She’d never lusted after the treasure unlike so many others in this town. She’d never chased it. As a kid she had only dreamed of seeing it so she could feast her eyes on the jewels. She had always wanted to touch the cool surface of the stones and imprint the sight of them in her mind’s eye. She’d never fantasized about owning the jewels. Her parents had always taught her that gems were sacred. To try and find the treasure for monetary gain would never be pleasing to God. And she knew it would never fill her soul to do so.
Although she had no idea what Roman’s agenda was with regards to coming to Treasure Harbor, she knew that she couldn’t resist the chance to find out more about the Star of Imara. If there was even the slightest chance that it was part of the infamous Drake Burton treasure, it would be a mind-boggling revelation. She ran her finger across Roman’s business card, knowing that before this day was done she would call the archeologist and make dinner arrangements with him for tomorrow evening.
**
The photos of Jade Sims that Roman had discovered online hadn’t done the woman justice. With her warm brown skin and almond-shaped brown eyes, she was stunning. She had the bearing of a royal princess. The way she carried herself told him so much about the jeweler. Proud. Strong. Disciplined. She wasn’t a woman who would suffer fools gladly. Nor would she appreciate being deceived.
Roman shrugged off the feelings of guilt that began to tug at him. This was business, pure and simple. He’d been hired to find pirate Drake Burton’s elusive treasure by a slightly wacky billionaire named Buddy Keaton. Keaton had sworn him to secrecy, so he was honor bound not to disclose that information to Jade Sims.
Humph! The word honor sounded a bit funny at the moment. Buddy Keaton wasn’t the most honorable man, and working in his employ made Roman feel like damaged goods.
Marissa. The thought of his sister reinforced his resolve. Working with Buddy was a means to an end. It was a guaranteed payday, whether he found the elusive treasure or not. The contract he’d signed with the billionaire guaranteed him a hefty sum simply for making headway in finding the location of the treasure hidden by pirate Drake Burton. If he happened to find the lost treasure, Buddy had agreed to dole out a staggering sum of money. It made Roman weak just thinking about it.
And he desperately needed money to pay for his sister’s care. She still had a long way to go with her recovery, both mentally and physically. He’d wracked his brain to try and come up with the money until Keaton had contacted him out of the blue with his proposition. It had been the answer to his grave concerns about Marissa. His sister’s condition and the tragic events that had unfolded during one of his archeological digs were never far from his thoughts. Right after the accident he had promised God that if Marissa’s life was spared he would do anything in his power to help her. If he had to partner with Buddy Keaton to make it happen, then so be it. Even though he was at a crossroads with God, Roman still held himself to his promise.
He didn’t even know Jade Sims. Why should he feel badly about a little white lie?
As he walked through the quaint harbor area of Treasure Harbor, a feeling of serenity washed over him. He’d been in town for three days, and so far, he loved the seaside town. This was the type of town that was filled with community and real connections. For so long now Roman had been traveling all over the world in search of the past. But now, all he wanted was a solid future. He wanted the very things he’d once scorned. And once he got things settled for Marissa’s future, he would carve out his own.
Home. Hearth. A wife and a few kids. He wanted the happy ending. Although he knew he would always want to travel around the world seeking anthropological finds, he also knew that he wanted to make roots somewhere. Most of his friends and family would laugh out loud if they heard his thoughts. In their eyes, he was the quintessential bachelor with a serious case of wanderlust.
All that had changed with his best friend’s death and Marissa’s life altering injuries. Now he just wanted to stay put somewhere and establish roots.
Roman grinned as he clapped his eyes on a candy store—Swashbucklin’ Sweets. He did have a serious sweet tooth. Whistling an upbeat tune, he walked into the candy store and immediately found himself being sucked in by the pleasing aroma of candy and the brightly decorated interior of the store. Suddenly he felt like a kid himself again. Every Sunday his father would take him and Marissa to the local five and dime where they would spend their allowance on candy. Jelly beans had always been his favorite. If he closed his eyes he could almost smell the sugary scent of them.
