Laguna Beach: That Gold in Laguna (Kindle Worlds Novella) (A Charisma Series Novella, The Ericksons Book 2)

by Heather Hiestand

  Beau chuckled. Grins flashed across the table.

  “Let's dig up a rich family's pool!” Delilah hunched her shoulders and rubbed her hands together like an old timey villain. “Oh, I’d love that.”

  Chapter Four

  “How did you get delegated to speak to me?” Rachel asked, when Thor entered the office she kept in her old bedroom in her father’s house.

  She’d taken the call from an assistant producer that morning. Normally work didn’t start at seven a.m., even on Mondays, but the California Gold team liked the early hours, she’d discovered.

  “We drew straws,” Thor said, tucking his hands into the back pockets of his jeans.

  One camera operator had arrived with him. A boom operator was holding a microphone over her desk, in between them.

  Be professional. “Thank you so much for the drinks on Saturday night,” she said in her sweetest voice. “My stepmother appreciated the gesture.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “We didn’t recognize the girls you were with at the bar. Pretty young for you, weren’t they?” Oops, she’d let the claws extend a tiny bit.

  “Justin’s classmates from grad school,” he said calmly. “I’d never met them before.”

  “Is Justin quite the ladies’ man?” she asked.

  “Not that I’ve noticed,” Thor said, hooking her guest chair with a foot and sprawling across the chair. “Why? Are you interested in hooking up with him now?”

  She felt her lips tighten. Relax. The last thing she wanted was to develop the wrinkles her grandmother had around her mouth. “Just making conversation, Thor.”

  “Monday mornings should be all about business, right?” His eyebrows lifted expectantly.

  “If you say so. I didn’t get my usual coffee because of rushing over here to accommodate your schedule.”

  “Don’t blame me. Your family wants the team here, searching for the stolen jewelry. I’d be happier cruising around in the wilderness looking for a bandit gold cache.”

  “Your brother made certain commitments to my father. I’m sure he’s just trying to get that met. I’ll do what I can to help, as always.”

  “Fine, let’s just keep it business. I don’t exactly know what my brother and your father discussed anyway, in terms of the original scope of the project. I never knew about anything but the cave.”

  Rachel opened a purple manila folder on her desk just to keep her hands busy. “I think it was more of a timeframe commitment. To work on McHughes property for the summer.”

  “Huh. I never heard that.”

  “Yet here you are.” She forced her sweet smile back to her mouth.

  He folded his arms and leaned across the desk. She hadn’t realized quite how long his torso was, or how narrow her desk, until his face loomed directly across from her.

  He smirked. “I had time for coffee before our negotiation.”

  She frowned. “Yes, Thor, I can smell it on your breath.”

  He laughed and sat back. “No, you can’t. I brushed my teeth after. I took time for all the amenities. I suppose you’re a night owl.”

  “And you’re an early bird. Got it. We’re incompatible.”

  “That’s not why we’re incompatible, Rachel.” His nostrils flared.

  He actually looked annoyed. She had the uneasy feeling that they were doing the relationship argument thing on camera, just like when she was on Laguna Nights and broke up with her junior year boyfriend during a party that was being filmed.

  She closed her folder and placed her hands in her lap. When she glanced down at her beige linen skirt she discovered a water mark. Her drycleaners was going downhill.

  “Earth to Rachel,” he said in a singsong voice.

  “Why are you here?” Her voice sounded petulant.

  “We want to dig up your hot tub.”

  He said the words blandly, but she saw red.

  "You wouldn't dare!" Rachel found herself on her feet, teetering on the red, four-inch spiked heels she’d worn with the idea that it would give her some kind of power. "Is this some kind of revenge?"

  But why would it be revenge? Because he saw her in it with Lennon that one day?

  "No, look.” He stood as well, then reached a hand into a jeans pocket.

  Her gaze followed his movement, watching the fascinating way the tight, stiff fabric pulled against the contents of those jeans while he pulled out folded pieces of paper. She needed to stop finding him so attractive.

