Laguna Beach: That Gold in Laguna (Kindle Worlds Novella) (A Charisma Series Novella, The Ericksons Book 2)

by Heather Hiestand

  “Rachel and I are dating,” Thor said with quiet assurance.

  “Told you you were a suckup,” Brandon muttered.

  “Excuse me?” Thor demanded. “Who is a suckup?”

  “Nothing,” Brandon said sulkily.

  “Nothing doing,” Thor said. “What’s your problem?”

  “I just think it’s amusing that Uncle Richard bought Rachel a TV show,” Brandon said, his chin going up and his voice turning amused. “I wouldn’t have thought it was her dream, but Uncle always gets his precious daughter everything she wants.”

  Rachel’s fingers slipped on the vase she’d been pulling from underneath her row of cereals in the pantry. Usually it was best not to engage with Brandon when he was feeling ranty but she didn’t want Thor to believe her cousin’s garbage.

  “I don’t think it’s her dream,” Thor said, defending her as if he knew her well. “She’s been reluctant. Funny how that’s worked. All us dudes have been begging to get in front of the camera but the ladies are reluctant. First Jenny, then Delilah, and now Rachel.”

  “Oh, please,” Brandon muttered, his chin dropping.

  Rachel couldn’t help her smile. She grabbed the vase and brought it to the sink, then turned the water on.

  Thor came and put an arm around her waist. “Time to send your cousin home so we can get on with our evening?”

  “You can take my beer with you,” Rachel said, glancing over her shoulder at her chastened cousin. She leaned against Thor slightly, feeling cherished. Feeling like his girlfriend.

  “Fine,” Brandon said. He pulled open the refrigerator again, letting the door hit the wall, and pulled out the rest of the cardboard pack of Guinness, then walked out of the room, leaving the refrigerator hanging open.

  Thor turned and watched him go, then lifted an eyebrow at Rachel before shutting the refrigerator door. “What a little shit. He’s more like fifteen than twenty-two.”

  “Everything gets handed to him if he whines hard enough. Except you guys. This isn’t the first time he’s tried to muscle his way into the show but your family hasn’t let him get involved.”

  “He’d be a national joke if he got on TV,” Thor said. “It’s better he doesn’t.”

  “It’s hard when your only option is to go into Daddy’s business and you aren’t interested in real estate,” Rachel said. Her phone pinged. She picked it up and saw she’d missed three text messages from a few of the people she’d emailed her resume to.

  “Something going on?” Thor asked.

  “I decided to start the job hunt process,” Rachel said. “My father hasn’t considered that if he sells the house, I’m out of a job anyway.”

  “So you think you’re going to be free soon?”

  “If he can sell the house. It’s worth double digit millions.”

  “It’s a double lot, right? If nothing else, a developer will take it.”

  “A pity to destroy all that history.” She sighed.

  “Especially with the missing jewelry to be found.”

  “Don’t even suggest that. I don’t want the house to be torn down to find some old jewelry. I’ll put my foot down with Dad for once.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll find it.”

  Rachel came forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You think so?”

  “We’re persistent, we Ericksons.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.” He smiled down at her. “For instance, I’m convinced I’m going to have the perfect date with you one of these nights. Want to give it try number three tonight?”

  “I haven’t eaten yet.”

  He smiled and pulled off her shirt in one smooth move. As her hair settled back over her shoulders, he said, “You can tell me what restaurant to take you to after I dine out on you.”

  Rachel’s mouth dropped open as Thor went to his knees on the pad in front of the kitchen sink and tore off her panties. His hands went up her inner thighs, spreading her as he licked his way between her sensitive lips.

  She gripped the edge of the sink, instantly on fire for him. “You make me crazy,” she said, her voice changing register on every syllable. Her knees tried to buckle but she stayed upright. She wanted him to finish. She wanted everything he had to offer. She wanted him to be her man.

  He feathered his fingers across the tender skin of her labia and lifted his face, his lips already coated with her juices. “You make me crazy, too. I think it’s in a good way, but only time will tell.”

