“Nice. I really think you’re going to get some great stuff out of that meeting. Glad it worked out,” Ryan said, his eyes focused on her like laser beams.
“So Jade, do you have any interest in the treasure or are you merely a spectator?” Lara asked, shifting her gaze away from Ryan’s too-handsome-for-his-own-good face.
Jade looked thoughtful. “I’m intrigued by it, if I’m being honest. The jewelry associated with the treasure is simply breathtaking by all accounts. I’ve seen some jewels in old portraits of members of the Callahan family. As a jeweler the idea of finding one of a kind pieces piques my interest.”
“That’s really interesting,” Lara said. “I’ve seen some of the old portraits at the museum, but I have to admit I never focused on the jewelry. I’d like to get over there this week so I can take some notes.”
Jade’s eyes glistened. “There’s one piece…it’s stunning beyond all description. They call it the Emerald Isle. It’s reputed to be among the lost treasure since it disappeared from sight around the time Drake Burton absconded with the treasure. It has fifty emeralds surrounded by colorless diamonds.” Jade let out a sigh. “If I could just get a glimpse of that piece I’d be in heaven.”
Mallory returned to the table with a platter of donuts in hand, along with a cup that she placed down in front of Ryan. “Coffee?” she asked him.
Ryan accepted the cup from her and grinned. “Oh yes, Mallory. I need some java right about now.”
Lara felt bad for the poor girl. Ryan gifted her with a smile that would make most women weak in the knees. Strangely, Mallory seemed unaffected by Ryan’s appeal.
Lara watched as Ryan reached for a chocolate donut then washed it down with a big gulp of coffee. He even looked good eating and drinking, Lara realized.
“So, Lara. Any plans tomorrow? It’s my day off and I think I might be able to help you with your research.” He winked at her. “I have a few connections that might really come through for you.”
“Hmm. Sounds intriguing. Tell me more,” Lara said in a cool voice. Her heart was pumping really fast right now, and despite her attempts to stay calm, cool and collected, her pulse was racing. Spending the day with Ryan tomorrow sounded fabulous. In some ways she felt like a kid again—the one who’d wanted nothing more than to hang out with her best friend Ryan. It had never mattered what they were doing—building forts, skipping rocks, fishing or watching sitcoms in her family basement—she’d just wanted to be with him.
Ryan winked at her. “I can’t tell you anymore though. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
Lara couldn’t help but grin. Much like the Ryan of her childhood, this version was also a big tease. “Okay then. Why don’t you swing by my place around ten o’clock and we can venture out from there?”
Ryan turned his head to look behind him. He turned back in toward the table. “I’ve got to run, ladies. My client is here. Thanks for allowing me to pass the time with you.” He nodded in Jade’s direction, then flashed a megawatt smile at Lara. “A pleasure, as always.”
Once he left, Lara picked up her coffee mug and took a big swig of it. She tried to ignore the smirk on Jade’s face.
“Just friends?” Jade asked with a raised eyebrow. “If any more sparks had been flying at this table it would have gone up in flames.” Jade fanned herself with her hand.
Lara giggled. “Hey. What can I say? It’s easy to have chemistry with someone as fine and humorous as Ryan.”
“Go for it! There’s nothing wrong with having a little flirtation while you’re in town,” Jade urged.
“You’re right. I’ve been overthinking things. Ryan makes me laugh and I haven’t felt such a pull in a man’s direction in ages,” Lara said, taking a huge bite out of her cruller. “As long as we keep things light and easy, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
Jade nodded her head vigorously. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”
Lara’s gaze strayed toward the table where Ryan was sitting with his business contact. He was seated so she could sneak glances at him without him even realizing she was scoping him out. A little sigh slipped past her lips. Why couldn’t Ryan live in Philly? He was such a great guy. It would be interesting to explore a relationship with him and see where it took them.
Snap out of it! A little voice buzzed in her ears. She was here in Treasure Harbor on business. Allowing herself to become attached to Ryan was a foolish thing to do. Nice and easy, she reminded herself. And other than some flirting, there was nothing tangible to suggest Ryan was even interested in her.