  He opened the papers and flourished them at her. “As best as we can plot the movements of the jewelry thief, burial in the greenhouse is most likely.”

  She walked around the outside of her desk. “We don’t have a greenhouse.”

  He spread the sheets open. “Not now, but it was there in 1931.”

  Her arm brushed his when she came alongside him and leaned over the paper he’d placed on her desk. She could smell the faint, delicious scent of pine, his aftershave maybe, or even shower gel. He had two sheets, rough drawn schematics of the back garden. They had the same measurements but different landmarks. “I didn’t know there had been a greenhouse.”

  He smiled. “Better we take up the spa than the pool. But we need to start somewhere."

  She traced the outlines of the long vanished greenhouse. “How can you be sure this is where to dig? For this part of town we have a lot of property.”

  “There was a guard in the courtyard. So that’s out. No police officer reported that Bucky was holding anything when they spotted him at the gatehouse.”

  “What about searching the gatehouse?”

  “It was a wood structure initially. Justin found a report stating it burned down in 1941 and was rebuilt in stone.”

  “Wow. I didn’t know that.”

  “Justin is a crack researcher.”

  “I can see that.” She worried at her lower lip. “I don’t know, Thor. What about the house?”

  “What are the chances there has been a cache of jewelry in the house since 1931? You’ve remodeled, expanded. Floors have come up and gone down. Wiring has been added in the walls, pipes.”

  “Right. Okay, the side yards?”

  He pointed at the paper. “Bamboo fencing. He could have gotten through the gates and wandered around, but the greenhouse is the easiest. There would have been shovels. Obviously, he didn’t leave anything in the structure. If stuff was buried in pots it is long gone, smuggled out by gardeners or such.”

  “So you think he dug into the floor?”

  “We know there were pavers and underneath, dirt.”

  She stared at the drawings. “When do you want to do this?”

  “Wednesday? We need to get your paperwork for the hot tub and review it, then rent the equipment we need.”

  “Sounds like a fun project for your show.”

  He bumped her shoulder with his elbow. “We’re just doing what your father wants. Searching for the treasure.”

  “I’ll have to get his approval.”

  “What?” He opened his eyes innocently. “You don’t have carte blanche?”

  Her lip curled. “Not to rip up permanent structures. We use that hot tub every evening.”

  She saw a flash of his incisors as he smiled. “I know, Rachel.” His voice lowered into a dangerous rumble. “I remember.”

  Her body vibrated, connected to his voice. A flash of warmth brought her sex to life. She couldn’t quite let the idea of him go. “You could bring the team over tonight for a pool and spa party. We should enjoy it one last time before you dig it up.”

  He nodded, so casually that she knew he hadn’t picked up her selfish reasons for offering. “Why not? It will give us a chance to look everything over.”

  She folded her hands over her heart. “About seven? I’ll have appetizers catered.”

  “We’ll want to film it.”

  She tossed her hair. “Perfect. I’d have insisted.”

  “Perfect,” he echoed, staring down at her. “You can chat up Justin a
nd learn all about your father’s property.”

  “All set for tonight?” Rachel’s father asked as she surveyed the setup at the built-in bar alongside the house that evening.

  “Yes, I ordered a tray of sliders of various kinds, stuffed mushrooms, and a bruschetta platter. We’ve brought in our usual bartender and our signature drink for the evening is a strawberry sriracha margarita.”

  “Sriracha?” he asked.

  “Just a little bit. Alcohol intensifies the heat, so you can’t go crazy with it. Drew has a delicate touch.” Rachel glanced over to the bar and the handsome twenty-something waved his hand at her in a motion that wouldn’t have looked out of place at a beauty pageant. Given his black mini sheath and high heels, he could have fit in there, too. She didn’t understand how he could stand bartending on tile in three-inch heels for hours, but he seemed to enjoy himself.

  “Does he have a virgin version? We have to keep an eye on Sadiki.”

