Page 26 of Spring Break with a Treasure Hunter
Inside dust motes floated on the rays of sun through the windows that sorely needed a good cleaning.
“It’s mine,” she said.
Cork swung his gaze to her. “Yours? I don’t understand. I thought you had a little place in town.”
“I do; it’s rented and not mine. This was our family home. I grew up here. There are so many memories held inside these walls.”
“What happened to it? Why are you not living here, aside from the obvious?” He gazed around.
“Well, because it’s a mess and I haven’t had the funds to fix it up. Dad’s estate will be released to me in a couple of months, then I can focus on the renovation.” He saw the love for this house in her eyes. “I want to live here.”
“I can understand why, but why did you ever leave?” He asked and wandered around the room, which was larger than it looked from the outside, and into a kitchen had a beautiful view of a lagoon out the windows.
“When Mom died,” Daisy hesitated, and Cork turned to her. “When she died, that’s when Dad became even more obsessed with hunting for treasure.” She pointed to the lagoon out front. “Not only was he convinced about theSirena, he was sure that there was something out there too.”
Cork walked over to her and took her in his arms. She melted into him and he tightened his hold. Waiting for her to tell him more.
Her cheek rested against his chest, and she continued her story. “This place reminded him of her. He loved her with all his heart, but he also loved his treasures. They did a lot together, and one day, there was a freak accident and she drowned. He never forgave himself and that’s why he let this place go.”
“Such a damn shame. You’d think he would want to keep it up to honor her memory,” Cork said, and led her out to the veranda.
“That’s what I tried to tell him. All the time, and so I gave up. I came here and did what I could, but there never seemed to be enough time to do all the things.” She ran her hand along the white railing, twined with creeping flowers.
“Well, no time like the present.” Cork said and jumped down from the veranda. “Come on, show me the rest.”
“W-what do you mean?” She took his hand and kicked off her shoes. He followed suit and they walked through the powdery sand to the water.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said quietly, his voice thoughtful. “About everything we’ve done. About you. And now this place.”
She was quiet, listening to him.
He faced her and gently turned her as the waves lapped around their ankles. “Daisy, you’ve been on this quest for so long—focused, determined, alone, and I totally understand.” Her eyes met his, and it would be way too easy to lose himself in them but he cleared his throat and continued. “You fulfilled a deathbed promise, and it took you years to do. Now you have done it. Isn’t it time to let all that go? And think of your future, your plans, which direction you want to go in?” He didn’t want to say too much until he got an idea what she was thinking.
“I guess I never thought about it that way,” she admitted, her voice quiet. “I was so focused on the goal that I never stopped to consider what I would do if I succeeded.”
Cork took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. “You’ve done it now, Daisy. You’ve completed your father’s dream. But that doesn’t mean you have to live your life for him any longer.”
She swallowed and looked up at him. “You’re right. I’d spent so much time trying to fulfill my father’s dream that I’d forgotten to live my own. And now, standing here with you, the house Igrew up in, I do want more. More than just treasure hunting and archaeology, which I won’t stop doing of course.” She smiled and continued, “I’m not really sure what comes next, other than theSirena. But after that, I’m not sure.”
Cork reached out and brushed his thumb over her chin. A tremor of warmth rumbled through him. He was, correction he had, fallen for her, and just how hard became evident in this moment.
“You don’t have to know right now,” he murmured. “But I think...whatever comes next, you don’t have to do it alone.”
His words hung in the air between them, thick with meaning. His heart pounded that he’d said the words meaning he wanted to be with her. Words he’d never spoken before and thought he never would.
“Oh, are you saying…” her voice barely a whisper. “Us.”
He nodded his head. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Daisy. Not just because of what we’ve found, but because of you, who you are. You’re incredible, and I don’t want to walk away from that.”
His heart raced. For so long, he’d kept a staunch wall up when it came to relationships. He didn’t want one, but she had found a way in and changed all that. And it felt right.
She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to walk away either,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “But I don’t know how to do this, Cork. I’m used to being on my own.”
He smiled. “Me too, so why don’t we figure it out together?”
Slowly, she nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. “Together. I want that so much. A life together with you.”
Cork’s smile widened, and before either of them could say anything else, he scooped her up and swung her around. She laughed, her arms closing around his neck, and he cradled the back of her head. He found her mouth with his and they kissed, anewfound passion rising between them as they stood knee deep in the turquoise water. Happiness filled him.
