Unwrapping Treasure: A Granite Lake Romance Novella

by Kessler, Jody A.

“See there,” he said giving her a knowing look. “I remember you being broken down on the highway last September and pushing your car off the road. By yourself. At night. You take risks without thinking. If you bothered to remember how close to death you’ve come, you wouldn’t run into burning houses.”

  “Hold up a second,” she said narrowing her eyes at him. “You do search and rescue and we can’t forget about the class five kayaking and the rock climbing. All pretty dangerous activities.”

  “I take calculated risks after putting a lot of thought into what I want to do and what I don’t want to do. When I get old, I’ll remember everything I’ve accomplished. You can’t remember what you ate for breakfast, or tell me the most important thing that happened to you last year.”

  Treasure threw a dagger from one eye and bit the inside of her lip. There happened to be some warped version of the truth in what he said and she couldn’t deny it. Living spontaneously suited her. It kept everything fresh and to the point. The past never needed revisiting as far as she was concerned. So why was she wondering about tonight and how she would feel about spending her twenties saving lives in the back of an ambulance?

  “You’re right and you’re wrong. I’ll remember tonight. Saving Piper on Christmas Eve is going to stick with me,” she said and picked four different stuffed animals off the shelf in front of her.

  “What about this?” Bodie said, picking up a frilly purple princess dress, complete with rhinestone tiara and glittery heels.

  “Looks perfect. Grab those matching fairy wings, too, since we can’t buy angel wings here,” Treasure said as she put two stuffed bears, a turtle, and a yellow duck into the shopping cart.

  “Were the angel wings real, Treasure Hope?” Bodie asked as they left the toy aisle.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Was Piper really dressed like an angel or was it just a vision or something to get you to save her? You know, like a Christmas sign from God or something?”

  “Seriously, she was wearing angel wings. Feathers and all.”

  “It’s just weird.”

  “Yeah, well, weird is my middle name.”

  “Goes well with Hope.”

  “Whatever.”

  They paused and grabbed a couple rolls of wrapping paper and some tape from the ravaged Christmas aisle at the twenty-four-hour mega-store.

  “I don’t know if I believe in signs from heaven, but I’m starting to think people are in your life for a reason. Does that sound stupid?” she asked feeling all at once self-conscious for saying it.

  Bodie wheeled the cart toward the check out. “I know you’re in my life because you’re supposed to be. I think everyone exists in the exact right moment at the exact right time.”

  Treasure gave him a look somewhere between astonishment and wonder at his thoughtfulness and ease of faith. She started to raise her hand to run it through her hair, but flinched from the pain instead. She glared at the sling around her arm and said, “I’m not so sure.”

  He shrugged. “It’s a good thing you ran into Piper at the gas station whether it was by chance or something more.”

  “Yeah. I guess you’re right,” Treasure said and paid for the stuffed animals.

  ∞

  Treasure stepped into the hospital room and arranged the wrapped presents where Piper would see them when she woke up. She’d never felt quite this attached to a patient before, but she understood why the girl had gotten to her. It wasn’t about saving her from the burning house, although that would stay with her for her entire life like she was just telling Bodie an hour earlier. Piper would wake up in the morning, Christmas morning, to a reality no little girl should ever have to face alone. And she was alone. Treasure had asked the staff about her relatives and so far there weren’t any except for the mother. Misty would be around in the morning, hung over and recovering from an overdose of alcohol and prescription drugs mixed with Rohypnol – not a healthy combination – but social services would also be there. Treasure understood all too well what it was like to have a single dysfunctional parent.

  She knew she couldn’t rescue Piper from her life and make it all better, but Treasure could at least leave some presents. She hadn’t forgotten the bear, Holly, and harbored some serious regret for not remembering to grab the stuffed bear from the girl’s bed inside the closet. Yeah, good ol’ Misty had at least provided Piper a mattress on the floor and some toys, but Treasure’s opinion of the mom didn’t rise much higher than the sewers running below the city.

