A Love to Treasure (Sunriver Dreams Book 1) (2 page)

He passed a couple jogging and settled into an easy rhythm. One thing was certain; he’d be in great shape by summer’s end. Cool air brushed his face. In a fenced pasture, tall grass swayed in the breeze. He could definitely get used to this. Sunriver was a far cry from the intensity of working in the big city.

He braked at a stop sign before crossing the road and went left along the path that ran past the stables. The only sound was the whir of his tires on the pavement. He caught up to three bicycle riders in no particular hurry. “On your left.”

The women moved their bikes into single file. The middle woman looked over her shoulder, wobbled, and a mere second later bumped into the leader. She yelped, and the two went down. The last bike couldn’t avoid the heap and joined the jumbled bodies.

Mark braked hard and jumped off. Bending over the women, he peered down and scanned for injuries. “Anyone hurt?”

Silence greeted his question. His heart hammered. He assessed each of the women quickly but couldn’t see any visible injuries.

The women met each other’s eyes. Then a soft snort escaped the redhead. The woman to her right erupted in a fit of giggles. In a moment, the three of them were leaning against each other, laughing.

He squatted to their level. “I take it everyone is okay.” He grinned and offered his hand.

“Yes, officer.” The redhead brushed her palms together, then grasped his hand. “I guess I shouldn’t have followed so closely.”

He pulled her up before offering a hand to her friend.

A dark haired woman rolled her eyes. “Tina, you and tailgating go together like peanut butter and jelly. Come on. Let’s get a move on before Connor gets too far ahead of us.”

“Connor?” Mark couldn’t squelch his curiosity.

The woman nodded and brushed her hands against her denim shorts. “Yes, my twelve-year-old cousin is visiting for the summer, and believe me, he’s a handful.” She pursed her lips. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I simply meant—”

“Don’t worry, I understand.” Mark chuckled. “I was a handful myself at his age.”

The woman gave him a grateful smile. “I’m Sarah and these are my reckless friends, Tina and Marge.”

Tina righted her bike and blatantly checked out Mark. “We’re staying in Sarah’s Circle Four Ranch Cabin. Would you like to join us tonight for a barbecue? It’s the least we can do, considering.”

The other two nodded.

“Sorry, ladies, but thanks for the offer.”

Tina slipped a business card into his hand and winked. “Call me.”

The women mounted their bikes and pedaled away.

Mark rubbed his neck. That was awkward, but at least they were gone, and he’d dodged their dinner invitation. Nothing against assertive women, but that trio left him feeling like a piece of meat. He much preferred the blonde who ran him off the road—not that it mattered.

He couldn’t get the defiant look in her eyes out of his mind, and it made him want to get to know her. The thought sent him reeling.

Chapter Two

Shade covered a small portion of the green lawn that surrounded the sparkling water in the North Pool in Sunriver. Nicole wore a perfect fitting, black, one-piece swimsuit she’d found in the package. How had Grams known? The attached clue had been odd. She could still see it in her mind’s eye.

The North Pool was a favorite of mine. Take a dip and see what you find when the long arm touches six and the short arm one. The color of the day is RED
. What did red mean? Was there something red in the bottom of the pool? She stood and walked to the edge of the pool and peered into the clear water. Nothing. She returned to her seat. The rest of the clue had to mean whatever would happen would take place at one-thirty. It was one-twenty-five now.

The lifeguards wore red, but what would a lifeguard have to do with Grams’ game? She sat on the edge of a white lounge chair and tapped her toe. Bodies of all shapes and sizes splashed in the pool several feet away from her. She fanned her face with her hand.

A young boy jumped into the water and droplets sprayed across her legs, shockingly refreshing. Maybe a quick dip in the pool would feel good. She looked at the inviting water, wishing for the cool relief from the heat. If she understood the clue correctly, she still had a few minutes. But if she missed whatever it was Grams had planned . . . she sighed and leaned back in the chair. Better wait.

