The Stars at Night

by Gerri Hill

  Lexie shook her head. “No. I refused to sleep with her.”

  “So you were a bitch and you were withholding sex and she still wouldn’t leave?”

  “Right.”

  “Wow. She must have really loved you.”

  “Not loved. Obsessed.”

  “So how you’d get away?”

  “Trish and I—Trish is my best friend—we both took off work one day, packed all her things and left them outside the apartment door.”

  “This is when she went crazy and broke all your dishes?”

  “I see my brother has filled you in on all the highlights.”

  “Why did you let her inside?”

  “Because she came home before I could get the locks changed.”

  “Ah. So all of that came before or after she stole your car?”

  “Before.” Lexie held her hand up. “And that’s enough about Crazy Cathy.”

  “Really? But I have a bunch more questions.”

  Lexie laughed. “Sorry. It’s too depressing to think about, much less talk about. I was such an idiot to get trapped in that relationship. I’m usually over-cautious and think things to death before I do them. Like I said, one minute we were dating, the next, she’d moved in. So I would rather not talk about it anymore.” She pointed behind her. “Besides, I think our order is here.”

  Kyler turned, seeing Ana bringing over a tray with their food. “Looks good, Ana.”

  “Thank you, Kyler. You should come by more often.” She slid a plate in front of her. “I put extra peppers for you this time.”

  “Thanks.” She looked at her heaping plate of enchiladas and then at the huge rice and bean burrito on Lexie’s plate. She assumed they’d both be taking leftovers home.

  “Wow. It’s big.”

  Ana smiled at Lexie. “Since you didn’t want chicken or beef, I put some vegetables in there. Mushrooms and onions. I hope that’s okay, yes?”

  “Of course. Thank you.”

  “Enjoy,” Ana said with a slight bow, then left them.

  “That was nice of her. I didn’t even think to ask.”

  “Everything is made from scratch and to order. She’s very accommodating.”

  Lexie cut her burrito in half, revealing a tortilla stuffed with rice, black beans, and veggies. “You come here often?”

  “Not really. A couple of times a month, I guess. I sometimes stop for lunch when I’m in town doing my shopping.” She used her fork to cut the enchiladas—chicken smothered in a sour cream sauce. “I don’t cook much so there’s not a lot of shopping to do.” She took one bite and moaned. “Delicious.”

  “Mine too. Very spicy. I love it.”

  Kyler took a drink of her tea, the extra peppers making her mouth burn in a wonderful way. “Tell me about your job,” she asked before picking her fork up again. “Or is that off limits too?”

  “Not off limits, no. I loved my job. I was a little bored there at the end, but I loved the company and the people I worked with.” She ate another bite before continuing. “We developed intrusion detection software. We monitor various companies’ network traffic, both incoming and outgoing. We can spot malware or any suspicious activity, really. Anyway, I was a project manager. The signatures must always be updated because threats are constantly changing. We were trying to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.”

  She took another bite, then paused. “Our little company was too successful. We got bought out. I got a ‘thank you for your service’ and a very nice severance payment.” She shrugged. “I tried to look at it as an opportunity to perhaps get a better job, something a little different but yet the same.” She shook her head. “The job market is very competitive in Austin and my skillset is not that specialized. There was no better job, I found out. That was depressing to realize.” She paused to take a swallow of her tea. “Long story short, I couldn’t afford the rent at my apartment any longer and my lease is up at the end of January. My parents made me an offer I couldn’t turn down. At least on a trial-run basis. After the holidays, I’ll have to decide if this is something I want to do long-term.”

  “I guess I don’t have to tell you how excited your mother is that you’re here.”

  “I know. And really, it’s good to be here. I missed them. With Mark living here with them, I felt like I was missing out on family time.”

  “Yet you never came to visit.”

  “Are you trying to make me feel guilty? Because it’s working.”

  “No, no. Just a statement. I know how far away we are up here. It’s not like you can hop on a plane to get here.”

  “I know, but that’s an excuse. I should have made the time. But when you’ve got a busy life—and I certainly did—it’s hard to squeeze in a week when it takes a whole freakin’ day to drive out here,” she finished with a laugh.