  Rachel nodded. “Yes, got it covered.” Her father was a recovering alcoholic too, but he didn’t seem to fall off the wagon the way her stepmother did. At least, not in Laguna Beach.

  As if summoned, Sadiki walked through the French doors, her dark skin glowing against a gem-colored, beaded Versace logo mini-dress. Her heels were even higher than Drew’s.

  Her father went to Sadiki and kissed her on the cheek. “No one to make an entrance for yet, darling. The guests haven’t arrived.”

  Just then, Rachel’s cousin Brandon walked through the gate on the side of the yard. These days, only one side was accessible that way as the other side was blocked by a large garage with boat storage, unlike in the 1930s. Brandon was followed by his mother, Rachel’s aunt Jennifer, her father’s much younger half-sister, and her fourth husband, whose name Rachel could never remember.

  A symphony of cheek kissing and drink acquisition ensued. Just as the caterer brought out the sliders, fresh from rewarming in the kitchen, the California Gold team appeared, trailed by their camera operators and other staff.

  They were all dressed much more casually than Rachel’s family, ready to jump right into the pool. Her own orange Tommy Bahama dress, which had seemed casual when she pulled it out of her closet, looked positively upscale when compared to the Craft sisters’ bikinis and sarongs. Crowe even had a case of beer cradled in his arms.

  Justin brought up the rear with his laptop case and a file box. He must really have been expecting to tell her about family history that night. His eyes widened when he saw the lipsticked and wigged bartender.

  Rachel walked over to him. “That’s Drew. He’s a great bartender.”

  “That’s Drusilla,” he corrected with a snap of his fingers. “She’s part of a local drag revue that does shows in a bar near my alma mater. She has a fantastic voice.”

  “Oh,” Rachel said, with sudden insight into Justin’s private life. “I’ve never heard Drew perform.”

  “I’ll take you sometime if you want to go,” Justin said, leaning in. She could smell lavender water on his button-down, mixed with the scent of freshly pressed cotton. “It’s a good show.”

  Thor walked up to them. “Justin is all ready with a PowerPoint presentation on the changes to your property over the last eighty plus years,” he reported.

  “I wasn’t prepared,” Rachel said, as her father joined them.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Justin has a presentation on the house ready to go.”

  “We didn’t realize you had invited other guests,” Thor said, one side of his mouth turning down.

  “It’s just family,” her father said.

  “We’ve met Brandon before,” Thor told Rachel. “I wouldn’t call him project-friendly.”

  Jenny came alongside him. “I would call him overenthusiastic. He’d rather do our job himself.”

  “I’m sure he’d be happy to take the treasure,” her father said. “But, he’s not part of your team.” He offered his half-grimace smile and walked over to the bar, where Crowe and Beau were picking up their signature margaritas, and took the Ericksons over to his relatives to introduce them.

  Thor glanced at Rachel. “I guess Justin and I are just staff. Not important enough to be introduced.”

  “I’m sorry,” Rachel said. “But Beau is my father’s contemporary, and it is Crowe’s show.”

  “Originally,” Thor said. “But we’re all equals now.”

  “Right,” Rachel said. “Sorry.” She forced a bright smile to her face. “I ordered sliders for appetizers.”

  Thor gave her a puzzled expression. “Had we discussed sliders?”

  “No, I just thought you might like them better than sushi. I ordered Buffalo chicken, cheeseburger, and veggie burger sliders.”

  Thor slid his hands into his jeans. “Sounds good, but you didn’t have to do that. You don’t have to try so hard to be nice to us.” He perused the bar area. “Looks great for the cameras though.”

  “I know you think I’m stuck on my rich family and I’m insensitive, but I do care about people. I just got really ahead of myself that night when I invited you to dinner.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” He shrugged. “It’s forgotten. Move onto something else.”

  “Umm, okay. I can’t believe you want to tear this area up.” As Rachel spoke, the side gate opened again and her ex, Lennon, popped through along with his entourage of bros, his surfing buddies. “Oh, god, what are they doing here? I’m going to kill my father.”