Children squealed in delight as they played in the water nearby. Grams would have gotten a kick out of watching the kids play. Why did she have to die? How did a person move past the pain? A month since the funeral, and she didn’t feel any closer to healing. Maybe that was what this game was all about—moving on. But she didn’t want to move on. She loved Grams and would forever hold her memory close.

A raucous laugh grabbed her attention. She tilted her head to see what was so funny. Three women were having the time of their lives over something and behaving as if they were the only ones at the pool.

“I can’t believe you gave him your number, Tina.” A brunette gave her friend a playful shove. “Did you forget you have a boyfriend?”

“That tall drink of water had the brownest eyes I’ve ever seen. Totally mesmerizing. I couldn’t help myself.”

“Mesmerizing? You’re so dramatic!” Her friend tossed a flip-flop at the one named Tina.

Tina sighed. “Honey, it comes with the trade.” Tina sighed. “Now I’d take
him
as my leading man any day. Mmm-hmm.”

The third woman harrumphed. “Give me a break. Sure, he was perfect, but you
both
have boyfriends. And I don’t think acting in community theater counts.”

“Of course it does,” Tina purred. “I may have another job that pays the bills, but I’m an actress to the core. And as far as having a boyfriend goes, that doesn’t keep us from looking.”

“You told him to call you, Tina!”

Tina laughed. “I’m on vacation. Besides he turned me down flat, so it’s a moot point.”

Nicole couldn’t stop the grin that stretched her lips when she thought about the man they described. He sounded easy on the eyes. But no one was
that
perfect.

She listened to the women tease one another a moment longer, then leaned back and closed her eyes. She used to have close friends, but had lost touch with them. Life had gotten in the way. Maybe her old boyfriend had been right when he accused her of putting work and school before everyone. An ache of loneliness settled over her, and she wished for a do-over in the social department, too. But that wasn’t likely. Most of her friends were married and starting families. Not her. Grams had been her family until cancer cut her life short.

“Cannonball!” A huge splash of water sprayed onto the pool deck. Nicole jumped as the cold water hit her skin. Her eyes flew open, and she spotted a boy probably around twelve or thirteen with a wide grin and a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Connor Gray Davidson!” One of the women who’d been talking earlier stood and propped her hands on her waist. “That was rude.”

The boy shrugged and plastered on an innocent face. “Sorry. I was only having fun.”

“Well, stop.” She spun around and caught Nicole gaping at the scene. “Sorry about my cousin. He forgets he’s not the only one here.”

“It’s fine. I needed to be cooled off anyway. It was just . . . a shock.”

“Ha. I’ll say. He’s visiting me for the summer, and every day seems to be a new shock.” She frowned. “Who knew boys could be such a handful?”

Nicole laughed. “He’s not
that
bad. You can’t expect me to believe you never did a cannonball as a girl.” She sent the boy a conspiratorial wink as he rested his elbows on the side of the pool and listened in. “Cannonballs are way too much fun for to resist.”

“I suppose you’re right.” A lopsided grin lit Sarah’s face. “Thanks for understanding. Hey, you’re getting quite a burn.” She pointed to Nicole’s shoulder.

Nicole turned her head and spotted bright red skin. “Oh no!” She reached in her bag for a cover up that cascaded to her elbows. “Thanks. I’m Nicole.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Sarah and these are my friends, Tina and Marge.” The women waved. Sarah moved toward the pool. “You coming in, Nicole?”

“Sure.” She could keep the cover-up on in the water and whoever or whatever she waited poolside for could wait for
her
—one-thirty had come and passed. For the first time since Grams’ death she didn’t feel lonely, and she liked that feeling. Nicole stood and stopped short when an older guy waved her over. Her pulse kicked up a notch—he wore red.

“Are you Nicole Davis?”

“Yes. But how’d you know?”

He waved a snapshot of her from her last birthday.

She caught her breath. “Where’d you get that?”

