Seaside Heartbeats_A Sweet Romance

by Stacy Claflin

  A tear ran down her face as he slid the ring on her finger.

  The ring was too big for her ring finger, so he slid it on her middle finger instead. "Sorry," he said, and laughed, wiping a tear away. "I didn't have time to find out your size."

  Lana shook her head, blinking tears onto her face. "It's perfect."

  "I'll have it resized."

  "Not before we show it off to everyone. I want the world to know I'm going to be Mrs. Brayden Hunter."

  He pulled her close, kissing her with even more passion than ever before. When he pulled away, he smiled wider than she'd ever seen. Her heart swelled at the sight. He pulled her up as he stood and swung her around in a circle. "You've just made me the happiest man alive."

  "And you've made me the luckiest woman alive." She beamed, soaking in the moment.

  Brayden set her down. "So, do you want to spend the afternoon here alone with me, or do you want to tell everyone our good news?"

  "How about a little of both?" Lana bent down and drew a heart in the sand. "Are you going to draw yours?"

  He shook his head. "We have one heart now."

  Twenty Five

  Brayden leaned back against the couch watching as Lana, Tiffany, and his mom gushed over the ring. The relief that she'd said yes still ran through him.

  "Way to go, man," Cruz said. He held up his fist.

  Brayden pumped his fist against Cruz's.

  "You did good, dude."

  "Look how thrilled Mom is," Jake said. "She's so much happier these days."

  "Yeah," Brayden agreed. "She's hardly kept her desire for me to marry a secret."

  The doorbell rang. "I'll get that," called his dad from the kitchen.

  "Are we expecting a package?" asked his mom.

  Brayden heard the front door open, and then his dad exclaimed, "Zachary!"

  Everyone dropped what they were doing and crowded into the entryway to see him. Gone was his trademark smile that had won over countless girls when he was younger. In its place was a frown, partially covered by at least three days of stubble, and dark bands of exhaustion under his eyes.

  His parents hugged him, followed by Cruz, Jake, and Tiffany. Finally, Brayden gave him a big hug, patting his back. "Good to see you again, little brother."

  "Little?" Zachary asked. "I'm going to be thirty soon."

  "At least he doesn't call you baby," Jake said, glaring at Brayden, but his expression quickly turned into a smile.

  Brayden took Lana's hand and pulled her close. "Zachary, I want you to meet my fiancée, Lana. Lana, Zachary."

  "You're engaged?" Zachary asked. "When did this happen?"

  "A few hours ago." Brayden broke into a wide grin.

  Zachary finally smiled, and his whole face lit up. He gave Lana a big hug. "Welcome to the family, Lana."

  She hugged him back, thanking him. "It's great to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."

  "All good, I hope."

  "Nothing except the best. I hear you're a talented author."

  "Tell that to the publishers," Zachary mumbled, his face clouding over again.

  "They don't know what they're missing," Jake said.

  "I'd rather talk about something else. Not to be rude, but do you guys mind if I get a shower? I've been on the road for days."

  Cruz waved his hands in front of his nose. "I didn't want to say nothin'."

  Zachary shoved him.

  "Today calls for a celebration," their mom said. "I'm going to make a peach cobbler. How's that sound?"

  Everyone spoke their agreement. Brayden's mouth watered at the thought of his mom's famous dessert. It was so good that anytime they went to a potluck, people begged her to bring a couple.

  Zachary made his way back to the bedrooms and the women went into the kitchen to learn the secret recipe.

  "Basketball?" Cruz asked.

  Jake, Cruz, and Brayden headed out to the driveway where the old but sturdy basketball hoop stood. It had been there since Brayden was old enough to throw a ball. Rust covered it, and the net hung on in only two hoops. He made a mental note to replace it and surprise everyone.

  They played two against one, with Brayden being the odd man out. That was how it always played out since he was not only the oldest, but the tallest. Ever since Cruz and Jake had been teenagers, they held the advantage, but there had been a day when Brayden had been able to easily beat the two of them.

