He blew out a puff of air. “No. What the hell would I want with a swamp full of birds?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he winced. The birds might have been just a nuisance to him, but they meant a helluva lot more to her.
She cast her eyes to the ground. “I just wondered…”
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Why would someone buy it and just sit on the land?”
“I don’t know.” After a few seconds, she asked, “You don’t think they would try and do something else with the land, do you? It used to be federally protected when the county owned it, but…” She let her voice trail off while images of condominiums and asphalt parking lots flashed through her mind.
How could Aunt Cora have let this happen? Lauren frowned, wondering where that thought had come from. Cora was active in the birding community and preservation programs, but she would have stopped this from happening if she could. Maybe she hadn’t even known about it.
JD wanted to reassure Lauren that nothing would happen to her precious birds, but what the hell did he know? Shit happened.
She shrugged, determined not to let her worries ruin their walk. “Come on,” she told him. “I’ll show you this place is more than just a swamp full of birds.”
* * *
The only reason JD had agreed to go on a walk with Lauren was because he needed to get out of the house. At least that’s what he told himself. It wasn’t because he liked when she was around. It certainly wasn’t because her enthusiasm chased away the loneliness. And it wasn’t because Mel perked up like a puppy when she was around.
It was peaceful out here, walking on the trail with Lauren. Maybe this was what drew her here every day—this feeling of tranquility. No matter what was going on out in the real world, things here happened at their own pace and were untouched by humans.
Mel trotted up ahead—or more like pranced—and everything seemed right with the world. When something made a noise in the trees or the surrounding bushes, Mel stopped and looked back at Lauren instead of bounding off to explore on his own. He looked to her for direction and JD felt a tug of pride at how courteous his dog acted around her. Mel was really good at this birding thing.
“Each time you go out, you never know what you’re going to find,” she rattled on while expertly dodging tree branches that jutted out into the path. “A few days in a row you might see nothing but coots and then BAM! out of the blue the next day there’s a long-billed curlew. You have to be in the right place at the right time. It’s all about luck. And if you aren’t looking, you might miss something spectacular and not even know it.”
“Kind of like a treasure hunt.”
“Yeah,” she said, excited and relieved that he understood. Back in South Oakdale, few people shared or even understood Lauren’s fascination with the winged creatures and she was glad to share her discoveries with JD.
When most people saw a duck, they thought it was just a duck, Lauren thought. But that wasn’t even close to the truth. There were fifty species of ducks, geese and swans in California alone. It could be a northern shoveler with its large spatulate bill and iridescent dark green head or an American wigeon with its mask of green feathers around its eyes and white patch running from its bill to its crown. How could anyone lump them all together when they were so individually unique?
“Look, there’s an alligator lizard!” she exclaimed.
JD looked over in time to see a scaly tail disappear under a fallen branch.
Walking with Lauren was pretty fun, JD thought. She knew all the names of the plants, trees, butterflies and birds. She was his own personal tour guide, pointing out notable things along the way. She didn’t come across as a know-it-all; she was just knowledgeable about them and excited to share the info.
JD could tell a crow from a sparrow and that was about it. It wasn’t like he ever needed to know the difference in everyday life or anything. But Lauren knew everything about each of them and had dedicated her life to these birds and he admired her for it.
“What made you become interested in birds anyway?” he asked as they rounded an elderberry bush.
“My Aunt Cora. In the summer we—my brother and I—would visit her at the cottage and she’d tell us all about the different species.”
The creek was up ahead and as they got closer to the water, the sounds of the refuge shifted from being just noise to a plethora of song.
“Hear that?” she whispered.
A loud pumping “oong-KA-chunk” repeated over and over. It sounded like liquid in a jar and JD had no clue what could make such an odd sound.
“It’s a bittern,” she explained. “They’re very tough to spot because they blend in with the reeds.”
She showed his a picture of one in her field guide and JD thought he’d never seen such a magnificent looking bird. The stripes on its neck were perfect for camouflaging itself.
When the trail widened, they were able to walk next to each other instead of single file. At one point, their hands bumped and JD stiffened. He looked over and Lauren’s arms hung loosely at her sides while she scanned the trees for birds. JD forced himself to relax again. What was he so afraid of?
Beyond the mudflats was a pond where a large group of ducks congregated and competed for space. One of the ducks sounded like an old man laughing. JD had never seen so many ducks in one place before. They were loud and busy preening feathers and dabbling in the water.
“See the black one with the white bill?”
He nodded.
“That’s a Coot. It’s not technically a duck because it doesn’t have webbed feet.”
“Huh.” Who knew there were so many different types of creatures out here in the wilderness.
“See those ducks with the rust colored feathers and red eyes? They’re called cinnamon teal.”
JD scanned the water and saw the red tinged ducks cruising around in the water. “Teal?”
“Yup. It might sound familiar because Teal Manor was named after them.”
“Huh. My Realtor told me it was named after the person who built it.”
“Nope.” Luckily Howard had let Aunt Cora choose the name and hadn’t decided to name the house Langdon Manor. “Like I said, my aunt knew the man who built it.”
JD nodded and shrugged. “I guess you learn something every day.”
