The taxi had wound its way up a steep hill towards the craggy, stucco house. For a moment, Cindy had a flash of fear, seeing it perched at the edge of a cliff.
When the taxi pulled up, Mattheus took her luggage and carried it to the front door. Then he turned around and held his arms open wide.
Cindy couldn’t hold back another second. It was time to take the plunge. She ran into Mattheus’s arms with abandon. They were warm and encircled her, making her feel as if she wanted to stay in them forever.
“Welcome to my world,” Mattheus whispered in her ear, “a new era has begun.”
Cindy flushed. She’d felt that way too, but was nervous for the moment. What would this new era bring? What would it be like for the two of them to be in Grenada, to just spend time alone together without a case to focus on? They’d decided to give themselves a chance to find out. Cindy’s stomach fluttered as she let Mattheus lift her up and carry her through the door.
After what seemed like a long while, Mattheus slowly put her down and
Cindy looked around. The living room had two stories, with brick walls, huge glass windows and sprawling plants.
“The place is magical,” she said, taking it in.
Mattheus was pleased. He put his arm around her waist, pulled her closer, and walked her through the living room to the open flagstone porch.
“Time for the grand tour,” he said, and they started walking. “This place has been good to me. I needed to be alone here when I first got here. It’s great to be back here now with you, though.”
She held his hand tight, thrilled they would now have the time they needed so badly. She wanted to get to know him more, to spend long hours with him on the beach, walk in town, go to the Sculpture Garden, go to the art galleries, sit on rocks near the waterfalls. They’d do all the things she’d never had a chance to do again with Clint, things they’d been cheated out of when he was killed so suddenly on their honeymoon.
There are second chances, Cindy mused. When one wave fades out, there’s another behind it.
Mattheus stopped at a tall window.
“If you look out here you can see seagulls, wild birds, sunsets. Sometimes it feels like you’re the only person in the world.”
Cindy smiled, the view was breathtaking. They went down a few steps to the den, and the walls were lined with bookcases and shelves holding Mattheus’s mementos, plaques, rocks, awards, and an old, weathered surfboard.
Cindy winced for just a second. It reminded her of Clint. This was no time to be thinking of Clint. Cindy had done that long enough now, and so had Mattheus. Like Cindy, he’d let his wife’s murder run his life, and when he hadn’t been able to find her killer, he’d become a detective, chasing down one murderer after another. It had become an obsession, and this was the time for both of them to pause and be grateful for the unexpected destiny that had brought them into each other’s lives.
After the den, it was a few steps up to Mattheus’s bedroom—a guy’s room, filled with a huge, crumpled bed, strewn with magazines. The walls were covered with photographs – some of the ocean, birds, rocks and many photos of a beautiful woman, looking straight out at them. In many photos she was close to Mattheus, nestled in his arms. Cindy stared at her. It had to be Shelly.
“That’s your wife?” Cindy’d asked. She hadn’t seen a picture of her before.
“That was my wife,” Mattheus corrected her, glancing at the photos.
Cindy was taken aback. At first glance, Shelly actually looked a bit like her, with the same auburn hair and freckles.
“She was lovely,” said Cindy.
“And the woman I’m with now is more than lovely, she’s ravishing,” said Mattheus, scooping Cindy into his arms.
Cindy blinked, snapping out of it. She stood there, on the balcony, watching Mattheus working in the garden, she was filled with both love and longing for him. It was wonderful feeling this way again—and terrifying as well.
Mattheus must have sensed it, because he turned around, looked up and waved. “I’ll be up in a minute,” he shouted.
Cindy trembled and smiled. “I can’t wait a minute,” she called.
He laughed, put the rake down and started back up.
Cindy held her arms out to greet him.
He rushed into them, lifted her up and carried her as if she were a feather into the living room. He put her down on the couch and turned his full attention upon her.
“Do you like it here?” he breathed, excited.
“Love it,” said Cindy.
“I hoped so,” he murmured. “It’s completely different being here with you. The house feels full.”
Cindy closed her eyes, taking his warmth in. It had been a long time since she’d felt so wanted.