Page 37 of The Secrets We Treasure

Chapter 9

Just breathe, Treasure commanded herself as she looked up the driveway of the enormous mansion and the glimmering lights from within. Her heart was beating so profusely that it was jarring her entire body. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this nervous. She smoothed a hand over her dress as she pulled the strap of her purse higher up on her shoulder. Would Greer be happy about her surprise appearance, or would he be frustrated that she’d not told him she was coming? Treasure had spoken to Greer twice on the phone since her arrival on the island, all the while pretending that she was getting ready to go to Disneyland. Also, Greer had wanted to talk about the following week when he planned to visit her in Philly. It had been tough to tiptoe around that topic without arousing suspicion. She’d casually asked him about the party—if it was formal and what time it started. All the while, she’d grinned inwardly, picturing his surprised expression when he saw her at his party.

Now that the moment was upon her, however, Treasure was having second thoughts. Was coming tonight a mistake of epic proportions? This would be the first time Treasure had seen Greer’s mom, Francie, since that awful night at The Oliver Hotel when everything imploded. Would Josette Chasing be at the party? Her stomach twisted. She certainly hoped not. Dealing with Francie would be hard enough, but Josette took things to a whole new level … and not in a good way. Looking back through adult eyes, Treasure attributed most of what went down that night to Josette and her spite. Treasure wasn’t one to hold grudges, but she was not a fan of Josette Chasing. The woman was dreadful.

She sucked in a resolute breath, offering a silent prayer, asking for courage. An image of Madeline Chasing zipped through her mind. She smiled thinly at the irony. Here she was channeling Madeline to bolster her courage, and Madeline would most likely be here tonight. Thank goodness no one could read Treasure’s thoughts. She commenced to give herself a mental pep-talk. Treasure had worked hard to school herself in the art of behaving in a refined and dignified manner, even when the situation got sticky. She was no longer the timid, naïve girl of her youth. She was a celebrity turned entrepreneur. It was time to face the ghosts and put them to rest once and for all. She’d timed her arrival thirty minutes after the start of the party to make sure she didn’t do anything to interfere with Greer’s “surprise.”

As she strode up the driveway, navigating the cobblestone with her heels, her thoughts turned to Aimee’s death. Treasure had no idea the scrutiny Greer had been under. Losing Ben so unexpectedly had rocked Treasure to her core. She couldn’t imagine how horrible it would have been to have lost him under suspicious circumstances and then have vicious rumors floating around, questioning if she were responsible for his death. No wonder Greer was thrown for a loop.

After talking to her mom and Cherry, Treasure had researched Aimee’s death. Nowhere did she read anything insinuating that her death wasn’t accidental. It would seem that the source of the rumors was being generated from someone right here on Honeysuckle Island. It was sad that the people who should have had Greer’s back were the very ones spreading rumors. Maybe it was a case of jealousy over Greer’s success. From her time spent on The Singing Bachelor, Treasure certainly knew what it was like to have rivals gunning for her.

She went up the steps, across the porch, and then punched the doorbell. Through the sidelights, she could see guests mingling and holding glasses of what looked to be champagne. The door opened.

“Good evening,” a middle-aged man in a white dress shirt and bowtie said with a formal nod. Lively music and the chatter of voices floated from behind him.

“Hello,” Treasure responded, subconsciously mimicking his nod. Wow, Laci had her own butler. Treasure didn’t know whether to be impressed or amused. Laci had certainly moved up a few rungs of the social ladder. It was good to see her doing so well. She’d endured much hardship and pain in her lifetime. Her parents started an energy drink that did well at first, but the company tanked several years after Laci graduated from high school. The family lost everything. Laci’s mother left, and her father shot himself.

There was a time when Treasure had been super worried about her friend. Laci had been so distraught—so lost, drifting from job to job, barely making enough to scrape by. Then, she met Waylon Bradshaw, and her life turned around. A commercial realtor, Waylon was divorced with two children who weren’t much younger than Laci. Despite their large age gap, Laci and Waylon seemed gloriously happy together. Five years ago, tragedy struck when Waylon, a type 2 diabetic, died of an accidental insulin overdose. Laci had been out of town when it happened. She carried a lot of guilt over the accident, questioning if she could’ve saved Waylon had she not gone to New York City with some of the ladies from a charity that Laci headed up. Waylon left Laci the bulk of his estate, much to the dismay and frustration of his two children. Even though Laci didn’t talk much about it, there was an ongoing legal battle between Laci and Waylon’s kids.