Lord, please don’t let me fall headlong into something with Ryan that I can’t handle. I’ve always had feelings for him, even when I was a kid. He broke my heart once before and I know that it’s quite possible he could do it again.
Chapter Four
Lara shrugged into an over-sized T-shirt and yoga pants. She pulled on a sweatshirt, then zipped it up. She felt a little thrill at the idea of being outside in the Carolina sunshine. She’d never completely gotten used to the weather in Pennsylvania. Her body naturally craved warmer climates like the Outer Banks. Being back home had a long list of benefits. The incredible weather sat at the top of the list.
A knock sounded at the door. A quick look in the mirror convinced Lara that she looked reasonably attractive. With her hair pulled into a high ponytail, Lara reminded herself of her younger self. But she was older and wiser now. Lara was in control of her own destiny. No one or nothing was going to steer her off course.
Lara quickly made her way to the front door. Exhilaration raced through her—almost like a first date feeling, which was fairly ridiculous since this was nothing more than pooling resources. Wasn’t it?
She opened the door, sucking in a fortifying breath as she came face-to-face with Ryan. Wow! From where she was standing, he looked absolutely amazing. He was wearing a baby blue V-neck sweater and a faded pair of blue jeans. He must have just come out of the shower, judging by his slightly damp hair.
“Morning.” Yes, indeed. Ryan’s pearly smile was a perfect way to start the day. It served as an instant pick-me-up.
“Come on in.” Lara invited Ryan in with a wave of her hand.
Ryan looked around the place with an approving nod. “These are pretty nice digs. I meant to tell you the other day when I was here.” He turned toward the bay window facing the beach. “And you can’t beat the view. Nothing but ocean and sand for miles and miles.”
“I’m indebted to my boss for selecting this place,” Lara answered.
The beach view sure didn’t hurt. For Lara being close to the sea and sand felt like paradise. Other than her family and the weather, it was the thing she missed most about living in Treasure Harbor. “It didn’t dawn on me at first, but I think my boss wanted me to be near the place where the treasure resurfaced after the Nor’easter.” She let out a chuckle. “I think she wanted me close to the action.”
“Yeah, this beach has gotten a lot of attention after the discovery, although I imagine that’s going to change now that Dr. Mendez has issued his statement.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure if all the treasure seekers believe him. I still see a steady influx of people searching the beach.”
Ryan rubbed his hands together. “Let me know when you’re ready to get started. My whole day is at your disposal.”
“Why don’t we sit for a minute? I’m going to grab my notebook.” Lara walked over to the side table in the living room and reached for her notebook and a pen. She plopped down on the sofa next to Ryan who had already made himself comfortable.
“Well, since you alluded to some Burton relics that tie in to the treasure, I’d be very interested in seeing anything of a historical nature. According to my research, the treasure was lost back in seventeen eighteen.” She hesitated for a moment. “No offense, but most articles about Drake Burton refer to him as a thief.”
“You know what they say. There are two sides to every story.” He flashed her a flirty grin. “Possession
is nine tenths of the law.”
Lara shook her head. Ryan might be as much of a rascal as his pirate ancestor!
“I’m curious about the written history from your Burton ancestors, especially Drake Burton. After hearing so much about his ill-fated romance with Camilla, I’d loved to read some entries with my own eyes.”
“My family does have some relics from our ancestor Drake Burton. His diary sheds light on the feud and its origins.”
“That sounds fascinating. Is it possible that I can see it? Read it? Could you photocopy it for me?” He studied Lara’s body language. She was leaning across the table in her eagerness. Her eyes were wide with interest and she seemed as if she might burst with enthusiasm.
“I don’t think I’ll have to resort to that.”
“No? Why not?” She leaned forward so that Ryan was only inches away from her on the sofa. She could even smell the light woodsy smell of his aftershave. For goodness sakes, he even smelled good!
“Why don’t you come with me to my house and I’ll show you.”
