by Eden Maguire
‘That makes me feel sad for them,’ I admitted. ‘Won’t they miss their freedom?’
Daniel shrugged. ‘It’s government policy to take a percentage of wild mustangs off the open range each summer to stop overbreeding. The Bureau of Land Management offers them up for adoption at a hundred and fifty dollars a head.’
‘That’s nothing.’
‘Right. The government sells them cheap because they want to avoid culling. You know, where they send surplus animals for slaughter.’
‘Yeah, I understand culling,’ I said quickly. ‘It makes living in captivity on Black Rock seem like a good deal.’
‘Exactly.’ There was a pause before Daniel switched topics. ‘I hope it doesn’t feel like I’m stalking you,’ he said with an embarrassed grin.
‘No. You haven’t called me since I saw you at the lodge,’ I reminded him. ‘And it was me who ran into you back there in the store.’
‘Yeah, I lucked out.’ Daniel’s hands around his coffee cup were tanned, his fingers were long, with broad, well-trimmed nails. ‘The same way Ezra lucked out with Grace.’
‘She really likes him,’ I sighed. ‘Which is tough on Jude, I guess.’
‘These things happen,’ Daniel shrugged. Those sinewy hands were connected to muscular arms and broad shoulders that he didn’t parade in a macho posture like bodybuilders do. Instead he seemed to accept and underplay his physicality – something which I generally like in a guy. ‘If you want my opinion, Grace and Ezra are made for each other.’
‘In what way?’
‘They share interests for a start. Ezra knows the names of the planets and the star systems. It turns out Grace is a stargazer too.’
‘I never knew that.’ My short replies were a result of Daniel’s clear blue eyes staring deep into mine. It had the effect of further scrambling my brain.
‘And Ezra studied psychology. It was his college major.’
‘Hey – coincidence! That’s going to be Grace’s major too.’
‘That’s what I’m saying. I look at them and think those two are a natural fit. She seems so happy to be with him.’
His use of the present tense unexpectedly got through to me and I frowned. ‘Actually, I’ve been trying to contact Grace. I need to speak with her. You don’t happen to know where she is?’
Daniel nodded. ‘Sure. She’s with Ezra at Black Eagle Lodge. Why don’t I drive you up there now?’
7
At the time I convinced myself that I accepted the invitation because it was important for me to see Grace, but looking back I can see how much my rabbit-in-the-headlights attraction to Daniel had to do with it.
I said yes and we didn’t hurry. We finished our coffees and ran back to the Black Horse store for Daniel to choose Zoran’s spurs. We bought a pair and stored them in the trunk of his SUV. By the time we were driving the dirt track up to the lodge it was past midday.
‘Are you hungry?’ Daniel asked.
‘No, really.’ I was paying attention to the landscape, trying to concentrate on picking out angles for my next trip up here with my camera to replace the shots I’d accidentally deleted – especially where a creek snaked through a valley between rocks and aspens, and again when I spotted an area of burnout on a distant slope; an empty grey patch the shape of a tear drop.
‘There’ll be food later,’ Daniel assured me. ‘Zoran is planning a pool party with barbecued ribs. Does that sound good?’
I bit my lip and gave a shrug. No commitment.
‘Grace will be there,’ he promised.
‘I didn’t bring a swimsuit,’ I told him and subsided into awkward silence for most of the journey.
When we arrived at the lodge, Zoran’s grey dogs heard our car and loped out of the barn to meet us. They wove between Daniel’s legs then stayed to heel as we lifted boxes from the trunk and carried them across the empty arena.
‘What breed of dog are they?’ I wanted to know.
‘Lurchers – a type of hunting dog they use in Eastern Europe. You can put the stuff on the table through here.’
‘What are their names?’
Daniel shrugged. ‘They’re not pets. They don’t come with names.’ Then he led the way into a neat new tack room complete with saddles and bridles. My arm brushed his as we deposited the boxes. My skin tingled. Before I knew it he’d leaned forward and landed the lightest kiss on my lips, smiling slightly as if he’d scored a victory, then walked back through the barn.
