His Precious Jewel (Treasure Harbor Book 6)

by Belle Calhoune

  Jade basked in Lara’s compliment. It made her feel good to know that she wasn’t imagining what was happening between herself and Roman. It was real. Their relationship was growing by leaps and bounds. Her heart was becoming invested in Roman. And it was far too late to stop it. The heart wanted what it wanted. Her heart yearned for Roman.

  Roman reached out and held her hand for most of the concert. She leaned against his chest and it felt as if they were one person, not two. A few times he sang the words low and close to her ear. It felt as if they were the only people at the concert, even though she knew they were in a crowd of hundreds.

  Please, God. Let this feeling last. I don’t want to have the rug taken out from under me again.

  By the end of the night, Jade knew she was falling in love with Roman. Although it was an invigorating feeling, it frightened her. They’d only known each other a few short weeks. And yet her heart had blossomed like a flower in full bloom. She wasn’t even sure she would be able to hide her feelings from Roman. A part of her wanted to shout it from the roof tops.

  After driving her home, Roman walked her to her door. They sat down on the porch swing in order to enjoy the sight of the full moon set amidst a sea of twinkling stars.

  “Jade. I had a wonderful time tonight.”

  “I did too. Thanks for taking me.”

  “Thanks for asking me out,” he teased, earning himself a nudge in the side.

  “For the record, I didn’t ask you out,” she said with a chuckle. “I just set the stage for it.”

  “And I will forever be grateful that you did,” Roman said in a low voice that made Jade shiver.

  “It took some courage.” She ducked her head down and avoided looking at him. “You asked me about why I haven’t dated for a bit. I wasn’t ready to share that with you, but I am now.”

  He touched her hand. “You don’t have to, Jade.”

  “I want to,” she said, looking him straight in the eye. “A few years ago I fell in love with a man named Kristoff. He loved me too. Or so I thought. He finagled his way into working for Gems. He gave me a sob story about needing a job so he could go back to graduate school. The truth was that he was a scam artist. He embezzled money from my family, from the store.” She shuddered. “He was arrested and prosecuted, but we were only able to get a small portion of the money back.” She let out a wounded cry. “Because of my foolish heart my family nearly lost Gems.”

  Roman placed his arm around her shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up about trusting someone. He betrayed you. He lied. He stole from your family. You’re a generous, good-hearted person, Jade. Let that be your calling card, not your shame.”

  Jade sucked in a deep breath. She looked at Roman through a haze of tears. His words moved her. She’d never quite thought of it that way before.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “For seeing the good in me. For making me feel as if believing in him wasn’t the stupidest thing in the world.”

  He reached out and placed his hands on either side of her face. As if in slow motion, Roman dipped his head down and placed his lips on hers in a tender kiss that swept her far away from Treasure Harbor. Roman’s kiss was powerful and romantic, strong and sure. His kiss was full of tenderness and emotion. And he made her feel as if she was the only woman in the world. As the kiss ended, Jade found herself wishing it would last for a little bit longer. This kiss was everything to her. The earth, sun, moon and stars all mixed together as one.

  It represented something far more than it should, she feared. It gave her hope all wrapped up in a sparkly, shiny bow. It made her feel as if she might just get her happily ever after. As she said goodnight to Roman and walked into her house, her heart and mind were full of all the things she hadn’t dared to dream of in the past few years. And it was all because of Roman.

  Chapter Six

  Much to Roman’s delight, his relationship with Jade began to solidify over their hunt for the treasure and quiet moments spent enjoying each other’s company over candlelit dinners and date nights. Every day he spent with Jade caused his feelings for her to multiply tenfold. And every step took him closer to finding the Star of Imara—he felt it in his gut. And finally Marissa would be headed toward a full recovery.

  He was missing Jade like crazy tonight. She was meeting Lara and Ryan over dinner to talk about their upcoming wedding. Although Jade had invited him to attend, he’d decided to let her go without him. He was feeling increasingly jumpy about not telling Jade about his connection to Buddy Keaton.

