“Oh.” Alicia blew out a breath. “I’m here for an ‘I fucked up and got fired’ pity party and also to work on my résumé.”
“Ah,” Clare said. “That sounds like it might call for chocolate, yeah?”
Alicia nodded with a grateful smile.
“I’m sorry about your job,” Clare said. “That really sucks.”
“Thanks. So why are you here?”
Clare’s expression brightened. “To see turtles! I have two tickets for tonight’s Turtle Walk if you want to join me. My friend had to back out of coming at the last minute.”
“What’s a Turtle Walk?” Alicia asked, pausing to pick up a pretty shell.
“A guided tour to hopefully see a loggerhead turtle while she’s nesting.” Clare’s face radiated excitement, and it had to be contagious because Alicia felt herself smiling too.
“That does sound cool,” she admitted.
“It’s decided, then,” Clare said with a nod. “We’re going to see a sea turtle together tonight. Now let’s make a grocery list.” She pulled out her phone and began typing. “Do you want anything other than water to drink?”
“A bottle of wine, maybe?” Alicia said. “What do you like?”
“Oh, I don’t drink.” Clare shrugged. “But it doesn’t bother me if you do.”
“No, that’s fine,” Alicia said quickly. “Coffee’s the only drink I really need this week.”
“Agreed.” Clare’s eyes widened, focused on something in the distance. “Oh my God, I think I just saw a dolphin!”
“I saw some from the deck a little while ago.”
“Oh! There it is again.” Clare gave a little leap, and the next thing Alicia knew, Clare’s arms were wrapped around her. She smelled like something light and fresh, almost like the sea breeze itself.
Alicia’s heart sped, a combination of surprise and something else she didn’t want to think about. Clare felt warm and…soft in her arms. When was the last time Alicia had been hugged? She closed her eyes as she tightened her arms, hugging Clare back.
“We’re going to have a great weekend together, Alicia,” Clare murmured. “You just wait and see.”
3
Clare stared at her phone in dismay. The email on her screen informed her that tonight’s Turtle Walk had been canceled due to a lack of available staff. Her stomach sank. She’d been looking forward to this for months, the chance to see an endangered sea turtle. To cross an item off her bucket list.
She paced to the window and looked out at the rapidly darkening sky. After their trip to the grocery store that morning, Alicia had spent the rest of the day in her room, working on her résumé, while Clare spent it on the beach. She was quickly getting bored on her own, though, and with tonight’s activity canceled, she found herself uncharacteristically restless.
Rue tapped a paw against the glass, then looked up at her and whined.
“Okay, but you have to stay on leash so you don’t bother the turtles,” Clare told her. All dogs on the island had to be leashed after sunset during nesting season. She clipped Rue’s leash to her collar and took her outside. They had walked past several houses before inspiration struck.
Clare would make her own Turtle Walk. She’d take Rue back to the house and then walk the beach on her own, hoping to see a nesting turtle. It wasn’t as if the turtles were taking the night off just because there wasn’t a guide available to observe them. The breeze kicked up, tickling the exposed skin on her neck, and she shivered. It felt unsettling somehow to be out here alone after dark.
She’d convince Alicia to come with her. Decision made, Clare turned around and started back toward the house. Rue tugged the leash, obviously not ready to go home yet. “Sorry, babe, but I can’t bring you to look for turtles. You might upset them.”
Rue whined.
“I’ll make it up to you with a long walk in the morning, okay?” She leaned down to ruffle the soft fur between Rue’s ears.
Back at the house, she jogged up the steps with Rue at her heels, surprised but pleased to find Alicia in the kitchen pouring herself a glass of water. She had on a tank top and jean shorts, her expression as difficult to read as ever.
“Getting ready for your Turtle Walk?” she asked.
“It was canceled,” Clare said, bending to unclip Rue’s leash.