  Treasure stared at Piper’s innocent and precious face and thought about her own mattress on the floor in the small apartment in the back of her dad’s motorcycle shop where she grew up. She stood a moment longer in the dimly lit room and silently told Piper that childhood sucked, but it would get better. Just hang in there and don’t let your parents’ faults become your own. You don’t have to be like her. And you’re better than the example Misty is setting for you.

  Treasure walked out of the room and didn’t look back. She watched the floor tiles until she was outside the hospital. If she hadn’t been so wrapped up in her memories and the feelings associated with her past, she probably would have realized sooner that she was stranded with no way of getting home, other than walking. After her extra-long night, she really wasn’t in the mood, but riding the motorcycle wasn’t happening with her shoulder strain.

  She rolled the sore shoulder and winced. Crap. There was no way she could safely ride with the amount of pain she was in. Even wrapping the presents for Piper had her sweating. Luckily, Bodie had been with her and they managed to do it together.

  As she came to the conclusion that a Christmas sunrise walk back to her apartment with an aching shoulder looked inevitable, she became aware of the vehicle coming her way.

  The window lowered. “You want me to drive the motorcycle for you, or do you want to leave it parked for the weekend?”

  “Are you kidding me right now? I thought you already left,” she said.

  “Kidding about what? I know how to ride. Your bike is a little short for me, but I think I can handle it.”

  “Oh my god, I’m going to owe you for the rest of my life after tonight,” she said with a groan.

  “Now we’re talkin’,” he said with a shit-eating grin. “I’ll call in my favor when you least expect it.”

  “Great,” she whined and walked up to Bodie’s Jeep inwardly pleased.

  4

  They caravanned over to Treasure’s apartment and shared breakfast. Feeding Bodie was the least she could do for his help with getting the presents and driving her around this morning, not to mention rescuing her and Piper from the balcony.

  She sulked over her eggs and toast, chewing but not really tasting it.

  “All is not lost, Treasure Hope,” Bodie said and took a drink of orange juice. “It’s Christmas morning, you know. How about opening the present I gave you?”

  She didn’t look up as she mumbled, “I, umm…” She glanced over to where her bag sat by the front door. Bodie’s gift could be inside, or did she leave it in the ambulance? She suddenly couldn’t remember and felt like a schmuck. Redirecting the conversation from his present so she wouldn’t have to admit she probably forgot it at work, she said, “I thought it would be nice to spend time at the lake and the cabin this weekend. I’m screwed.” She tried to shrug her shoulders and ended up sighing. She hated the sling keeping her shoulder immobile.

  After all the excitement and the unexpected flood of memories regarding her dad and her messed up childhood, she felt melancholy. Escaping to the cabin on Granite Lake appealed to her on every level and now she would have to cancel her mini getaway. She couldn’t afford the hundreds of dollars for a taxi ride and she couldn’t take the motorcycle.

  “Put aside your self-pity for a minute and open my gift so I can go sleep. We’re both exhausted after last night.”

  “Self-pity! Really? Fuck you, Bodie.” She rose from the table and took her plate to the sink an
d threw it in. “You’re not the one who almost got blown up with a girl’s life in your arms. Yeah, I’m feeling like shit right now. So what about it!”

  He cleared his throat.

  Shit. She was wrong and she knew it. He’d told her he was ten feet from the front door when the first explosion happened. He could have died when the gas line went off and it would have been her fault. She glanced at him to see if he caught her verbal slip-up. All she saw was Bodie’s look of surprise at her sudden anger.

  “Chill out, all right?” he said, raising his hands in the air. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  She didn’t care if she was in the wrong and blowing off steam. The release of tension felt insanely gratifying.

  “Now I need to chill out? Go screw yourself. And do it somewhere else. Get out.”

  “Whatever. Just don’t forget to open the present sometime today.” He pushed himself back from her kitchen table and rose to his feet.

