by Angel Moore
Three hours later, he sat on the pew in front of Buried Treasures. His dad had closed Swashbucklin' Sweets, and Mallory was turning out her lights. The bell rang, and she joined him on the bench.
She sat down and let her head fall back as she drew in a deep breath. She bolted upright. “Where did that come from?” She pointed to the opposite end of the bench.
“I may have had something to do with that.” He fingered the delicate petals of the gardenia bush he’d planted in a half barrel that he’d taken from the workroom of her shop.
“It smells delicious.” She leaned back and put her head on his shoulder. “Sweet. Like you.”
“Don’t you want to read the card?”
He handed her a small white envelope.
“A fresh gardenia, sweet and pure, like you. Solve the riddle for clue number two.”
She gasped. “Oh, Victor! What fun! A true treasure hunt!”
The riddle read: Find something blue near the endless horizon.
Mallory jumped to her feet. “Pirate’s Pier!”
Victor had to walk quickly to catch her. “Maybe the clue should have been more difficult.”
She stood in the middle of the pier and spun in a circle, stopping at intervals to look under the benches that lined the wooden structure. She did a bit of a dance when she spied the blue box under a lawn chair where his dad sat fishing.
“Oh, Will, you’re in on the fun.” She turned to Victor, untied the bow, and lifted the lid. A jar of blue bath salts was nestled in tissue paper. She lifted the note on top and read it aloud.
“The ebb and flow removes the stress of the day. The repeated sound brings peace your way.” She smiled. “The beach! It’s the tide.” She grabbed Victor by the hand and hurried toward the steps to the sand below the pier. “Bye, Will,” she cried over one shoulder as they left.
The sky had settled to a deep pink as the sun slid beyond the horizon. She jolted to a stop on the sand, jerking her head one way and back the other. “It’s getting dark. What am I looking for?”
He smiled. “You’ll have to find it.”
“Hmm…since I’m looking for treasure, I’ll look for an X.”
“You are a smart one.” Victor watched as she searched in every direction.
She pointed. “Aha! Under the pier.” Off she went again.
She looked under the pylons that crisscrossed each other to support the pier until she found the box shaped like a treasure chest. His dad had put it there a few minutes earlier. He’d been able to keep an eye on it from the pier above. Victor gave his dad a thumbs up, and that man picked up his chair and waved goodbye.
“Victor, I don’t know what to do?” Mallory’s voice trembled. Her knees buckled and she sank onto the sand.
He knelt beside her. “Oh, baby, don’t cry. This is supposed to be a happy time.” He pushed the hair from her face and lifted the silky waves over her shoulders to hang down her back.
“No one has ever done anything like this for me.” Tears spilled over now in earnest. “I never got birthday presents. It was always right after I moved somewhere and the people didn’t know, or I’d be about to move and the family didn’t think they needed to buy me anything because I was leaving. Christmas was usually something small provided by whoever my social worker was that year.”
Victor pulled her into his arms. “I had no idea. Oh, Mallory, you will never be overlooked again. I promise you that.” He lifted her face to see her in the fading light. “You are my treasure. You were hidden so close to me. I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner, but I’m so grateful that God kept you safe until I did.”
She hiccupped and then laughed. “You’re too sweet.” Then she laughed harder. “For someone who started out so sour.”
“Is that right?” He opened the lid of the treasure chest.
“How adorable!” She lifted out the custom made bear. Victor wiped her tears with his thumbs and watched her take in all the details. He’d dressed the stuffed toy in a faded red outfit. The fur was brown to match her hair and scuffed in places to make it look worn. The eyes were green like his. The patch on its chest was a broken heart sewn together by a miniature shoe string. He’d tied an engagement ring into the laces.
She gasped and put her hand over her mouth. “Oh, Victor.” The words were barely a whisper.
“Mallory Reed, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you help me care for all the things in life that are important? I promise to love you forever.”
She nodded her head and more tears spilled onto her cheeks. “Yes. I will. And I’ll love you forever and ever. With all of my mended broken heart.”
Treasure Harbor Series Novellas
Blurb by Belle Calhoune, the creator of the series:
Treasure Harbor: Seven novellas centered around a quest to find treasure hidden by a notorious pirate, Drake Burton, in the seventeen-hundreds. When Nor’easter Igor unearths gold coins on Bounty Beach in Treasure Harbor, treasure seekers from near and far converge on the town in hopes of finding the treasure of a lifetime. Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the seaside town of Treasure Harbor, this series features heroes and heroines who are dealing with the fact that their beloved town has gone treasure crazy.
Find these other Treasure Harbor Stories on Amazon:
Some Kind of Wonderful by Belle Calhoune: June 13, 2016
The Space Between Us by Leah Atwood: June 20, 2016
Treasured Love by Patricia PacJac Carroll: June 27, 2016
Stolen Legacy by Angel Moore: July 4, 2016
His Timeless Treasure by Kristen Ethridge: July 11, 2016
His Precious Jewel by Belle Calhoune
The Sum of Love by Leah Atwood
About the Author
Angel Moore fell in love with romance in elementary school when she read the story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Who doesn't want to escape to a happily-ever-after world? When not writing, you can find her reading or spending time with her family. Married to her best friend, she has two wonderful sons, a lovely daughter-in-law, and three grands. She loves sharing her faith and the hope she knows is real because of God’s goodness to her. Find her at www.angelmoorebooks.com and www.facebook.com/AngelMooreBooks.
Books by Angel Moore
Find links to all these titles at www.angelmoorebooks.com
Love Inspired Historical Titles
Conveniently Wed
The Marriage Bargain
The Rightful Heir – October, 2016
Mail Order Brides of River Bend Series
Safe in a Stranger’s Heart – Book One
Mail Order Groom – Summer, 2016
The Doctor’s Lady Rancher – A Pine Haven Story
Stolen Legacy – A Treasure Harbor Series Novella
Buried treasure…
Victor Burton’s pirate ancestry destroyed his parents’ marriage. He’s a sour guy who runs a candy store and wants nothing to do with a lost treasure. With no skills to build relationships, he buries himself in his work. He believes in God, but he’s not sure God believes in him.
Growing up in foster care, Mallory Reed knows no one wants her forever. Her Christian beliefs keep joy in an otherwise lonely life. When she opens an antique shop next to Victor, her sweet tooth has her reaching out for friendship. How she’d love to scrape the barnacles off his personality and find out what treasures lay inside his hardened heart.
Can a woman who’s lived her life without a sense belonging love a man who wants to forget his heritage?
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