As Bright as the Stars

by Cindy Caldwell

  Felicia drove down to the beach, Russell sitting in her lap as the milk crate was filled with digging supplies. The Jack Russell terrier was small, but a real trooper. Felicia rarely went anywhere without him, and he was the assigned mascot during this clam-digging trip. Hopefully he wouldn’t try to eat all the clams. He’d done that once or twice.

  As soon as they started out, a new, huge house caught her eye. It was situated right on the cliff overlooking the sea just like hers. It had two garages and two stories with a big balcony. She could swear it hadn’t been there last time she visited, but she had to confess that trip had been a whirlwind so she might not have noticed. The remaining houses quickly flashed by as they drove down the beach, headed toward the rock point that was exposed only at low tide. Twice a day, every day, it was covered in water and inaccessible as the tide crawled toward the cliffs just south of Playa Luna. Now, though, the rocks were exposed, and clamming would be easy.

  As Kyle came into view, he flagged them down, smiling broadly. “Check this out. Four corvina already, pretty good-sized ones. Should be plenty for fish tacos.” He had been fishing off the shore for only a while, and seemed very pleased that he’d caught so many already.

  “Your father would be so proud,” Felicia said with a wave as she started the jeep again and headed for the point.

  “He seems really happy,” Megan said, glad that he seemed to be finding his place in the world.

  “Remember when we bailed him out of jail for his graffiti gifts all over town?” Kyle had had a bit of a rough time in high school and hadn’t gone straight to college. He’d spent a fair amount of time down at the beach and somehow found his way to volunteering with the local doctor and that was all it took.

  “Oh, gosh, how could I possibly forget? I almost killed him,” she said, her hair blowing in the breeze as they ambled south. “Hard to believe he’s a doctor. Boggles the mind.”

  Felicia pulled the jeep up to the point and they both hopped out, grabbing their digging gear and heading off toward the water. They both tried to spot big rocks to sit on while they dug for the tender little clams, keeping none that were smaller than the size of a golf ball.

  Golf balls were unfortunately plentiful and Felicia picked up a hot pink one. “I wish these people that hit the golf balls into the water at high tide would come and collect them at low tide. They’re all over.”

  “Free balls for you, my friend,” Megan said, acknowledging Felicia’s love of the game. “We can pick those up, too, and you can keep them.”

  “I didn’t think of that. Good plan,” she said as they settled down on their rocks to dig.

  Megan got right into it, excited to have clams again after such a long time. Removing the top layer of rocks and exposing wet sand below, she let out a little squeak as little crabs scattered everywhere.

  “Make sure they don’t crawl up your legs. That happened to me one time and it bit me in the butt.”

  “Ouch. I’ve only had one grab onto my toe and not let go, and that really hurt. Wouldn’t want one up my shorts,” Megan said, almost snorting with laughter at the memory.

  Grabbing their forks and digging down about three inches, they quickly pulled clams out of the sand and threw them in the basket.

  “How’s Cassie doing?” Felicia asked as they worked toward their goal. “Haven’t heard much since the ground-breaking ceremony.”

  “She’s great. She’s ecstatic, actually. Apparently Alex and Pablo are building them a house that she finally gets to see tonight before they come over, and she said she was hoping we could talk wedding while I’m here.”

  “Wedding? Wow. I guess they’ve been engaged for a while and it’s time. That’s exciting. Do you know how big, how small? When?”

  “Last she said is that it should be a year or two off. I guess they changed their minds. Fine by me,” she said, tossing the last few clams in the basket. “It’ll be nice to see them tonight. How’s Taylor?”

  “She’s good. Deep in school and work. I don’t see her much with my work schedule, I’m afraid. We talk a lot, but getting together’s tough. I asked if she could come this trip but I already knew the answer. Nope.”

  “Amazing she was able to come with Cassie, then. Was just meant to be. I’m sure she’ll be able to get away more when school’s out.” Megan tossed her last handful of clams in the basket. “Looks like enough to me. What do you think?”