  Kyler stared. Lexie’s laughter had transformed her face from serious to playful in a split second. Oh, she could see why Crazy Cathy was obsessed with her. She was beyond pretty. Smooth, fresh skin. The tiniest bit of makeup. Eyes that were bright and alive.

  “Green or blue?” she found herself asking.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Your eyes.”

  “Oh. In between, I guess. Mostly greenish. If I wear something that is blue, then they change.”

  “Mark has brown eyes.”

  “Yes. My dad’s eyes are hazel. His mother has blue eyes and his dad green.”

  “Are they still alive? Your grandparents?”

  “Yes. Both sides. And both live in Florida. My dad’s parents moved first. They bought a condo after they retired and love it there. My mom’s parents then bought a place just a few blocks from them—walking distance.” She smiled, a sweet smile that showed her affection for her grandparents. “They’ve been best friends forever. My mom and dad have known each other their whole lives.”

  “Do you see them much?”

  Lexie laughed and embarrassment showed on her face. “Okay, yes. You can hop on a plane to Tampa. At least once a year. Sometimes twice.”

  “So you like the beach?” She raised an eyebrow. “Bikini?”

  Lexie blushed. “Oh, no, you’re not.”

  “Picturing you in a bikini?” Kyler was sure she must be blushing too. “Of course not. You’re Mark’s sister. I would never do that.” She shoved her plate away. “Lunch for tomorrow.”

  “I agree. There’s no way I could eat this whole thing.”

  Kyler turned, finding Ana watching. She held up two fingers and Ana nodded, quickly bringing over two white Styrofoam containers.

  “Delicious lunch, Ana. Thank you.”

  “My pleasure.” She turned to Lexie. “You enjoyed? Yes?”

  “Oh, yes. Very good. I’ll definitely be back.”

  “Good! You come back.”

  Kyler took a couple of bills from her pocket—a twenty and a ten—and handed them to Ana. “Keep the change.”

  “Always so generous, Kyler. See you next time.”

  “Thanks.”

  They went out into the sunshine, the wind making it feel cooler than it was. “Cold front coming tonight. Feels like it may already be here. I think the winds have shifted.”

  “That’s what Mom said. Twenties in the morning?”

  Kyler opened the Jeep door for her. “Yeah, but it’ll warm up. Back into the sixties in a couple of days.”

  When she got behind the wheel, Lexie touched her arm lightly. “Thanks for lunch. I certainly didn’t expect you to pay for it, though.”

  Kyler smiled at her before starting the Jeep. “You have a bike to pay for. I don’t.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Lexie felt like a kid at Christmas as she rode around the lodge’s parking lot on her new mountain bike. Well, new to her. But really, had they not told her it was used, she wouldn’t have known. It was all shiny and clean and way more expensive than she thought a used bike should be. Kyler had assured her it was a good price, and judging by how much the new ones were, she finally
conceded.

  It was her first time to ride a mountain bike and she wanted to get familiar with it before taking it on the park road. Back when Mark and Mia rode, she would sometimes join them, but they all had road bikes. After the accident, she’d gotten rid of her bike almost as quickly as Mark had. Since then, her time spent on a bike was at the gym on their NordicTrack or sweating it out in an hour-long spin class.

  But this? Oh, what freedom! She buzzed around the office to the back, a smile—a grin—on her face. Surrounded by the fragrant smells of the junipers, the deep blue sky, the cool breeze…and yes, the sounds of birds as they flitted in and out of the bird garden, all made her senses come alive. This was so not a gym class. She stopped near the bird garden, making a mental note to ask Kyler what those huge doves were. She took a deep breath of the cool air, looking around her, seeing the trail that went up the hill to Mark’s cabin.

  Austin was littered with greenbelts and hike and bike trails. Why had she never considered getting a mountain bike before? Because she did her exercising in a gym, not out of it. She ran on a treadmill, not on the streets or a hike and bike trail. This was going to be so much better.

