world. That is why I came to the Baja, to get away.”
Cassie turned toward Diego, her eyes bright with confusion. “I thought you were born here,” she said.
“No, I had a job and a very large family business before I came here. They wanted to rule the world and ruin many things. I couldn’t do it, and I came here to build things people wanted, and leave only a small legacy of happiness.” He smiled sadly, taking his hat off and leaning back into the sand. “It seems it has found me again.”
Cassie waited for him to speak again, but he didn’t. He raised himself from the sand and walked back toward his home up the beach.
As he grew smaller in the distance, Taylor pulled up on her quad, skidding to a stop and narrowly missing Cassie with a spray of sand.
Hopping off the quad, she lowered herself to the sand next to her friend, resting her hand on Cassie’s. “That must have been a shocker,” she said, squeezing Cassie’s hand and leaning forward, her elbows resting on her knees.
“That doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m feeling,” Cassie said, her hands clenching into fists. “I bared my soul to him, and I thought he understood about the vaquita.” Tears of fury welled up in her eyes, and her heart pounded. “He had plenty of chances to tell me who he was, and he didn’t. I’m so furious I could spit,” she said, using an old expression of her mother’s.
Taylor’s hand flew to her mouth as she tried not to laugh. “Well, please don’t,” she said, unable to completely stifle her laugh.
“I understand it may seem funny to you, but I really was falling for him. I thought he was gentle, and kind, and had the same heart I do,” Cassie said, letting out a deep sigh.
“Cassie, I’ve got to be honest with you. Sometimes you are so blinded by your passion for these porpoises, you don’t see clearly. Not everyone has your vision, your understanding of the bigger view of the Baja.” Taylor turned sideways in the sand, grabbing her hand. “Look at me, Cassie.”
Cassie turned toward her best friend, tears streaming down her cheeks, their salty warmth on her lips. Taylor’s blue eyes filled with concern and shone brightly with tears. “He wasn’t the man you thought he was. That’s all there was to it. You’ll find someone who does share your heart, and that’s the person you’re supposed to be with.”
Cassie reached out, hugging her friend tightly. The sobs came now, and she again felt grief overtake her.
Taylor held her firmly, wiping her tears from her cheeks. Cassie’s sobs turned to sniffles, and Taylor said, “You’re not going to let this guy ruin your plans, are you?”
Cassie turned back to the water, clearing her throat. “No. I have work to do.”
Chapter Thirteen
Cassie’s eyes fluttered as the sunlight began to peek in through her bedroom window. Sitting up in bed, the memory of the night before and the events leading up to her pity party explained the state of her bedroom. Her bag was empty, and her clothes were strewn all over, a pair of panties hanging from the ceiling fan. She reached up and whisked them down, wincing as the pain in her leg reminded her of the entire past few days’ events.
“Oh, you’re finally awake,” Taylor handed Cassie a cup of coffee with so much hazelnut creamer in it, it must have tasted like melted coffee ice cream.
“Thanks. Exactly the way I like it,” Cassie said. with a weak smile. Not even that could cheer her today.
“Okay, what are you wearing today, Cass? It’s your big day, after all.” Taylor reached for her red pants and purple top.
“Are you seriously going to wear that?” Cassie pulled out her black skirt and black tank top. She had originally intended to wear a beautiful, shimmery beige dress, fit for the vaquita, and shell earrings. She remembered stuffing them under her bed last night after the last margarita. Today, black seemed appropriate.
“Black? Seriously? This is important.”
Cassie turned toward Diego, her eyes bright with confusion. “I thought you were born here,” she said.
“No, I had a job and a very large family business before I came here. They wanted to rule the world and ruin many things. I couldn’t do it, and I came here to build things people wanted, and leave only a small legacy of happiness.” He smiled sadly, taking his hat off and leaning back into the sand. “It seems it has found me again.”
Cassie waited for him to speak again, but he didn’t. He raised himself from the sand and walked back toward his home up the beach.
As he grew smaller in the distance, Taylor pulled up on her quad, skidding to a stop and narrowly missing Cassie with a spray of sand.
Hopping off the quad, she lowered herself to the sand next to her friend, resting her hand on Cassie’s. “That must have been a shocker,” she said, squeezing Cassie’s hand and leaning forward, her elbows resting on her knees.
“That doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m feeling,” Cassie said, her hands clenching into fists. “I bared my soul to him, and I thought he understood about the vaquita.” Tears of fury welled up in her eyes, and her heart pounded. “He had plenty of chances to tell me who he was, and he didn’t. I’m so furious I could spit,” she said, using an old expression of her mother’s.
Taylor’s hand flew to her mouth as she tried not to laugh. “Well, please don’t,” she said, unable to completely stifle her laugh.
“I understand it may seem funny to you, but I really was falling for him. I thought he was gentle, and kind, and had the same heart I do,” Cassie said, letting out a deep sigh.
“Cassie, I’ve got to be honest with you. Sometimes you are so blinded by your passion for these porpoises, you don’t see clearly. Not everyone has your vision, your understanding of the bigger view of the Baja.” Taylor turned sideways in the sand, grabbing her hand. “Look at me, Cassie.”
Cassie turned toward her best friend, tears streaming down her cheeks, their salty warmth on her lips. Taylor’s blue eyes filled with concern and shone brightly with tears. “He wasn’t the man you thought he was. That’s all there was to it. You’ll find someone who does share your heart, and that’s the person you’re supposed to be with.”
Cassie reached out, hugging her friend tightly. The sobs came now, and she again felt grief overtake her.
Taylor held her firmly, wiping her tears from her cheeks. Cassie’s sobs turned to sniffles, and Taylor said, “You’re not going to let this guy ruin your plans, are you?”
Cassie turned back to the water, clearing her throat. “No. I have work to do.”
Chapter Thirteen
Cassie’s eyes fluttered as the sunlight began to peek in through her bedroom window. Sitting up in bed, the memory of the night before and the events leading up to her pity party explained the state of her bedroom. Her bag was empty, and her clothes were strewn all over, a pair of panties hanging from the ceiling fan. She reached up and whisked them down, wincing as the pain in her leg reminded her of the entire past few days’ events.
“Oh, you’re finally awake,” Taylor handed Cassie a cup of coffee with so much hazelnut creamer in it, it must have tasted like melted coffee ice cream.
“Thanks. Exactly the way I like it,” Cassie said. with a weak smile. Not even that could cheer her today.
“Okay, what are you wearing today, Cass? It’s your big day, after all.” Taylor reached for her red pants and purple top.
“Are you seriously going to wear that?” Cassie pulled out her black skirt and black tank top. She had originally intended to wear a beautiful, shimmery beige dress, fit for the vaquita, and shell earrings. She remembered stuffing them under her bed last night after the last margarita. Today, black seemed appropriate.
“Black? Seriously? This is important.”
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