Page 76 of Only for the Season

She drags me into the kitchen. My eyes widen at the sight. There are trays of cookies on every single surface. It’s only been two days since I last saw her. How did she do all this baking in the meantime?

She points to the parchment paper. “Each sea salt caramel coin cookie needs to be wrapped and a small scroll affixed to the top of the package.”

I pick up a scroll and unroll it. “Not all treasure is hidden. Some is baked,” I read out loud.

“It matches the clue to find this spot on the treasure map.Golden coins and hidden loot, follow the scent of something sweet and cute. A pirate’s prize, a mermaid’s treat - Where sugar and sass and sea salt meet."

The clue is perfect. It points players toPirate’s Pastrieswithout naming it directly and is on brand.

“I should hire the Smuggler’s Hideaway tourist council for my marketing team.”

“Too bad no one on the council would move away from Smuggler’s Hideaway. Not even for the outrageous salaries you probably pay.”

If I movedApparooto the island, it wouldn’t be a problem. I stop those thoughts before I get carried away. No one’s moving to the island. Parker and I are together only for the season. Once the season is over, we’re over.

My gut rolls at the thought but I ignore it. I know better than to get attached to a woman. Even if the woman in question refused my help and managed to figure out a way to do what she wanted anyway. I can’t help but admire Parker.

“Parker!”

“I really need to go.” She pushes up on her toes to kiss me. “Don’t eat too many of the cookies.”

I’m not going to eat any cookies. Except when I notice the cookies are in the shape of old pirate coins and drizzled with sea salt caramel with a shimmer of edible gold dust, I can’t resist. She didn’t forbid me to eat any after all.

I stuff one into my mouth and moan as the flavor of shortbread and sea salt caramel melts in my mouth. Parker is a genius when it comes to baking.

I package cookies and attach small scrolls to the packages until my back aches. I moan as I stretch. I don’t know how Parker does this every day. She really is a princess.

“Put it down!” Parker screams.

At her shout, I run into the café. A man has a gingerbread house lifted in the air. Parker is glaring at him.

“I found it! It’s my treasure,” the man slurs.

I make my way to Parker and shove her behind me. Drunken men can’t be trusted and nothing will happen to Parker on my watch.

“Put down the gingerbread house,” I order the man.

“No. It’s mine.”

“It’s not yours. It’s Parker’s.” And no one steals from Parker. No one.

“Nuh uh. It’s the final treasure. I won the Mermaid Treasure Hunt.”

Parker tries to push past me but I block her. She’s mine to protect. And I will protect her. From drunken guests, asshole parents, whoever threatens her will deal with me.

“There is no final treasure,” Parker says. “And you can’t win the treasure hunt.”

“What’s the porpoise of a treasure hunt if there’s no winner?”

“Porpoise? I think you mean purpose.”

“Whatever.” He dismisses me with a wave of his hand and the gingerbread house nearly goes crashing to the floor.

“Unless you want your treasure hunt to end in the ER, put the gingerbread house down.”

“Is the ER on the treasure map?”

He looks back at his crew and sways. The gingerbread house tilts toward the floor. No one is dropping Parker’s hard work on my watch. I snatch the gingerbread house from him.