“Good afternoon. Welcome to Swashbucklin’ Sweets.” A deep voice emanated from the back of the store. Roman turned around just as a tall, strapping man with a head of dark hair came into view.
“Thanks. I’m Roman. This place is fantastic.”
“Nice to meet you, Roman. I’m Victor Burton, owner, proprietor and lover of candy.”
Roman laughed. “Great to meet you. I’m a huge fan of sweets myself.” He looked around him and let out a whistle. “Nice place you’ve got here.”
Victor grinned. “Thanks. I’m pretty partial to the place myself. Are you new to town or just visiting for a spell?”
“I’m doing some research on the infamous treasure. I’m an archeologist.”
Victor’s eyes widened. “Hey, that’s pretty neat. My cousin is in that field as well, although she’s a professor now at Carolina Harbor College. Her name is Bree Burton.”
Roman couldn’t believe he was hearing the familiar name come out of Victor’s mouth. “Bree Burton? What a small world. I was on a dig with her once in Africa. She’s a colleague of mine. I had no idea she was from Treasure Harbor.”
Victor grinned at him. “She sure is. Matter of fact, we Burtons are related to the most infamous Burton of them all. You might have heard of him. Pirate Drake Burton.”
“Wow! Are you serious? Bree never mentioned a word of it.” The words burst out of Roman’s mouth. A feeling of excitement rose up inside him. He couldn’t believe that Bree was related to the infamous pirate who was well-known for having hidden the treasure everyone and their brother were now searching for in Treasure Harbor.
“I’m completely serious. And Bree has been working hard for most of her life to outrun the burden of being related to Drake Burton, so I’m not surprised. A lot of baggage comes with the Burton name.”
“Makes sense,” Roman said, wondering if Bree had ever attempted to find her ancestor’s stashed treasure.
“Well she just fell head-over-heels in love, so she’s off the market. In case you were wondering.”
Roman had to laugh. He shook his head. “Bree and I were simply friends who shared the same interest in archeology. I’m not in town for romance. I’m actually here for reasons related to the archeological aspects of the treasure. I’m going to be doing some poking around in Treasure Harbor.”
“Well, let me give you fair warning. Men in Treasure Harbor are dropping like flies. Myself included.” He let out a deep chuckle that seemed to emanate from a place deep down in his chest. “We’re having a love epidemic here in town. So whatever you do, don’t gaze too deeply into the eyes of any woman in Treasure Harbor.”
Roman laughed along with Victor. He wasn’t going to take the warning seriously. Hmm. Or maybe he should, considering the beautiful woman he’d just met at Gems. Although he didn’t believe that love was something he could catch simply by stepping foot in Treasure Harbor, his thoughts immediately veered toward Jade Sims. Her beauty and elegance appealed to him. She was the type of woman he could imagine himself dating. Courting. She was polished and intelligent. And her eyes radiated kindness. She seemed to be the whole package.
As he began to gather his selection of candy in a little bag, Roman reminded himself that romancing Jade would only complicate his objectives. He was here in town for one reason only. To locate the Star of Imara and place it in Buddy Keaton’s hands. He knew Buddy might not be able to justify a claim on
the Callahan-Burton jewels, but he felt fairly certain that the billionaire would make the families an offer they couldn’t refuse. Men like Keaton got what they wanted, by hook or by crook. He shook his head. After all, he’d been one of Keaton’s acquisitions himself. Keaton had worn his resistance down, reminding him that Marissa’s hospital and rehabilitation bills needed to be paid. In the end, Roman had been helpless to refuse Keaton’s offer of employment.
Roman paid for his candy and left the store. He smiled as he looked down at the gold chocolate coins in the bag. It brought back a host of memories. There was something about a candy store that took him all the way back to childhood. It hadn’t been an easy one due to his father’s mood swings and instability, but there had been plenty of good times thanks to his mother and Marissa.
As he walked along the pier toward the Spindrift Inn where he was staying, he couldn’t help but wonder if Jade would reach out to him about dinner. For a man who hadn’t felt a glimmer of attraction to a woman in a very long time, he found himself stunned by his reaction to Jade.