  Eventually, Zachary came out with slicked back hair and a shorter beard.

  "Join our team," Cruz said, throwing the ball at Zachary.

  "Three against one?" Brayden asked, shaking his head.

  "Yeah," Jake said. "We have to get you back for all those years you never gave us a break."

  "Whatever." Brayden grabbed the ball from Zachary and threw it into the basket. "Eat that."

  The sweet smell of peaches and sugar wafted over.

  "I'd rather have mom's dessert," Jake said.

  "I'm going to have to do extra reps," Brayden complained, only half-joking.

  "That goes for all of us." Cruz grabbed the ball, tucked it under his arm, and headed for the front door. The other brothers followed him. Brayden's mouth watered more with each step he took. The extra workout would be fully worth it.

  Everyone sat around the table enjoying the tasty cobbler until it disappeared. Then the attention turned to Zachary. He was the least social of all the Hunter brothers, but seemed even less eager to speak now.

  "New York wasn't good enough for ya?" Cruz asked, leaning back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head.

  "Other way around." Zachary twisted his napkin around a finger.

  "That's nonsense," said their mom.

  Zachary frowned. "I have a pile of rejection letters. The only reason I saved them was because my agent said one day I would laugh about it just like Stephen King." He shook his head, wiping at his eyes. "I couldn't even make enough at the paper to pay my rent. Do I really have to talk about this?" His voice cracked. "What's new in Kittle Falls?"

  "You're going to be an uncle," Tiffany said, beaming.

  Zachary looked back and forth between Jake and her, his expression softening. "Really? Congratulations. Maybe your and Brayden's good luck will rub off on me. An engagement and a baby. Maybe Kittle Falls is exactly where I need to be—at least for a while."

  "You can write anywhere, you know," his dad said.

  Zachary shrugged. There was an awkward silence for a minute until Jake started telling everyone about the addition to their house. Zachary finally cheered up again, and no one brought up New York or writing.

  After a while, Cruz stood up. "I hate to break up the party, but I gotta get going. Got a shift at the tat parlor tonight."

  Jake looked at the time. "I better get to the shop, too. I'm sure Calvin and Bella have everything under control, but they're training the new girl, and I should see how that's going."

  Brayden held up Lana's hand, showing off the ring. "And we should go, too, so we can tell Lana's family the good news."

  "You haven't told them?" asked his mom. "Off with you guys. I'll clean the kitchen. Today's been so full of good news, I don't mind."

  "Let me help you," Zachary said.

  "We'll help," Lana said.

  "No. You need to share the good news with your parents, sweetie. Go."

  Lana shrugged. "If you're sure, but I don't mind."

  She practically pushed Brayden and Lana out of the house. "It's your special day. Share it with your family. Oh, and be sure to extend an invitation to your parents. We'd love to have them over for dinner some night."

  "Her sister's family is here, too," Brayden said.

  "The more the merrier." She closed the door.

  "I get the feeling I'm not wanted in my own home," Brayden said, and then laughed.

  "Take it as a compliment," Lana said. "But before we tell my parents, do you mind if we stop by the hardware store first?"

  He raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Why?"

>   "I want an accurate plan, so I need to measure out the exact size of the land."

  "Isn't that available online?" asked Brayden.

  "Yeah. I want to make sure it's right, though, before I make any real plans."

  "If you want to spend our engagement day mapping out my clinic, I won't stop you."

  She gave him a kiss. "As long as I'm with you, I don't care what we're doing. But yeah, I do want to map out your future clinic."

  When they got there, Lana pulled out a measuring tape from her purse.

  "Do you carry that everywhere you go?" he asked. "Or are you just happy to see me?"

  Lana shoved him. "I hadn't known I was getting engaged when I packed my purse this morning."

  "Likely story." He winked. "While you measure the land, I'm going inside to look for something." He hoped to find something good for his dad to hang in the garage as a reminder of the days he went in there with his own dad as a boy.

