The Beach Bachelors Boxset (Three Complete Contemporary Romance Novels in One) (The Beach Bachelors Series)

by Pamela Browning

  "I wonder if there's a corresponding bust of his bride Elizabetta down there somewhere," Ponce said musingly, reaching out to touch respectful fingers to the profile. There were others present, but they were busy sorting various recovered items and paying no attention.

  "I hope so," she replied. "He looks lonely."

  Ponce sent her a thoughtful look. "Yes," he said slowly. "And I know how he feels."

  Confused, Alix lowered her eyes. It was the first time Ponce had said anything that even remotely suggested he might be ready for a rapprochement.

  Ponce's remark set her to thinking. Even if Ponce were agreeable to getting back together, she wasn't sure it would work. For one thing, she would be opening herself to hurt and disillusion again. For another, any subsequent rejection by him would demolish what was left of her self-esteem.

  She avoided him after that, making sure she was at the first sitting at dinner if he was attending the second, trying not to become enmeshed in small talk. He noticed.

  He caught her in the corridor between their staterooms one morning when everyone else was at breakfast.

  "You're avoiding me," he said, standing in front of her and blocking her way. "Why?"

  "Don't be silly, Ponce," she said in the most matter-of-fact tone she could manage. She met his gaze guilelessly, hoping he didn't see her response to him reflected in her own eyes. It seemed that surely he could hear her pulse pounding in her ears or sense the weakness in her knees when she was so close and he was staring at her so intensely.

  "You don't have to. I'll leave you alone if that's what you want."

  She could not reply. "Let me pass," she said, her voice no more than a whisper. She longed to reach out and touch her fingers to his cheek and trail them across his lips.

  He stood aside, but as she passed him in the narrow corridor their bodies touched with an electricity that could not be ignored. He held her eyes with his, and as she retreated, almost running, she sensed them boring into her back.

  Day after day of vigorous underwater activity followed, with everyone on Minorcan participating in the salvage operation. Even short a diver, they managed a prodigious amount of work. Alix's photographs helped John draft a scale drawing of what El Primero de Mayo had looked like in her prime. Every item, from the bronze bust of King Philip to the clumps of silver coins to the broken shards of porcelain, had to be tagged and identified. At night all hands fell into their bunks, exhausted by the day's labors.

  Finally it was August, when dusk came earlier and ended their working days as soon as the light began to dwindle. August also brought a sense of urgency to their task of finding the jewels—September loomed ahead, and the unpredictability of the high hurricane season. In fact, they counted themselves lucky that the weather had not turned against them so far during the summer.

  One day they were routinely dredging the ocean floor in an unexplored section of the shipwreck when they began to suction an abundance of gray mud. Closer inspection showed that the mud was part of a large vein, closely packed, and different from the sand and coquina rock that prevailed on that part of the ocean floor.

  Ponce directed them to follow the vein, mostly out of curiosity, and for several hours the crew dredged without finding any objects of significance. Ponce was ready to call off the search when Joe let out a shout.

  "I've found something," he said, sounding mystified.

  Alix, who was working underwater, and Ponce, watching the operation, hurried to his assistance.

  "It looks like a sea chest of some sort!" exclaimed Alix.

  Ponce's voice came in clear over the radio. "George, Chuck! Get over here and help us." The other divers dropped what they were doing and swam quickly to his side.

  It didn't take them long to free the large wooden chest from its muddy resting place. It bore King Philip's royal crest. Alix was aware of mounting excitement. She didn't dare hope it was the jewels.

  When the chest sat on deck, John whistled. "It's so well-preserved that I can hardly believe it," he said in amazement. He knelt, running his hands reverently over its surface. "My guess is that the layer of mud kept the wood from being exposed to shipworms and other destructive forces."

  Someone brought a crowbar, and John applied himself to opening the chest. If only it held the jewels that they so desperately wanted to find!

  Troll looked eager, his brown eyes dancing as he watched John struggle with the crowbar. Joe and Zack appeared to be holding their breath, and Mike's face showed the strain of waiting. Ponce, across from her, kept his eyes focused intently on the chest.