  He’d fallen completely over the edge in love with Jade. Keeping secrets from her just didn’t feel right. It was time to tell her the truth.

  His cell phone buzzed insistently, causing Roman to glance down at the screen to see who was blowing up his phone. He let out a groan. Buddy Keaton! No doubt his boss wanted an update on his search. The moment he picked up the call, Keaton’s grating voice blared over the line. “Any updates for me? I keep hearing on the news that treasure seekers are still flocking to Treasure Harbor. You gotta beat ‘em to the punch, Sant’Angelo.”

  Roman held the phone away from his ear and grimaced. Keaton’s booming voice threatened to blow out Roman’s ear drums.

  He waited, then placed the call on speaker. “I’m making progress, Mr. Keaton. I think we’ve eliminated numerous sites. If the treasure is really stashed here in town, we’re narrowing it down by location.”

  “Who’s this we you keep mentioning?”

  “I’ve hired a local consultant who possesses a great deal of knowledge about jewelry and local treasure lore to assist me.”

  “Humph! I guess it makes sense.” Keaton grunted. “Just send me the bill and I’ll release the funds into your account so you can pay her. By any means necessary! That’s my motto. I want the Star of Imara.”

  “Yes, sir. I understand.” He rolled his eyes. “I’ll email you a status report this evening.”

  “I’ll be looking for it,” Keaton roared before abruptly ending the call.

  Roman looked at his cell phone and shook his head. Somehow he’d almost forgotten that he wasn’t merely seeking the Star of Imara for archeological purposes. He was acting on Keaton’s behalf. And it made him feel a little sick inside.

  Had he sold his soul for money? Even if it was for a higher purpose—dear, sweet Marissa—wasn’t it still wrong? He didn’t believe that the Star of Imara should be sold to the highest bidder or fought over in the courts for decades. It was far too late to back out now, but he wished that he could find a way to extricate himself from this uncomfortable situation. He felt as if it was only a matter of time before it blew up in his face.

  **

  Jade walked into the Ocean Breeze restaurant and immediately spotted her dinner companions, Lara and Ryan. Just the sight of the two love birds made her break out into a huge smile. Ain’t love grand? She thought. Yes, it really was. The love she felt for Roman made her feel ten feet tall. She was beginning to believe that she could leap over tall buildings in a single bound. Suddenly, she wished more than anything that he was here tonight by her side.

  “Hey you two,” she said by way of greeting as she reached the table.

  “Thanks for joining us, Jade,” Ryan greeted her as she sat down in her chair.

  “Of course. I’m honored that you asked me to be a part of your wedding,” Jade said. “Is Avery coming?”

  Lara scrunched up her nose. “She’s a little under the weather, so we told her to stay home. I hope that’s all right. We really just wanted to check in with the two of you about the plans and let you know we really want everything to be no stress and low-key.”

  “As low stress and low key as a wedding can be between a Burton and a Callahan,” Ryan joked.

  Lara sent him a look full of outrage. “Hey. This wedding is going to be nothing but love and light.”

  Ryan leaned over and pressed a kiss on Lara’s forehead. “Absolutely, my love.”

  “You
look like a new woman,” Lara raved as she gazed at Jade from across the table. “Doesn’t she Ryan?”

  Ryan placed his arm around his fiancée. “Don’t ask me. Guys don’t normally notice things like that.” Lara frowned at her fiancée, who immediately began to backtrack.

  “Now that you mention it, she does have a certain glow,” Ryan said with a smirk.

  Jade couldn’t help but grin. It was hard to hide her joy from her best friend. Roman’s presence in her life was a gift from God. He made her happier than she’d ever felt in her life. The love she felt for him was more powerful than anything she’d ever known. God surely had answered all of her prayers. He’d shown her a way through the darkness. Now she felt nothing but the light.

  “I have to admit, Roman has given me plenty to smile about ever since he came to Treasure Harbor,” Jade admitted. Lara clapped her hands together and let out a squeal.

  “Roman Sant’Angelo.” Ryan scratched his jaw and looked off into the distance. “I’ve been trying to figure out why that name is so familiar to me. It’s been gnawing at me ever since the night of the concert.”