“It was taped to the outside.” He held up a manila envelope and handed it to her. “I’m sorry I’m late. I got the message to deliver this a few minutes ago but couldn’t get away sooner.”

“No problem. Thanks. Who sent you?” This must be the next clue. Good thing he got here, or she’d have turned into a crispy lobster waiting for him. She knew better than to come to the pool without sunblock, especially with her fair skin, but Grams’ game had her brain muddled.

He smiled and raised a brow. “I can’t say. I’ve never been asked to deliver something like this before. It feels so cloak and dagger—like something out of
Mission Impossible
.”

She laughed and raised the envelope. “Thanks.” Maybe an old movie had inspired Grams, but she doubted it.

Sarah and her friends were in the pool and didn’t seem to notice she’d been sidetracked. Should she take a dip or open the clue? She looked toward the pool again. The promise of cooling off in the water and forging a friendship tempted her, but she was here for one reason, and now she had what she’d come for. It was time to see what the big mystery was.

Nicole sat and tore open the envelope, then drew out a single sheet of paper with a key taped to it.

“Sunshine poolside is always a good idea. Relaxation at its finest. This key is the beginning of your adventure. Don’t forget to keep your eyes open and enjoy the world around you. Have fun, sweetie. Love always, Grams.”

Nicole held up the key and sighed. “What am I supposed to do with this?” Water dripped near her feet, and she looked up. “Oh, hi, Sarah. Sorry I never made it to the pool.” She held up the envelope and key. “I got sidetracked.”

Sarah wrapped herself in an oversized towel and plopped down beside her. “What’s the key for?”

“My grandma was big on adventures. Before she died. she wrote me a letter I was supposed to open upon her death. In it, she asked me to go to Sunriver as soon as school released for the summer. So here I am.”

“I’m sorry about your grandma.”

“Thanks. She was quite a lady. Always putting others before herself. Case in point, this game she left for me. I know she’ll never know if I played along or not, but I want to do it for her because it would have made her happy.” Sadness gripped Nicole, threatening to pull her into a pool of grief, but she shook it off and plastered on a smile. “Anyway, she left me clues to follow.”

“Sounds like fun. You mentioned school. Are you a college student?”

Nicole shook her head. “Teacher.” She frowned. “At least I was. The school where I worked had to make cutbacks, and since this was my first year, they didn’t renew my contract.”

“Ouch.”

“Tell me about it.” She’d applied at a few schools around Oregon, but none of those jobs really appealed. What she really wanted was her old job back, or better yet, a job here in Sunriver. Now that would be incredible. She’d have to check the district website and see if they were hiring. If they were, she’d be sure to apply. It would be a dream come true to live and work here.

Sarah stared at Nicole’s shoulders. “You really need to put ointment on your shoulders. I can see the red through your cover-up.”

“That doesn’t sound good. Maybe I should go.”

“Wait. I have a fix for your burn. Be right back.” Sarah grabbed something from her bag and came back. “This stuff will help.” She held up a spray can. “It has aloe in it and feels soothing on a burn. You can buy your own at the grocery store in the village, but this should help until then.”

“Thanks.” Nicole removed her cover-up and held her breath as Sarah sprayed her shoulders. “Brr. It’s freezing.”

“Doesn’t it feel nice though?”

“Mmm. Yes.” The cold sank through the burning hot layers of skin bringing sweet relief. She chuckled. “To think a few minutes ago I was roasting.”

“Glad I could help.” Sarah snapped the cap back on the can.

“I’ll be sure to get that stuff. Thanks for the tip.”

“You’re welcome.” Sarah looked toward her friends, then back at Nicole. “I grab coffee at the Merchant Trader Café every morning. Would you like to join me tomorrow?”

Nicole tipped her head to the side. “I’d love to. Your friends won’t mind?”

“Nope. I jog in the mornings and then stop for coffee and a bagel at the café before walking back to my cabin. I’d love company.”

“You’re sure your friends won’t change their mind?”