Tread carefully. A little voice buzzed in his ear. Once you get this business with the treasure settled you can fall in love with whomever you like. But not here in Treasure Harbor. Not with Jade Sims. She was a beautiful and intelligent jeweler who was well-versed in The Star of Imara, as well as local treasure lore. Gaining her assistance in locating the treasure was imperative. Falling for her would be a foolish move. And no one had ever accused Roman Sant’Angelo of lacking good sense.
Chapter Two
Roman Sant’Angelo. The man had gotten under her skin in no time at all.
Jade couldn’t remember a time when she’d been so curious about a member of the opposite sex. Roman had left her all aflutter when he’d departed from Gems yesterday. Intelligence was something that greatly appealed to Jade. Roman was an archeologist—a man who studied the relics of the past in order to make sense of the way the human race had lived centuries ago. Uncovering the past was the only surefire way to understand the future. Jade deeply believed that.
She felt her pulse race as she thought about meeting him for dinner in approximately half an hour. She had called Roman last evening and made plans to hear him out over a meal at the Spindrift Restaurant.
This is not a date! She reminded herself. It’s an opportunity to sit down and discuss a legendary piece of jewelry with an archeologist. A very good looking archeologist!
When was the last time a man had made her feel like a jumble of nerves? There were plenty of men in town who’d asked her out, but Jade was looking for something she could hardly put in to words. She wanted to feel something. Butterflies in her tummy. Moist palms. Heart thumping like a jack hammer.
As she stood in front of her full-length mirror, she gave herself the once-over. The turquoise wrap-around dress was flattering to her figure and a stunning shade of blue. Her dark hair hung loose around her shoulders. Sparkling amethysts dangled from her ears. A pair of sling back heels topped off the outfit. She looked classic yet elegant. Nothing too flashy or over the top. That was Jade’s style, and she wasn’t about to change it, not even to catch the eye of a handsome archeologist.
By the time Jade arrived at the Spindrift Restaurant, she was a few minutes late. Always punctual, Jade knew her jitters had caused the delay. Karen Summers, the hostess, walked her toward the table where Roman was sitting waiting for her arrival. As soon as he spotted her, Roman stood up from his seat. “Jade. It’s good to see you again. You look beautiful tonight.”
Jade felt herself blushing at the compliment. “Thank you. It’s nice to see you as well.” She hoped her voice wasn’t trembling due to her nerves.
Before she knew it, he had pulled her chair out for her before she could do it for herself. The gentlemanly gesture made Jade’s pulse quicken. “Thanks,” she murmured as she sat down. Roman pushed her seat in and moved around the table and quickly sat back down at the table, directly across from her. Their eyes met and held. Jade couldn’t manage to look away. His green-hazel eyes were so crisp and bright. What secrets were hiding in their depths? She wondered.
Roman idly drummed his fingers on the table. Their waitress came over and took their drink order. After a few minutes of discussion, Roman ordered crab cakes as an appetizer for them to share. Jade’s stomach grumbled. She hadn’t eaten a bite since breakfast and her stomach was protesting that decision. She cast a quick glance at the menu and decided on linguini carbonara.
“So, Jade, thank you for agreeing to meet me here tonight.”
Jade raised her eyebrow and looked at him pointedly. “How could I resist? You did dangle a carrot in front of me.”
The sound of Roman’s chuckle was warm and inviting. “I’m sorry if it came across as bribery. I just honestly wanted to talk to you about the reason I came all this way to Treasure Harbor.”
Jade folded her hands in front of her. “I’m listening.” She stared across the table at him, noticing for the first time the deep cleft in his chin. It gave him an appearance of strength. Something told her that Roman Sant’Angelo wasn’t a man who would give up without a fight.
He splayed his hands across the table. “I’ve studied gemology for quite some time. As an archeologist, I’ve been all over the world. I’ve excavated ruins throughout Europe and found some of the most incredible jewels there, as well as Africa and Asia. Based on my extensive studies and research, I believe that the Star of Imara might be buried right here in Treasure Harbor.” Jade opened up her mouth to say something, but Roman quickly held up his hands. “I know what you’re going to say. It sounds ludicrous, right?”
