’m listening.”
He took the conch shell out from behind his back—the exact one she’d found and tossed back into the sand—and handed it to her.
“I’m the one who is ready to listen.”
* * *
ZURI WAS EXHAUSTED from sheer lack of sleep. That book had kept her up most of the night. It was a page-turner and pretty intense, but Eve and Damon were right. Given the kind of books her nephew had been reading and some of the movies he’d seen, the Falcon books were fine for him. Even good for him, given their positive message. They were kind of like taking Indiana Jones and Han Solo, blending them and putting them in a modern setting. It wasn’t what she usually read, but she had to admit she was hooked. She had even looked up the author but his bio was pretty generic and there weren’t any photos of him anywhere. The book website seemed to focus on the hero of the books, rather than the author. Hmm.
She filled her mug with a second cup of coffee and dug into her Strawberry Seacake, which was becoming a really bad breakfast habit. Her doctor parents would have heart attacks if they knew how many she’d eaten since arriving at Turtleback Beach. They’ll have heart attacks if you tell them about Damon. She took the last bite unapologetically and swallowed away that thought. She’d eat healthy after the holidays. It would be easier once she was miles and miles away from The Saltwater Sweetery.
“Are you sure you don’t want eggs?” Melanie asked.
“No thank you. I’m stuffed. I need to walk this off. Fresh air might wake me up,” Zuri said. She pushed her chair back and took her plate to the kitchen.
“I’ll take that,” Melanie said. “You’re a guest here. You’re not supposed to clean up.”
“I really don’t mind.”
“No, no. You go take a walk. Might as well take advantage of the nice weather we’ve been having before it changes.”
“I have noticed it getting breezier.”
“There’s a low-pressure system building in the Atlantic further south. Those usually make their way up the coastline and either fizzle out, head back to sea or come right at us. If this one builds, it’ll get to us right after Christmas.”
“Oh. Like a hurricane? I thought hurricane season was in the summer and ended by fall.”
“That’s the height of it, but there are always exceptions. This is just a winter storm, but they can get rough with high tides, flooding and the fact that we basically live on a sandbar. But don’t worry. We’re used to it. You’ll be fine. You’re scheduled to leave the thirtieth and I don’t think it’ll hit until right after that.”
“Right. I hope it won’t be bad for your sake.”
“Don’t worry. This old house has survived many a storm. And the town usually pulls together to help each other with repairs and cleanup. But, you know? Life here is worth it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Zuri cradled her mug, then took the last sip. Damon was busy today. He said he had work to catch up on. She wasn’t sure if he just needed a break from them, but either way she understood. She hated to admit it, but she already missed having him around.
“This town does grow on a person. I can see why you love it so much. I’m thinking of walking to the sound side. Is there a path I should take? I read on the brochure that the wetlands are beautiful, and I thought the kids might enjoy spotting wildlife.”
“Yes, just leave from the front of the cottage, cross the road and follow it down a quarter of a mile, passing the Zale Veterinary Clinic, then take the trail by the dead cedar tree and you’ll end up at a pier and shed where kayaks get rented out for wetland tours in the summer. They’re not open now but there are safe trails around there. Just keep the kids out of the water. Most of the area is a refuge and we do get alligators.”
Gators? Zuri wasn’t as afraid of wildlife as she was of dogs. She used to spend plenty of time in the field collecting water samples when she was working on her masters, then doctoral thesis. It was having kids near alligators that had her worried.
“Maybe we shouldn’t go, then.”
“You’ll be fine. Just stay on the wooden walkway and don’t venture beyond it. Call me on your cell if you run into a problem. Unless it’s really an emergency, then call 9-1-1 and Sheriff Ryker will get to you in a flash.”
“You’re not instilling confidence.”
Melanie laughed.
“I wouldn’t send you if I thought it was that dangerous. Just follow the park signs and rules. Visitors walk the nature trail there all the time. The gate further in is closed this time of year to protect avian nesting areas, so just stay on the right side of it.” Melanie raised a brow and looked pointedly at her. “You’ll want to remind Caden and my granddaughter that no-trespassing signs are to be heeded.”
“Is there something I should know?”
“Nope. Just saying. Kids get curious and think they’re invincible.” Melanie shook her head and turned on the faucet. “You’ll want to use your phone to take pictures if you don’t have a regular camera. We get tons of migratory birds this time of year.”
“Okay. I will.” She used to be so much more in touch with nature. A walk on a trail wasn’t a big deal. She really needed to start getting out more. She was becoming a lab rat instead of a field mouse.
She went over to the patio door and paused before tapping it. Caden and Sara were in deep conversation down at the firepit and she didn’t want them to think she was spying on them. They looked up when she knocked and she opened the door.
“How about a walk over to the marsh?”
“Sure,” Sara said. She looked over at Caden for approval.
“Sure,” he agreed. They waited for Sara as she ran upstairs to put a conch shell in her room, then headed out.
They were at the trail within twenty minutes and she must have warned the kids to stay clear of the water and muddy areas a zillion times because Caden was making an annoyed face at her when Sara wasn’t looking.
