by Melody Anne
“I’m coming out. Move away from the door,” Hunter told him.
Rebekah heard Luke laugh, then heard his steps retreating from the doorway. Hunter turned back to look at her.
“Don’t take too long or I’ll have to come back in and finish what we started. To hell with Luke,” he said.
She wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not, but as soon as the door to the cabin was safely shut, she jumped up and turned the lock. As much as she would love to make love with Hunter again, she didn’t relish the thought of doing so with an audience on the other side of the walls.
Her body ached as she turned the water on high in the shower. She might have bended in ways she’d never tried before during the night. Lovemaking with Hunter was new and exciting each time. It had been the same for them ten years ago. He knew how to please a woman — that much hadn’t changed.
She dressed for adventure since they’d be searching for the next clue in Hunter’s legacy. Though she was feeling much better after her snakebite, she still didn’t want to push herself too hard. Hunter had promised this wouldn’t be a hike through the mountains or anything. At least she had that to be grateful for.
Stepping outside, Rebekah didn’t find Hunter or his brother, so she made her way up the trails to the main lodge and stepped inside. Lizzie had already given her the full tour, but it was still fascinating to see all the people milling about. And Lizzie had told her this wasn’t even their busy season.
She made her way to the dining hall and found Lizzie sitting at a table with another woman and an adorable baby. She walked over to the group.
“You’re just in time for breakfast,” Lizzie told her as she pushed out a chair. “Join us. This is my head cook and very good friend, Shari Jordan and her baby girl, Julia.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Rebekah said, but her eyes were for the child only. Her womb seemed to twitch as she gazed down at the smiling face.
“Do you want to hold her?” Shari asked.
“Yes,” Rebekah said.
Lizzie and Shari chuckled. “She has that effect on people. The guests adore her,” Shari assured Rebekah as she handed over the sweet baby girl.
“Are you getting any ideas?” she heard Luke ask with a laugh.
Rebekah looked up to see Hunter and Luke walking up to the table. Hunter’s eyes were on her and she could swear she saw a bit of panic there. She realized seeing her with the baby was a huge red flag for him. It broke her heart in ways she hadn’t even realized she’d opened it up for breaking.
“No, no ideas here,” Hunter said, a forced laugh escaping him.
“Yeah, okay,” Luke said as he pulled another chair over and sat down next to his fiancee. “Better get some food so you can get to work for Daddy,” he teased.
“Yeah, you jumped through the old man’s hoops first,” Hunter pointed out.
The baby began to fuss, and Rebekah was glad to give her back. With Hunter there seeming so uncomfortable, she was nervous holding the child, which is probably why she had gone from smiley to fussy in an instant.
Their breakfast was quiet and the more time that passed, the more uncomfortable Rebekah began to feel. Their night and morning had been so ideal, and now there was this weird awkwardness between them. She didn’t like it — not one little bit. Maybe the two of them should have just stayed in bed all day like she’d originally thought.
“Time to go,” Hunter said, and Rebekah gave up on eating. Her stomach was too tied up in knots.
“Okay.” She stood up and thanked Luke and Lizzie for a wonderful meal before she followed Hunter from the lodge. “Where are we going?”
“Luke told me the way. I couldn’t figure out the map but when I showed him, he just laughed and said he knew exactly where the next clue would be located.”
“Is it far?” she asked as he took her around a corner where a golf cart was waiting. She eyed it skeptically.
“No, not too far,” he told her.
He was so cold all of a sudden, she didn’t know what to think about it. Maybe all good things really did come to an end, or maybe he was just having an off moment and she was reading too much into it.
Still, it was odd that they were so silent as he steered the golf cart around the property. They went up into the trees and after about ten minutes he stopped and got out.
“We’re here,” he said. There was a tightness in his voice she didn’t understand.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He quietly walked up to a tree and ran his fingers over the bark. That’s when she saw what he was looking at. She felt tears spring to her eyes. “Colin loves Kathleen” was carved inside of a heart.
“That’s your mother and father, isn’t it?” she asked, remembering his father’s name was Colin.
“Yeah. I didn’t even know this was here. When Luke and I looked at the map together he told me Lizzie had shown him the tree, that it would be the most fitting place for our father to have left the next clue.”
The two of them glanced down at a small marker in the ground. Most people wouldn’t have noticed it, but since they’d been treasure hunting for a while now, they knew what to look for.
“He must have really loved your mother,” Rebekah said.
“Yeah, more than I ever realized,” Hunter told her. “Lizzie told my brother the story of how they came to be, how they’d met right here at the lodge and then parted ways, but my father apparently said that fate brought them back together again when they met back up in Kentucky ten years later.”
“That’s pretty romantic,” Rebekah told him. She couldn’t help but see the parallel to her own story with Hunter.
“I can’t imagine it. I can’t see that side of my father, but the proof seems to be everywhere we look,” he told her with a sigh.
