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We move to the recording studios, plural.
“This is where all the magic happens,” Ash explains.
“I got to use that one…” Carmen points to one of the smaller recording booths. “When I called my father, before the raid that…” Her attention cuts to Rosalie and there’s no reason to finish what she was going to say.
We make our way to the kitchen, where Rafe’s busy whipping up a gourmet meal.
“Someday, I’m going to walk in here and say ‘This is my chef—the best in the world.’ For now, though, I can only claim him one night a month.” Ash winks at us, sharing the inside joke.
“Hah,” Rafe snorts. “You’re going to have to pry me away from the Guardians and I don’t think you can afford me.”
“I’m sure we could come up with something reasonable.” Ash sounds hopeful, but Rafe shakes his head.
“You could tempt me with a shitload of cash, but…” His eyes shift to Carmen where they soften with love, affection, and an unbreakable bond. “I don’t do it for the money.”
“Aww…” Rosalie and I flank Carmen, and we both hip-check her as we pitch our voices high, using a singsong voice. “That’s so sweet. He loves you.”
“Stop it.” Carmen playfully slaps at us, which only encourages us to sing it over and over again. For once, I’m not the one with red cheeks.
We settle down and hang out in the kitchen for a bit. We watch Rafe cook, offering unhelpful advice, but then Ash asks us to join him outside.
“I want you to see this before the sun sets. The view is lost once it’s dark.” He shows us the patio—although I’m not sure something that size can be called a patio—with its breathtaking view of the ocean and its massive infinity pool.
“Holy wow.” Rosalie steps right to the edge, where two rows of safety glass have been installed. She props her arms on the metal railing and stares down the sheer cliff face. Knowing Rosalie, she’ll want to try climbing it.
Not me. I’m not a fan of heights. Which brings back memories of that terrifying zip line and Scott. I can’t help but wonder what he’s doing now.
Did he give up on me and move on? I hope so. Actually, I don’t hope so. Moving on means he’s got someone new to terrorize.
“And down there,” Ash points to the beach far below, “is where we have our bonfires.” Several people gather around what looks to be a pile of dead wood stacked up in a fire ring. He heads toward a gondola propped on the edge of the cliff. “This is your ride down to the beach.”
“Wow, a gondola.” Rosalie gives a happy screech. “It’s safe, right?” She peers down the steep incline, looking concerned.
“Built by Forest, so you know it’s over-designed and can withstand a hurricane. Not that we have those here.”
“This is phenomenal.” I step inside the gondola and stare out the glass walls. “Not recommended for anyone afraid of heights.” Glass covers every surface except the floor. “The view is spellbinding.”
If there’s something solid beneath my feet, heights don’t bother me. It’s only when I’m dangling in midair that I have a problem.
“Here, let me show you how it works,” Ash explains the controls.
“You’re not coming with us?” Carmen’s eyes grow very round.
“Don’t worry. It’s literally the push of a button, and I’m going to go back and help Rafe with dinner. If he won’t come cook for us, I need to learn everything I can from him. Can you tell Skye that everyone’s here? She’s already down there. Tell her to go ahead and light the bonfire. We’ll be down shortly.”
“Absolutely.” I look to Carmen and Rosalie, waiting for them to climb on board with me. “Come on. Don’t be scared.”
I laugh, because the one thing Rosalie is not afraid of are heights. Carmen too. But for some reason this gondola gives them pause.
They finally join me and I press the button that says Down. Ash isn’t lying about how simple it is to operate. There are only two buttons that control this thing. One says Down and the other says Up.
Pretty simple and breathtaking.
“Come.” I wave for them to join me at the front of the gondola. As it begins to slowly traverse down the cliff face, we stare out over the expanse of the ocean.
The gondola rattles against the rails as it descends. An exhilarating, but slow, ride, my heart pounds the entire way. The sun hangs a handbreadth over the horizon and begins its nightly display turning the sky into a fiery halo and tinting the clouds with streaks of red. Beams of sunlight pierce the clouds to shine down on the water below, forming an ethereal cathedral in the sky framed in golden-orange.
With our noisy descent, seagulls cry out from their nesting spots along the cliff’s face. We spot a few of their nests on tiny ledges as we pass. They flap their wings to scare us away, which works as the gondola takes us down the cliff. With irritated squawks they balance on the jagged cliff face and settle down to tend their nests.