The coastal habitat was stunning, and she could only imagine how full of life it must be, with dragonflies, skippers, basking turtles, during the warmer months. But Melanie was right, both the marsh and surrounding woodland were teeming with birds. A pair of mallard ducks flew overhead, landing in secret grass-enclosed coves, and the sounds of nature danced on the wind. A grove of massive black gum trees guarded the pond near the kayak shack and the pier stretched out over the rippling water where more waterfowl could be observed, from black-colored ducks to egrets and one with vibrant teal on its wings that she’d never seen before.
“Is that a swan?” Caden asked, standing on the pier and pointing out over the water.
“Oh my gosh, it is.” Zuri took a photo. “You two, turn around and let me take a picture of you with this backdrop.”
They turned to pose next to each other and Caden, to her surprise, put his arm around Sara. The girl didn’t seem to mind one bit. So adorable. Zuri took the picture.
“Hey there. We meet again.”
Zuri looked behind her and waved as Laddie, wagging his tail, jogged right past her and onto the pier to greet Caden and Sara. Gray, the vet she’d met outside the bookstore, took his time walking over with a woman at his side.
“Hi.”
“Zuri, this is my wife, Mandi.”
“Hi, Zuri. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Small towns.”
“You get used to it after a while.” Mandi grinned and gave Gray’s back a rub.
“Do you walk here often?” It was a silly question. His clinic wasn’t that far away. She had never been good at small talk. Gray nodded as he scanned the marsh.
“Pretty often, I’d say. I’m a big nature buff, so I’m either on the beach or here. I usually help local groups during sea turtle nesting season with nest marking. It helps keep track of hatching numbers, spe
cies, and keeps tourists and pets from damaging the nests. But this time of year, I take Laddie on more walks on this side of town. Fewer mosquitos in this cooler weather.”
“That makes sense. This is all protected area, right? No waste dumping or runoff?” Zuri asked, going into scientist mode.
“Ah, yes. Zuri is an environmental chemist,” he explained to Mandi.
“That sounds super interesting,” Mandi said.
The lab results were, but she realized that the lab itself wasn’t. It didn’t come close to where she was standing right now and the work she used to do.
“It has its moments. I’ve been looking at the link between water pollution, climate change and the impact on the environment. Habitat and wildlife.” It sounded so much better when she put it that way. Then why was the reality that she spent the bulk of her time with test tubes, assays and computerized data analysis?
“You know, come to think of it, there’s a researcher who has been working on similar stuff out here. The wetlands around here, and hence the wildlife, are subjected to toxins from runoff. Sometimes it’s from high-tide flooding and water contamination during storms. Runoff from asphalt on the roads, roofs, cars and such also ends up right here in these ponds. I’ve seen him and his team wading around taking samples for things like mercury testing. I think it’s fascinating stuff.”
“Really? Hmm. Maybe I’ll look up his work and read about it,” Zuri said. She meant it.
“Come on, Laddie!” Gray called out. The dog rounded up Caden and Sara and ushered them over to the adults. “Good girl. I’m afraid we have to head back. I have furry patients midmorning.”
“Nice to meet you, Zuri. I hope you enjoy your stay,” Mandi said.
“Thanks. Nice to see you both. We’ll be walking back ourselves, shortly.”
“We’ll see you around. I’m sure you’ve heard that the town’s annual Christmas parade is tomorrow. Trust me. You won’t want to miss it,” Gray said.
Melanie had mentioned something briefly about it. Zuri wasn’t that into parades, so she was going to let Caden decide if he wanted to go. She wasn’t sure if he’d think it was too babyish for him and Sara or not.
Mandi and Gray waved and headed back down the path. Zuri took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second. The sounds and scent of brackish water and algae and moss enveloped her. It was grounding and calming. Rejuvenating and recharging. This was as close to feeling Zen as she’d come in years. She hoped it was having the same effect on her nephew.
“Laddie’s such a great dog. Did you see him trying to herd us?” Caden asked.
“I did. Smart dog,” Zuri said, opening her eyes slowly and taking in the view again.
“I wish I had a dog at home,” Sara said.
“Me, too,” Caden added, giving his aunt a sad puppy face.
Back to reality.
“You two ready to go or do you want to stay longer?” Zuri asked. She wasn’t falling for it.
“Are you kidding? This place is rad, Aunt Zuri. The town is totally awesome. I could stay here forever.”
And just like that, any Zen she’d been feeling was gone.
CHAPTER TEN
DAMON READ HIS email and muttered a curse. He had enough going on. He didn’t need to deal with deadline pressures right now. There was the town parade today, on top of it all, and the latest weather report indicated the storm would track toward the Outer Banks, rather than veer off to sea. They’d know soon if landfall at Turtleback Beach was likely and, if so, that meant having Zuri and Caden leave sooner than planned.
He and Zuri hadn’t even gotten into legalities over Caden yet. They needed to. Caden had been through a lot with his mother’s death and the last thing he wanted was to make life harder on him—Zuri had been right about that—but they needed to at least talk about it seriously. He had every right to be on that boy’s birth certificate and to have his rights back as a father.
