The Sanctuary (Playa Luna Beach Romance)

by Sarah Collins

  “Sounds like a tour of more than one slice of heaven,” Cassie said with a laugh.

  “Very funny. It was a beautiful evening and nothing you say can ruin it,” Taylor said, her eyes bright. “You look like you’re on your way out. What’s up?”

  Cassie put some chips, salsa and beer in her ice chest along with the sandwiches. “We’re going out on a panga this morning to see if we can find any vaquita. He’s curious about them, and I’m hoping we get to see some today.”

  “Oh, I’m shocked. What else would you be doing?” Taylor had been listening to Cassie talk about the vaquita for more years than she could count.

  Cassie laughed as she told her friend about her night, and how it had ended. “I’m hoping for better opportunity today,” she said, pulling her cotton cover-up over her bikini.

  “Well, I hope you have better luck today. I’m meeting Raul for lunch at Rancho Del Sol. He’s involved in the resort somehow, and I get the idea it’s big. Really big.”

  Cassie dropped the glass she was holding, relieved it was plastic. “Do you think he would be someone I could talk to about the sanctuary? The ground-breaking ceremony is tomorrow and--”

  “I don’t know, Cassie. He was a bit close-mouthed about his job and I don’t want to ruin it. I’ll see what I can find out.”

  Chapter Eight

  They arrived at the beach to find the panga waiting for them. Cassie had contacted Diego, their favorite guide and one she had been out on the water with countless times. They had met when she was little, and he had been patiently taking her out on her research trips for the past few years. “Cassie, it’s so good to see you. You are as beautiful as ever,” Diego said as he kissed her hand with a little bow.

  “Oh, Diego, it’s so good to see you,” she said, pulling him closer for a good, big hug. He dropped his eyes, and she remembered she was in Mexico, a culture with very different customs. Hugs between men and women weren’t common. She frequently forgot, though, and Diego was a bit used to her ways.

  “Are we looking for vaquita again today, little one?” His lilting accent always made her feel safe and comfortable.

  “Yep, as usual. It’s not a research trip, though. Just a fun one, so you’re off the hook. Not the usual excitement.” She opened the back of the jeep and lifted out her supplies.

  Diego laughed, throwing a glance over his shoulder at Cassie. “There hasn’t been one dull trip, Cassie. I know how you are.”

  She pulled her sleeves back and slathered herself with sunscreen. “I have a guest today, Diego, so we have to be on our best behavior. No excitement, just fun. Hoping to see a pod or two. Have you seen many lately?”

  He shook his head slowly as he placed the ice chest in the bow of the panga. His feet in the water, he turned to her, head lowered. “They are almost gone. Many are caught in the gill nets and are just thrown overboard, left for dead. They wash up on the shore. We see more every day.”

  Her hands moved faster and faster as he spoke, rubbing in the sunscreen hard. Feeling the hot sting of tears, she forgot about her thigh and let out a squeak as her hand moved over the wound.

  “What’s happened,” Diego said, moving quickly to Cassie. “That’s a pretty big gash.”

  “Oh, I got caught in a net, too. Damn nets. This one had a hook in it and it got stuck in my leg. I man on the beach saved me from drowning. He’s our guest today.”

  “Thank God for him. We’ll be careful today,” he said as he moved back toward the panga.

  They both turned toward the road as Alejandro arrived on his quad.

  “Good morning, Alejandro. I’m glad you’re here,” Cassie said as Alejandro jumped off the quad and walked toward the panga, his long legs making quick work of it. He took her hand, his warm lips resting lightly on her hand, his eyes not leaving hers for one second. She looked down, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks and her stomach tighten. Her face wasn’t the only place on her body heating up, and she pulled her hand back and turned toward Diego.

  “Alejandro, this is Diego, our guide for the day, “ Cassie said as he walked over to the panga.

  Alejandro walked over to Diego, his bright smile disarming the shy fisherman. Holding out his hand, he said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Senor.”

  Diego was a friendly man, and Cassie was confused at his hesitation. His eyes rested on Alejandro’s face, and he seemed frozen, not moving.