  “It is a good way.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Promise me something.”

  “What?”

  “After, I want to wear that new T-shirt.”

  He chuckled and she moved back into place, his lips vibrating against her. “What are you going to trade me?”

  “My prized 2003 Justified and Stripped Tour t-shirt?” Her head went back as his tongue touched her clit then darted away. “Ah.”

  His head reappeared. “Won’t fit.”

  She was breathing hard, almost dizzy with pleasure. “I have an oversized Anger Management Tour t-shirt.”

  “Done.” He licked down her belly until she was putty in his hands.

  Chapter Seven

  Rachel held Thor’s hand tightly as they walked into Laguna Gold Pizza on Friday morning. It was silent except for the chatter of cooks in the kitchen, but wasn’t open to the public yet.

  She’d just spent her first night with Thor and now she had to face his father, brother, and all the rest of the cast and crew of the show. They walked into the back room, where the team was gathered.

  Heads swiveled around as they entered, as if someone had announced their arrival. Everyone was already seated around three pushed-together tables. Murphy’s Law. They’d managed to be the last people to arrive.

  “No Roger Dalton?” Thor asked, pulling out a chair next to his father for her, then sitting next to that chair.

  Beau pushed a white coffee jug toward her and nodded. She tipped it over a coffee cup resting on a paper placemat in front of her, then poured some for Thor, studiously ignoring Delilah’s stare.

  “We met yesterday,” Crowe said, taking the jug when she offered it. As he refreshed his cup, he said, “He wants us to keep going with our hunt. Given what a high the third episode ends with, we can’t peter out now.”

  “That’s how treasure hunting goes,” Beau said. “You win some and lose some. I thought I’d be sitting in a gold-plated palace at this time of my life but it hasn’t worked out that way.”

  “You’re only fifty-five.” Thor’s lips turned down in mock sympathy. “You still have time to become King Midas.”

  Beau’s grin, so like his son’s, lit up the table as he turned to his son and winked. Rachel wanted to hug herself. It was shallow, sure, but knowing how well Thor was going to age, how desirable he’d still be in twenty or thirty years, gave her more than a little thrill.

  “Rachel,” Jenny said. “Are you here as your father’s ambassador? Has he decided if we can pull up the swimming pool yet?”

  Thor opened his mouth but Justin jumped in. “I talked to Roger. We have more options than the pool.”

  “Rachel’s been with me,” Thor said. “She hasn’t even talked to her father.”

  She patted his knee, knowing he was feeling the urge to claim her. She was all for it. The sooner his family and friends accepted her, the smoother sailing it would be, whatever their future held.

  Jenny shot Crowe a look but didn’t say anything.

  “What have you got, Justin?” Crowe asked. “Because I was about to go hat in hand to Richard McHughes and beg him to let us rip out the pool.”

  “Is everyone done?” Justin asked, pointing to the plate of cinnamon rolls in the center of the table.

  Thor stood and leaned over the table, his long arms easily snagging the plate, which still held three iced rolls. He set it between his placemat and Rachel’s. She shook her head when he offered her one. Her morning cereal had to suffice f
or now if she was going to maintain her figure. These things mattered.

  As Thor bit into the first roll, Justin rolled out one of his blueprints of the 1931 backyard site, then placed a clear plastic overlay with the modern site over it. Everyone stood and stared down at it.

  Delilah’s hands hovered over the image. “We need a psychic to give us a reading.”

  “That’s for rich girls,” Jenny said dismissively. “Do you have a psychic, Rachel?”

  “Not me,” she said in her chirpiest tone. “Sadiki does though. You need a referral?”

  Beau cleared his throat. “Not a bad idea, actually. We could get a dowser, too. These kinds of scenes add drama to television, not to mention unique characters.”

  Crowe sighed visibly. “Not in our first season. We have enough to go with.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Justin said, pointing to one corner of the backyard area. “I’m paying attention to this area because it’s out of view of where the original swimming pool was.”

