Some Kind of Wonderful
Belle Calhoune
Treasure Harbor: Eight novellas centered around a quest to find treasure hidden by a notorious pirate, Drake Burton, in the seventeen-hundreds. When Nor’easter Igor unearths gold coins on Bounty Beach in Treasure Harbor, treasure seekers from near and far converge on the town in hopes of finding the treasure of a lifetime. Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the seaside town of Treasure Harbor, this eight book series features heroes and heroines who are dealing with the fact that their beloved town has gone treasure crazy.
Lara Callahan is a journalist living in Philadelphia and working for the Philadelphia Times newspaper. When her job sends her back to her hometown of Treasure Harbor, North Carolina in pursuit of a story about a centuries-old pirate’s treasure, Lara has mixed feelings. Years ago Lara left Treasure Harbor in order to seek a new life away from talk of buried treasure and the hunt for the elusive pirate’s booty. Her childhood was fractured by her parents’ obsession with finding the lost treasure; Lara still feels jaded about the dysfunction she and her sister, Avery, endured as a result.
Now that she’s back in Treasure Harbor, Lara finds herself confronted by the ghosts of the past. Ryan Burton, her childhood best friend and the object of her teen crush, is now a gorgeous, kind man who is determined to find the treasure buried by his ancestor, Drake Burton. Although Lara quickly finds herself falling for Ryan, she isn’t sure that she can bear to watch someone she cares about become so consumed with the treasure.
Ryan Burton can’t believe his eyes when Lara Callahan walks into Pirate Pizza looking all grown up and gorgeous. Years ago they were best friends before the enmity of their families and the centuries-old Burton-Callahan feud tore them apart. Now an executive at the Burton import-export family business, Ryan is struggling to make his family proud of his achievements. Now that gold coins have washed up on Bounty Beach, the town is in a frenzy over the elusive treasure. Wanting to spend time with Lara, Ryan suggests they pool their resources since she’s writing a series of articles about the treasure and he’s officially become a treasure seeker. When romantic sparks fly between them, Ryan finds himself imagining a future with the spunky journalist. But when tensions rise over the treasure in the small seaside town, Ryan begins to realize that he and Lara are at odds over his pursuit of the treasure.
Will Lara and Ryan find their way to a happy ending?
Table of Contents
About the Author
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Epilogue
About the Author:
Belle Calhoune is a bestselling author of Christian romance. She lives in Connecticut with her college sweetheart husband and two beautiful girls. A huge lover of dogs, Belle has two of her own—a toy poodle and a chocolate lab. One of the major perks of being a writer is the ability to work in her pajamas. When she’s not creating love stories, Belle loves to travel, spend time in Cape Cod, read and watch classic films.
Copyright 2016 by Belle Calhoune
All Rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher and author, except where permitted by law.
Dedicated to my husband, Randy, for supporting me in all of my writing endeavors. I couldn’t do this without you.
Belle’s Books:
Immeasurably More Collection: Six Christian Authors
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A69AJXM
Secrets of Savannah Series
Book One: Till the End of Time
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017L5ZPCE
Book Two: A Moment in the Moonlight
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AARG24A
Book Three: The Last Kiss
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C1WIPAG
Book Four: For Love Alone
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GEE5Q8G
SEVEN BRIDES, SEVEN BROTHERS SERIES
BOOK ONE: THE WAY HOME
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KTCBXSC
BOOK TWO: STILL THE ONE
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M0EUU22
BOOK THREE: UNTIL YOU LOVED ME
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N15TPFC
BOOK FOUR: LOVE ME TENDER
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OFAVB1I
BOOK FIVE: IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R6U2PZK
BOOK SIX: BABY IT’S YOU
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VZ3FCB8
BOOK SEVEN: WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011J6ZTE0
PREQUEL: WHEN YOU BELIEVE
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T52CK1G
Prologue
1717
Treasure Harbor, North Carolina
Drake Burton stood at the end of the pier, his gaze focused on a spot in the distance as anticipation built up inside him. He clenched his hands at his sides as a frisson of nervousness passed through him. The fog cast a thick cover over the velvety night, making it difficult to see much of anything only mere feet in front of him.
“Thank goodness for the stars in the sky,” he whispered. A few still shone brightly up in the heavens, peeking past the clouds. The wind whipped against his great coat sending a chill straight through him. A pounding hammered in his ears. Where was Camilla? He pulled out his gold pocket watch. His dear father had given it to him, bequeathed on his deathbed. The inscription on the back had been from his mother to his father. For All Time.
As a child he had read those words and known with a deep certainty that his parents had shared a love bound by neither time nor space. It would endure whatever life tossed in their direction. It was what he wanted with Camilla. An endless love. Two hearts bound by the purest of love and devotion.
The soft tapping noise alerted him to her presence before she came into view. His heart leapt inside his chest as a figure appeared from out of the mist. Drake let out a ragged breath as the petite, raven-haired goddess stepped on to the pier. The lantern he held in his hand illuminated his beloved’s face and figure. He felt his heart pounding at a fast rhythm.