My face burning with embarrassment, I followed him and saw that a boy around my age was standing in the cool shadow by the wide doorway. It took me a while to place him – he was the golden-haired guy who had been laughing too loud at Cristal’s joke outside the clubhouse.
‘Hey, Oliver. I guess you’re looking for Cristal?’ Daniel asked in passing.
The kid was shorter and slighter than him, preppy looking in white button-down shirt and loafers and seeming kind of lost and out of place here on the ranch. He didn’t answer, as if his mind were on other things.
‘She’s in the studio,’ Daniel told him and walked on with the dogs.
‘So where’s Grace?’ I asked, hurrying to keep pace. The kiss had stayed on my lips, stolen my breath, made me shake all over. My question about my friend was meant to steady me so that I could focus on something else.
‘In the house. I’ll take you.’
Considering he was the one who’d just landed the kiss, Daniel had suddenly turned a whole lot cooler. But then we were entering between the sliding doors of the main block and Zoran was in the hallway, stooping to greet the nameless dogs, their images multiplied in the angled, floor-to-ceiling mirrors. I guessed this meant that Daniel was back on duty.
‘Tania, good to see you!’ Zoran made up for the change in Daniel with the broadest of smiles, the warmest of greetings. He was dressed down in a black T-shirt and jeans, with the lower half of the angel tattoo on display. ‘I was hoping you could be persuaded to visit us again.’
‘Hi.’ Here he was, the iconic figure from over two decades of rock music, the face from album covers, posters and magazines, meeting me for the third time and treating me like an old friend.
‘Don’t worry, I’m not giving any Aztec lectures today,’ he grinned as he handed the dogs over to Daniel and we walked into the elevator. ‘You don’t have to fake an interest.’
‘Oh, I wasn’t faking,’ I protested, pulling myself together. ‘I mean, how many people do I know who own priceless pieces of ethnic art?’
‘Ha!’ He seemed pleased. ‘You came on a good day. We’re having another party – a celebration.’
‘I know. Daniel told me.’
‘This time I only invited my staff and their close friends.’ Zoran paused to study the two gold charms hanging from a slim chain around my neck. One was in the shape of a heart (a birthday gift from Orlando), the other a crucifix studded with blood-red garnets which had belonged to my dad’s grandmother back in Romania. ‘Pretty,’ he said dismissively as we exited the lift and walked along the familiar main corridor. ‘Are you wearing a swimsuit? No, of course not – how would you know to bring one when you left the house this morning?’
He’d no sooner thought of it than Cristal was emerging from a side room and Zoran was ordering her to find me a costume before he went on towards his private cinema.
‘Actually, I’m looking for Grace,’ I hurriedly got in before Cristal put her arm around my waist and waltzed me off through another side door.
‘Swimsuit first,’ she insisted. She was wearing a short azure chiffon robe over her own two-piece. The neckline was studded with square turquoise stones set in silver that looked expensive. When she caught me looking at them, she smiled modestly and said, ‘Not genuine.’
‘I didn’t think they were,’ I said, again too quickly to sound natural. I told myself that those stones were one hundred per cent the real deal.
The small room we’d entered was lined with closets and full-length mirrors.
Opening one of the doors, Cristal invited me to take my pick among a rack of swimsuits and poolside robes.
‘White could be your colour,’ she suggested.
‘Or silver. You have wonderful dark hair and dark skin tones. You’re like a glossy, elegant bird – did anyone tell you? Anyway, take a good look. I’ll come back in ten minutes, OK?’
In spite of the feeling that events were sweeping me along in a direction I hadn’t expected, I found myself acting like a child in a candy store, wide-eyed and greedy. I mean, these outfits were to die for, especially the shoes that I found lined up on a rack inside the closet – Grecian-style sandals in white, gold and silver, soft kid-skin ballet pumps in aquamarine, crimson and yellow. I chose the shoes first – silver Grecian ones that laced high up my calves – then a sea-green bikini held together at the hip and neck with metal clasps in the shape of intertwined dolphins, and last of all a shimmering silver robe, also with a Grecian styling. I was wearing them all and experimenting with twisting my hair on to the top of my head when Cristal glided silently back into the room, together with Grace.
