Page 79 of The Treasure Hunt Hookup

She sticks her tongue out at me. “You’re cranky when you’re falling in love.”

“It’s wonderful and terrible, all at the same time.” I agree, hopping up on a kitchen stool, and watching her slather her late-night snack with five different condiments. “And I’ve got it easy. I mean, look at Earl and Madeline: they had real problems. Class differences, social disapproval …”

“Terrible maternal mortality rates,” Mary-Alice adds.

I smile, thinking of their writing, full of youthful hope and naiveté. “They had this running joke in their letters, that falling in love was like hurling yourself off the falls. All you could do was hold on to each other and pray on your way down—”

I stop.

No.

No freaking way.

“What?” Mary-Alice asks.

“I know!” I blurt, my heart pounding. “I know where the treasure is!”

She gapes. “How? Where? Holy shit, Ivy—”

“I’ve got to go!” I cry, grabbing my coat and pressing a kiss to her cheek in a mad rush. “I’ll tell you everything tomorrow. I have to go get Reeve!”

“Go, go!” Mary-Alice laughs, shooing me from the kitchen. “And save me a gold bar!”

21

IVY

I driveover to Reeve’s place so fast, I’m pretty sure I break all the country speed limits. Luckily, it’s almost midnight on a weeknight, and Milford Falls is officially dead; the streets empty, save the lights still on and music coming from the bar at the Milford Grand Hotel. I’m guessing Jake and the crew are up late tonight, drowning their sorrows or plotting their next move.

If I have my way, there won’t be any treasure left to hunt by morning.

I turn up the hill and pull up outside the Kellerman house, tires screeching. “Reeve?” I go hammer loudly on his door. “Reeve, are you up?”

Silence.

“Reeve?” I hammer again. There’s the sound of muffled footsteps inside, and then he’s opening the door. “Ivy?” he squints at me, looking sleepy and confused in boxer shorts and anAlienT-shirt. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Were you asleep?” I pause, taking in his disheveled and, yes, incredibly sexy appearance. “I’ve been up poring over every detail of our fight and analyzing all my romantic failures, and you’ve beensleeping?”

He rubs his eyes. “You have no romantic failings, you’re perfect,” he says with grin, and he looks so damn good there in the moonlight that I would throw my arms around his neck and drag him straight back to bed if we weren’t in the middle of a fight. And if I didn’t have more important news.

“I know where the treasure is.”

His eyes widen, suddenly awake. “Where?” he asks, but I’m already striding back to the car.

“I’m leaving in five minutes,” I call behind me. “Put some pants on, and meet me at mine!”

I go pick up some treasure-hunting essentials at my place, emerging from the house just as Reeve arrives, looking out of breath with his sweater on backwards, a mismatched pair of sweatpants on, and his jacket trailing half off his shoulders.

“Here.” I shove a backpack at him, filled with essentials and a scarf for the midnight chill. “I’m still mad at you, by the way, so don’t go being all charming and sweet.”

Reeve’s lips quirk.

“And don’t you dare tell me I’m adorable when I’m angry,” I add, glaring.

He clears his throat, trying to hide a chuckle. “Absolutely not,” he says quickly, following me to the car. “You’re fearsome and terrifying. Not adorable at all.”

We set off, driving back through town and out towards the mines. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Reeve ventures finally, as the dark woods fly past outside the windows; my headlights shining through the black. “Or how you figured it out, or what you think the treasure—?”

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