Page 57 of Visions of You

I grinned. “A nighttime walk is much more enticing when I know I get to crawl back in with you afterward.”

Soon we were redressed and strolling up the sand path toward the Big House. Her hand was snug within mine, and the night was fragrant and a perfect temperature.

April snuck a glance at the blanket folded over my arm. “Another blanket? You tend to do wild things to me involving blankets.”

I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand. “You’ll see.”

We passed by the cottages and angled around the side of the Big House. I took the lead, still holding April’s hand as we skirted the pool deck. Tall hedges of groomed bougainvillea fringed the area, ensuring we had privacy while using the pool. I led us through a gap and onto another sand path that ran along the bluff.

April slowed, tugging on my hand as she took in the view. “Wow, even with no moon, this is spectacular.”

A wide expanse of ocean lay before us. The lights of Dove Key were visible ahead and the more distant ones of Big Pine Key twinkled farther to the north. April craned her head around and studied the Big House. “Which room was yours growing up?”

I pointed to one end. “Third floor end room. It’s been remodeled for Hailey now. She loves that she gets to sleep in my old room. The view is incredible from there.”

“I’m sure it is.” She took a deep breath and met my eyes. “Was your childhood happy here? Without your mother?”

My eyes automatically traveled to the opposite end of the third floor, to the master bedroom my father occupied. A small smile stretched my lips. “I was happy. Losing my mom was awful, but Dad and Nona did everything they could to make sure we knew we were loved.”

“Maia told me about it. I’m so sorry. You were what? Eight?”

I nodded. “Hailey’s age, actually. It made me very protective of my siblings.” I took her hand and led her forward, leaning close to her as we continued along the path. “And protective of others too.” Ispared a quick glance at the Big House. “We were happy kids, and all very different. On any given day, you’d find Dad grooming me to take part in resort operations, though we had some big fights about it. Stella was always looking over the chefs’ shoulders, and Evan would be practicing one of his sports. Hunter would lie in a hammock half the day with his nose in a book, and Maia was always in the water—either the pool or the ocean.”

April laughed softly behind me. “That sounds wonderful.”

We came to the edge of the bluff where it curved in, creating a small bay. “Hold tight to my hand,” I said over my shoulder. “There are no lights here, but steps are carved into the stone all the way down.”

“All the way down where?”

I turned around and gave her a smug grin. “You’ll see.”

I led the way as we descended the stone staircase cut into the side of the bluff. I had done this so many times I didn’t need light.

“How long has this staircase been here?”

“Some ancestor had it carved out of the rock back in the 1800s. I’m not sure exactly when. Dad or Nona would know.”

“Wow. There’s so much history here.”

The path zigzagged and continued down the bluff in the opposite direction. “Yeah. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to bring Hailey back here. I want her to understand she’s a part of this.”

April squeezed my hand. “That’s wonderful.”

Another hairpin turn appeared and the rock rose on both sides as we descended through the valley between.

“This path was a lot of work to make.”

I nodded. “Yep. We’re there.”

I stepped onto the sand and led April to the left, around a protruding boulder. We emerged at the head of a small bay, the sand making a perfect white crescent as the ocean softly swept upon it, protected by the tall cliffs at the edges.

April gasped. “This is beautiful!”

She joined my side, and we ambled over the powdery sand.Small, scrubby trees and brush grew at the closed head of the bay, with a sheer limestone cliff rising behind them to the bluff overhead.

Stopping, I moved behind her and wrapped my arms around her front, pulling her back against me. “We call this the Cove. It’s invisible from the top and the only access is by that path from the Big House. It’s always been a special place just for us Markhams.”

She stroked her hand up my forearm. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”

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