  “Diego?” Cassie said, walking to him and putting her hand on his arm. “Are you all right?”

  Shaking his head slowly, he looked up and smiled at Alejandro, extending his hand. “I’m fine. It’s very nice to meet you, Alejandro.” They shook hands and busily loaded the remaining gear in the panga, ready for their adventure.

  Chapter Nine

  Out on the water was where Cassie felt most free. The wind in her hair and the rhythmic bouncing of the panga on the waves always lulled her into a trance. Diego’s expert driving allowed her to just relax until they got to the island they were looking for, the Isla Los Lobos, and she stretched out on the long boat for the ride.

  Alejandro grabbed the binoculars and turned his sights to the shoreline. He looked north and south as they traveled toward the Isla Los Lobos, Island of the Wolves, and asked question after question about the houses dotting the shoreline.

  “What campo is that one?” he asked. Cassie gave as detailed descriptions as she knew of the campos and the people who lived there.

  “Playa Bonita. The owner started using drugs and decided it was a good idea to charge each resident $10.00 to get in and out of camp. Not a really good business decision,” she said, glancing at Diego.

  “All the residents abandoned their houses and moved to other campos. Now he’s got a camp full of houses and nobody to live there,” Diego added. His index finger circled around his ear. “He was loco.”

  Alejandro let out a laugh. Lowering the binoculars, he said, “This is a very strange region. I don’t understand it, I don’t think. Why do people want to live here?”

  Diego slowed the engine and pointed south. Cassie and Alejandro turned and saw the island, their stop for the day. Its secluded beaches and little white hills glimmered in the morning sun.

  Diego pulled into the first cove and looked for a good place to land. Spotting one a bit north, he slowly guided the panga closer to the sand.

  Cassie pulled off her cover-up and gingerly put her injured leg over the side of the boat. “Want to swim in?”

  “Are you sure you can?” Alejendro’s eyebrows shot up as he quickly took off his shirt.

  “Race you,” she said, as she pushed off with her good leg, expertly diving to the side of the boat. Alejandro was fast behind her, splashing into the water and kicking toward shore.

  Diego smiled as he watched the two of them move toward shore. His face grew soft, and he slowed the engine down to a crawl. The quiet of the cove was peaceful, and he gently made his way to the white sand, his mind wandering back in time.

  Cassie felt her leg pull a bit as she slowly swam toward shore, her arms doing most of the work. Alejandro pointed downward to beautiful yellow fish darting back and forth over the sand and between the small rocks. Close enough to shore to stand, she stayed crouched in the shallow water, crabs moving away from her in quick, jagged movements.

  “Look what I found,” she heard Alejandro say. Holding up a sunflower seastar, he laughed, twisting it over and over in his hand. “I’ve never seen a purple starfish with 18 legs.” He studied it for a while, then placed it gently back on the sea floor.

  “They’re pretty amazing, aren’t they? I bet most humans don’t even know they exist, and they are all over out here,” she said, holding out a sand dollar to him. A wave crashed by at that moment, and she was knocked into him, her hands grabbing his waist to steady herself.

  “I like the waves, too. I like all of it,” he said, smiling down at her.

  By the time they arrived on the beach, Diego had the ice chest and blankets out of the panga a
nd had set up a makeshift picnic area. The bright umbrellas couldn’t be missed against the white sand and blue sea.

  “Cerveza?” Diego asked Alejandro, holding out a cold beer from the ice chest.

  Alejandro took the cold beer, holding the wet bottle up to his forehead to cool off. “Gracias. Do you have an opener?”

  Cassie and Diego both looked quickly at each other, smiles spreading. “You don’t need an opener. You have her,” Diego said, nodding his head at Cassie.

  What the hell, Cassie thought. He may as well get to know the real me.

  She reached in her bag and took out her pocketknife. Opening it quickly, she held her hand tightly around the bottle, bracing the flat end of the knife under between the bottle cap and her finger and popped off the cap of the beer bottle, sending it flying directly into the ice chest.