  “I have no idea. If you say so, then it is. I’m happy to eat them when you fix them up.”

  Grabbing the basket now brimming with clams, Megan walked further down to the waves, quickly rinsing the clams off individually in the salt water. She set them aside as Felicia handed her the empty water bottle they’d brought with them. Seawater filled the five-gallon bottle as she held it under the surface, ensuring they’d have enough to soak the clams in overnight, giving the clams the hours needed to clean themselves out as they ingested the corn meal they would sprinkle on top of the water. They were much sweeter that way, and would make an excellent appetizer and linguini.

  She heard her stomach growl and realized she hadn’t eaten since they’d arrived.

  “Since you’re taking care of the clams, I’ll make my special appetizer for you when we get back.” Felicia laughed as she said it, as her friend made her typical response.

  “Mm, nachos. Absolutely gourmet,” Megan said. They actually sounded good, but she would never let her friend know that. “Just up your alley. Chips and cheese in the oven.”

  “Hey, I add stuff. Olives and jalapenos and chipotle peppers.”

  “You absolutely know how to open cans better than anyone I know. Sounds great,” she said, nudging her friend with her elbow. “Honestly, sounds divine. We have arrived in paradise.”

  6

  Cassie had barely been able to contain her excitement since she’d gotten the call from her mom first thing this morning. She didn’t normally like surprises, but the day had become full of them and she’d decided to just roll with it.

  First, Megan had told her she’d be there in the afternoon and right after that, Alex had said she’d finally get to see the house he and his uncle had been building for them. He hadn’t let her see a thing in the previous six months—sure, he’d asked her a couple of questions here or there about her preferences, but that was it—and it had been incredibly difficult for her not to sneak up in the dead of night and check it out. She could only imagine what Pablo would come up with. She already loved her mother’s house that Pablo had built so many years ago and couldn’t imagine how he could do any better.

  Alex had insisted that they wait until later in the day and go see the house on the way to visit her mother. It was turning out to be one of the best days she’d had, and when Alex opened the door of the Jeep for her, she hopped right in.

  Alex laughed as he turned over the engine. “You seem excited,” he said as he headed toward the bluff that the house was built on.

  “I think that’s an understatement,” she said as she rested her hand on his shoulder as he drove. “Best day ever. My mom and Felicia and Kyle are here—which means we’ll probably get nachos for dinner—and I get to see my new house. The sanctuary’s open, the resort is coming along—what could be better?”

  The stunning brick pillars were the first thing Cassie noticed as she neared the beautiful house on the bluff, its arches enclosing a dramatic patio that overlooked the sea. She hadn’t been allowed to watch from afar as it grew, brick by brick, but Alex had kept her from seeing more than that until now.

  Alex slowed as they came closer, pulling the Jeep to a stop at the bottom of the short road that lead from the beach to the dune. “Wait here a minute,” he said, hopping out of the Jeep and jogging toward the house. As he disappeared behind the tall front door, she sighed, her eyes closing as the warm sea breeze caressed her face.

  How did I get so lucky? she thought, as the video of the past year played out in her mind, she smiled, remembering her panic when she believed the va
quita would become extinct. Now, thanks to Costa Azul International, the vaquita had their home and were increasing in number for the first time since they’d been discovered. The vaquita had their home, and she had found hers.

  Her eyes fluttered, bringing her to the present, a smile dancing on her lips as she surveyed the beautiful, brick house on the bluff. Alex had started back toward the jeep. She had gotten to know him more deeply, and he was no longer able to hide his emotions from her as he once had. As he hurried down the road to her, his excitement and anticipation clearly matched her own.

  “Everything is ready for you. You will love it,” he said, as he opened her door and held out his hand. His smile was infectious, and Cassie threw her arms around him, laughing.

  “Alex, I can’t believe you’ve had this whole house built for us and haven’t even let me see it once. How do you know I’ll like it?” she asked, drawing back from him.