“It is a bit far-fetched,” she said in a low voice. She didn’t want to tank his big idea, but it all sounded so surreal. Perhaps part of her resistance to believing his theory was the fact that she’d grown up hearing about the lovely Princess Eloise.
“Since I know you’re very knowledgeable about the history of the Star of Imara, I’ll skip the introduction. Bottom line being that Princess Eloise ran off with a man her family considered unsuitable for her due to his being Native American. She left England, presumably with her love, Chua, and headed to parts unknown. Her family never saw her again.”
Jade was well aware of the story. The fact that Princess Eloise never saw her family again had always tugged at her heartstrings. It was unfathomable to her. Jade’s own family was as precious to her as the air she breathed. She couldn’t imagine cutting all ties with them. Not for anything in this world.
“How would you feel if I told you that there is evidence showing that Princess Eloise settled in Barbados, married her love, Chua, and lived happily ever after?”
Suddenly, it felt as if her heart had swelled to ten times its original size. She was a sucker for happy endings. Was it possible that Princess Eloise had defied convention and ended up in marital bliss with her warrior soulmate?
“I-It would be incredible.” She blurted out the words. “Sublime.”
“Yes,” Roman said in a raised voice. “My sentiments exactly.” He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Just then the waitress came back to the table to deliver their crab cakes and take their dinner order. Even though Jade was filled with curiosity about Roman’s document, her grumbling stomach demanded attention. She didn’t hesitate to dig in to the appetizer while Roman placed his order. Once they’d both placed their orders, Roman turned his attention back to the piece of paper in his hand. He unfolded it and placed it in front of her.
It was a Xeroxed copy of a portrait. Jade squinted, feeling a strong sense of familiarity as she gazed at the paper. There was a beautiful woman staring back at her with fierce, bold eyes and the hint of a smile playing around her lips. Beside her stood a man holding a young child no more than two-years-old. He was a Native American man with strong, handsome features. The baby boy was grinning with delight. His chubby cheeks lent him the look of a cherub.
Jade blinked. No! It couldn’t be. “Is
that…Princess Eloise?” Jade’s question came out as a whisper. She almost felt foolish posing the question to Roman.
“I think it is. Look at the face. The high cheekbones. The eyes. The auburn hair. If it isn’t her then she must have had a twin.”
“Where was this portrait drawn? And how in the world did you get your hands on it?”
“The portrait is from a private collection in Barbados. I took a photo of it, then printed it out on a color copier. For decades, rumors have circulated that the woman in the portrait was royalty. I’ve studied some archives and diaries. This woman…known as Elizabeth did a lot for the people of Barbados. She raised three children with her Native husband and became a local teacher.”
“Okay. I will admit that the woman in the portrait is a dead ringer for Princess Eloise. But what does that have to do with Pirate Drake Burton and the treasure?” She scoffed. “What proof do you have that their worlds intersected?”
Roman’s eyes lit up. “Drake Burton’s home away from Treasure Harbor was Barbados. Although he traveled the high seas for many months of the year, he always returned to Barbados. That’s where he planned to live with Camilla had she not been killed.” He tapped the photo of the woman named Elizabeth who bore a striking resemblance to Princess Eloise. “And speaking of Treasure Harbor’s most infamous pirate, I have proof that he was associated with the woman who called herself Elizabeth and her husband.”
Roman took out another piece of paper and pushed it toward her. Jade slowly unfolded it. Something told her that the contents of this piece of paper would change everything. As soon as she saw Drake Burton’s face starting back at her, Jade let out a startled cry. The portrait was like no other she had ever seen of the handsome pirate. He was standing next to a Native American man who looked very similar to the man in the other picture Roman had shown her. Between them stood a woman who Jade now felt instinctively was no other than Princess Eloise. Around her neck hung a necklace that was none other than the Star of Imara.
His Precious Jewel (Treasure Harbor Book 6) Page 2
