TOML SW 2015-04-09 (17 page)

“Tori, may I join you?”

She looked up and into the eyes of Rafael. “Of course.”

He sat down next to her. “This festival always reminds me of your father. I miss him very much.”

She smiled. She knew very little about this man, even though he’d been running Crescent Moon for months now, apparently quite well. “Me, too.”

“I think he would be proud of you for what you have accomplished.”

Tori couldn’t help but frown, knowing she hadn’t accomplished nearly enough. “I don’t know about that.”

“I do. No matter what, that man would have been proud of you.” Rafael smiled.

“Thank you.”

He nodded. “I enjoyed playing your treasure hunt. I can’t wait to see who won.”

The mayor of Moon Lake cleared his throat and adjusted the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention for just a moment, I have an announcement to make. As most of you know, Tori Henderson has been running a treasure hunt for a chest of jewels hidden somewhere around our town. I know my wife, for one, has been paying close attention to this one!”

The crowd laughed.

Tori stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to give my speech now.”

“Of course.”

The mayor continued. “All seven riddles and their corresponding locations were just posted around the park, with maps and full explanations of the clues. Now, if you’ll please join me in welcoming Ms. Henderson to the Grape Harvest Festival, we can find out who won the whole shebang!”

Tori took a shaking breath and climbed the gazebo’s steps as the crowd broke into applause. She greeted the mayor, then took his place at the microphone.

“Hello everyone. I’m excited to find out, just like you are, who has won the Hunt for Tori’s Treasures. Hopefully the promise of one last piece of jewelry will be enough to lure him or her out into the open here today.” She withdrew a box from her pocket. “This is a one carat, heart-shaped, chocolate diamond pendant, set in white and rose gold. Will the person who found the treasure please step forward to claim your prize?”

A local band was setup in the square, and the drummer began a drum roll. Moments passed as Tori scanned the crowd, each person seeming to look around with her.

This isn’t happening.

She waited as long as she could, then spoke up again. “Will the person who found the treasure chest please come forward?”

It doesn’t matter if no one shows up.

It’s okay.

Just because you look like a total idiot doesn’t mean anything.

When it was clear no one was going to answer, she frowned. “It looks like our winner is a bit bashful…”

“Wait!” yelled a voice from the crowd, and everyone turned toward the sound. People cleared the way as a tall black man made his way toward the gazebo, the treasure chest in his arms.

“Whew, that was a close one!” said Tori, and the crowd laughed.

The man made his way up the stairs and stood next to Tori. “I’m sorry. I got here as fast as I could.”

“What’s your name?”

“Malik Davis.”

“Congratulations on finding the treasure, Malik!”

“I didn’t.”

Tori shook her head. “What?”

“I didn’t find the treasure. It was given to me. To us,” he stammered. “I’m the director of the Sonnet-Brown house over in Ithaca. We take care of foster children. About an hour ago, I went outside and found the treasure chest on the front porch, along with this note.” He held out a piece of paper. “Read it.”

Tori furrowed her brow as she unfolded the paper. “Dear Mr. Davis, You and the Sonnet-Brown house are shining lights in the darkened lives of the children you help. You are the real treasures. Take these jewels and sell them. Use the money to do what you always do. Make kids happy.”

A collective sigh went up from the crowd, and Tori bit her lip at the wave of emotion that rose up in her. “That’s incredible.” She handed the note back to the man, and pulled out the box with the pendant. “Then this is for you, too. I hope it brings in lots of money for the children.”

The grateful look on his face filled her with happiness. Here, she’d thought her treasure hunt was a failure, and look at the good that had happened because of it. Needy children were going to be helped, and Tori’s heart swelled.

The crowd dispersed and the band began to play some old standards. Tori sat on a bench near the vendors, the smell of fresh-baked grape pie filling her nostrils and a sense of well-being filling her heart.

Her eye caught her mother and Edward strolling hand-in-hand down the aisle, stopping to look at an artist’s paintings. Tori may not have found love of her own, but she couldn’t have been happier that Bonnie had found it with Edward.

Tori knew she’d miss Jed in the days and weeks to come. Maybe even longer. But she also knew she had a beautiful life here in Moon Lake, even without him in it. The thought made her sad.

Melanie sat down next to her on the bench. “I’ve been looking all over for you,” she said.

Tori looked up, her eyes instantly going to the bold filigree earrings dangling from Mel’s ears. Tori cocked her head to the side. “Are those the earrings from the treasure hunt?”

“You tell me.”

“Where did you get them?”

“Someone left them in a little box with a big red bow, right on my doorstep. I almost tripped on it when I was leaving to come here.”

Tori reached up and touched the familiar metalwork. “Can I see?”

Mel removed one and handed it to her. “This is definitely the one from the treasure chest. Did they leave a note?”

Melanie looked away, then back at Tori. “It said, ‘Beauties for the beauty.’”

“Was it signed?”

“No. Stop making such a fuss.”

“You’re blushing.”

“I know. Leave me alone.” Melanie swatted at her. “So, who found the treasure chest?”

Because whoever found it had a crush on Melanie.

“I have no idea. Whoever it was gave the rest of the treasure to the Sonnet-Brown house and told them to sell it.”

“Oh.” Melanie’s face fell. “Well, drat.”

