Page 2 of The Secrets We Treasure

How could he be so breathtakingly handsome and so boyishly cute at the same time? When they were younger, Greer had been cute in a gangly, boy-next-door way. Then, almost overnight, he transformed into a hunky dreamboat. She felt herself soften. “Okay.”

Greer could talk Treasure into doing just about anything. All he had to do was flash that lopsided grin, and she turned to putty in his hands. She’d had a huge crush on him for the past year. At first, she was embarrassed that her feelings had transformed from friendship into something more. Then, she noticed Greer eyeing her in a certain way that caused her blood to pump faster. She traced the outline of his lips, remembering how they’d felt both soft and firm during their breathless kisses the evening before. His lean bicep rippled beneath the sleeve of his turquoise t-shirt, quickening her pulse. His unruly brown curls were tipped with blond on the ends, giving her the impression that he’d been kissed by the sun. She especially liked how the hair on his nape curled against his tanned skin.

“What is it?” Greer whispered, noticing her scrutiny.

Heat flooded her cheeks as she looked down. “Nothing,” she murmured.

“What type of treasure do you think Oliver has hidden away?”

Treasure grinned at the eagerness in Greer’s voice. Oliver Chasing’s treasure was a frequent topic amongst the islanders. Rumor had it that in his youth, Oliver belonged to a band of thieves who robbed museums, mansions, etc. He supposedly changed his identity when he settled the island and built the hotel. “I hope there are diamonds or other beautiful jewels. A tiara would be nice,” she said wistfully. “Or a ruby necklace.” Her hand splayed across her neck.

He wrinkled his nose. “Nah, gold would be better. Less traceable.”

“What do you think Oliver Chasing’s real name was?”

“Probably something normal like Bob or Henry.”

“Yeah, maybe. I wonder if he chose the last name Chasing because he felt like he was always being chased.”

Greer pursed his lips. “Could be. Shh,” he hissed, grasping her arm. “He’s coming.”

Treasure’s heart flapped wildly against her chest like a caged bird as she cocked her ears. Footsteps came toward them in a brisk cadence. A shaft of ice slid down Treasure’s throat. She could only hope they were hidden from view. She didn’t dare breathe until the footsteps moved past. Greer raised up a fraction, his gaze following the direction Oliver had gone. Time stood still as Treasure remained frozen, afraid to move a muscle.

“Let’s go,” Greer finally clipped as he jumped up and reached for her hand, pulling her to her feet. Stealthily, they moved along the trail, making sure to stay at least half a football field’s length behind Oliver. Treasure kept expecting him to turn around and look back. They were in an open expanse of tall grass with nowhere to take cover. Their only course of action would be to fall to their stomachs if they had to hide. Thankfully, Oliver didn’t turn around. He was a man on a mission, determined to reach his destination as quickly as possible.

Soon, it became apparent that Oliver was heading into the grove of trees bordering the grassland. They’d need to quicken their pace to keep from losing him. By silent ascent, they started jogging, entering the grove at the same spot where Oliver had gone in. Treasure’s intention was to charge forward, but Greer stopped her. “Listen,” he urged softly.

She did as he instructed and heard Oliver trudging through the thin layer of decayed leaves, grass, and sticks littering the ground. They went that direction, trying to tread as lightly as possible. Wordlessly, they followed Oliver deeper and deeper into the woods. A few times, Treasure’s legs and arms crawled with the sensation of bugs. Fighting the temptation to freak out, she brushed the insects off as quietly as possible, suppressing the shivers that ran down her spine. She hated bugs! Greer was right; Oliver Chasing was up to something.

When they were trudging through the open area, Treasure had cooled off a little. The breeze had been scant, but at least some wind was blowing. Now, however, the trees blocked the breeze from getting through, making Treasure wonder if she might suffocate from the heat. Her clothes were sticking to her body. She felt gross and probably smelled. She hoped Oliver would reach his destination soon because this was miserable. The things I do for Greer! Smiling thinly, she took in the lines of Greer’s lean form. Even wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts, he looked terrific. All the girls on the island swooned over him, even her other best friend, Laci. Although Laci would never admit it.

They halted when they came to a clearing. Treasure was surprised to see a battleship-gray cottage with white shutters. Some of the cedar shakes were missing from the roof, reminding Treasure of a snaggletooth mouth. The paint was faded and flaking off like the cottage had been all but forgotten.

She and Greer looked at one another as Treasure voiced the question they were both thinking. “Do you think Oliver’s inside?”

“I’d bet my life on it,” Greer answered. He jutted out his chin in rigid determination. “Let’s go find out.”

She hiccuped a startled giggle. “We can’t just go inside.”

“We’ll look in the window.”

Wariness trickled through her. “You sure that’s a good idea?” Oliver Chasing seemed like a decent enough guy, unlike his horrid wife Josette, who was always balling out some poor soul who happened to cross her path. However, Oliver wielded a great deal of power on the island. He’d settled it, after all. The hotel was his. Long story short, Oliver was not a man to be trifled with.

“We’ve come this far. We can’t back down now.” Adventure sparkled in Greer’s chocolate eyes, washing them in gold. “You’re not turning chicken on me, are you, T?”

She grinned at the tenderness in his voice. “Petrified.”

This earned her a soft chuckle of admiration as they shared a look of understanding. “Me too.” He reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers. The gesture both thrilled and comforted Treasure. She could live a year on this very moment. Being with Greer was like sucking down pure oxygen.

Greer took in a deep breath. “We’ve got this.”

She nodded, wishing she could share his confidence. Her hand was sticky with perspiration. Hopefully, Greer was too caught up in the moment to notice.

Rather than making a straight line for the front of the house, they skirted the edge of the clearing, staying in the cover of the spindly trees. When they were parallel with the side of the house, they crouched low and picked their way over to the window, which was partially open. They heard the murmur of voices—the deep baritone of a man coupled with the delicate timbre of a woman. Greer’s eyes glittered brightly with excitement. “Should we see who’s in there with Oliver?”

Treasure nodded as she bit down on her lower lip. She clenched her hands, digging her nails into her palms. More than anything, she wanted this to be over. Greer was the thrill-seeker, whereas she was keen on following the rules. Safety and security were her comfort zone—the things she craved nearly above all else.

They inched over to peer into the window. Treasure spotted Oliver standing in the center of a small living room, which was furnished surprisingly well in contrast to the shabbiness of the structure’s outside. Oliver was holding a woman in his arms, kissing her full on the mouth. For a second, Treasure’s brain couldn’t quite make sense of what she was seeing. Then she recognized the familiar curve of the woman’s jaw and the way her dark hair fell on her shoulders. Her entire life imploded in that one terrible moment. She gasped, tears rushing to her eyes. The woman was her mother!

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