Lone Star Cinderella

by Debra Clopton

  When she saw the rock, she knew they’d solved the map. There was a rocky ledge that jutted out from the earth and disappeared around a curve that followed the line of the river below. It was not more than two feet wide, and it looked like the crisp edge of a pie crust. Melody thought it was an odd comparison for a man to make, but it worked. There was no doubt about it. Below them was the river and behind them the ravine sloped gradually away from the ledge. Seth was busy stomping down some brush so that they could see better what they were dealing with. She wondered if his heart was pumping as rapidly as hers. She’d never in a million years dreamed when she’d taken the chance and called his ranch that day to ask if she could tour the stagecoach house that it would lead to her actually finding a buried treasure. Of course she hadn’t found the treasure yet, but it almost felt as if they had.

  After considerable stomping, Seth turned to her and held out his hand. “I feel like a kid,” he said, giving a cute little laugh that made her feel like there were a thousand children doing cartwheels inside her heart.

  She took his hand and knew her heart had just crossed a dangerous boundary she had no business crossing.

  “We’re supposed to follow this. Now watch your footing. This could get tricky. I don’t want you falling and hurting yourself.”

  She nodded but knew it was already too late for that.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Seth held tightly to Melody’s hand as he followed the rock ledge. It wasn’t really dangerous but one misstep and a person could fall off the ledge, hit the ground the short four feet below the ledge and then roll or slide over the edge into the river. He wasn’t about to take a chance on Melody taking that ride. She’d seemed to get her footing better today than the other days but still, all it would take was one slipup.

  And the fact that they were both excited about the possibility of finding the cave and the treasure was an added liability when it came to keeping their feet planted firmly on the ground.

  Seeing the sparkle in her eyes was enough to send him skydiving.

  They reached the edge, and Melody’s grip tightened on his. He realized that he wanted to find the treasure more for the pleasure it would give her than anything. The area was overgrown like everything else but sloping back away from the rock ledge. But there was nothing else there. At least not visible.

  Melody sighed. “I guess I was expecting the cave opening to just be right here. Instead, the rock disappeared, and it looks like everything else.”

  The disappointment was heavy in her voice. “C’mon now,” he said, gently hugging her. “You’ve pushed and prodded me for days. Don’t go giving up so quickly. We’ve come this far, and there is no doubt in my mind that that map has led us somewhere important. We just have to keep looking till we find it.” She looked up at him and nodded.

  “You’re right. I’m just anxious.”

  “Me, too. Let’s start looking for anything around here that could be a cave opening. And, remember, that could be a hole only big enough for a person to squeeze through, or a hole in the ground, so watch your step. Not all caves are yawning openings that you can just waltz through.”

  “I’m ready. I’ve thought about the cave and prayed it would be big. I’m not a spelunker—isn’t that what they call the guys who crawl around in the caves like otters?”

  Otters. Cute. “Right. Of course a more experienced explorer is called a caver. You ever seen those bumper stickers that say Cavers Rescue Spelunkers?”

  “Wow. Where did all that come from?”

  He gave a shrug. “What can I say? Like I told you, I dreamed of finding treasure when I was a kid. And to me, any good treasure should be buried in a cave. So I did my research.”

  Her chuckle warmed his heart. “Okay, you’ll have to fill me in on this more. But for now let’s try and make that dream come true.”

  “Fine by me.” Before letting her loose to search, he gave her another one-armed hug and fought the want to pull her close and kiss her smiling lips. “Careful, okay?”

  He moved toward the largest mass of vegetation and peered into it. He’d tromped this ravine like Lewis and Clark when he’d been a kid. The idea that there was indeed a cave here and he’d missed it didn’t give him much hope in his skills as a spelunker, much less a caver. Still, this was a huge area, and the undergrowth was dense so he gave himself a bit of slack. He glanced to where Melody was also pushing and pulling at a mass of grapevine and yaupon. “Watch for snakes,” he warned.