I saw Grace’s reflection in the mirror and swung quickly round. ‘Finally!’ I cried. ‘I’ve been calling you all day. Where were you?’
‘Here,’ she said, the smallest of frowns creasing her brow. ‘What are you doing, Tania? Why are you here?’
‘I came to see you. Daniel brought me.’
‘Oh, Daniel – cool.’ The frown stayed, the kind that suggested she’d lost something and wasn’t sure where to search. It seemed she was ready for the party, dressed in a short robe patterned with big white daisies on a green and yellow background over a plain white one-piece costume. Her feet were bare, her toenails painted shell pink. ‘Actually, I was looking for Ezra,’ she said.
Cristal the fixer stepped forward to soothe her. ‘Why, honey, he’s working – remember?’
‘Working,’ Grace echoed. ‘I want him to be with me for my big celebration.’
‘He’ll be here soon,’ Cristal promised before leaving Grace and me to chat.
The door slid smoothly behind her and we were alone.
Straight away I took both of Grace’s trembling hands in mine. ‘Grace, I’ve been out of my mind worrying about you. How long have you been here? Did you stay the night?’
‘Take it easy, Tania.’ Twisting her hands free, she began to pace petulantly around the windowless room. ‘I need to see Ezra.’
‘Sure, I know you do. Grace, listen to me. What about your parents? You can’t just tell them a big fat lie about Tarsha’s place and come up here instead, not after the kind of week you just put them through.’
‘Leave me alone. I know what I’m doing,’ she mumbled, shaking her head as she tried to find a catch or a handle that would open the door.
‘That’s the point – it’s not safe to leave you alone!’ I cried. ‘That’s why I’m here. I came to tell you, you should come home with me, try to sort out this mess.’
Grace took no notice whatsoever. ‘What did Cristal mean Ezra’s working?’
‘He has a job, I guess. They all work for Zoran, don’t they?’
‘He never mentioned a job.’ Finally discovering that there was no catch or door handle, Grace made a fist and thumped the glass. ‘What am I supposed to do while he’s working?’
‘What are any of us supposed to do when we visit here?’ I asked. I began to feel it was like trying to catch the attention of a very small, tired child. ‘We sit around and wait for the entertainment – the party, the gig or whatever – to begin. Anyway, what’s this about a celebration?’
‘It’s a big day for me,’ she said vaguely, hovering by the door as if she still expected Ezra to walk in.
‘Grace, we need to talk. Do you hear me? Am I getting through?’
She swung away from the door and drifted over to the closet, where she ran her fingers along the hangers which clicked together and swayed. When she turned back it was with a new, unexpected expression – one of high, childish enjoyment that lit up those grey eyes and brought a flush to her cheeks. ‘Oh, Tania, isn’t it just so cool here? There’s an infinity pool and a cinema room—’
‘I know – I saw that, remember.’
‘Last night Ezra took me up to a telescope on the roof of the studio. We sat for hours and looked at the sky.’
‘Cool. Did the shooting stars put on another display especially for you?’
Obviously Grace missed my sarcasm. ‘He helped me understand the movement of the planets.’
‘Will you stop talking to me about planets! Focus on what’s actually happening here. Grace, I don’t even recognize you any more – it’s like suddenly you’re a different person.’
‘Ezra taught me about Mars and Neptune. And afterwards, we swam naked in the pool, just the two of us. It was so dark and silent under the stars. Then we walked up the mountain and Ezra made love to me – the most perfect, magical love-making …’
I put my hands to my ears. ‘Grace, don’t tell me. I don’t want to hear.’
‘Why not? You’re my friend. Why shouldn’t I share with you the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me?’
‘Because … Jude!’ I reminded her helplessly.
As I said his name the door slid open and Ezra came in. His dark hair fell forward across one eye, he wore a couple of days’ beard, a crumpled T-shirt, frayed jeans and bare feet, yet still he managed to look totally hot. Grace ran to him and flung her arms around his neck.
He kissed her then extricated himself, holding her tightly by the hand while he greeted me. ‘Hey, Tania. The other guests are here,’ he told me. ‘It’s time to party.’