Tori put her arm around her friend. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

~~~

Jed was focused on getting his car and finally getting out of Moon Lake. He had forgotten all about the festival until he went walking from the bed and breakfast to go pickup his car, and saw all the traffic and commotion.

He crossed the street to avoid the crowd, knowing Tori was somewhere in that park.

They had nothing left to say to each other.

His head was pounding with a raging hangover and the memory of his pathetic attempt to get her back last night. What a fool he’d been, thinking she would welcome him with open arms. He remembered every word she said, and suspected they’d be with him until the day he died.

Because all of it was true. She’d summed him up like a trite little book she’d read and tossed aside in a huff of disappointment.

He crossed the road again a block or so from the car dealership as the last sounds of the festival faded into the background. With every step, his mind replayed his time in this town here with Tori. The sound of the water lapping on the shore. Her sounds of pleasure as she moved beneath him. Her laughter. Her touch.

Jed’s mouth tightened into a straight line. There was no use remembering what he could no longer have, and he worked to turn his thoughts to something else.

“Mr. Trainor.”

His head shot up. The mechanic tossed Jed his keys.

“You shouldn’t have any more problems.” He handed Jed a clipboard and a pen. “I hope you didn’t mind spending an extra night in our sleepy little town.”

Jed shook his head as he signed. “Not at all,” he lied. “But I’ll sure be happy to get home.”

~~~

Jed knew he was dreaming.

That was the only way he got to see Tori anymore. In his sleep.

Now that he was beginning to wake up, he fought to remain in her arms, snuggled against her body, still warm from their lovemaking.

His alarm began to chime and he closed his eyes tightly against the intrusion. He reached for her, but it was too late, and she disappeared into nothingness.

He opened his eyes and turned off the alarm, swinging his legs off the bed. His eyes went to the window and the dimly lit sky beyond, the first rays of sunshine just beginning to curl around the earth.

This was the worst time of day, even more so than the night. By then his mind was busy with other things, the tedium of life that made it seem like everything was okay. But here in the morning, there was only the memory of Tori, and the gaping hole she’d left in his life when she sent him away.

Shower.

Yes, a shower and a shave. A suit and a tie. Another meeting, another decision to make that didn’t matter. Nothing seemed to matter in the month since he’d returned home. He wasn’t even especially happy when he took control of his company back from Henry and voted him off the board.

Gabe had been the one positive force in Jed’s life since he returned. His brother had been a welcome addition to Trainor Enterprises, surprising Jed by asking for a job when he got back to town. But Gabe’s presence was also a constant reminder to Jed of everything he’d lost by not believing in Tori, and thinking she was still hung up on the other man.

He rubbed soap over his arms and shoulders.

Gabe can run the company, while I go back to Moon Lake.

It wasn’t the first time he thought about it. If he believed for a minute he could win Tori back, he would do it in a heartbeat. But she’d hit the nail on the head when she said he wasn’t capable of love, didn’t know what to do with it when it was freely given to him. And he didn’t have the first idea how to fix that.

He fastened his cufflinks, tied his tie at his neck, pulled on his suit jacket, and stared at himself in the mirror. One minute passed, then two. He pulled at the cuffs of his shirt, his eye catching on the mother-of-pearl inlay, the words of the treasure hunt clue floating back on his memory.

~~~

Pearls glow like moonlight, as if from within

Long prized for their beauty these baubles have been

Like beacons that show the way home in the night

Cross slow moving waters with far reaching sight

~~~

He was back in her studio, his hands on her shapely shoulders, surrounded by her tools, the scent of her on the air, and he physically staggered.

Work.

Yes, he had to go to work, though the details of his calendar were suddenly fuzzy. He knew he was busy. He knew it was supposed to be important. But all he could see was the road back to Moon Lake, the rise of Tori’s Treasures on the horizon calling him home.

“She doesn’t want you,” he said to his reflection. He picked up his keys and headed for his car, the words of the riddle still taunting his mind.

He drove with his eyes straight ahead. He couldn’t remember the rest of the clue, the missing verses seeming more important with each passing mile. Arriving at the office, he was joined by Gabe for a meeting with the board of directors.

The poem haunted him as he worked, the words he could remember waiting eagerly to fill his mind in the quiet moments of the day.

A knock on his office door.

“Come in.”

Gabe poked his head in. “Got a minute?”

“Sure.”

He took a seat, rubbing his palms on his pant legs. “I have something to ask you. It’s important, and it’s going to make you mad, but you have to hear me out.”

Jed put his pen down and leaned back in his chair, giving Gabe his full attention. “Go on.”

“I’m in love with a very special woman.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I think I’ve been in love with her for years, only at first I didn’t even realize it.”

A horrible fist grabbed hold of Jed’s insides.

Gabe looked like he was going to be sick. “And then when I figured it out, I thought it would hurt you, that it would jeopardize our relationship as brothers.”

Had they been seeing each other this whole time?

Every day and night while Jed was drenched in thoughts of Tori, was Gabe carrying on with her behind his back?

“So I tried to let her go. I left Moon Lake and I came here to work with you. And you’re my family, Jed. I care about you. But I just can’t get her out of my mind. I was a fool to think I could.”

A fool.

The rest of the words of the treasure hunt riddle came back to him in a rush.

~~~

A fool cannot tell true treasures from fakes

A wren from an eagle, a pond from a lake

And so it has been since the first dawn of time

Not all can see when love’s genuine

~~~

He was such a fool. He thought Tori’s love was real. The one true treasure of his life, even if he wasn’t man enough to claim it. The pain seeped through him like some kind of smoke, ubiquitous and thick.