  “What’s there now?” Beau asked, pulling a pair of reading glasses out of his shirt pocket and perching them on his nose.

  Rachel saw what had excited Justin. “What about those palm trees?”

  “Exactly,” Justin said with an emphatic nod. “They obviously weren't there in 1931.”

  “They’re huge, as I recall,” Beau said.

  "That's a lot of work.” Thor whistled.

  “We can’t just dig them up. We’d have to call in a tree removal service,” Rachel said.

  “If we needed to, would your father allow it?” Crowe asked.

  “I think so. It’s more likely than the pool, at any rate.”

  “Let's run the metal detector around the roots,” Thor suggested. “We can do quite a bit of messing around without actually having to remove them.”

  Crowe clapped his hands together. “A new target.”

  Beau pulled off his glasses, an expression of bliss on his weathered face. “X marks the spot, people. Grab your shovels.”

  Everyone pushed back their chairs. They were already standing before Rachel could blink once.

  “Wow,” Rachel said. “Just winging into action right now?”

  “Anything better to do?” Delilah said, the corner of her mouth turning up.

  Rachel shook her head. “Not at all. And the trees will offer some shade, so it’s cooler to work there than by the pool.”

  “What about the photography crew?” An assistant producer came up the table as Justin rolled up his blueprints. “Are they gone?”

  “Yes, but Sadiki was having friends over.” Rachel bit her lip. “We’d probably better wait until they are gone.”

  “Can we assemble at your father’s house at six? It will be a little cooler by then,” Crowe said. “That will give us time to learn about palm tree growth rates and that sort of thing.”

  Rachel nodded. “I’ll make sure it’s fine and text you.”

  Thor assembled their collection of digging and detection equipment on a card table in the McHughes’ side yard that evening. “It will be nice to see the sunset from here,” he told Rachel.

  She smiled and nodded. “Do you think everyone ate? Should I set up some cheese and crackers and stuff?”

  “I think everyone will be here to work. But when we’re done, I’m sure a drink and a dip in the pool wouldn’t put anyone’s nose out of joint.” He winked at her. “Be sure to include some olives.”

  “I’ll just check on our ice supply then.” She grinned. “And the margarita mix. And the olives.”

  “Hey,” he said as she started to turn. “Come here.”

  “What?”

  He slipped his hands around her slim body and pulled her against him, then dipped her back and kissed her neck.

  “Hey!” she said, laughing.

  “I missed you this afternoon.”

  “Your brother kept you busy?”

  “Yeah. Are we going to do something after we’re done here?”

  “Like what?”

  “I liked sleeping with you last night.”

  She blushed, thinking about how she’d woken him up. “I think you liked the morning.”

  “Not gonna lie. But really, I slept like a baby with you in my arms.” He nodded. “It was nice, Rachel, really nice. Do you want to come and stay with me tonight?”

  “In Justin’s guest room?”

  “That’s what I have to offer right now.”

  “You could come back to my place,” she offered. “I don’t mind at all, and I bet I have better food than Justin does.”

  “I don’t want you to think I’m using you for your condo.”

  “No, I don’t think that. I get that you’re a free spirit.”

  He frowned. “Is that what you think?”

  “Alaska by summer, Northern California by fall,” she said.

  “I own land in Alaska. And a trailer. I was going to put a house in eventually.”

  “Oh yeah? I didn’t know that.”

  “You haven’t had time to learn everything about me.”

  “Don’t get too settled here,” she suggested. “I spent part of the day doing a phone interview with a museum in San Francisco. I might be moving soon myself.”

  “Northern California’s my stomping grounds. I could do San Francisco as a home base.”

  “Yeah?”

  He could hear the careful neutrality in her voice, but couldn’t quite keep the excitement out of his. “Yeah. Let’s keep this going. I think we’ll do great, especially apart from the group.”

  “I’m still not BFFs with the Craft sisters, that’s for sure.”

  “I’ll never be able to relive high school with you, but maybe a fresh start would be best. I have to work with them, but you don’t.”