The butler motioned. “Come in.”

“Thanks,” she murmured, stepping into the large foyer that opened to the enormous great room.

“May I take your purse?”

Treasure blinked, not sure she wanted to turn her purse and phone over to a complete stranger. Then again, she didn’t want to tote her purse around all night, and the butler would no doubt find it odd that she wanted to hold onto it. “Sure,” she said with a polite smile as she handed it over.

There was something oddly familiar about the middle-aged man. She tried to jog her memory but to no avail. What was it about him that tickled her consciousness? “Have we met before?” He was small-boned with dark receding hair, dark eyes, and a thin mustache. She couldn’t have gone to high school with him. He was at least a decade older than her.

He looked surprised. “I don’t think so. What’s your name?”

“Treasure Montgomery. It used to be Treasure Sherman when I lived on the island.”

“Where do you live now?”

“Philadelphia.”

His expression remained blank. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know you.”

She studied him, trying to pull the information from her brain, but it was no use. She shrugged, offering a polite smile. “Maybe you look like someone I know.”

“Maybe. Have a good evening, madam,” he said crisply as he strode out of the foyer, going down an adjacent hall.

It was driving her crazy, not to be able to place the man. Hopefully, it would come to her later. She should’ve asked him his name. Treasure turned her attention to the great room where the guests were gathered. Her stomach knotted when she spotted Greer’s parents, Francie and Cliff, talking to Madeline and Banks Chasing. No wonder Treasure so admired Madeline. She was the picture of class in a red shimmery dress that fit her so impeccably it might’ve been made for her. Banks was tall and distinguished with his silver hair and tailored suit. As nice as he was, it was hard to believe that Josette was his mother.

Treasure scanned the room, not surprised that she didn’t recognize most of the guests. She’d been away for a long time. Unlike Greer, who felt that Laci’s involvement in her various clubs and associations was frivolous, Treasure respected that Laci was heavily involved in charitable organizations. Treasure wondered if many of the guests served alongside Laci. Her gaze stopped on a tall, willowy redhead, whom she recognized. Sylvia Laramie was surrounded by a group of guys close to her same age, who were hanging on her every word. Dressed to the nines, Sylvia seemed to be doing surprisingly well considering that her dad had recently been shot and killed by her mother, who was now in a mental institution. Of course, Treasure knew from personal experience that appearances were often deceiving. Sylvia was probably good at hiding her pain. Compassion stirred through Treasure.

For Honeysuckle Island to be such a small, picturesque island, many of the residents had experienced tragedy. Greer had lost his older brother in a drowning accident. Laci’s dad had committed suicide. In a strange twist of fate, Treasure, Greer, and Laci had lost their spouses. You’re next! She flinched, goosebumps popping over her flesh. Where had that awful thought come from? Shivers trickled down her spine. Maybe her mother’s fears were transferring to Treasure. She hoped that’s all the thought was and not a premonition. Her heart raced as she swallowed hard to reel in her emotions. She offered a silent prayer, asking for protection, not only for herself but for Tray, Helen, and Kevin. She gave thanks that her mom was doing so well and asked that her health would continue to improve. A few seconds later, Treasure welcomed the warm feeling of peace that came over her as her breathing returned to normal.

She saw Laci first. Petite with short, blonde hair, Laci was cute as a button. She looked terrific in a royal blue dress that accentuated her curves. Laci was laughing and talking to the men and women around her. A jolt of energy zigzagged through Treasure, nearly stopping her heart when she realized who was standing next to Laci.

Greer!

His dark curls were tamed with gel, emphasizing the rugged lines of his handsome face. He was dressed in a gray sports coat, a crisp white dress shirt open at the neck, and khaki pants. She was struck by Greer’s confident, easy manner and how comfortable he was in his own skin, as opposed to Ethan, who was always trying too hard to impress those whom he deemed as important. An added draw to Greer was that he’d never been overly concerned about what others thought of him. One of the guys must’ve said something funny, causing Greer to tip his head back and laugh, crinkling the edges around his eyes. Treasure’s heart turned over in response, wondering how it was that regardless of how much time had passed, Greer still had such a hold on her. He might’ve been the only person in the room.

Immediately, her heart resumed its frenzied pace. The moment of truth was upon her. Straightening her shoulders, she glided over to the group. Treasure had perfected the art of portraying herself as self-possessed and dignified. “Hello,” she said brightly.

Laci’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “Treasure? What’re you doing here?”

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