  "Okay." Lana headed for the back of the property and Brayden watched until she was out of sight. He held his breath. She was so beautiful. It didn't feel possible that she had agreed to be his wife. Not only was she the most amazing woman on the planet, she supported his dream. More than that, she actually wanted to be a part of it.

  Brayden let out his breath and then went to the door to see if it happened to be unlocked. Several windows had been broken over the years and shelves were scattered around in strange angles, leading Brayden to believe that people had gone in before. He pushed on the handle, and sure enough, the door opened. It creaked in protest, but it did open.

  He looked around to make sure the structure was sound. The last thing he needed was to risk his life again. It looked all right, but he pushed against the wall to be sure. Nothing budged.

  Brayden went in, looking around, trying to imagine what the store had been like when his dad had been a boy shopping with Brayden's grandpa. He could picture the faded, peeling blue paint brighter and the lights shining on all the new tools. A broken popcorn machine leaned against a wall. His dad had probably looked forward to a bag every visit. A cracked clock reading 8:49 hung on the wall sideways.

  There had to be something worthwhile in there. He wandered down the aisles, looking at the empty, dusty shelves. When he got to the back, he went through a door with faded painted letters reading Employees Only. Junk piled up in all corners. A framed painting of a father and son fishing caught his eye. He picked it up, examining it. No cracks or any other damage—just dust.

  It was perfect. A gift from son to father as a reminder of the father as a boy with his own dad. He blew some dust off the glass and then sneezed when it flew into his nose. He carried it over to a dirty window and looked out, watching Lana walk around the perimeter. He could never tire of seeing her.

  He could hardly wait for the day when he'd be able to see her every morning and evening no matter his work schedule. Brayden forced himself to turn away and look through the piles of junk to see if there were anymore treasures. He found an old oil can that had to be worth something, and once cleaned up, would look great in the garage.

  Brayden went back out the main part of the store and looked around. He still didn't see anything else, but it didn't matter. He was sure his dad's face would light up when he saw the painting and oil can.

  Lana walked in through the door. "You're still in here? What are you going to do with those?"

  "They're gifts for my dad."

  "Oh." She looked confused.

  "He used to come here as a kid with my grandpa."

  "Oh," she said, sounding as though she understood. "That's the sweetest thing." She ran over and gave him a kiss.

  He kissed her back, but it was awkward with his arms full. "Let me set these down." They walked over to the counter and he pushed aside some dusty books and laid the items down.

  Lana put her arms on his shoulders and pushed him against the wall behind the counter. "Now I've got you where I want you." Her voice was husky, and her eyes full of desire.

  He put his hands around her waist and pulled her close. "And I have you exactly where I want you." He pressed his lips against hers and turned her so that she leaned against the wall. He pressed against her, sliding his foot next to hers. The board underneath his shoe creaked and then slid right out from his place.

  Brayden lost his footing and fell against Lana.

  "Ow," she exclaimed.

  He jumped back. "Sorry. That board came loose. Now back to—"

  "Wait."

  "What could be more important than kissing you?"

  "There's something under there."

  Curiosity got the better of him. "What is it? And don't think you've gotten out of that kiss."

  "I wouldn't expect anything else." She moved out of the way, kicking the loose board away.

  Brayden bent over and picked up the small wooden box. It had a rusty lock on it.

  "What do you think is in there?" Lana asked.

  "Money?"

  "Gold?"

  "Oh, don't say that." Brayden didn't ever want to think about gold again after the cave.

  "How are we going to open it?" Lana asked.

  Brayden grabbed one of the books from the counter and smacked it against the lock. It fell off onto the ground.

  "Nice." Lana looked impressed. She opened the lid.

  Brayden's heart sank. The old yellow paper reminded him of the map from the museum.

  Lana grabbed one of the papers, reading. Her eyes grew increasingly wide.

  "What?" Brayden asked.

  She didn't say anything, so he took another paper and read it. Then he exchanged a look with her.