  He took her hand slowly, his lips resting on her palm. “I know your heart, Cassie Lewis, and I know what will make you happy. Come, see our new home,” he said, pulling her with him up the road.

  They walked up the hill toward the house, comfortable in each other’s silence. She was honored he had done this for her, and he had put his heart and soul into it. Planning and building with his Uncle Pablo had been a joy for both of them as they forged their relationship anew, built on respect and love they hadn’t had the opportunity to know before.

  They drew near the entry of the house, passing through a small patio with a fountain made of colorful Mexican tile, water flowing into a basin on the ground. Brightly colored bougainvillea flowers waved in the breeze as they walked under the shaded roof of the entry.

  Alex gestured for her to lead the way toward the front door, his eyes gleaming. Her chin dropped as she looked up at the tall double-entry doors, her hand to her mouth. “Alex, they’re beautiful,” she gasped, running her fingers over the two dolphin etched deep into the dark mahogany.

  “I had them made especially for you,” he said as he pushed the door open in front of her. As she passed into the beautiful entry, stunned with its beauty, she was drawn to the four massive windows. The magnetic pull of the view drew her closer, as her gaze was drawn to the beach below.

  “Do you like it?” Alex anxiously searching her face. “I hope I haven’t made a mistake.”

  Cassie fell silent, her eyes taking in the view. “I can’t believe you did this for me, Alex,” she said, her voice quiet. “This is the best gift I’ve ever received.”

  His face lit up as he threw open the French doors leading to the patio beyond the beautiful windows. “Come, there’s more,” he said, reaching for her hand.

  They reached the edge of the bluff, and she breathed deeply, taking in the vista. Before her, down the cliff and across the sand, was the breeding sanctuary she had created. As the warm breeze rose from the sea, she rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Ah, Cassie,” Pablo said, stepping onto the patio, his hat in his hands. He grasped Cassie in a tight hug as she crossed the patio. “Is it to your liking, little one?”

  “Pablo, you did this?” she asked, hugging him tightly. “You built a beautiful home for us.”

  As he lowered his eyes, he said, “I built it for the two of you, yes. But I also built it for Maria and Esteban in their memory.” He placed his hat on his head and turned toward the sea. “They would be very proud of what we have done here,” he said, turning toward the road. “I know you will be happy here, and we have work to do. Alex, show her the last surprise.” Nodding to them both, he disappeared toward the mountains.

  Cassie turned to Alex, her eyes searching his face. “More surprises?”

  “There’s something special that Pablo wanted you to see,” Alex said, pulling her toward a wrought-iron metal staircase leading to an upstairs balcony. Close behind him, she climbed the steps.

  On the grand terrace overlooking the sea, Alex stood near a large column of brick, shimmering yellow and orange in the disappearing sunlight. She moved closer. “He did all these whale-tails himself?” she said, her hand reaching to touch the brick before her. Her eyes traveled up to the top, and she felt his hand tighten on hers as she surveyed the intricate design in the wall, facing the sea.

  “Yes, each one. He did this for you,” he said as he admired the expert artistry. As she gazed at the pattern of the moonrise that Pablo had designed with the brick, its rays shooting to all corners of the patio, she turned to Alex, her eyes wet. 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.

  “With all of this love built into the house, how could we not be happy?” She was overwhelmed with gratitude as she turned to the sea, to her sanctuary. “Yes, we will be happy here.”

  7

  Felicia dropped Megan and the clams off at her front door on the way back, and they arranged for Kyle and Felicia to bring the nachos and fish over after a bit. Making quick work of rinsing the clams, she hopped in the shower, letting the hot water flow over her, soothing her, washing off the dust of the trip.

  She rummaged through her bag, finding a skirt and top. Slipping the shirt over her head, she was grateful that it was warmer here than at the ranch. She ran a brush quickly through her hair and threw on a little chapstick, satisfied with a glance in the mirror. She quickly brushed on some mascara, her blue eyes standing out against her fair skin.