  “Hey!” She shot him a glare and jumped back. “I’m trying not to think about them, and so far that’s held them at bay all this time. Don’t start talking about them now.”

  He grinned. “I’m sorry to remind you, but it’s just so you don’t stick your hand somewhere that it shouldn’t be.”

  She pulled both hands back and scanned the massive tangle of vines overlaying the bushes. “Maybe we need a machete or something.”

  He pushed further into the bushes he was investigating, feeling the ground slope up beneath his boots. “Not a bad idea. Maybe we should call it quits today and bring back some equipment tomorrow.”

  “No—I mean, it’s only four o’clock. We still have daylight for a few hours,” she said but stopped digging around in the vines and walked to stand beside him.

  He figured they needed tools but gave the vines he was grasping a hard yank and then went still. Beside him Melody did the same, obviously seeing the same shadow far back in the foliage. She looked up at him with wide violet eyes.

  He smiled. “I think we’re going to need some light. What about you?”

  “So, I’ll pack a lunch, and we’ll plan to spend the entire day again,” Melody said as they pulled up in front of the stagecoach house a couple hours later. She’d chattered all the way home. Poor Seth probably wanted to run.

  He laid his arm across the back of the seat. “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Great. I can’t wait. Do you want to come in for a glass of tea or I could make a pot of coffee?” She didn’t want him to leave yet. Actually she didn’t want to get out of the truck.

  “Sure,” he said. “Then I’ll head home and get our gear together for tomorrow.”

  Melody led the way into the house, and as always, especially since it had been a couple of days since she’d heard from Ty, her gaze sought out the answering machine. The light was blinking, and she hesitated, her heart torn. “Tea or coffee?” she asked, walking to the kitchen.

  “Tea,” Seth said.

  As she reached inside the refrigerator for the pitcher of cold tea, she saw him pause at the answering machine. “My head is still spinning from the thoughts that tomorrow we might find something.” She grabbed glasses and tried to ignore the fact that he was probably wondering the same thing she was—whether the blinking light was from Ty.

  He crossed the room and took the tea but set it on the counter. “Tomorrow is going to be a big day, and I think I better go on back to the house and get things ready.”

  Melody didn’t want him to leave. “If you think that’s best.”

  He didn’t make a move for the door, and it was more than obvious that something was on his mind. “That blinking light.”

  Her stomach hurt. She didn’t want to talk about the light. Or Ty. Not tonight.

  “Is that who I think it is?”

  “Seth, let’s not start—”

  “Look, I can’t help it. Does he call you every day of the year?”

  “No. Not every day.” She set her tea down and started to turn away but Seth took her shoulders.

  “Melody, I’m not asking this to get you all uptight. I’ve tried to keep out of it. But that has to wear on you.”

  She sighed. “It does.”

  “Did you send him the money?”

  “No.”

  “Good for you,” he said, and then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the temple.

  Melody couldn’t say it was exactly the kiss or the moment she’d been daydreaming about. It w
as actually about the worst atmosphere for a kiss she could have imagined. She pushed out of Seth’s arms. “You know what? It’s been a long day, and I’m pretty tired.”

  “Sure,” he said. “I’ll see you early.”

  “I’ll be ready.” She watched him leaving and waited as he closed the door behind him. She didn’t move but stood there listening as his boot steps receded.

  She should have been ecstatic about the next day, but she suddenly felt empty. She looked at the floor and all her research papers stacked neatly around her. This had been her escape…but she hadn’t escaped anything. Instead she’d run headfirst into a wreck. She felt tangled inside. Seth said he was concerned about her, and he was saying things she’d thought herself. She knew she needed to let Ty find his own way. She’d been trying to figure it out. So why did she feel so resentful every time Seth voiced his thoughts? His simple stare at the blinking light bothered her.

  It seemed like her whole world was made up of questions these days. And if she stayed busy she could sometimes not think about the fact that she had no answers.