  That thought made her pause. Was it going to be better? She could be out of her little apartment door and into the woods in a matter of seconds. Kyler had said the hiking trail that started at the picnic area on Limpia Creek was suitable for bikes. And the picnic area was right down the road from the restaurant.

  She spun around and peddled over to her apartment, then wheeled the bike inside. She took off her helmet and strapped it to the handlebars. Yes, this was just what she needed. She wished she could go out right now, but it was already late afternoon. She didn’t think she’d get very far before twilight approached. Besides, she wasn’t familiar with the park. Kyler went back to work tomorrow but told her she usually finished at three each day. Lexie was to call her if she wanted to ride one afternoon. Probably not tomorrow, though. The temps wouldn’t get out of the forties, or so Kyler had said. Back into the upper sixties by Thursday. That was the day she was shooting for. If she could wait that long. For some reason, she was itching to get out on the trails.

  She was here to work, she reminded herself as she walked down the hallway to the office. Her mother was at the desk, flipping through a magazine, the ever-present cup of coffee sitting within reach.

  “You’re back already?”

  “Already? It’s after four.” She sat down across from her. “Did I miss anything exciting?”

  Her mother smiled at her. “Well, if you call Mrs. Barry getting locked in her bathroom exciting, then yes.”

  “Really? What happened?”

  “Should have been a comedy show. Her husband drove into Ft. Davis for gas. They’re heading out early in the morning, so they’re going to do their checkout today. Anyway, she was taking a shower. Thank goodness she had her phone in there with her.”

  “So she’s locked inside. Let me guess. No clothes. Dad goes to let her out.”

  Her mother laughed. “Oh, yes. I went along too. I’m so glad I did. It was hysterical.” She laughed again. “Mrs. Barry isn’t a small woman. Our towels aren’t exactly extra-large. You can imagine the scene.”

  Lexie found herself laughing along with her mother. “What did Dad do?”

  “He nearly knocked me over in his haste to get out of there. He had no idea how the lock jammed. He’ll look at it tomorrow after they leave.” She fanned herself. “Oh, Lexie. The look on both their faces! It was so funny. Mrs. Barry was tiptoeing around, trying to keep the little towel over her and she’s right there in front of the mirror! There was no hiding for her, poor thing!”

  “That is funny. And I’m so glad I wasn’t here.”

  “Yes. Be thankful.” She took her coffee cup to the small sink and rinsed it out. “Now tell me about your trip. You got a bike?”

  “I did. We had lunch too.”

  “Oh?” Her mother nodded. “Kyler is so sweet, isn’t she? She’ll do anything for you.”

  “Yes, she is. We had Mexican food.”

  “In Alpine?”

  “No, here in Ft. Davis. Ana’s.”

  “Oh, yes. I’ve been there. She makes everything right there in the kitchen. So good.”

  “Ft. Davis is a cute little town.”

  “Did Kyler show you around?”

  “She pointed out the grocery store—Potters. And a hardware store.”

  Her mother nodded. “Gilmore’s Farm and Ranch. I love going in there. Both the Gilmores and Potters have been living in this area for generations and both their stores have served the area for decades on end. The Gilmores have had that store for nearly a hundred years. You should go in sometimes, just to walk around. So much history there.”

  “Yes, Kyler said the place was full of old photos.”

  Her mother sat down again. “So, when is she taking you out on your new bike?”

  “Maybe Thursday afternoon, if it’s warmer. She gets off work around three, she said.”

  “Well, you go whenever you need to. Don’t worry about the office. I’ve got a handle on it.”

  “Mom, I came here to learn the ropes, remember? Not take a vacation.”

  “Who says it can’t be both? Honey, I want you to be comfortable up here. And what better way than to have a friend, someone you can do stuff with. I know how active you were in Austin. I know you left a lot of friends behind. I don’t want you to feel like you’re so isolated here. Kyler—”

  “Kyler is very nice, but I don’t want to use her for my entertainment purposes. We’re becoming friends. She’s really easy to talk to.”

  “I think the reason it took her a while to adjust was because she didn’t have anyone. She and Mark are good friends, but Mark doesn’t do a lot of the things she likes.”