Camilla clutched a book to her chest along with a small burgundy-colored reticule with ivory tassels. All of her belongings were already stashed on board his boat, The Paradise. One of her trusted friends had delivered her luggage and personal items earlier this afternoon. Not wanting to raise the alarm with her family or the house servants, Camilla had only packed items she felt were essential to their new life together, along with the family gems and valuables that would have been her dowry if her family had approved of their union. Camilla—ever the pragmatist—had determined that it was only fair that she take what rightfully belonged to her as the sole daughter of Sebastian and Lily Callahan.
Drake couldn’t help but grin as he imagined her parent’s outrage over the disappearance of their daughter and the loss of the Callahan family’s most precious treasures. He didn’t care one whit about the monetary value of the jewels and gold. He would have gratefully taken Camilla as his bride with nothing more than the clothes on her back. It had been Camilla who had insisted on seizing her inheritance.
And now, The Paradise was waiting for them, mere feet away from the end of the pier. Drake would feel much better when they were safely riding away from Treasure Harbor and headed towards their blissful future.
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br /> “You look radiant, Camilla.” Drake could feel his face lighting up with a smile. She did this to him each and every time. Camilla Callahan Burton made him hope…and feel….and love beyond measure.
Her face was incandescent, green eyes sparkling like emeralds. He let out a sigh, marveling at the fact that this spectacular woman had fallen in love with him and pledged her devotion to him for all eternity.
She smiled at him, making him weak in the knees with her loveliness. “I wanted to wear something fitting for a new bride without raising any suspicions. Do you like it?”
He shook his head, in awe of the way the ivory gown appeared as if it had been made just for her. “You are a vision of loveliness,” he said, pulling her gently by the hand until she was mere inches from him.
He dipped his head down and pressed his lips against hers, excitement building inside of him at the realization that they were husband and wife. Drake loved this woman more than his own breath. And last night, they had been married in a private ceremony on board his ship. How proud he felt to be joined with such a wondrous woman. He would work hard to make sure that Camilla never regretted becoming Mrs. Drake Burton.
He reached out and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “You make a beautiful bride, my love. Or should I say, Mrs. Drake Burton.”
Camilla looked down for a moment, awash in shyness. She was such an elegant and humble woman. So full of innocence and hope. When she lifted her head up, joy radiated in her eyes. “Thank you. And you look quite handsome and elegant this evening, my husband. Stately. Like royalty. If I wasn’t already head over heels in love with you, I might have fallen quite over the edge at the mere sight of you.”
Drake chuckled. He enjoyed the sound of his own laughter. For so long he had been a man with a dour disposition and a gloomy outlook. But meeting and falling in love with Camilla had changed all that. She had transformed him. His soul had been lifted to a place where he soared proudly like an eagle. Every day that dawned brought hope along with it. And the promise of a future lived in love.
Camilla bit her lip. “I fear we must hurry, Drake. Something seemed amiss at home this evening. I cannot put my finger on it, but I’m worried that I’ve been followed here.”
Drake reached for Camilla’s hand. “Do not be afraid. From this point forward, you are under my complete protection.”
“I love you, Drake,” Camilla said in a low voice. “More than I ever knew it was possible to love.”
“And I, you,” Drake whispered. “God has blessed me, even though I haven’t always lived a righteous life.”
“Shh,” Camilla said, reaching up and brushing her hand through his hair. “You are a wonderful man who has redeemed himself by word and deed. The fact that you have worked hard to transform yourself is endearing and brave. You are a man of faith and honor. I am very fortunate to love and be loved by you.”
“Oh my darling. Thank you for believing in me. I shall try to make you the happiest woman alive.” Drake dipped his head down and placed his lips over hers in a triumphant kiss that celebrated their future. Camilla returned his kiss with a fervor and tenderness that caused his soul to soar.
A shuffling noise filled his ears, followed by a shout. “Unhand her you cur.” Drake and Camilla drew apart in surprise as the words rang out in the stillness.
Camilla let out a loud gasp. Sebastian Callahan walked out of the fog, dressed from head to toe in black. One of his hands rested in his pocket while the other he raised in protest. “How dare you touch my daughter, Burton. I told you to stay away from her!”
Camilla looked toward her father with pleading eyes. “Father, please. I’m not a little girl anymore. I love him. We’re set to make a new life together. Don’t spoil it.”
Sebastian stopped in his tracks. “How dare you use that word, daughter. How could you love a man like this?” Sebastian sneered.
“He is an honorable man, father,” Camilla pleaded. “And I plan to be by his side for the rest of my days.”
“Sir, my intentions are honorable,” Drake said. Despite the disrespect leveled at him by Sebastian Callahan, Drake addressed Camilla’s father as a man.
“You will not ruin my daughter and the Callahan family name!” Sebastian yelled. “I will not stand for it.”
“Sir, I know you do not approve, but we are husband and wife now. We are married.” Drake did his best to keep his voice calm and respectful. If nothing else, Sebastian Callahan was his wife’s father.
