“Because it means leaving you and your family and… And…” Her eyes filled with tears.
“You think a few hundred miles can keep us apart? I love California and now I have a reason to visit.”
Alex laughed through her tears. Maggie, always the optimist, saw the silver lining in everything.
****
Alex’s remaining time at Twisted Juniper was filled with a mixture of excitement and sadness. The rangers threw her a going away party and all promised to keep in touch. Most of her time was spent with Maggie, including staying with her the night before she was supposed to leave.
With a small trailer packed with her belongings, Alex and Koko took one last look at the park that had been their home for over a year. The sun had just come up, bringing warmth to the cool November morning. The desert was oddly quiet as if it were saying goodbye, too.
Maggie and Pelli stood next to her. “We’re going to miss you,” she said.
“Am I making a mistake?” Alex had been asking herself that question for weeks.
“No. You’re moving on to bigger and better things.”
Alex shook her head. “It can’t get much better than this.”
Maggie hugged her. “Sure it will. Just wait.”
Alex’s shoulders sagged as she wrapped her arms around her friend.
“This isn’t goodbye,” Maggie said. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
Alex nodded and smiled as she pulled away. “I’ll see you later,” she echoed. “Give this to Henry, okay?” she drew the stuffed raven from her jacket pocket. It was her only physical connection to Brian and as much as it pained her to give it away, keeping it hurt worse.
“I will,” Maggie replied, cradling the shiny black bird.
“Come on, Koko, time to go.” She opened the passenger door and waited for the girls to say goodbye to each other. “Take care of your family, okay, Pelli?”
“Let us know when you get there,” Maggie said.
“I will,” Alex replied as she got behind the wheel. Koko whined from her seat, her head hanging out her window. “I know, baby. We’ll see them soon, okay?” Alex waved to Maggie and drove away. Halfway to Dembi Koko finally relaxed in her seat and fell asleep.
Alex stopped for gas in Barstow and turned her phone on for the first time in months. The voicemail was full and she had over fifty text notifications. The thought of going through them was daunting, so she called Steve to let him know where she was so they could plan a time to meet at his grandparent’s house. Next, she called Maggie. Apparently, there were already five applicants for Alex’s position at the park, a fact Maggie had kept secret just in case Alex changed her mind. Interviews would begin the following week. The guilt she had been holding onto slipped away.
That evening, after many stops along the way, Alex and Koko spent a full hour sitting in traffic in Los Angeles. By the time they made their way up Live Oak Canyon, their snacks and patience had been depleted, but as they drove, most of the noise of the city fell away. Enormous mansions dotted the landscape, and she was sure if she looked hard enough, she could find movie stars. Stars like Blaze Johnson. Even after everything, she couldn’t help but think of him. Part of moving on was letting go of him and her remaining memories. That would take time.
Following the directions Steve had given her, she finally found the long, winding road that would take her to his grandparent’s estate. She parked in a massive gravel drive in front of a beautiful Spanish hacienda-style house, hooked Koko to her leash, and stepped outside.
Steve greeted her from the heavy wooden front door. “Welcome.”
“It’s spectacular.”
“Wait until you see it during the day. Come on, I’ll take you on a tour of the house.” He bent down and patted Koko’s head, making her tail wag.
“This is Koko.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, shaking the dog’s paw.
Alex laughed and then followed him inside. The house and property had obviously been a ranch or farm at some point and was different from many of the mansions she’d passed on her way up the canyon. It had been well cared for over the years and original details remained intact. “When was this house built?” she asked.
“In 1920. My grandparents were friends with the Dohenys. They owned most of the land around here, so when my grandparents were trying to find a place to settle down, the Dohenys offered to sell them a parcel. It was before the real estate boom, so they sold it for next to nothing. It’s been in my family ever since. My dad died in January, so now it belongs to my sister and me.” A smile formed as he touched the rough stucco walls. “I have so many fond memories of this place.”
“I can see why.” Between the smooth tile floors and great arching doorways, the house had more character than anything she’d seen. A door at the back of the house opened into a spacious courtyard connecting the main structure to another smaller building that ran parallel. “What’s that?” she asked as they walked outside.
“Servant’s quarters and stables,” he replied. “My sister and I used to play in there. Once upon a time, my grandparents had horses. The man who managed the stables lived there, but it’s storage now.” He unlocked the door and flipped a switch and smiled when the lights came on. The walls had patches of caramel bricks showing through where chunks of plaster had fallen over the years, giving her a glimpse into the past. Massive beams of wood supported the ceiling, which matched the rustic cabinets in the tiny kitchen. It was perfect.
“This is where I want to stay.”
Steve frowned. “But the house is so much more spacious. And clean.”
“That’ll make a perfect Visitor Center,” she said. “Believe me, this is more than enough room for the two of us.”
They walked through the house, which was easily twice the size of what she was used to. The floors had smooth tiles, exactly like the main house; they were just dirty. Nothing a little tender loving care couldn’t fix. The bedroom she chose had a massive window overlooking the property. It would be beautiful in the daytime. All the utilities worked and better yet, she wouldn’t feel bad about her eclectic furniture ruining the authentic look of the main house. One of the other rooms was packed with old tables, chairs, and dressers that had probably been stored for a half a century.