Lara almost did a cartwheel right there and then. Ryan was going to allow her to see some of the Burton family relics. This would be a major journalistic coup.
Keep it cool. She didn’t want Ryan to think she was some rookie journalist who couldn’t contain herself. “That sounds intriguing.”
“Well then, grab your things and let’s go.”
“Hmm. You sound awfully mysterious. I suppose I’ll just have to trust you.”
Lara stood up and went to grab her sunglasses and purse. She stuffed her notebook and pen inside her bag, hoping she would have an opportunity today to make some new discoveries about the history of the treasure. Of course there was plenty of information at the local historical society and in the library archives, but she knew there had to be information that only the Callahan and Burton families possessed. It would be easy to track down her own family archives, but having access to the Burton records would be fantastic.
Being a passenger in Ryan’s vintage baby-blue convertible made her feel a little bit like a rock star. With the wind blowing in her hair and the sun shining down on her, Lara truly felt as if she was a hometown girl again, although she’d never traveled in such a cool car in her entire life.
Suddenly, Ryan began driving down an isolated, sparsely populated road. She knew this terrain. And she knew what lay beyond the ornate black gates in the distance. The Burton compound! As a child she had freely roamed the grounds of the Burton estate. It had been as familiar to her as the back of her hand. But back then she hadn’t placed great emphasis on the vast wealth of the Burtons. Ryan had been her closest friend and things like money and riches and family names hadn’t meant a thing to her. Although she’d been aware of their huge home and the various servants and guest houses on the property, it had simply been Ryan’s home.
Now, she looked around at the Burton mansion and the endless acres of land with adult eyes. It was truly magnificent.
“Wow.” The word slipped out of her mouth. “You Burtons have really come up in the world!” Her comment made reference to the fact that there had been a reversal of fortunes between the Burton family and her own. Back in the seventeen-hundreds it had been the Callahan family who were wealthy and prosperous. My how things had changed!
Lara wasn’t sure what the truth was about the change in status or how it had happened, but her family had always insisted that the Burtons had used treachery and thievery to steal away their fortune.
The sound of Ryan’s throaty laughter made her smile.
“We have Drake Burton to thank for that, I believe. He infused the family coffers with lots of silver and gold.”
“Pirate’s booty?” Lara asked with a rueful shake of her head. “Ill-gotten gains.”
“Who are we to judge, Lara? Judge not lest ye be judged.”
“Point taken. You must forgive me,” she said in a light voice, “I grew up hearing that Drake Burton was a rogue and a scoundrel. Old habits die hard.”
“The good thing about being adults is that we’re free to make up our own minds about things. I think you’re going to find this morning very enlightening.” Just then Ryan pulled up to the main house and parked his convertible in the pebbled driveway. He got out and raced around to her side so he could pull the door open for her.
“Thanks,” she murmured as she stepped out of the car. The Burton landscaping made her gasp. All the bushes and shrubs were finely pruned and shaped. Azaleas and Rhododendrons were in full glorious bloom.
Ryan took her hand in his and led her toward the front door. He let himself in, then led her past the grand spiral staircase that she remembered sliding down and down a long, hallway lined with portraits. Right before he stopped in front of a closed mahogany door, Lara remembered what was behind the doors. A library! Ryan pushed the door open and hundreds of books came into view. As a child this room had mesmerized her. On several occasions she’d wanted to curl up on the settee and bury her nose in one of these glorious books.
“This is where the Burton journals are kept.” He raised a finger to his lips. “Remember, this is pretty sacred territory for the Burton family.”
Ryan walked over to a portrait hanging on the wall and lifted it off, placing it gently against a chair. She looked away as a safe was revealed and Ryan began to fiddle with the combination. After a few moments she heard a rustling noise, followed by a clinking sound.
“Voila!” Ryan said in a loud voice. “The journals of Drake Burton!”
Lara’s jaw dropped. “Seriously? You wouldn’t be teasing me, would you?”