  John pried the lid open about half an inch before jamming the crowbar into the opening. Slowly the lid rose, bit by bit, and at last the chest was open. No treasure was visible under the shreds of wet fabric covering the contents. John brushed aside the flimsy material to reveal a series of boxes.

  It was in that instant that Alix knew that these were the jewels, even before she saw them. Jewels so valuable wouldn't be heaped into large wooden chests such as this one. They would be separated in little boxes and protected by fabric so that the precious gold and silver would not be scratched on the long voyage across the Atlantic to Spain. She knelt beside John as he opened the first small metal box.

  "It's magnificent!" she breathed when she saw the lovely brooch, a circle of pearls set in gold and centered with an immense ruby the size of a robin's egg. No one spoke. They couldn't take their eyes off the unusual brooch, which was so clearly part of the jewels meant for King Philip's bride.

  John handed the brooch to Alix, who cradled it in her hands. He quickly opened another box. Inside were a pair of beaded gold cords, each holding thirty-eight pearls.

  "This is it," John said in wonderment. "This is one of the pieces known to have been destined for Elizabetta. We've found it, Ponce!"

  They were all too overcome by the magnitude of their find to cavort about the ship and celebrate as they had before. Instead Minorcan was the scene of quiet joy, of smiling congratulations, of delighted discovery.

  John brought to light piece after piece of the royal jewelry, all in surprisingly good shape after lying on the floor of the ocean for 266 years. Each was a masterpiece in its own right, either because of the size of the stones or the craftsmanship. Alix's favorite piece was a gold ring, one of several, this one set with a beautifully clear square-cut emerald.

  Ponce sent for her that night as she sat in her stateroom brushing her hair, lighter now from so much exposure to sea and sun. She sat down on the edge of her bunk to collect her thoughts before facing Ponce.

  Now that they had found King Philip's jewels, it was all over for her. Her financial future was assured—her twenty percent of the find would see to that. Now she was a rich woman in her own right.

  She could afford to leave Minorcan, even though salvage of El Primero would continue. She'd find another diving job somewhere, or she could take a few months off before deciding what to do with the rest of her life.

  She found Ponce sitting in the wardroom waiting for her. He rose and remained standing until she sat down at the table across from him. He looked utterly handsome and self-assured, his expression inscrutable.

  She schooled her face to reflect complete lack of emotion. Clasping her hands in front of her, she steeled herself against her feelings for him and determined not to show them.

  "You sent for me?" Her voice was cool.

  "I want to tell you how we plan to handle the distribution of the treasure find according to your contract." He was businesslike, matter-of-fact.

  "I see," she said, unable to look at him for fear that she would melt.

  "We'll have the find appraised and see what its true value is. At that point we'll know how much you'll receive. If you wish to keep any of the jewels, perhaps we could work out a deal whereby they would constitute part of your share. Is this satisfactory to you?" His tone was perfunctory.

  She nodded.

  He rose to leave. "That's all, then."

 
"Ponce—"

  "Yes?"

  "I—I'm leaving Minorcan."

  "Leaving?"

  "My work here is finished. I want to take a few months off, then find another job."

  "We've found the jewels, Alix, but there's archaeological work to do. If you go I'll be short not just two divers, but three. And you're my photographer. You can't leave now."

  "This is my resignation. I'll put it in writing tomorrow."

  "I won't accept it. As a marine historian, you should be committed to seeing this salvage through to the finish. No one else here has your knowledge of maritime history, and you're a tremendous help to John."

  He'd struck at her Achilles' heel. She felt herself wavering. She loved this work. She enjoyed her camaraderie with the crew. It would be a wrench to leave, yet her personal happiness overrode any other consideration. If she and Ponce weren't going to be together, how could she stay? She had her pride, and she still had her sanity. Best to leave with both intact.

  "I'm not happy in this situation." Even as she focused on the idea of leaving, her willpower was being eroded by his steady gaze.