  Treasure wanted to punch him in the chest and then box him on the ear. It’d been a long time since she’d felt like fighting to relieve her worried mind, but she felt it acutely now. She also knew from her time in therapy that fighting wouldn’t help. It always made things worse. Was it too early for wine? Shot of Jager – a bottle? Crap! And it was Christmas Day so she refused to call Marco – her last fling and last good lay. Besides, she’d made it clear to him she didn’t want to see him anymore. She wouldn’t toy with him just because she needed a physical distraction.

  Treasure glared at Bodie who stood with his hands shoved in his pockets, and half turned toward the door. They were both still in their uniforms. She suddenly needed to be out of the stiff polyester. A shower wouldn’t hurt either.

  “Goodnight, Treasure,” he said and started across her living room. “You did good last night, even if you scared the shit out of me. And Piper will never forget you either. Merry Christmas.”

  She said nothing in return, dropped her gaze and stormed out of the kitchen, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

  ∞

  When Treasure woke up a few hours later, she felt like utter garbage. The way she treated Bodie was unacceptable and gnawed at her conscience. Her shoulder and back ached like hell and kept her from sleeping.

  She stumbled to the kitchen and considered taking a pain killer or drinking a heavy dose of alcohol. Neither option appealed at the moment. Honestly, she had no idea if she even had an aspirin in the house, let alone something that might actually help her feel better. She’d refused the pain meds from the doctor who evaluated her shoulder.

  Treasure ended up staring out the kitchen window in full zombie mode. Her motivation ranked at zero. Her attention hovered somewhere between the specks of dust on the glass and the tip of her nose. At least until she noticed the blue Jeep parked in her parking space outside.

  She glanced over at the counter and saw Bodie’s keys lying where she placed them earlier after driving home from the hospital. Treasure took a step toward the keys and then pivoted in the opposite direction. She was out her front door, her own keys clenched in hand, and scurrying to her garage. Treasure paid a couple of hundred dollars more each month to rent a garage at her apartment complex. She needed the space for her motorcycles. The little sedan, which always seemed to be broken down, didn’t even rank high enough to have an inside parking space. The motorcycles were way more valuable. She threw open the door to the garage and sure as shit, Bodie had stolen her motorcycle. The only one set up to handle winter road conditions.

  “Bastard!” She fumed and headed back to her apartment.

  As soon as she shut the door she found her phone and intended on calling Bodie to rip him a new one. There was a text message waiting for her.

  Take the Jeep to Granite Lake. I’ll return your BMW after the weekend.

  She texted back. You suck. She lowered the phone and then raised it again and sent another message. Merry Christmas. Btw, I suck too. Thanks for putting up with me.

  After the initial freak out, she realized she was also ridiculously happy about not being stuck in the city. She would take the Jeep and maybe she would even drive it over a cliff or into the frozen lake just to teach Bodie a lesson about messing with her.

  5

  Bodie showed up about an hour and a half after Treasure arrived at the cabin.

  She stepped out onto the front porch and looked him over as he approached. He looked good out of the navy blue EMS uniform. And even better surrounded by the snow covered forest with the lake as a backdrop. He was too damned cute for his own good. Vanessa made a huge mistake by letting him go, she thought, and then shook it off wondering where that had come from.

  “I thought I would take a drive and maybe squat in an empty lakeside cabin, but you didn’t let your stubbornness get the better of you and refuse to come. I wouldn’t want this place to go to waste since you already paid and all.”

  “I’m stubborn but I made it.”

  “Good. You deserve some time away. I see you ditched the shoulder sling.”

  “It was useless. I slapped some tape on it. It’ll be fine.” She glanced down at her shoulder as if it had something to add regarding her mediocre medical treatment. It stayed silent.

  He didn’t make further comments about the injury. She had a strong feeling he was still upset about the fire and her reckless behavior which ultimately caused the shoulder strain.

  “I brought the chains for the Jeep. It’s supposed to snow for the next couple of days.”

  “You drove all the way up here to bring the tire chains and see how stubborn I really am?” she asked.