In the distance, on the banks of the marsh, a flock of ducks preened their feathers. From far away with the naked eye, the ducks were ordinary and uninteresting and JD thought they all looked alike. Not the case. Up close through the binoculars, he could appreciate the intricate details of their markings and feathers. They were truly uniquely different. Male mallards had vivid green heads and a white ring around their neck. Northern pintails had elegant long necks and long black pointed tails. Northern shovelers were a colorful mix of iridescent green, black, white and red-brown with bright yellow eyes and a peculiar spoon-shaped bill. Ducks were colorful jewels nestled throughout the swampland and observing them in their natural habitat was actually quite fascinating.
“When autumn gets here there will be thousands of geese and a whole new batch of species on their way south for the winter.”
“Will you be here to see it?” JD asked.
That faraway look settled in her eyes again. “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “I haven’t planned that far ahead. I’ve been thinking about going back to school to get my doctorate, but spending more time in a classroom is the last thing I want to do. My parents would love me to, though…” She blinked a few times and pointed across the marsh, desperate to change the subject. “I don’t see any cormorants today, but you can usually find one diving for fish from that log over there.”
JD silently followed her a ways up the trail before she stopped again.
“There’s an avocet,” she pointed out.
JD followed her gaze and saw the long-legged bird with a black and white back and rusty red head and neck. Its curved bill was curved like a children’s slide at a playground. He’d neve
r seen anything so stunning in all his life.
She handed him the binoculars and pointed to a birch tree. “Right up there on the top branch. An American kestrel.”
Perched upright, the small falcon was scanning the area for prey.
“How do you keep them all straight?” JD asked.
She shrugged. “Practice, I guess. I bet you could name every hockey player on every team.”
A light flickered in his eyes before it was quickly doused. She ignored his reaction. If hockey was a sore subject for him then she wouldn’t press it. “Come on. I can’t wait to show you the egret.”
Before they reached the mini waterfall, Lauren stopped in her tracks. “Would you look at that…” she mumbled under her breath. “Everyone’s making an appearance today. They must know they have an audience.”
“What is it?”
“Great horned owls.” She handed him the binoculars, got in close and pointed to the birch tree in the distance.
The scene at the other end of the binoculars eyepiece wasn’t nearly as interesting as what was happening next to him. Lauren’s shoulder pressed against his. She smelled like wildflowers and her breath excitedly puffed in and out.
JD swallowed and tried to focus on the tree. Sitting on a branch in the center of the tree sat two large owls. They looked like something straight out of the pages of National Geographic. The fierce hunters looked deceivingly docile when they were asleep. They almost looked like two housecats perched in the tree with their tufted ears and dense mottled feathers.
Lauren zoomed her camera lens as far out as it would go and snapped a few photos. “Incredible, huh?” she asked, her eyes danced with excitement.
“Yes.” He didn’t know what he was agreeing to. The fact that the owls were an incredible find or that she smelled so incredibly good. Or the incredible way her eyes lit up when she talked about her feathery friends. Or her incredible zest for birds and life in general.
JD didn’t realize how intimate watching birds would be. He really didn’t know what he’d expected. But he didn’t expect to be so rattled by Lauren’s feminine scent or her soft touches and even softer voice. The way they were tiptoeing through the brush and speaking in hushed voices wasn’t what he’d had in mind at all. JD found it difficult to concentrate on his surroundings with her so close by.
She stood patiently and spoke softly and it didn’t take long for JD to find himself being pulled under Lauren’s spell. One would have to be made of stone to not be affected by her touch, her voice, the gleam in her eyes when she spoke.
When Joan McKinnon had talked about the refuge, it was obviously just for the sake of making a sale. When Lauren talked about it, it was for the sheer pleasure of it. She made it sound like Disneyland, “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
“I named them Fred and Ethel,” she confided.
“The owls?”
“Yeah,” she smirked.
All JD could do was shake his head. “Do you name all your birds?”
“Just the ones I see all the time…Yes,” she admitted with a laugh. “Come on,” she pulled him ahead. “I have a good feeling about the creek.”
The trail meandered alongside the little creek and soon they could hear the sound of water splashing over rocks. After reading Aunt Cora’s diary, the little fishing spot held new meaning to Lauren.
Sure enough, the egret was perched on a rock intent on finding a fish. Lauren put her arm out to stop JD and the heat from the brief touch warmed her arm. “Wait. I don’t want to scare him away.”
JD stood still and looked through the trees, hoping for a glimpse of this Great Edgar bird she was always rambling on about. It didn’t take long for him to spot it. The vivid white bird stood out from the trees like a beacon. The egret was truly a magnificent bird. Long white feathers fluttered in the breeze. It had fierce yellow eyes and a sharp yellow bill. “It’s amazing,” he breathed, no louder than a whisper for fear of scaring the magnificent bird away.
“He’s fishing.”
“Have you ever seen him catch anything?”
“Not yet.” Disappointment clouded her voice.
They both stood, holding their breath, watching as the bird stared intently at the trickling water. A gust of wind ruffled its feathers. All of a sudden, the egret plunged his bright yellow beak into the water and came out with a small fish. With a flash of white feathers and a pump of its powerful wings, it flew away.