  "How are you going to leave this ship? Swim?" His eyes held a distracting glint of what might be humor. If only he wouldn't look at her that way, and if only he'd give her a good reason to stay.

  She scrabbled around in her mind for an excuse. "I won't be of much use to you. There's something wrong with my camera, and I won't be able to take pictures underwater anyway."

  Ponce's eyes speared through her, and she was sure that he knew she was lying. Nothing was wrong with her camera.

  "How much does a new camera cost?"

  "That's not the point."

  He regarded her silently for a moment, then nodded his head decisively.

  "If all you want a short vacation, I'll order the launch tonight. You can leave in the morning, take the week off to buy the best camera available, and attend the large publicity party next Saturday at my corporate offices. I'll be announcing our success at salvaging the jewels at a press conference that evening, and I'm sure reporters will want to interview you about your role in this treasure hunt. You can return to Minorcan Sunday night. We need you, Alix."

  We need you, not I need you. Still, was this a sliver of hope? Was Ponce really saying that he couldn't get along without her? Something in the attitude of his body leaning toward her and the silent plea in his gaze made her hope.

  It was the first Alix had heard of the press conference and party, but they might be a good enough reason to juggle her plans. She could leave Minorcan tomorrow, spend a week thinking things over, and if she still wanted to leave she would tell Ponce after the party Saturday night. At the very least, publicity about her work with Treasure Finders, Inc. would help her to find a new job.

  She capitulated. "I'll have my things packed and be ready to leave in the morning." She pushed back her chair and brushed past him.

  "I hope that, when you return to Minorcan, you'll be ready to take up where you left off."

  Was she imagining it, or was there a double meaning to his words? His calm expression did nothing to enlighten her, even though she scanned his face carefully for any sign that he meant her to take his statement personally. Maybe that was what he'd intended. Or maybe not.

  When she left the wardroom, Alix was more confused than ever. She didn't look back at him for fear she would see that he desired her as much as she desired him.

  The launch arrived shortly after dawn. Alix was waiting, and Ponce did not appear to see her depart.

  Again, she disembarked from the launch at the Coquina Marina. The clear water of Salt Run quivered in patterns of ripples running before the breeze. Few people were on the dock, and the marina was quiet. She headed toward her apartment for a shower and a change of clothes.

  In the early morning, shadows were blue. Dew clung to crimson hibiscus blossoms and to broad blades of grass. She spent a few hours at her apartment and then caught a shuttle bus from the marina to the oldest part of town.

  By noon St. Augustine basked in the full heat of a sun that seemed almost Spanish. She walked in the shade of balconies lacy with vines against the whitewashed houses that supported them. At a small restaurant, she found a table on a shady patio and ate a sandwich at a table covered with red burlap. The only trouble was that she couldn't get Ponce off her mind.

  The more she thought about him, the more she realized that his treatment of her paralleled his attitude toward treasure hunting—for him the excitement and uncertainty of the quest seemed more important than the treasure itself.

  Would a life with him mean relinquishing him to his obsession for the search for treasure every time a new quest happened along? But no, she was used to Ponce when he was high on the excitement of treasure—in fact, her enthusiasm matched his, and her calmness tempered his moodiness. They'd proved that they could work together even under the most difficult of circumstances.

  And how could she deny the oneness they had both felt at the height of their relationship? They had a certain rapport. Also, their physical attraction was strong. She knew Ponce respected her for her knowledge and her determination, so like his. And she respected him. They had all the ingredients for a lasting relationship. So what had gone wrong?

  In a quandary, knowing that she hadn't made her final decision but only postponed it, she left the restaurant without finishing her lunch. Somehow she'd have to decide what to do and if Ponce was worth fighting for. It was going to be the most difficult decision of her life.

  The birth of Troll and Mary's baby provided a welcome distraction. Troll rang her cell phone in the middle of the week.

  "It's a girl!" he said, every bit the proud father. He and Mary had declined to know the baby's sex from the sonogram.

  Alix laughed. "Do the swim fins fit?"

  "Not yet, but she's growing into them."