  “Like ride? Hike?” She smiled at her mother. “I don’t do those either.”

  “You bought a bike.”

  “Yes. To take the place of gym class. Actually, I rode it around the parking lot. I think I’m going to love it. I can’t wait to take it out.”

  “After this little cold front, I think we have a few days of warmer weather. You should take advantage of it. There’s a big front coming after that and it’ll stay cold for several days.”

  “Does it rain much, Mom?”

  “No. We’re very dry. Arid. Our rainy season is June through August and even then, if we get an inch or more, it’s considered a major event,” she said with a laugh. “We usually get snow every winter. Not much. A dusting a few times. Just enough to make it all wintery for a day or two.” She pointed at the laptop. “Want to learn payroll? Friday is payday for the staff.”

  “Sure. Let’s get to work.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Kyler watched as Lexie pulled her hair into a ponytail before strapping on her helmet. The strands closest to her face weren’t long enough to be contained and she tucked them behind her ears. Lexie turned, meeting her gaze, and Kyler looked away quickly.

  “Ready?”

  Lexie nodded. “Anxious.”

  “Why anxious?”

  She’d brought her own bike over on her Jeep, so they headed out between the lodge and the restaurant, taking the road back into the state park.

  “It’s a bit different than a stationary bike. Or a road bike.”

  “Better than a road bike. Fat tires.” She lifted her hands from the handlebars. “Better balance.”

  “Show off.”

  Kyler laughed, then slowed, letting Lexie come up beside her. “How about we stay on the road. I’ll take you through some of the park. On the way back, we’ll hit a trail and see if you’re comfortable.”

  “Okay. Deal.” She pointed to the No Entry Without Permit sign. “Is that directed at guests from the lodge?”

  “Mostly. Your mom has a sign at the front desk letting people know that they have to go around to the park headquarters for entry permits. Occasionally we’ll find someone cruising the park without one but not
too often. I mean, it’s only six bucks a person for day use.”

  “So how does one get into being a park ranger?”

  “You mean what was my motivation?”

  “Yes. Lifelong dream?”

  Kyler shook her head. “Not even close. My parents aren’t really the outdoorsy types. I’d never stepped foot in a state park before, actually.”

  “Then why?”

  “I was taking a lot of biology classes and stuff. I was planning for medical school.”

  “Really? A doctor?” Lexie smiled. “I don’t see it.”

  “I know. My parents pushed me in that direction, and I didn’t have a clue as to what I really wanted to do. I went to college in Corpus—Texas A&M. After the first year—and talking to people—I knew the medical field wasn’t for me. I switched to environmental science with a plan to get my master’s in marine biology.” She pointed to her left. “There’s the picnic area. The creek flows through it. There’s a little bridge—’cause it’s a little creek—that goes to the other side. The trail is over there. We’ll come out that way later.”

  Lexie nodded. “Go on. Marine biology.”

  “Oh. Well, living in Corpus, being at the coast, marine biology was a popular degree. Then one of my buddies told me about the park service. I began researching it and actually started going to some state parks. I was twenty, I think, when I went on my first camping trip.” She smiled. “Fell in love with it. Pretty much every weekend after that I was out at some park or other. Anyway, my grades were good, so I was able to get into their Fast Track program.”

  “That’s where you take graduate courses while you’re still an undergrad?”

  “Yeah. And they count toward both. I took full loads during the summers, so I got both my undergrad and master’s degrees in four years plus one semester.”

  “And you were exhausted!”

  Kyler laughed. “I was. So much so that I took four months off before I got a job.”

  “You hung out on the beach?”

  “I did. And I got to know the superintendent at Goose Island and that’s where I landed my first job.”

  “And the boss’s wife?”

  “Mustang Island. Port Aransas. Hindsight at the time had me kicking myself for ever leaving Goose Island in the first place, but Mustang Island is like thirty minutes from Corpus. That was the draw for me.” She pointed to a road to their left. “That will take you to the amphitheater. It’s built right into the rocks. Really cool.”