Lauren and JD exhaled in unison and looked at each other in awe. Glee burst from Lauren’s chest and they embraced, laughing at their good fortune. Mel bounced at their feet, eager to be a part of the celebration.
JD’s warm laughter did funny things to Lauren’s stomach. It was a nice sound. One she’d never heard from him before. How wonderful, she thought to herself, that an egret could bring happiness back into his eyes.
“That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!” JD exclaimed. He looked down at Lauren, the clouds lifting from his eyes.
It was the first time she’d seen him smile, a real genuine smile, and she smiled back. A lock of hair fell over her eye and he gently brushed it aside. His other hand cupped the small of her back and she held her breath and waited. His arms briefly held her and their lips were close enough to ki--
As if he just realized where his arms were, JD let them drop to his sides.
Lauren stepped back, hoping she hadn’t overstepped his boundaries. “Well,” she exhaled, telling herself she’d just imagined the spark between them. “That’s an egret for you.”
He cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at her. “What do you call him?”
She chewed the inside of her cheek. “You’re not going to make fun of me, are you?”
“Never,” he promised, crossing his heart.
“Eddie.”
“Eddie the Egret?” What was it about this woman that made him want to smile?
“Come on,” she said to him. “The weaver nest is over here.”
Lauren took his hand and led him through the brush. He looked down at their hands, their fingers intertwined. The human touch felt nice after being alone for so long. Her hands were soft and her fingernails were filed short and free of nail polish. This time he didn’t pull away.
JD’s hand was warm and strong in hers and Lauren didn’t let go until they reached the nest, so she could pass him the binoculars. Holding JD’s had been nice. It felt good to feel the touch of a man again.
“I don’t want to get too close and alarm the mother,” she told him. “The nest is right there, about halfway up the tree.”
JD raised the binoculars to his eyes, focused, and zeroed in on the nest.
“See it?” She was standing close to him again, her arm brushing lightly against his.
“Yeah.”
Inside the nest, two half bald chicks begged for food, their tiny beaks gaping open, eyes bulging. “Wow.”
Lauren smiled and explained how rare the birds were and how this was the only place on earth you could see them. “Legend says the red spot on the female’s cheek is where the male kissed her when they first met.”
JD’s breath was fogging up the binoculars and he pulled them away from his face. Tension filled the air between them that hadn’t been there before. Just hearing her say the word kissed conjured up thoughts he didn’t want anything to do with. But how could he not think about kissing those pretty pink lips or hers? This shouldn’t be happening. It wouldn’t be happening is she wasn’t so damn…likeable.
Lauren broke the silence and any awkwardness was erased by the goofy smirk she gave him. “Oh and by the way, I named them Bonnie and Clyde.” She shrugged. “Hey, I figured if we’re going to be neighbors they needed names.”
“What about the babies?”
“I don’t know yet. There’s still plenty of time to name them before they leave the nest.”
JD gave her back the binoculars and she slung them around her neck. “Well, that concludes the tour of the Red Valley Nation
al Wildlife Refuge,” she announced in her best tour guide voice. “I hope you enjoyed it.”
“I did.” More than he could tell her.
“Most people can’t say they’ve seen an egret catch a fish on their first time out,” she commented as they made their way back toward Teal Manor.
“Thank you for this.”
The look in his eyes was pure gratitude and Lauren understood.
“Thank you. It was my pleasure. Anytime I can talk to someone about birds without them running for the hills or their eyes glazing over with boredom is a good day,” she joked.
By the time they returned to the field behind Teal Manor, JD’s head was spinning. From Lauren’s abundance of knowledge about each bird, the touch of her hand, her fragrance… It all mingled together and made his head spin.
When the roof of the mansion came into view he almost felt disappointed. For the first time, he dreaded the thought of going back inside and fading back into the darkness.
* * *
That night JD dreamed of Lauren. He dreamed he was standing on the back patio and she was out in the field. He’d never seen her like this when he was awake. The floppy hat was gone and her usual playfulness was replaced with something sultry and mysterious. The wetlands were illuminated by a full moon, the water sparkled, and mist clung greedily to the tall cattails.
She walked through the tall grass, her body naked and glorious in the summer moonlight. Tall stalks of swamp grass caressed her calves and reached out and brushed against her thighs as she slowly walked away from him. Her brown hair hung loose and unbound down the middle of her bare back. The tips of her fingers played over the tops of the grass as she walked, her hips swayed seductively on either side of her heart-shaped bottom.
With each sensual step she took, JD felt a piece of him fall away. The further she got, the harder it was for him to breathe. Blood pounded in his ears and his whole body shook.
Suddenly, just when he was about to cry out for her to come back, she stopped and turned. Her profile glowed against the night sky. Her long hair curled over her shoulders and breasts. When she turned around completely to face him, he was rendered breathless by her beauty. The apex of her thighs was shadowed and he lifted his eyes. Inch by inch, his eyes traveled up her body. The slight flair of her hips, where her body nipped in at the waist, the curve of her stomach, her round breasts, erect nipples, the length of her neck, the graceful column of her throat…
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