Page 25 of Spring Break with a Treasure Hunter
On the ride back to the marina, I turned the events of the past few weeks over in my mind. Finding the shipwreck was the culmination of everything I’d—we’d—worked toward because Cork had been a crucial contributor, everything my father had worked toward. Now that we were here, that we’d found it... what did it mean for us?
Multiple thoughts jumbledthrough Cork’s mind as they drove from the marina. They’d found the wreck, brought up treasure, and he knew this was just the beginning. Especially with Beck’s offer to Daisy for future expeditions. Would he fit into her plans?
One thing was for sure, he wanted to. There was no doubt about that. These last few weeks with her had been life changing. He’d gone from wanting to have the treasure for his collection to wanting to secure it for her nautical museum.
It all came down to the fact he didn’t want to leave her. He wanted to say something to break the tension that had grownbetween them since they’d surfaced. But he didn’t know what to say, so instead he drove and watched the road ahead.
Finally, after a long pause, he said, “I think we’ve done enough for today.”
“Yeah,” Daisy agreed.“Are you okay?” she asked quietly.
Cork was silent for a moment, then glanced at her before returning his attention to the road.
“I’m just...I don’t know, Daisy. It’s everything, I think. Finding the wreck was bigger than I expected.”
“How so?” She swiveled in her seat and leaned against the door to look at him.
“It’s not just about the treasure anymore. There’s so much more to it.” He drew in a breath. “There’s you, your father’s dream, the museum. And I don’t want to mess all that up.”
The words were harder to say than he’d expected. Finding theSirena del Marwasn’t just about treasure or glory or getting pieces in his private collection.
“You’re not going to mess it up,” she said softly, and placed her hand on his arm. “We found it together. And we’ll figure out the next steps.”
He looked at her, and the tension melted away. There was something powerful between them. Something more than just the shared thrill of the discovery. It was deeper, meaningful, and unlike anything he’d experienced before. It was as if she was part of him now and not being with her would be heartbreaking.
Did she feel the same?
Cork turned his hand over and slipped his fingers between hers, squeezing gently. He nodded and relaxed into the seat.
The sun streamed in the car windows. It was beginning to get hot, but he didn’t want to let go of Daisy’s hand.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to show you something,” she said.
Cork glanced at her and nodded. He turned up the air con and took her hand again. “Sure, where are we headed? I thoughtyou’d want to go to the museum and drop off the coins. Shout with excitement, we found the wreck.”
“I do, but there’s something more important to do. We have about a twenty-minute drive, if that’s okay. To the other side of the island.” Her voice was soft.
She was looking out the window with a gentle smile on her lips. He followed her directions, curious where she was taking him, but didn’t ask questions.
“Just up here on the left.” He slowed down, looking for a laneway to turn into. “There, see, between the palms.” She pointed.
“Yep, okay.” He wheeled the vehicle onto the sandy laneway under a canopy of palms, bougainvillea, and frangipani. It was quite pretty, but wild, and he parked by some large rocks, the overgrowth thick. “This is as far as we can go.”
She got out. “It’s fine, come on.”
The scent of the sea and tropical flowers assaulted him. He inhaled, enjoying the moment. This would never get old.
“This way.” Daisy took his hand. They walked along a path, the sound of the surf reaching them through the foliage.
“What is this place?” he asked, definitely curious.
“Come, look,”she said, delight in her voice.
They emerged from the bushes, and he caught his breath. It was a beach house! A little worse for wear, but it was a fantastic location.
“Okay, this is incredible. Whose house is it?” He walked toward the building. It was a good size, but he could see that nature had taken it over. “How long has it been empty?
“Let’s go inside and I’ll tell you all about it.” Daisy walked onto the veranda and he followed. It had a few wobbly looking chairs, terra-cotta pots with flowers that had gone wild. But it certainly had charm and great potential.