  The letter was from Thomas Williams threatening Billy Kittle's life.

  Twenty Six

  Lana put the last piece of paper into the tiny box. She looked at Brayden, who didn't say anything. They'd just spent the last twenty minutes reading the letters to each other. According to the letters, Billy had taken a team to prospect with him and cleared out the caves. Thomas had been furious since he was the one who told Billy about them. He wanted a share.

  "Do you think Thomas went through with his promise?" asked Lana.

  "To leave Billy spread around the tunnel where Thomas felt Billy stole gold from him? It matches the bones we found."

  "Following the map Thomas drew." Lana leaned against Brayden, allowing his closeness to warm her. "Why would these letters be here, of all places?"

  "It's a pretty good hiding spot. They've been there for a long time, and a lot of people have stepped on the board, never knowing anything was under there."

  "But why?" Lana asked. It didn't make any sense. "Who put it there?"

  Brayden shrugged. "Maybe Thomas found them and hid them here, not wanting anyone else to see them."

  "Wouldn't he have burned them?" Lana asked. "He wouldn't have wanted any evidence of killing Billy."

  "Maybe one of the Kittles hid it in hopes of being able to use it against Thomas one day."

  "But why wouldn't they just give it to the police? Ugh. This is so frustrating," Lana said. "This mystery just gets worse and worse."

  "That's why it's been unsolved so long." Brayden ran his fingers through her hair and then sneezed. "Maybe we should go outside. I'm going to be a mess soon with all this dust."

  "Should we take the box with us?" Lana asked.

  "Definitely. Here, you carry the oil can and I'll hold the box underneath the painting."

  "You think someone will see us and know what it is?" she teased.

  "I'm not taking any chances."

  They went back to the car, and Lana couldn't help but be amused with Brayden's constant looking back and forth. If anyone had any idea that the box was there, they wouldn't have let it just sit there, much less spent their time watching the building to see if anyone would take it.

  Brayden arranged everything in the trunk and closed it, looking around. "I'm going to look into the history of the hardware store. It'll be easy enough when I purchase the pr
operty. Perhaps that'll tell me something."

  "Maybe we should just go to the police and tell them everything," Lana said.

  "And we could start off with Officer Williams. I'm sure he'll be most helpful." He scowled.

  Lana stepped behind Brayden and rubbed his back. "Or we could go back to my house and share our good news with my family. We can put the mystery behind us for a while. It's been left alone long enough."

  He spun around. "You're right, although it does seem to want to be brought out into the light. What are the chances that I'd want to buy the very building that holds the answers needed?"

  "Because we're the luckiest people in all of Kittle Falls." Lana kissed him.

  Brayden pulled her close and kissed her again. She would never get tired of that. Her skin warmed as he ran his palms up and down her arms. Lana had never felt so loved and adored in all of her life.

  He pulled back. "We should go."

  "If we must." She stole another kiss before walking around to the other side of the car. They rode to Lana's house in silence. She couldn't stop playing with the ring. The last thing she had expected was for him to propose—but it was exactly what she wanted.

  Her dad would be disappointed that she wouldn't return to Seattle with him to work at the firm, but at least she knew he would understand. Thankfully, she had initiated that conversation with him when she did. Now she didn't have to worry about him being upset about his reaction to the engagement.

  Lana was surprised when Brayden pulled up in front of her house. She'd been so lost in thought she hadn't realized how close they were.

  He turned off the car and put it in gear. "Are you ready?" He looked nervous.

  She squeezed his hand and smiled. "My family loves you. Relax."

  "Is it that obvious?" he asked.

  "Yeah, but don't worry. They'll be thrilled."

  Color drained from his face. "I should've asked your father's permission first."

  Lana shook her head. "This isn't the dark ages. I'm no one's property."

  "I'm a traditional kind of guy, though. I should have."

  "Don't beat yourself up." She kissed his cheek. "You're a traditional modern man. Come on."