  “If we stay together, the Crafts will always be around. If your brother and Jenny stay together.”

  “At this point I think Delilah is the most bitter toward you.”

  “We are the same age but we’re so different.”

  “Hey,” Crowe called, coming around the side of the house. He already had a streak of dirt on his shirt. “Starting to be some shadows. Can we turn on the floodlights?”

  “Yes,” Rachel said. “I’ll get them.”

  “Thanks. Then we can get to work.”

  “Where are the cameras?” Rachel asked.

  “Just me with the camcorder tonight,” Thor said. “The crew had a party. Someone’s wife just announced their pregnancy, and filming is going to be awkward anyway in this tight space.”

  She flexed her hands. “Maybe I’ll get to dig this time?”

  “You did wear the denim shorts,” he said, surveying her slip legs. “Are you getting the treasure hunting bug?”

  “There’s something about hearing ‘X marks the spot’ that gives you a shiver,” she admitted. “I’ll get the floodlights.”

  “We’ll get the shovels and detectors,” Thor said.

  A few minutes later they were reassembled around the clump of trees. “Let’s do it,” Crowe said.

  Thor hefted his camcorder to his shoulder and turned it on. He saw Rachel’s fascination as Crowe walked around the trees, giving a little introductory speech, explaining why this was a good spot for the search.

  “What’s first, Boss?” Justin asked.

  “We want to take the grass back,” Crowe said. “Let’s stake out a square around the roots and dig down to a nice, flat layer of dirt.”

  Thor’s hands itched to hold a shovel with everyone else, though he had fun training the lens on Rachel, shoveling and getting dirty, shoulder to shoulder with his father and Jenny. He saw hints of a thaw as the girls laughed together at their destroyed manicures, despite the gloves they wore.

  “Gardening gloves were a bad choice,” Crowe said. “When treasure hunting, you want the kind of gloves construction workers wear.”

  “Good to know,” Rachel called. “Treasure hunting 101, that’s what I need.”

  The sun went do
wn at six forty-five. The group took a ten minute break to watch the sun slide down beneath the water, gently rocking against the beach below.

  “Are the floodlights enough?” Rachel asked, wiping her forehead with her glove as they finished squaring off one corner.

  Thor wondered if he should tell her she’d left a streak of dirt across her face. It looked like war paint. He decided he liked the fierceness of it. He also liked the way she was starting to fit into his world.

  “The light is perfect,” Crowe said as he glanced up at the lowering sun. “We’re almost done anyway. Justin, do you want to get our grid ready?”

  “No problem,” the youngest member of the team said. Thor envied how Justin never needed to apply Tiger Balm to his shoulders and arms after a day’s work the way he did now. Next season, he hoped to talk Crowe into a location where he could run equipment, instead of digging all the time.

  He followed Justin’s movements as he placed stakes along the square around the tree to make sightlines for himself. At the corner of the house, where the lights were, he heard a pop. Suddenly, part of the lighting winked out of existence. He forced himself to keep the camcorder trained on the team, taking in reactions rather than seeing what had happened himself.

  “One of the lightbulbs went,” Crowe said. “That’s cost us a good third of our light.”

  “Sorry about that,” Rachel said. “We don’t use these lights very often.”

  “Should we stop?” Jenny asked, resting on her shovel handle.

  “I’ve got enough light for a survey,” Justin said.

  “Let’s do it.” Crowe pointed to his two available crew members and positioned them on the first line of the grid.

  Justin switched on his metal detector and began to walk the outer edge of the line. He didn’t get anything and moved on to the second, one foot away.

  “Nothing,” he reported. “Let’s move on.”

  The next line was at the outermost tree roots. He stumbled when his foot caught one exposed root, but once again, didn’t get any hits. He moved on and a couple of minutes later was rewarded with a sound. “The fourth line’s caught a hit.”

  “What is it?” Crowe asked.

  “Nothing too exciting,” he said. “Metal, but not precious. Rachel, want to do the honors?”