“I’m sorry this is so hard on you, Hunter,” she told him. She finally found the courage to move up beside him and place her hand on his arm.
“It’s not hard,” he said, but his voice contradicted his words.
“Okay,” she said, humoring him.
“I’ll get the shovel.”
Hunter pulled from her touch, and she felt the chill in the air all the way through her bones as he moved back to the golf cart and pulled out the shovel. He came back and immediately began digging where the marker was.
It didn’t take him long to hit a plastic box. He dug it out and brushed off the dirt then walked back over to the golf cart, Rebekah at his side. Was this the final clue? Was their journey over? She felt on the verge of tears as she waited to see what it was.
Hunter finally opened the box. Inside was a single piece of paper, bearing a final map and a poem:
I’ve brought you to a place of love
To show you the magic of it all.
Where once there was dark
Light was found.
But most don’t have the courage
To hold on like they should.
You’ve come near and far while seeking treasure.
The only hope is that it has brought you truth.
Go back home and you will find
The end of the way is on the hills where it all began.
This journey must come to a close
With your guide by your side.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Saying goodbye to Luke and Lizzie, Hunter and Rebekah left the lodge with barely a look behind them. She could have easily stayed for days longer, at least one more night in the cabin that had turned out to be magical after all. But once Hunter had his clue in hand, he’d been ready to go — ready to finish his treasure hunt.
Now Rebekah didn’t have to wonder when it would all be finished. She knew. There was one more location for them to go, then it was over. She wanted to know where they would be, but wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.
They arrived back at the plane, and it didn’t take long to load up their bags and complete Hunter’s pre-flight checklist. The anticipation Rebekah usually felt when she got to fly with Hunter wasn’t there. She was too uncertain to feel anything other than dread at the moment. Still, she couldn’t take the silence for very long.
“We only have one more clue left. I bet you’re excited,” she said about fifteen minutes into the flight.
“It will be nice to quit chasing after whatever it is my father needs me to find,” Hunter told her.
“All the same, I’ve had fun doing it with you, though I’m sure you would have been fine on your own,” she told him. She forced a laugh, and it sounded awkward through the headphones they were wearing.
“I’ve enjoyed you being here with me,” he told her. Then he sighed.
“Whatever it is you need to say to me, I would rather you spit it out instead of sitting there all broody like you’ve been all day,” Rebekah said. They weren’t looking at each other, but their bodies were pressed close in the small plane and there was nowhere for either of them to escape to unless one of them planned on jumping for it. It was actually something Hunter might be willing to do.
“I’m sorry,” Hunter told her as he reached out and put his hand on her leg. She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed his touch until she had it again. She let out a bit of a relieved sigh. She began to feel a stirring of hope.
“It’s okay. But I would rather you tell me when something is wrong,” she said.
He sighed again and she knew he hadn’t been apologizing about his mood. Something else was going on and she was sure she wouldn’t like whatever it was.
“I got a call after I left the cabin this morning,” he began. Her stomach tightened. This wasn’t going to be a phone call she was going to like.
“Phone calls don’t normally put someone in such a brooding mood,” she said, trying desperately to inject a sense of humor into her voice.
“It’s about a job,” he said quietly.
Rebekah’s heart stalled as she took in what he was saying. If it was one of his jobs, that meant he’d be leaving — probably the country — and it also meant the end of the two of them.
“That’s great,” she said, refusing to allow tears into her voice. “What sort of job is it?”
“Taking photos,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
“I figured that,” she told him. “Of what?”
Silence stretched between them and she waited for the bomb to drop. This was the slowest a Band-Aid had ever been ripped off, and she wanted that final piece torn away.
“It’s a place in Korea,” he finally said.
“Wow, that must be exciting,” she pushed out. It wasn’t how she felt at all, but what else could she say? Yes, they’d been intimate with each other, but they had no level of commitment. She’d always known at the end of the treasure hunt he would leave. It was just that for a short time she’d allowed herself to forget.
“I don’t know if I’m taking the job,” he said, another sound escaping him.
“Why wouldn’t you?” she asked.
“Because of you,” he admitted. That hope Rebekah had been trying to keep tampered down was blooming in her chest. She didn’t want to lose control of her emotions, but with those three little words, he’d cracked open her heart.
“I don’t want to hold you back, Hunter. I don’t want you to resent me,” she said. It would be worse for her to keep him, knowing he resented her for it, than to let him go and deal with the loss.
“I would never think of you that way. My life has never been planned out. I’ve always taken each new day as it comes. But being with you again has changed how I feel. I don’t know if I’m ready to let that go,” he told her.
She desperately wanted to look in his eyes, but she was afraid to do it. What did all of this mean? He wasn’t exactly telling her he wanted forever, but he was saying he didn’t want to leave. But was that for now? Or was it for a few more days, weeks, possibly even months? This uncertainty wasn’t something she would wish on anyone.