  Alejandro’s mouth fell open as he took the bottle from Cassie’s extended hand. “Where did you learn to do that?”

  “It’s something I learned here in Baja. My father always says it’s the best thing I ever learned and I didn’t need a Master’s Degree for it.” She smiled, opening another beer for herself and one for Diego. “It’s something I’m particularly proud of. I can also whistle really loud with my fingers. My dad did teach me to whistle.”

  Alejandro laughed, shaking his head at the sight. “I don’t know any women who can open a bottle that way.”

  “Well, you just haven’t met many Baja women,” Cassie said, handing sandwiches to both men. “Let’s eat, so we can track some vaquita.”

  Cassie packed the trash and remaining supplies as they finished lunch. As Diego set about taking down the umbrellas and finishing the packing, Cassie and Alejandro walked toward the shoreline.

  “So, tell me what we’re looking for and where we’re looking,” Alejandro said.

  Chapter Ten

  Back on the water, Cassie turned her trained eye to the horizon. She knew the vaquita were very elusive and with fewer than 250 left, the odds of spotting any were low. The smallest of all porpoise species, adults were only 5 feet long, and they didn’t travel in large pods like common dolphin. It was rare to see more than two or three together at a time, so you had to be a patient spotter to see them at all.

  They circled the island slowly, as she had had her best luck around this area in spotting and categorizing her vaquita. “I didn’t bring all of my equipment from the Institute this trip, Diego. I didn’t think I’d be on the water with you this time,” Cassie said.

  “I don’t think it will matter, Cassie. We’ve spotted vaquita every time we’ve been out together. Almost a miracle. I rarely see them on other trips,” Diego said, steering into another cove on the opposite side of the island.

  “What’s that on the beach?” Alejandro asked, turning his binoculars to the approaching white sand. “It looks like something big.”

  Cassie turned her binoculars the direction he was pointing. As they got closer, her pulse quickened and her hands started to sweat. “Oh, no. It can’t be,” she said, her knuckles whitening as her grip on the binoculars tightened. Her eyes stung with tears, and she lowered the binoculars, looking away.

  Alejandro’s slowly lowered his binoculars and looked at Diego. Diego’s eyes were wet, too, and he increased their speed, moving faster toward the beach.

  Cassie took a deep breath and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. The back of her hands brushed the tears from her cheeks, and she pulled on her shoes. She was back to business, now.

  As the panga’s bow met the sand, she was out of the panga in a flash, ignoring the pain in her thigh. She strode quickly over to the object, sitting down hard in the sand next to the beautiful sea creature.

  Jumping out of the boat and walking quickly behind Cassie, Alejandro stood for a moment, silent, curious at the sight before him. The porpoise lay still, its white underbelly not moving. His short snout and black rings around his eyes were something he hadn’t seen before.

  Cassie stared at the still creature, tears streaming down her cheeks. She reached out a hand, resting it lightly on its side. She stroked its skin lightly, looking as Diego arrived.

  “It’s just a baby,” Diego said, moving closer and kneeling down beside the animal.

  “Exactly what we can’t afford to lose,” Cassie said, her fist clenching as she stroked the vaquita with her other hand. “I’d say it’s only about 5 months old, this one. Damn nets.”

  Alejandro reached out slowly to touch the vaquita, his eyes clouding as he stroked its lifeless flesh. He cleared his throat and pulled his hand back, staring at the fascinating markings.

  The sea was quiet in this cove, the waves no more than ripples on the beach. Alejandro started to speak, but Cassie quickly said, “Shhh,” her attention drawn to the back of the panga. “Do you hear them?” she said, her eyes growing sad again.

  The clicks grew louder as bigger ripples formed in the still water behind the panga. Suddenly, two fins emerged from the calmness of the sea. “Be still,” Cassie stood slowly, backing way from the baby vaquita a bit, motioning for Alejandro and Diego to come, too.

  As the three backed away and sat down against a rock a few feet away, the two porpoises drew closer to the shore. The dead young porpoise rocked back and forth with the ripples, half in and half out of the water. The two adult porpoise inched forward and Cassie felt her throat catch, the tears come. Alejandro and Diego stared at the scene before them, their eyes clouding under furrowed brows.