“Are you sure? It’s not much. We didn’t clean out here. We thought you’d prefer to stay in the main house.”
“I’m sure. I’m not afraid of a little cleaning.” She picked up an ancient broom and started sweeping to prove her point. A few of the bristles fell onto the floor so she made a note to buy a new one.
“Okay. What can I help you carry inside for tonight? You can also take anything you like from this room. There might be a bed frame in here somewhere,” he said studying the piles of furniture.
“My mattress and two pieces of luggage are all I need for now. You really don’t mind?” They cut through the courtyard, and she unlocked the trailer.
“I wouldn’t offer if I did. I’ll bring help tomorrow to carry the rest.”
“That would be great since you’re the only one I know around here.” The mattress was wedged firmly on top of everything else, and she grunted as she pulled it out and held it so it was sandwiched between them.
“That’s not entirely true, is it?” he asked from the other side of the mattress. “What happened…with Blaze?”
She winced. “I thought I knew him. Turns out, I was wrong. You saw the pictures, huh?”
“I saw you on set, too. He spent an awful lot of time near you. And then I read those horrible headlines about you. It didn’t seem to fit with what I saw during our time at Twisted Juniper.”
The memories made her skin flush—his hot breath on her neck, his hands on her hips, and that stupid sexy smile that melted her heart. She sighed. “I thought he liked me, but he didn’t. He said some really hurtful things. It’s been hard.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry. I just wondered what really happened.”
“You and me b
oth,” she replied, grateful for the mattress between them hiding her face. They walked side by side into the old servant’s quarters. When they dropped the mattress on the floor, dust flew out in every direction.
“Are you sure you want to stay here tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, welcome home,” he said and then he left.
Alex flopped onto her mattress and dialed Maggie. It rang five times before the generic answering voice asked her to leave a message. “I’m here. This place is amazing. I’m dying to tell you all about it. Call me,” she said and then hung up.
A few minutes later, her phone rang. Alex smiled as she pulled it out of her pocket, ready to tell Maggie everything, but her smile fell when her mom’s number glowed on the screen. It would be days before she could deal with her mom, so she spent the rest of the night tidying up and ignoring her phone. She didn’t want to start her new adventure by reliving the nightmare of her past.
Chapter Twenty-Three
When Alex opened her window the next morning she was greeted with golden rays of sunlight bathing the rolling hills that extended as far as the eye could see. Birds sang softly, insects hummed, and a soft breeze carried the sweet perfume of something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. In that moment reality set in. It had finally happened; her new adventure had begun.
Just as Steve promised, a crew of volunteers were ready to help her move her belongings and rearrange anything she needed. After a week, she had transformed the servant’s quarters into her home with a mixture of her belongings and the relics Steve had given her permission to use.
Alex talked to Maggie on a regular basis while she got situated with her new job. Thursday nights were still movie nights and they watched a classic together albeit on the phone. It wasn’t quite the same, but it helped both of them. They talked about work, dogs, and Henry and then made plans for Maggie’s family to visit after the reserve opened. They would come for Christmas.
Steve and his sister, Linda, organized a thorough cleaning and repairs of the main house while Alex got to work with the wildlife survey. It meant she spent many of her days climbing hills and exploring caves in the arid wilderness with Koko. Eventually, between hard work and lots of time with her dog in nature, she found her happiness. For the first time in her life, she was fulfilled. Her peace had been waiting for her all along. Steve had been telling her she was the perfect person for the job, and she could finally admit he was right.
****
“Are you ready to see your grandma?” Brian asked as Ozzie wiggled inside his kennel at the airport. “She’s going to have treats in her pocket. I’ll bet you anything.”
As soon as he made his way through the security gate, he saw his mom, smiling from ear to ear. “Happy Thanksgiving, honey,” she said and then she kissed his cheek. Before he could respond, she squatted down to say hello to Ozzie through the bars of his cage. “And how’s my baby? Was the flight okay? I hope they treated you well.” She pushed two tiny bone-shaped treats through the front of the cage.
“You know he can’t answer you, right, Mom?”
With a wave of her hand she dismissed him. “Let’s go to the car so we can get him out of there.”
Brian nodded and started toward the door, but before they got outside, a camera flashed in his face.
“Traveling for the holiday?” the man asked as he flashed another dozen times.
Brian smiled. If he smiled, they would leave him alone faster. That was the way it happened. Backing away from his mother and Ozzie’s kennel, he continued to smile.
“Blaze. Over here,” someone shouted as they positioned their phone so they could take a selfie with him in the background.
A group of young women squealed and mobbed him. “Can we take a picture with you?” one of the women asked.
“Of course.” Once he opened his arms, the women squeezed in while a friend took their picture with one phone after another. His face hurt from holding a smile long enough to get through all seven of them.
“I can’t believe it,” one of the women said. “Thank you.” Just as she leaned up and kissed his cheek, a camera flashed. “I kissed him,” she shouted triumphantly as she rejoined her group of friends.