  "And was she born wearing a scuba tank?" Alix couldn't help teasing.

  "No, but she could sure use a snorkel. You should see her nose! It's tiny. Say, why don't you stop by the house tomorrow? You're the only crew member ashore, and I want to show off my daughter. I'd like you to meet Mary, too."

  During their visit, Alix's eyes grew misty as she watched the couple interact. It was obvious that Troll and Mary shared a loving, caring marriage. When Alix left, she had to swallow the lump in her throat. She and Ponce had once had a close, warm, and supportive relationship. But that kind of love for her and Ponce seemed unattainable now.

  The week passed slowly, but she had plenty of time to think. If she went back to Ponce, if indeed he even wanted her back, would she surrender her independence again? She wouldn't be dependent on anyone financially ever again, but there were other ways to be dependent on a man, and Alix wanted no part of them.

  Could Ponce let her grow without letting her go? Was he capable of accepting her independence, freedom, and maturity? Though he'd once said that she wasn't jaded or wary about what kind of garbage the world would dump on her, in this situation she felt wary indeed.

  By Saturday night she was still undecided. One part of her wanted to put Ponce out of her life forever, and another part wanted to forget their differences so that she could return to Minorcan to resume the work she loved and also, perhaps, give herself another chance with Ponce. When she arrived at the Treasure Finders office for the Saturday-night press conference, she still had not made up her mind.

  "There she is!" Ponce called out as soon as she entered. The space was crowded with reporters. Ponce hurried through the crowd, which parted before him, and rapidly ushered her to a dais.

  His hand on her elbow was warm and his smile was welcoming. She looked at him, remembering the intimate way she had known him. She tore her eyes away from his face before her expression could reveal her love for him. For love him she did—one look and the emotion rose up from a wellspring within her, stronger than ever.

  "This is Alix Pendenning, who, as I've told you, found the letters that started us on the search
for King Philip's jewels. I'm sure she'll be glad to answer any questions you'd like to ask."

  Ponce stepped aside. Alix hadn't been prepared to handle reporters right away, and seeing Ponce again disconcerted her. She'd expected to have time to get her bearings first. However, Ponce had primed them well.

  "Ms. Pendenning, when you first saw the letter from Captain Daré to Hoyo Solorzano, did you realize that you had stumbled upon something important?"

  And so it went, with Alix responding to one question after another and Ponce on the sidelines regarding her with an expression of pride.

  She took heart in his quiet pride, realizing it for what it was. It surprised her somehow that he was standing aside and letting her take full credit for her part in the discovery of the treasure. Ponce Cabrera was not used to sharing the limelight with anyone, and the fact that he was doing it was a mark of his own confidence in himself.

  When he sensed that she was growing tired, Ponce jovially put a stop to the questions and wound up the conference. "You're all invited to a party at my house," he said, taking Alix's arm before she could fade into the crowd. He led them all through the gate to his home where food and drink were waiting.

  "Well, how did it go?" he asked her. "Did you find it difficult to handle so many reporters at once?"

  "Not really," she answered. "I didn't expect to play such a prominent role in this press conference, though. I wish you'd warned me."

  "You fielded their questions with considerable panache."

  "Thank you," she said carefully. "Praise from you means a great deal to me."

  "Does it?" He raised his eyebrows.

  "Yes," she replied.

  Someone interrupted to hand them both a drink, and then Ponce was drawn into a discussion with reporters. Alix retreated to a quiet corner and watched.

  After a week away from him, Ponce was more handsome than she'd remembered. He was tanner than ever, and his hair was longer than usual, curling loosely over the unaccustomed white shirt collar. He was affable and at ease with the reporters as he related anecdotes about life on Minorcan.

  Alix was overcome with the sensation of fitting him into her thoughts again to see if he would adhere or just peel away like an impermanence. It seemed so impossible, all of it, all of him, and she felt him tearing away from her amid all the attention. Despite his looks and his personality and their affinity for the same kind of life, it would never work. There'd been too much hurt between them. And who knew better from past experience that love, once broken, was so fragile that it wouldn't mend?