  “He keeps trying to get you back together?”

  “It isn’t going to happen. What do I have to do to make that clear?”

  Thor slung his arm around her shoulders. “Will this help?”

  She glanced up at him, shocked. “You’re willing to pretend to be my date?”

  “Nothing better to do. Your father is only going to talk to my relatives, and Justin wants to give his presentation. Jenny and Delilah are already in the pool.” He squeezed her upper arm gently. She could tell he was enjoying touching her, but was he teasing her or trying to help? She couldn’t figure him out. “Let’s go get a drink.”

  She walked him over to the bar, explaining about the heat in the margarita.

  “Spicy, just like you, huh,” he said, bending his head to nuzzle her hair. What was he doing?

  “Hola,” Drew said, handing them both a margarita.

  She could sense Lennon’s eyes on her as Thor pressed her up against a column at the end of the bar. He nuzzled her cheek, then kissed her neck, surprisingly graceful despite their height difference. When he tilted his salt-rimmed glass against her lips, she took a sip, and tasted the sweetness of the strawberries against her tongue, followed by the heat.

  “Do you care what your father sees?” he whispered.

  “He might need to see it even more than Lennon does,” she said. “He obviously invited them. I’d like to see Delilah scratch her claws against Lennon’s bros.”

  He grinned at her. The naughty glint in his blue eyes had her melting. She tilted her chin up for a kiss, her lips parting in readiness. Real or for show, she wasn’t sure she cared with her hormones flaring.

  “I’m going to set up next to Drusilla,” Justin said, appearing next to the column. “There’s an outlet here and it’s close enough to the house to get Wi-Fi.”

  Rachel’s brain had gone blank. She glanced around the backyard. “Umm, do you need a camera man?”

  “Not for the visual, but it would be good to get the boom operator over here for the audio.” Justin walked away, saying over his shoulder, “I’ll go talk to the assistant producer.”

  Lennon came up to them, flanked by his buddies. “What’s the plan, Rach? Drinks, pool, what? I see some lovelies are already in.”

  “We’re working,” Rachel said. “You can do whatever you want. You aren’t my guests.”

  His lips turned down. “Retract the claws, babe. Doesn’t look like you’re working to me.”

  Justin came back, trailed by some of the team. Brand
on followed as well. The tray of margaritas Drew had prepared vanished into everyone’s hands as the sound system came on, playing Father John Misty. The bros all headed for the pool, eyes glued to Sadiki, who was dancing by herself poolside, leaving Lennon and Brandon standing next to Thor.

  Rachel smiled at Justin. “Set it up, we’ll be back in a second.” She reached for Thor’s wrist and pulled him away.

  “What?” he asked, sliding his hands around her hips. “Do you have a bathing suit under here?”

  “Yes.” His hands so close to her most sensitive areas made it hard to focus. She wanted to dance too, see his moves. “Listen, Thor, is Justin going to tell us anything Brandon shouldn’t hear?”

  “Like X marks the spot? We already did that.”

  “I know. Okay. I just worry that my father isn’t thinking very clearly. Seems to me your team should be the only people here tonight except immediate family.”

  “I can tell Justin to cancel.”

  “That’s okay. If you don’t think it’s a big deal.” She saw a camera operator was recording them.

  “If we had completed sonar on the caves or had done any new surveys I’d be more concerned, but this is just about the changes to the property. It will tell us what has been disturbed and what hasn’t since 1931, but that’s about it.” He smiled down at her.

  “You have perfect lips,” she said, then clapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

  His smile widened. “I can take a compliment. What do you want to do about it?”

  “About your perfect lips?” she asked. “Are you really flirting with me? After our disastrous date?”

  “You’re more fun when you’re flustered. Something’s got you off center tonight.”

  “I’m not very comfortable,” she admitted.

  “You seem to want to make last minute plans.”

  “Sure, but I’d like to control the guest list better.”

  He bent his head to her ear. “Maybe it’s better if we don’t spend time alone. It didn’t go too well.”