Zoran’s infinity pool was hidden away from the main complex, built on a ledge overlooking the high peaks of the Bitterroot Range. The pool was as luxurious as you would expect, with a large hot tub bubbling on one side, but it was the panoramic view that took your breath away.
Black Eagle Lodge stood at around 8,000 feet. From here we looked out at snow-capped mountains reaching 14,000 feet, where the ice never melts and the clouds meet the land in luminous banks that take your eye higher still, above even the misty violet mountains into an intense blue canopy. Beneath it, the jagged peaks roll on, layer after layer, growing fainter, as far as you can see.
‘Awesome, huh?’ Daniel sought me out and joined me on the terrace beside the pool.
‘But not good for someone with vertigo,’ I told him. If I moved any closer to the edge, my head would start to spin and my knees go weak for sure.
He took up a protective position between me and the sheer drop down the mountain. ‘I’d forgotten that about you. But don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.’
I never discussed my fear of falling with you in the first place, I thought. Why does this keep on happening with you people?
Daniel’s smile was serene. ‘Actually, this is my favourite place. I sit here evenings and watch the sun go down.’
‘It’s a big, big space,’ I murmured. Totally awesome was what it was. With my back to the party guests and with guitar music playing low in the background, there was a moment of perfect, immense silence before a short yelp and a splash behind me broke it. When I turned, I saw that someone had plunged into the pool and was swimming underwater, his body pale and fluid. A second guest came to the pool edge, ready to dive, then a third and a fourth. Soon a dozen people were swimming, laughing and fooling in the deep-blue water. Tanned bodies plunged and vanished, dripping heads and shoulders soon emerging out of the depths, plunging again and kicking up spray in the faces of people standing nearby.
‘You want to swim?’ Daniel asked amid the lighthearted cries of protest.
I shook my head. ‘Thanks, I like what I’m looking at right now.’
‘The sun sets over Carlsbad Mountain, which is the highest peak in the range,’ Daniel explained, coming behind me to get into my line of vision. He wrapped one arm around my waist to keep me safe then pointed with the other hand. The close
contact brought the same shiver down my spine as the earlier kiss. But I picked out the mountain he meant. It had a conical peak and glaciers running in thin white stripes from the summit. ‘On a clear day you see Carlsbad turn fiery red. The sun hits the peak and sinks behind it like a stone.’
‘You’re so busy with the mustangs and whatever else you do out here for Zoran, I’m surprised you find time to watch the sun set.’ Take it back to boring, bland, everyday stuff; don’t get lost in Daniel’s word picture, his soft voice, his hand resting now on your shoulder.
‘That’s the thing about Black Eagle Lodge – there’s always time.’
‘To party?’ I forced myself to step away, turning to two guys playing guitar under an awning at the far side of the pool and recognizing them as the guitarists from the Heavenly Bodies gig. They were both in their thirties with dark hair curling over the collars, giving them an artistic, perhaps Romany look, which figured considering Zoran’s background.
Today, for this intimate gathering, there were no electric guitars and big sound system, only acoustic instruments, which sounded mellow, the notes floating up into a clear blue sky. Guests sat drinking and chatting at nearby tables – I noticed Lewis sitting at one of them with Cristal and Aaron’s preppy, fair-haired replacement, Oliver. As yet there was no sign of Grace and Ezra, I noticed.
The host was absent too, though this didn’t surprise me. From past experience, I knew that Zoran favoured a big entrance after everyone had gathered.
‘If you won’t swim, how about something to eat?’ It was Daniel again, determined to take care of me and be a good host among strangers. He took my hand and led me down steps to a lower wooden deck where there was already a full-blown barbecue, steaks sizzling and big bowls of fruit punch being served from a bar built into the rock. ‘No?’ he asked as he felt me hesitate.
‘No, thanks.’
‘Then back to the music,’ he suggested, retracing our steps up to the pool.
And now here was Grace, with Ezra at her side. She had a drink in her hand and still the scary expression of hyper-delight on her face, deep in conversation with Cristal, with Lewis, with everyone who would pay her any attention as she swayed to the music and tilted and spilled her drink until Ezra took it from her. Spotting me across the pool, she threw her arms wide and cried, ‘Hey, Tania, let’s dance!’