Ryan gifted her with a brilliant smile. “I kid you not. Why don’t you get comfortable so you can read these entries? If you’d like, I can go get you something to drink or eat.” Ryan moved toward the velvet couch and placed the journals on the walnut colored coffee table resting in front of it.
“I’m not hungry or thirsty, Ryan. But thanks for asking.” She made her way over to the sofa and gingerly sat down. With trembling hands, she reached for one of the journals. “I don’t even know how to begin to thank you for giving me access to this. I’m blown away by your generosity.”
Ryan sat down across from her in a love seat. “I want you to know all aspects of this quest for the treasure. I know what Drake’s journals mean to me and my family, so I’m hoping it inspires you to write something really meaningful about Drake and Camilla.”
Lara nodded and buried her nose in the first journal. Although she had a hard time deciphering Drake’s penmanship at first, she quickly caught on. Within minutes Drake’s musings sent her spiraling back to a time long past into a world of romance, star-crossed lovers, pride, tragedy and vengeance. When Drake wrote about losing the love of his life it gave her chills. His exploits as a pirate were dashing and awe inspiring. She found herself sniffling back tears.
As soon as she finished, Lara wanted to pick the journals back up and start reading them all over again. Instead she sat back on the sofa and heaved a tremendous sigh.
“So…what did you think?” Ryan leaned forward in his chair. The expression on his face displayed his eagerness.
Lara didn’t really trust herself to speak at the moment. Reading Drake Burton’s journal had been an incredibly moving experience. His star-crossed love affair with Camilla Callahan had been destroyed by her own father, Sebastian Callahan. Lara shivered at the notion that she shared the same bloodline as a man who could destroy his own daughter’s happiness and send her to an early grave.
“I-I feel as if I’ve been transported back in time. It was strange. I really felt like I was there on that pier. He described it in such vivid detail. His words about the love he and Camilla shared were hauntingly beautiful. It gave me goosebumps. And it shows exactly why he became a pirate. Vengeance. An eye for an eye.”
Ryan nodded. “I’m probably biased, but one could make an argument that a good portion of the treasure rightfully belonged to Drake since he was Camilla’s husband. Some of it w
ould have rightfully been her dowry, her legacy.”
“Yes. I agree with you.” Lara agreed with a nod of her head. She chewed her lip for a moment. “I guess that I was hoping for a happy ending. But Drake perished in a ship wreck, according to his twin brother’s writings. Neither he nor Camilla lived to fulfill their potential. That’s tragic.”
“It is,” Ryan said. “And one of the reasons historians believe Drake buried the treasure somewhere is because of oral history passed down through the generations. It seems highly unlikely that all of the treasure went down in the ship with him.”
Lara reached for a journal and flipped through it. She tapped her finger on a certain page. “Here it is from his own pen. He says it right here. ‘Thoughts of Camilla are never far from my heart and mind. I have found a way to make sure that her family can never benefit from the treasure. Their love for Camilla was shallow and base. It was blasphemous and cruel. I have stashed the treasure right under their noses, in a place they shall never truly see.’ So it has to be here in Treasure Harbor.”
“That’s what I’ve always believed,” Ryan said, raking his hand through his hair. “Given those words, it’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“And from the sounds of it, he enjoyed the idea of hiding the treasure right here in Treasure Harbor, where no one would be the wiser.” Lara let out a harsh sounding laugh. “He really planned it all out perfectly.”
Ryan shook his head. “You have to give it to the guy. He really fulfilled his promise to Camilla to exact revenge.”
Lara threw her hands up in the air. “In the end what did vengeance achieve for him? It didn’t bring back Camilla. And he died in a violent storm out at sea. His revenge didn’t achieve a single thing as far as I can see.”
Ryan stroked his jaw. He seemed to be deep in thought. “It may not sound like a very Christian way to live, but for Drake, I think it gave him a purpose to keep on living. It provided him with an outlet for all his feelings of grief and hopelessness. And somehow he believed it was bringing justice to Camilla.”
Some Kind of Wonderful (Treasure Harbor Book 1) Page 5