He stared at the computer screen. How was he supposed to be able to focus on writing when his reality was—as the saying went—stranger than fiction?
The talk would happen. The book would happen. He just needed to pace things and take it slow on both. He needed to be able to think, but so much had happened in such a short time. He scrubbed his face then answered the message from The General.
Buy me more time, Scarlett. I have some—
He mulled over how to phrase it without giving more personal information than necessary. Visitors didn’t seem like a good enough excuse to be too preoccupied to meet a deadline. Family... Well, family was more of a priority but Scarlett already knew that his immediate family were aware he was Dylan. He tapped the keyboard then typed.
I have unexpected relatives in town for the holidays who don’t know about my books. No time to write this week. I’ll catch up soon.
He hit Send.
“It is what it is, Duck.”
The fact was that he’d ignored her previous two emails, which was totally unprofessional of him. He needed to be more gracious. Scarlett had done a lot for him. She was his rock when he needed it. She’d covered for him plenty of times.
He really did need more time for family though. That was the truth. He needed to bond with his son. It wasn’t enough that his kid thought that Damon’s ocean rescue career was cool. He needed his son to accept him for who he was—his dad. If Caden knew right now that he wrote the Chase series, Damon would never know if the kid would have fully accepted him without that incentive. Sure, he’d called him dad, but that was just a label because he’d been told Damon was his father. He needed to earn his boy’s respect before truly deserving that title. He wanted the fact that he was D. L. Dylan to be the icing on the cake, not the batter itself. He logged out of his email and turned off his computer.
“Let’s go before we’re late.” He slapped his leg and Duck joined him. If he could just survive the holidays, then maybe he and Zuri could sort things out. But if things went south in terms of name changes and custody versus guardianship rights, he’d do what he needed to do to keep his son.
He hadn’t told his family yet. He never involved family in matters unless he needed to. They complicated things. The only person who knew what was in his bank, his will, his contracts and took care of legal matters for him was Joel Burkitt.
Joel knew where Damon stood and had advised him on steps he could take when they were drawing up his will. He was just hoping Zuri wouldn’t force him down that path. Zuri had caught him leaving Joel’s office the other day and she had assumed the worse. That was exactly why he hadn’t told her yet about his pseudonym. He didn’t want her changing her mind about him because he was a celebrity. Zuri knew the person he had been long before fame. He hadn’t been the nicest high schooler, but at the same time he hoped she’d be able to see and like the person he was beneath the surface, the same way she had done back then.
* * *
CADEN WATCHED IN wonder as the parade started down the street. The floats and marchers had all gathered down by the beach boardwalk and were marching through the town, then taking a left down the side road that led to his dad’s place. According to Sara, it was supposed to end just beyond that, near the ocean rescue headquarters. She was with him in front of Castaway Books, where they stood on the bench near the shop for a better view. His aunt Zuri was standing with Miss Eve and the lady with the toddler and another woman who looked identical to her. Sometimes he wished he had a twin. Then he’d never be alone. He hated being an only child.
Music blared, courtesy of the local high school band. They were good. Caden had performed piano a few times onstage during assemblies with his school’s orchestra, but otherwise he didn’t play as part of a group. He was impressed with the drummers in particular and liked the elf costumes they wore. This was so different compared to the Boston parades he’d been to. The floats here were based on boats hitched on their wheeled carriers. Ea
ch was decorated uniquely, some in traditional holiday stuff and some with odd additions like a shark in a Santa hat or the one that looked like a boat-sleigh being led by a team of sea turtles with red noses. It was pretty silly but funny, too. His mom used to say dare to be different. Well, this was different all right.
Sara ran up and got a few candy canes that were being handed out by a snowman on another float. She gave one to the toddler they’d seen around with the bookshop owner’s friend. Nim...that was the kid’s name. Sara walked over and gave him one, as well.
“Thanks. These floats are wild.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty neat. Wait until you see the next one. Santa’s on it.”
“Is this where those gifts we donated get handed out?”
“No, that’s not for this. The Santa float crew usually hands out candy. Those gifts that were being collected go to shelters or to families who need them. If he handed them out here anyone would grab them.”
“You’re right. Who plays Santa?”
“Take a look. There he is. I’ve been waiting for this surprise,” Sara squealed, squeezing his arm.
Caden caught the shocked look on his aunt’s face before he located Old St. Nick. Sitting on the float right by Santa in a matching hat was none other than Duck.
“My dad plays Santa?”
“Every year.”
* * *
ZURI SPEWED HOT chocolate and had to apologize to everyone in the group. They just laughed and admitted that they’d promised Damon not to say a word.
The man didn’t even light up his cottage or have a wreath on his door and he didn’t even have a tree inside until recently, and only then because of Caden. He played Santa every year?
He caught her gaze and gave her a wink that had the ladies whispering. Eve waggled her brows at her.
“Santa, baby,” she said with exaggerated breathlessness, eliciting more laughs. Zuri felt her cheeks heat up.