  Cassie felt Alejandro take her hand, stroking her forearm. She laid her head on his shoulder, trying her best not to sob, as the adult vaquita swam back and forth along the shore, as close to their calf as they could get without beaching themselves. Their clicks became quick and urgent as they swam faster, back and forth.

  As if suddenly in agreement, the porpoises stopped for a moment, becoming silent in the still waters in front of their offspring. Slowly, they circled around each other as if in the perfect demonstration of the yin and yang symbol, and then they were gone.

  Cassie felt as if all of the air had been taken out of the sky as she gulped back her tears. She felt Alejandro’s hand stroke her head, brushing her hair off her forehead, and brushing away her tears. His grasp tightened around her, and she let herself sob as grief poured through her.

  Chapter Eleven

  On the return trip, Cassie’s emotions were raw and closer to the surface than she wanted them to be. Back on the shimmering water, she had stretched out in the panga, drinking in the smells and sounds, trying to push away the memory of what they had seen. Alejandro hadn’t spoken since they’d left, and Diego was like a statue on his perch by the engine.

  As Cassie rested in the warm sun, she felt Alejandro stretch out beside her. Her arm rested over her face, shielding her eyes against the sun. He gently tugged at her hand, again lifting it to his lips. “I had no idea these vaquita even existed, let alone the threat of extinction.” He was so close she could smell his presence, and it calmed her.

  “There are only about 250 left on the entire planet, Alejandro. Make that 249. If something isn’t done, they’ll be gone in less than two years. I just can’t let that happen.”

  He sat up on the bench, his long legs cramped in the small panga. “It’s truly a tragedy,” she said finally, his intense expression tugging at her heart.

  “Yes, it is,” he said, reaching over and holding his hand in the cool spray of the panga. He lifted his hand swiftly, drenching her with water. She wasn’t quite ready to laugh yet, but she smiled at his attempt to distract her from her sorrow. They stretched out in the boat and fell silent until they reached the beach.

  The panga glided to a stop on the shore, skimming onto the sand. Cassie and Alejandro slid over the side of the panga, wading through the warm water to the shore. She had wanted to show him a vaquita, and hadn’t anticipated finding the scene she did. Her emotions were still on the surface, as Alejandro held his hand out to her for the ice chest, and she felt the heat of his body once
more. Her breath catching in her throat, she walked beside him in silence, remembering their magical vaquita sighting. Happy that they shared such an important experience, she didn’t think she could be more content than she was at this moment.

  Alejandro took her hand as they walked back up to the restaurant. “I had no idea about the fishing of the endangered species, Cassie. My time in the Navy was not spent in the Sea of Cortez, and I’ve spent very little time here on land, either. It’s all been on paper to me.”

  “On paper? You mean like on a map?”

  “Well, yes, sort of. I don’t know how to explain this to you. There are things about me that you don’t know, and I am sure you don’t want to know.”

  Puzzled and hurt, she looked up at him. His amber eyes bore into her, startling her with their intensity. She wanted to know everything about him. All of it. He seemed dejected and hopeless, and Cassie didn’t understand why.

  Carrying their supplies up to the jeep, Cassie spotted Taylor and a man under one of the palapas, sipping drinks from huge seashells.

  Cassie put her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly, Taylor’s head snapping in her direction, laughing. “I knew that had to be you,” Taylor chirped, running over to the jeep. “How was the trip?”

  “I’ll have to tell you about it later,” Cassie said, stealing a glance at Alejandro. His face was blank, but his eyes were still clouded. “Is that your guy?”

  “Oh, yeah. Let me go grab him. I want you to meet him,” Taylor said over her shoulder as she ran back to the palapa.

  “She met someone here?” Alejandro asked, shielding his eyes with his hand, trying to see where Taylor was headed.

  “Yes, they met last night. Well, she knew him from before and found out he’d be here now, so they’d planned to get together. I didn’t have a chance to mention it with all the excitement.”