  She’d always had a strong faith in God. She’d been taught early that God was always there for her and she’d seen her parents’ faith carry them through so many hard times. Always, they’d trusted that the Lord was in control. And she believed that, too.

  She was just struggling with understanding the why of it all.

  She knew she wasn’t the only person in America who had problems. And sadly she understood that the nightmare of drug abuse was widespread and growing. Feeling sorry for herself was not what she wanted to feel. But sometimes she felt so alone. So isolated. She’d thought talking to Seth would help her. She’d actually prayed that God would give her some answers. That He would hear her prayers, know that she was angry and desperate…it was almost her last-ditch effort to believe that God hadn’t just given up on Ty but that He’d also not given up on her.

  Stop it. Melody rubbed her temple, her gaze falling on the blinking red light. Letting these emotions get a grip on her wasn’t good. She needed to shake it off. But she’d really thought, well, she and Seth had become something over the last three weeks—she wasn’t exactly sure what that was but it was something. Maybe it was simply that they’d spent so much time together that she’d opened up to him like she’d never opened up to anyone before. And, in turn, he felt comfortable giving her advice.

  Only, did she want that advice? Instead of feeling less isolated she felt…depressed.

  So depressed that she did something she’d never done before. She walked over and unplugged her phone. Then staring at the blinking red light she snapped the answering machine off.

  She just couldn’t face talking to her brother—not tonight.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Friday was a beautiful day for spelunking. Melody had been outside waiting on Seth when he drove up. She’d been determined that today she was not going to let problems weigh her down.

  She’d also left her phone unplugged, but she wasn’t going to think about that either.

  “You’re in a good mood this morning,” Seth said as she jumped into the front seat, depositing the small cooler with their sandwiches in the seat.

  “I am. So don’t mess it up.” She shot him a warning look. “Now, hit the road, Jack. We have a treasure to find.”

  Seth gave her a curious look but put the truck in gear. “I’ve got us packed up and ready for an all-dayer.”

  “Sounds great.”

  They small talked all the way to the ravine. She was glad he had taken her hint and was going to keep the conversation on neutral ground…that was part of the reason she’d been waiting outside for him, not wanting him to see that her phone or answering machine were unplugged. Today was about the quest, and she didn’t need him asking questions or judging her actions.

  Since they knew where the cave was, Seth was able to park the truck in a location at the top of the ravine that would minimize their hike. Instead of bringing Dough Boy, he’d brought a backpack. As they unloaded and he pulled down the tailgate she surveyed the assortment of gear. Lights, a couple of shovels, rope. She looked at the rope. “Surely we won’t have to use that. I mean, our guy was an 1800s cowboy on a horse and he was sick.”

  Seth pulled the backpack on and grinned at her. “I seriously doubt we’re going to have to use it, but it never hurts to be prepared.”

  “You’re right,” she said, pulling the strap of the small cooler over her head and situating the square container so that it hung at the small of her back. “So I don’t get a backpack?”

  “Not today. Like you said, the dude was on a horse. I’m expecting that if he buried the treasure, it’s somewhere near the opening. That means I don’t think we’re going to need to test our limited spelunking techniques much.” He grabbed a shovel and handed her one. “You can carry that,” he said while he picked up a machete in a sheath and clipped it onto his belt.

  This was it. They really were about to hack their way through a tangle of yaupon and vines and enter a cave that had maybe not been explored by anyone in over a hundred years. She got goose bumps.

  Seth led the way, and it took them less than an hour to make it to the ledge. But since he now knew where the cave was Seth was able to lead in a quicker way, bypassing the walk along the ledge. “This was so much easier,” she said.

  “Yeah. It’s a lot easier to find when it’s not hidden in a backward map.” He set his backpack down and slid the machete out of its holder. “Stand back while I get rid of this.”

