Hello, Goodbye

Chapter Eighteen

Even though she only lived a few minutes away from Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, she found she rarely visited it at all. She liked the beach closer to her house more. There were less people around, so there was more room for her to think. To be alone when she needed to be. You were never really alone at Ebey's Landing. But for an animal lover like Zeke, it was perfect. It was a great place to see all sorts of wildlife. Birds, mammals, sea creatures. Anything you could think of. People came from all over to swim in the cool waters of the Puget Sound, hike or bike the many trails scattered in the nearby wilderness, or enjoy the sandy beaches. It was a major tourist attraction, and she couldn't believe she hadn't thought to bring him there sooner.

His eyes lit up when he saw where she was taking him. "Ebey's Landing?" he asked, and she smiled and nodded her head, not at all surprised that he knew about it already. He seemed to know so much about the Pacific Northwest's wildlife, and she knew he must've done a ton of research before his arrival a few months ago. "Oh my goodness," he said, and she could hear his southern drawl in the words. "I've been wanting to come out here since I got to the island, but I've been so busy. Do you know how many animals there are here?" She shook her head, loving how alive he looked at the moment. "Emersyn, one of my favorite animals is here. Or at least, it's been spotted here."

The way he talked about animals made her heart soar. "What is it?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear as she watched him bounce on the balls of his bare feet in excitement. He was adorable, and she vowed to do more things like this with him in the future just so she could see his smile. It was the most perfect smile. Brighter than the sun, and so warm that it could heat her up on the coldest winter nights.

"The Northern Alligator Lizard," he answered, showing off his perfect smile. "Man, I wish I had my phone on me to show you a picture. It's so cool. Like some combination of an alligator, a lizard, and a snake. It's got a long tail that adds six inches to its size, and it gives birth to live young. I don't know, I used to think they were so cool. I still do, I guess."

"A long tail, huh?" she said with a smirk, and he nodded his head enthusiastically. "So I guess that means you're a booty kind of guy then?" she asked, and she loved how that little flirty comment could make his cheeks turn pink.

He grinned and shook his head. "What can I say? I love chasing tail." She threw her head back and laughed, pleased that he was following her line of thinking. His eyes roamed across the sandy landscape. "Wow. I can't believe you brought me here. This is amazing."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked as she looked away from him and toward the beautiful beach landscape before them. She stretched out her arm toward the grassy trails. "Get going. Show off all your amazing animal facts. I'm yours to teach."

He bit his lip as he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the beach. The sand felt sharp beneath her feet, but she was too distracted by the fact that her hand was in his to pay attention to it. He ran around like a kid in a candy store, not sure where to go first. They found all sorts of wildlife out there. Snakes and frogs. Some bugs. Creatures as small as squirrels and as large as deer. They even happened upon a fox, which tickled her. She'd never voiced it out loud before, but she loved foxes. They were probably her favorite animal, most likely due to the fact that they were also redheads. A silly reason, but she felt like she had something in common with them. And redheads had to stick together.

And as he showed her all the different kinds of wildlife out in Ebey's Landing, she found she was becoming more and more impressed with his vast knowledge on the subject of zoology. He had a passion for it that could rival her passion for art. "Do you think you'll ever go back to school?" she asked him as they walked hand-in-hand down one of the many trails. His smile dimmed just a bit, and she suddenly wished she hadn't asked him at all. "Sorry. Too personal."