CHAPTER 77

We're all scheduled to meet at the beach at noon, but I'm the first one there except for an attendant who appears to be working on setting up the wooden altar we'll use for our rehearsal tomorrow and the wedding the following day. I'm distracted by a cage with a bright-orange bird sitting in the sand. The same kind of bird I saw last night from our villa. "Well, hello," I say, bending to my knees as I come up next to the birdcage. The white sand is smooth against my skin as my jean shorts ride up. The bird peers back at me, its green head jerking back and forth. "She's beautiful," I say softly. "What's her name?" "Hugo," the attendant informs me. "It's a male. The female fruit doves aren't as brightly colored." "And he's here to get a tan?" I ask with a smile. "He gets bored up by the buildings. Figured I'd bring him with me for an outing." "They live around here? I saw one behind my villa." "All over the island," the man confirms. "This one hurt his wing rec