  “Did you meet him through Burton export-import? My understanding is that he has several business ventures and colleagues in this area of the country,” Jade said.

  “Right,” Lara said with a nod of her head. “That sounds plausible.”

  Ryan’s eyes widened. He snapped his fingers. “I know why that name is so familiar to me. He’s working with Buddy Keaton.”

  “The Buddy Keaton?” Lara asked. “The one with the television station and the fleet of private planes and the obnoxious tele-commercials?”

  “The one and the same,” Ryan said with a nod.

  “No. I don’t think that’s right.” Jade immediately rejected the idea.

  Ryan nodded his head at her. “Yes, Jade. He is.”

  “Are you sure about this?” Jade asked. That couldn’t be right. Roman would have told her if he was working with someone like Keaton. He was a billionaire who didn’t seem to possess a moral compass. She wasn’t a big fan of the man. Just last week she had read an article about Keaton’s purchase of a picturesque property in Hawaii. Locals were livid at the fact that Keaton’s plans to build a ten-foot wall around it, effectively blocking the view of the beach for the locals.

  “One hundred percent sure. My father and I had a meeting in Boca Raton with Buddy a few months ago. All he could talk about was finding Drake Burton’s treasure. He pumped us for as much information as we were willing to share. He seemed to think that since we share the Burton name we might have the inside track on the treasure. He mentioned that he was working with a guy named Roman Sant’Angelo.”

  Jade’s mouth felt as dry as cotton. “M-maybe things have changed. Roman has been working solo ever since he came to town. And he’s not looking to make a profit. He’s doing it for archeological reasons.”

  Ryan frowned. “Keaton was only interested in the jewels. He said he was bringing in a ringer to find them—an archeologist named Roman Sant’Angelo.” Ryan sent her a pointed look. “Sorry, Jade, but that’s not the sort of name a person forgets.”

  Jade’s hands began to tremble. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing! Ryan had no reason to fabricate this story. If it was true, Roman was working with one of the richest men in the world to find the jewels. Buddy Keaton was not interested in the treasure for philanthropic purposes. He was an acquirer of things—boats, houses, gold necklaces, islands, women. The Star of Imara, she imagined, was just another thing Buddy thought he could buy. He was the type who believed everything came at a price.

  From the very beginning Roman had told her that his interest in the treasure was from an archeological standpoint. He cared about the history of the Star of Imara. He had a deep connection to ancient jewels. Wasn’t that the basis of their initial connection?

  If all of it had been a lie, what did they really have? Had Roman been putting on an act ever since he stepped foot into Treasure Harbor?

  Throughout the remainder of dinner, Jade felt preoccupied. She couldn’t seem to focus on the here and now. Her mind raced with the news Ryan had revealed about Roman. She tried to smile and put on a good face, but on the inside she was dying a little bit with each moment that passed by.

  A slow anger began to burn inside her. She’d been betrayed by love once before. The idea of it happening all over again was extremely painful.

  God, please help me sort this all out. Please make it all a misunderstanding. I’ve fallen in love with Roman after hiding my heart for such a long time. I so want him to be the man I believe him to be.

  **

  The loud banging on Roman’s hotel room door awakened him from a light sleep. Even though it was only ten o’clock, he’d dozed off in front of the television. Through the door he heard Jade’s voice asking him to open up. Suddenly, fear gripped him by the throat. Her voice didn’t sound well. Had something happened to her parents? Had there been a robbery at Gems?

  He jumped up and raced to the door, wrenching it open as if his life depended on it. Jade stood there, her face ashen and streaked with tears. Her eyes blazed with anger. With a sinking feeling in his gut he realized that she had discovered the real reason for his presence in Treasure Harbor. And she would never believe him if he told her that he had decided this evening to tell her the unvarnished truth.

  Without a word, he ushered her into his room. As soon as he closed the door behind her, Jade laid into him, her fury like a raging storm he couldn’t hide from.