  He didn’t have to tell her twice. She watched as he expertly wielded the sharp blade. She watched the muscles in his arms and back bunch and stretch with each swing of the machete. Her insides melted watching him work. The morning was already hot even though it was only about ten o’clock, but she shivered remembering the feel of those arms each time he’d pulled her close. He paused to swipe perspiration from his brow with his forearm and caught her watching him. He winked and went back to work.

  Her heart hammered in her chest as if she’d been the one swinging the machete. It didn’t take too long for him to have a path cut to the rocks, and sure enough—just as they’d believed—there was a slim opening. “Amazing,” Seth said, sheathing the machete as he leaned into the crevice for a first look.

  Melody was right behind him carrying the backpack. She set it on the ground and pulled out the lights. Her fingers trembled doing so.

  “I’ll go first. I’m thinking I’ve made enough noise to scare off anything hiding inside, but just in case let’s take it nice and slow.”

  “Gotcha,” Melody agreed. Texas had an abundance of wildlife, including snakes—rattlers and copperheads, to be specific—and she prayed again that none of them was waiting to ambush them inside the cave. Out in the woods everything had the chance to hear them coming and had gotten out of their way before they had any encounters. But this was a cave. “Be careful.”

  “If I get hurt, are you going to be my nurse?”

  The teasing question startled her. “Maybe,” she teased back.

  “Maybe isn’t much incentive for a guy to put everything on the line for,” he said, his voice a low rumble as he seemed to lean closer in her direction. “Come here.”

  She stepped forward. Her insides had gone to complete mush. “I—I would be your nurse,” she said, but it came out as a whisper. A cracked whisper, like she’d been stranded in the desert without water for days.

  He didn’t touch her—just leaned forward. As her stomach and heart seemed to knock together, he touched his lips to hers. The erratic knock of her heart thumping and banging surely could be heard as he kissed her. This was not the kiss on the temple like the day before. This was toe curling, lose-your-heart kind of dangerous. And when he pulled away, he looked as shaken as she felt. She blinked and tried to stop her world from spinning but she knew that was probably not going to happen.

  If she’d ever wondered what it would feel like to hop on that mechanical bull
, she didn’t need to wonder any longer. She was so there. And so in trouble. Because she had no idea what she was doing…

  What was he doing? Seth practically stumbled away from Melody. The dazed look in her amethyst eyes and the feel of her lips scorching his skin very nearly knocked him to his knees. All night long he’d fought his feelings for her. It would be easy to love Melody—but implementing and sustaining that love when the issue of her brother was concerned wasn’t likely something they could come to a compromise about. It had taken all his willpower so far this morning not to ask if she’d called him back.

  He’d known kissing her was a dangerous step that he needed to stay clear of at all costs. But here he’d gone and done it anyway.

  He stepped into the cave. Taking a deep breath of the cool, dank air, he let his eyes adjust. As he directed the flashlight beam about the cavern, he saw that it wasn’t terribly big. But there was room to stand, and there would have been room for a man his size to stretch out on the floor without having to curl up in the center area. He walked forward and shined his light into another opening. This room was dark, cut off from the slight light source the outside opening provided, and it was much larger.

  “Seth.”

  He took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure what was happening between them, but he knew he was getting in way over his head. If it was just about them, he’d be all gung ho about the way she tore him up inside…it was a good feeling. But there was her brother to contend with. And his gut told him he’d better tread lightly.

  “You can come in,” he called. “All’s clear.” He wished.

  Her gasp filled the cavern, and he couldn’t help smiling at the look of amazement that lit her eyes.

  “Oh, Seth, this is so awesome.”

  She was awesome. This was just a cave. “You might want to look through here,” he said indicating the next opening. She smiled, and the slight hesitancy in her step, as if not sure she should get close to him, was the only thing that made him think she was still thinking about the kiss. He stepped back, giving her wider berth. She took the opening and moved past him, shining her light into the next room.