The man with the camera who had started the whole thing said, “Are you here with Alexis Mitchell? Has she been with you for the past two months? No one has been able to find her.” He craned his head to look around for her.
“I traveled with my dog,” Brian said. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my family is waiting for me.”
The photographer took another handful of pictures but didn’t follow Brian as he rejoined his mom and Ozzie.
Outside, his mom shook her head, pulled a tissue out of her pocket, and wiped at his cheek. “You have lipstick on your face.” She sighed. “I don’t know how you deal with that all the time.”
“It wasn’t so bad today. No one recognized me on the flight. That was nice.”
A few car lengths away, his dad waved from the curb. They hugged briefly and then Brian set to work collapsing the kennel while his mom took Ozzie into the back seat with her.
“I had to move a few times. What took so long?” his dad asked as he got behind the wheel.
“Paparazzi,” his mom explained.
Brian sat in the passenger seat and relaxed. “It’s nice to be home. What’s on the menu this year? I’m starving.”
“Just wait until you see what I’ve already made. Now that you’re here, we can finally get the turkey ready.”
His dad laughed. “Don’t you two ever think about anything besides food? Thanksgiving isn’t for another two days.”
Brian smiled. “You never seem to complain about our brined turkey.”
“You’re right about that,” his dad said and twisted a pretend key to lock his mouth shut.
****
Brian and his mom moved around each other in the kitchen, stirring, cooking, and chopping in perfect harmony. “Oh, I brought almonds and dates from California,” he said.
“Perfect,” his mom said. “We’ll add them to the stuffing.”
“Is Ozzie your date?” his dad called out from the front room where he relaxed on the couch with the dog.
“Very funny, Dad.” Brian rolled his eyes and his mom laughed.
“Speaking of dates,” his mom started. “What’s going on with you and Alexis? You two looked pretty cozy in those pictures. I was hoping to meet her.”
All the times he’d called home he had managed to avoid all conversations about Alex, but he couldn’t in person. “I don’t know. She won’t return my calls.”
“The man at the airport says no one has been able to find her. What if she’s in a coma?”
“I don’t think she’s in a coma, Mom.”
“Did you call the local hospital? The desert is a dangerous place. What if she got stung by a scorpion?”
“It would only hurt, not hospitalize her. Besides, she’s careful and carries a special light to search for them at night.”
“Sounds like you know her pretty well.”
“I do. Well, I thought I did.”
“Well? What happened?”
“It didn’t work out.”
“But you both looked so happy.”
“We were. It was just…fun. She got what she wanted and then it ended. That’s it.”
A frown creased her forehead. “You’re making it sound like she used you.”
“That’s how it feels.” Unable to face her, he turned away and took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to upset you.” She touched his back and patted it lightly. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not,” he admitted. “I miss her. I…I love her.”
His mom gasped. “You love her?”
With a quick nod, he let out a shaky breath. “But it doesn’t matter. I need to move on just like she did.”
****
Brian’s parents didn’t mention Alex again while he was visit
ing, but he felt their pity every time they looked at him. That’s why he didn’t want to tell them about her in the first place. The reminder of how much he had lost wasn’t necessary.
On his last day, he flopped on his old twin bed and stared at the ceiling. It had been two months since filming ended and he missed Alex more than ever. Dialing by heart, he called her, but her mailbox was still full. Next, he called the park.
“Twisted Juniper State Park, how can I help you?” a man answered. Finally. It took Brian a few seconds, but he figured it was Neal.
All the times he had called in September and October, the line was always busy. “Is Alex there?”
Neal sighed into the phone. “Alex no longer works here. Please stop calling.” The phone creaked as if Neal were about to hang up.
“Neal?” Brian said.
“Yes,” Neal replied slowly.
“It’s Blaze. I um,” he stalled and cleared his throat. “I’m trying to find Alex.”
“Sorry man. She’s not here.”
“Where is she?”
“You should call her and ask,” Neal said.
“I’ve tried. No answer.”
Neal exhaled. “Then I guess she doesn’t want to talk to you. I’m sorry. She asked us not to tell anyone. It was pretty crazy for a while.”
“Okay, thanks anyway,” Brian replied before disconnecting.
****
Near the end of November, Steve and Linda met a final time with the California Wildlife Trust to set up a plan to maintain and monitor the environment and with Alex’s survey, the Frederick Nature Reserve took shape.
Now all they needed was money.
Steve had been paying Alex’s salary, but if they could attract attention from the community and solicit memberships, she wouldn’t be a burden on him. Of course, he didn’t see it that way and assured her he made enough money to pay her, but the whole idea of setting up a reserve was to make it self-sustaining. In any case, they needed to hire a few part-time positions to help since the property needed a lot of work. The land had been changed almost a century ago by livestock and orange groves, both of which had left a lasting mark. Alex wanted desperately to return it to its native habitat but knew she couldn’t do it alone. Hiring a few assistants was at the top of the list…once they had money. While Alex cleaned up the grounds as much as she could, Steve and Linda arranged for their grand opening event.
Love on Location Page 22