“I’m here. There’s nowhere I need to go,” she finally said. She was letting him know she was here if he wanted her. She felt too vulnerable, but she would hate herself if she didn’t say it, didn’t tell him.
He squeezed her thigh as they drew closer to the airport and he began their approach.
“I know you are,” he finally said, his voice just above a whisper.
They touched down and taxied in. No more was said as the two of them exited the plane, put it away, and then placed their things in his car. He opened her door and finally, she took a deep breath. It was now or never.
“Can we not think about any of this for now?” she said. He looked at her with a bit of shock. “I just want to spend the night together. We’ll complete the treasure hunt tomorrow.”
Hunter’s eyes glazed over and he pulled her against him, his hands wrapping behind her back.
“Yes.” It was one simple word, but it was everything for her. For tonight they had no problems. For tonight he was hers, and she was his. Tomorrow they might take a new path, but tonight was all theirs.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rebekah wasn’t sure if the night before had been her last with Hunter, but as they followed the dirt road up into the hills of Hunter’s brother’s property on dirt bikes, she knew something was about to happen.
They were reaching the final clue in their short journey together. He hadn’t told her if he was taking the job that would pull him out of her life again, and she hadn’t wanted to talk about it. All she’d wanted the night before was to be lost in his arms. They’d made such sweet love she’d ached after as she’d laid in his arms.
When she’d been sure he was asleep, she’d finally snuck off into the bathroom and let the tears she’d been fighting all day slip freely down her face. Once that had been done, she’d cleaned herself up, then crawled back into his arms and fallen asleep.
They’d had normal chitchat all morning, then it had been time to go. She hadn’t rode a dirt bike in a long time, but quickly got the hang of it again and felt free as they climbed the mountain in search of the final place on their treasure hunt.
When Hunter stopped his bike, she pulled up beside him and turned off the engine. The quiet was almost eerie as the two of them dismounted and moved into the trees. Several paces in, Hunter stopped.
Rebekah felt a sense of restlessness as they gazed at the large tree in front of them, a marker at its base. Carved into the bark was a heart with nothing in it. She wasn’t sure what that meant. Had someone just grown tired of carving?
“Looks like we found the place,” Hunter said with a sardonic smile.
“Seems so,” she told him.
He pulled the small shovel from his backpack and stood there, looking like he was in no hurry to end their journey. She wasn’t either, but she knew they had to finish, so she took the shovel from him and dug until they found the same type of plastic box they’d seen at the resort.
Hunter finally moved into action and dug it the rest of the way out. He carried it over to a sun-soaked patch of grass where wildflowers, urged on by the light filtering through the trees, had begun to sprout up.
He ran his hands over the top of the small box, and her heart pounded as she waited for him to open it. He didn’t say anything; he just sat there gazing at the box.
“The anticipation is killing me,” she finally told him.
He let out a sound that resembled a laugh. But her words spurred him into motion. He moved his fingers to the latch and opened the box. Rebekah peered inside, where what appeared to be a jewelry box and an envelope rested.
He took out the jewelry case and set it aside without opening it, then picked up the envelope. He looked at her and there was such an innocent look in his eyes, it broke her heart. He seem
ed so lost.
“This is it,” he said. “This is the final clue from my dad.”
His voice cracked on the last word and she felt so much compassion for him that she couldn’t help but move over and climb into his lap, throwing her arms around him.
“I’m here with you,” she assured him.
“I’m glad you are,” he told her. His hand rubbed her back. They sat that way for several minutes before she moved off him so he could take the final step in this journey.
“Would you rather I leave you to do this alone?” she asked.
“No. I want you here,” he said.
Finally, he cracked the envelope and Rebekah found herself trembling as she waited to see what the letter said. She’d always wanted to go on a treasure hunt, and now she didn’t think she would be able to suffer through one again. She was far too emotional to deal with the anticipation of it all.
Finally he read the letter, leaving it open for her to see as well.
You have been put through a lot to come to the end of this hunt to receive your legacy, but it has happened because you are the wanderer of the family. The hope of this task is for you to realize you don’t have to be far from home to have adventures. You can have it all, an exciting life that also includes a great love and the support of your brothers.
No one has to be alone, and they shouldn’t be. Too many become broken and bitter by choosing that lonely path. Hopefully, you will make changes in your life to set your path straight before that happens to you. May your brothers and you find peace and happiness.
The family attorney has permission to give you the deed to your new home when you present this letter. It’s only five miles down the road from your beloved twin brother. You boys need each other and putting down roots doesn’t make you less of a man, it gives you a foundation that will give you strength the rest of your life. The second part of your legacy is within the black jewelry box. May you have the strength to know what to do with it. You are wise and you have been lost. Know that home is always where you can be found again.