  He shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yeah. I sent a text, but you didn’t answer.

  “My phone’s off for a few days.”

  “I figured. It’s a nice drive up here and I had nothing going on today. Nick and his girlfriend wanted some alone time and I remembered the chains, so here I am. Sorry if I’m interrupting. I’ll go grab them and then get out of your way.”

  “Don’t be a goon,” she said with a smile. “You’re not going anywhere.”

  He grinned back. “Sure you don’t mind me hanging out for a few hours?”

  “God, Bodie, I’m glad you’re here,” she said and meant it. “A friend to share Christmas with is more than I could have hoped for.” She turned to go inside so he wouldn’t see her blush. She didn’t normally share her feelings, especially when it made her sound like a sap. “Come in, you big goof. I’m making shortbread cookies.”

  “You packed popcorn, flour, butter, apple cider, coffee, and liquor?” Bodie said as he stared at her meager supply of groceries.

  “There are some eggs and sugar, too. And a frozen pizza. I’m all set,” she said, defending her choices.

  He opened the fridge and started unpacking his grocery bag. “Good thing I brought some real food.”

  After the pan of shortbread came out of the oven, Bodie started cooking dinner. Treasure sat at the island countertop sipping wine and enjoying the smells of cooking ham, the sweet buttery sugar of the cookies, and the pine logs burning in the fireplace.

  “You just happened to have an entire Christmas dinner with you for a two and a half hour drive,” she teased.

  “I wasn’t kidding when I said I was going to squat in your cabin if you weren’t here,” he said as he clicked off the stove and started looking for dishes and silverware. “I like to be prepared.”

  “So you’re a boy scout at heart, and a thief and burglar on the side?”

  “Now don’t start confusing the facts. I wouldn’t steal a thing. I might use what I want, but that’s different.”

  “Mhh-hmm,” she cleared her throat. “Motorcycle,” she hinted.

  “That was for your own good.”

  “I see,” she said with a laugh and rose to help him set the table.

  They shared ham, green beans, rolls and some kind of potatoes au gratin he had premade in a casserole dish. It was delicious and probably the best home cooked meal Trea
sure had eaten in a long time. She rarely cooked anything complicated and when she wanted a real meal, she usually went out for it.

  After dinner, Bodie dove straight into the cookies. “This is the best shortbread I’ve ever eaten. You’ve been keeping this a secret from me, haven’t you?”

  “It’s a secret from everyone,” she confided and gave him a wink.

  “Well it should be. I’m probably going to go into cardiac arrest from all the butter, but who cares.” Bodie took another piece and ate half of it in one bite.

  “It’s like my only holiday tradition. Along with the cider,” she said and took a drink of the spicy hot apple cider laced with buttered rum.

  “Works for me. My family used to be all about traditions. They probably still are, just not this year. I think everyone needed to switch things up for a change.”

  “Do you miss them?”

  “Not really. Change can be good.” He reached over and grabbed Treasure’s mug and took a sip of the cider. “God, that’s good.” He handed it back to her.

  “I told you,” she said. “Now will you let me make you one?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Treasure poured him a mug of the holiday cider from the pot simmering on the stove. “I guess you have to stay the night now.”

  “I’ll sober up before driving. Don’t worry.”

  “Or you can just stay. The couch pulls out into a full size bed.”

  “We’ll see. I didn’t come here to crash your party.”

  “Well, you sort of are the party now.”

  “If I’m the party then you have to go sledding with me.”

  “In the dark?”

  “The snow’s bright.”

  “We better drink more first. It’s freezing out there.”

  “Sounds fun. Tipsy sledding with hot rum in our veins.”

  They tumbled back inside the cabin laughing and dripping melted snow after an hour or so of nighttime sledding. They were both having more fun than either of them could remember. Treasure made a mental note to add this part of her unusual Christmas to her memory bank. It was turning out to be the most amazing Christmas of her life and definitely one to remember.