  Flipping her iPod into the player, she hit shuffle, not able to decide what mood she was in. She let the iPod decide for her, and grinned as Bonnie Raitt belted out one of her favorites, “Love Me Like a Man.”

  She grinned as she started getting dishes out, preparing for the nacho feast. She opened the refrigerator and reached in for a cold beer. As she popped the top off with her keychain, she heard a voice at the door.

  “’Ello, neighbor,”

  “Come in, sweetheart. Where’s your mom?”

  “In England, I believe.”

  The bottle flew from her hand as she spun to see who was standing in her doorway. It sure wasn’t Kyle. Standing in her kitchen was the man from earlier, the spitting image of Sean Connery, but much younger. He even had the accent.

  Her face red hot, she bent to pick up the broken shards of glass. He held his hands in front of him as he glanced at her bare feet.

  “Stop right there. Don’t take a step.” She stood frozen to the spot as he bent to pick up the glass, grabbing a small broom and dustpan on the counter. Whisking the glass onto the plastic, he grabbed paper towel to clean up the beer.

  “My gosh, I thought you were my friend’s son, Kyle.”

  “Nope, I’m not Kyle,” he said, his smile wide. “Hope I didn’t disappoint you. Sounds like you and Bonnie Raitt are waiting for a man.”

  She closed her eyes, willing the embarrassment away. “No, Kyle is my friend’s son,” she stammered. “I’ve known him since he was born. Not the man I’m looking for.” She cringed as the words left her mouth, wishing she could unsay them.

  “While I am not Kyle, I am, however, building the house two doors down and thought I should introduce myself properly, although we met briefly earlier. James Dodds. How do you do?”

  “Megan Lewis, officially,” she said. Shaking his hand and catching her breath, she offered him a beer of his own, and grabbed herself another.

  “Meg, what a lovely name,” he said.

  “No, not Meg. Megan,” she said. She’d never liked the shortened version of her name. Sounded too lighthearted for her, so she preferred Megan.

  “Duly noted,” he said with a raised eyebrow as he looked around her house and out onto the cliff.

  “I’ve been wondering who’s building that mansion,” she said, her balance returning. “Bet the people behind you have made a voodoo doll that looks like you. Their view is disappearing by the day.”

  “I do feel bad about that...well, so
rt of,” he said with a chuckle. “The view of the sea is what I love most, too. They should have built on the front.” His laughter filled the room. “It wasn’t supposed to be as big as it’s turned out to be. It looked really small on the napkin in the bar where I drew the plans.”

  “Oh, you’re building it yourself? I haven’t been able to make it down for a long time, and haven’t seen it since it was just a concrete slab. It’s beautiful.”

  “Thanks. It’s my dream come true, my home away from home. Except that it is my home.” He walked toward the brick arches framing the view of the Sea of Cortez. “How long have you had this place?”

  “I’ve been coming to Playa Luna for probably thirty years. Finally, about five years ago this house came available and I jumped on it. It’s my place to come when I need to breathe.”

  “I’ve been coming for the same amount of time. How is it that we’ve never met?”

  “I guess we just travel in different circles,” she said. “Or just haven’t been here at the same time. I really only know the people that I come down with, my friends across the road.”

  “Well, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do, lady,” he said, a gleam in his eye. “I’ll show you around and introduce you.”

  Before she could answer, she heard a shout at the door.

  “Anybody home?” Felicia walked in holding bags filled with groceries, notably the cans for nachos.

  “Well, hello. We meet again,” James said, relieving her of her burden and setting the bags on the tile counter.

  “Um, hello. What are you doing here?” she asked, glancing curiously from him to Megan and back again, trying to stifle a grin.

  “Turns out we’re neighbors. What are the odds of that? This must be Kyle,” he said, extending his hand toward Kyle and sneaking a glance and a wink at Megan. “How was the fishing today? The past few days have been pretty good in my books.”

  “Caught a bunch of corvina. You’re an angler?” Kyle put the fish in the refrigerator.