“You’ve married her? Dear God! You’ve ruined her,” Sebastian cried out, removing his hand from his pocket and revealing a weapon in his grasp. He lifted the revolver and pointed it straight at Drake. Drake knew instinctively that Sebastian would not miss his target. He was far too close to make a mistake. Oh what a sweet life they would have had, he thought as his life flashed before his eyes. He prayed Camilla wouldn’t grieve his death too much. She was far too young to wear widow’s black.
“No!” Camilla cried out, stepping in front of Drake as the sound of gunfire rent the air. One shot, quickly followed by another.
Had he been shot? Drake hadn’t felt a thing. He looked down at his chest and saw nothing. A feeling of amazement swept through him. Had Sebastian missed? Confusion addled Drake’s brain for a moment as he watched Camilla’s body crumple. He reached out and caught her before she hit the ground.
A crimson stain began to quickly spread across her midsection. The beautiful ivory gown was now stained with blood. She had stepped in front of a bullet to save his life.
“No, Camilla,” Drake cried out. “Why? Why didn’t you let him shoot me instead?”
Camilla let out a whimper. Her breathing sounded shallow. “Drake. I could never stand to see you hurt, especially not at the hands of my father. I love you far too much to allow that.” Her voice was so soft he could barely hear her words.
Drake cradled her against his chest. The pallor of her skin was greyish. The blood pooling on her chest grew by the second. He knew without a single doubt that her life was ebbing away. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.
“I’m sorry this didn’t end as we had hoped. Go, Drake,” Camilla whispered. “Before you’re hurt. Go to Barbados, my love as we had planned. B-be happy.”
Tears slid down his face. In an instant their lives had irrevocably changed. With one deadly, despicable act, Sebastian Callahan had robbed them of their future. “My happiness was tied up in you. Without you I’m nothing but an empty shell. A ghost of what I might have been.”
She began to cough. “Live for me, Drake. Thank you for loving me.” Camilla’s voice grew even fainter.
“I will love you always…until death reunites us, my love.”
A smile graced her lips. Before his eyes she faded away, her head lolling to the side as she took her last breath.
He clutched her tighter against his chest and wailed in agony. “Camilla. Don’t leave me.”
“Camilla!” Sebastian cried. “What have I done? Dear Lord, what have I done to my precious Camilla?” Drake had almost forgotten about Sebastian as he held Camilla in his arms and watched her die in his arms. With fire in his gut, Drake looked up at Sebastian and seethed against the man who had taken the love of his life away from him. Because of his desire to control his daughter, he had acted out of pure spite and cruelty.
“Her blood is on your hands. And although a part of me wants to run you through with my sword, another part of me wants you to live. Live each day with the knowledge that you murdered your own precious child. You robbed the world of her light and laughter and the endless love she bestowed on all of us. You took my love away from me. My future. All of my hopes and dreams.”
“It’s not my fault!” Sebastian bellowed. “I would never have shot my precious girl. It was intended for you, Drake Burton.”
Callahan’s words were meaningless. He had done his worst. Drake turned back toward Camilla and smoothed his hand down her cheek. “My love. My wife.”
“Is it tr
ue that you were husband and wife?” Sebastian gasped.
Drake swung his gaze up to Sebastian. “Yes! We were married yesterday in a private ceremony. We planned to sail this evening for our new life together in Barbados.”
“The Callahan jewels! Camilla’s maid servant said they were missing.” He narrowed his gaze as he looked at Drake. “Are they in your possession?”
Drake gently laid Camilla down on the ground and raised himself up to a standing position. “How can you think of jewels at a time like this? You’re a monster!”
Tears misted in Sebastian’s eyes. “I can’t bring Camilla back, but I can protect the Callahan family interests. Those jewels belong to us!”
Drake sneered at his father-in-law. Camilla had told him tales of her father’s moral bankruptcy. Never had he imagined that he would go this far to get his way. “Her dowry. Camilla’s inheritance. They belong to me now, Callahan, as her lawfully wedded husband.”
Sebastian, still clutching his revolver, raised it again so that it was pointed at Drake.
“Not satisfied with killing your daughter? Do you yearn for more bloodshed?” Drake asked. He wasn’t afraid of Sebastian Callahan. He’d already taken from him the thing he cherished most in this world. There was nothing else he could do to him.
Sebastian’s hand trembled and he let out a cry as the gun fell to the ground.
Drake stepped forward and kicked the gun so that it slid off the pier into the murky, onyx waters.
He pulled his sword from its sheath and pointed it at Sebastian. “I could cut you down at this very instant, but I want you to suffer my vengeance. Death is too easy for the likes of you. Life as you know it has ceased to exist. I will haunt you for the rest of your days. Mark my words, Callahan.”
“Mr. Burton! Is everything all right?” a small voice called out. Sam, the ten-year-old waif who hung around the wharf, appeared out of the fog. He let out a gasp as he spotted Camilla on the ground.
“Your lady! She’s not moving!” Sam cried out, his eyes wide. “Is she dead?”
Some Kind of Wonderful (Treasure Harbor Book 1) Page 1