  “You lied to me! You told me that you were here as an archeologist.” Jade’s voice bristled with rage. Her features were contorted into a grimace. Tears shone in her velvety brown eyes. She was breathing hard.

  “It wasn’t a lie. I am an archeologist.” He tried to keep his voice as calm as possible to diffuse the situation.

  “Were an archeologist. Past tense. I looked up some articles about you on the Internet before I headed over here. You’re a treasure hunter now. It’s all here in black and white.” She held up copies of the articles.

  Roman let out a sigh. The idea of Jade reading about the failed dig in Tunisia rocked him to his very core. He prayed that she hadn’t seen anything about Sam’s death or Marissa’s catastrophic injuries. What would she think of him if she uncovered the truth?

  Roman held up his hands. “Hold on, Jade. The truth is that I’ve always been fascinated by ancient jewels. The Star of Imara, in particular. I came here on assignment for a very wealthy client who insisted on anonymity. Should I have told you that?” He shrugged his shoulders. “Honestly, my hands were tied due to a confidentiality agreement I signed.”

  “So it is true? Buddy Keaton hired you to find Drake Burton’s hidden treasure?”

  “Does it really matter? It doesn’t have anything to do with us, with what we’re building.”

  “I need to know from your own lips,” she said through clenched teeth.

  He met her steely gaze. “Yes. Keaton hired me to find the treasure. He wants the jewels to give to his fiancée on their wedding day.” He let out a harsh laugh. “Buddy considers himself to be a romantic.”

  “So you’re getting a big payday if you find the treasure? Is that it?”

  “Yes, that’s true. He’s agreed to pay me a large sum of money.”

  “Do you need the money that badly?” Jade asked, her voice cracking. “Why the big pretense?”

  Roman faltered. Marissa was a topic he rarely discussed with anyone. It was far too painful. He still felt riddled with guilt. And what might Jade think if he revealed that the accident was all his fault? For two long years he’d been shouldering the guilt for Sam’s death and Marissa’s catastrophic injuries. He didn’t want to see the revulsion in Jade’s eyes if she discovered the truth.

  “I have my reasons,” he said in a low voice. He felt himself shutting down and putting up walls around his heart. Jade had the power to break his heart. And judging from the
expression on her face and the condemnation in her voice, she was full of judgement against him. It felt like Jade was slipping right through his fingers at this very moment.

  “Please tell me,” Jade pleaded. “Help me understand why you would join forces with someone so mercenary.”

  “I can’t,” he said in a voice laced with agony.

  “Can’t or won’t? This may be the only time I’m ever going to ask you.”

  Roman looked into Jade’s eyes. He could see the tears welling up in her eyes. He’d disappointed her. His little white lie had been more than that. Roman had been lying to his own self by acting as if hiding this information from Jade was no big deal. It was only recently that it had finally dawned on him that it could break them apart. Jade was a woman who dealt with people with honor and integrity. All at once it came crashing down on him. She was walking away from him.

  And even though he wanted to tell her everything about Marissa and Sam, the words wouldn’t budge from his mouth. He was still stuck behind this wall of silence where he’d buried all of his hurts. And because of his failings, he stood to lose the woman he now loved with every fiber of his being. And that knowledge burned his insides like acid.

  But the words were stuck in his throat. He was paralyzed by fear. Fear of making a fool of himself. Fear of laying it all on the line and peeling back all of his layers. Fear of being hurt way worse than he’d ever been hurt before.

  God, please help me. Show me the way.

  “Goodbye, Roman. I don’t expect I’ll be seeing you again. I don’t deal in lies or deception. I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime.” Jade gave him one last lingering look before turning on her heel and leaving him. He could hear the click of her heels as she walked across the hardwood floor and out of his life. He knew from the distraught expression etched on her face that she wouldn’t be back. It was over. The slamming of the door behind her signified an ending.

  Roman bowed his head and heaved a tremendous sigh. His entire body shuddered. For the first time in a very long while he dropped to his knees. His head and his heart and mind were filled with Jade. He loved this woman with all the depths and heights and breadth of his imagination. She was the one. The woman he’d been waiting for his entire adult life.