Page 12

Twelve

C aiyan had some nerve telling my parents we were engaged. He was the one with commitment issues. Maybe I had a few too, but his secrets topped my cold feet. And now he was out on the patio, surrounded by my family smothering him with congratulations.

Well, I had bigger beans to bake. I’d deal with my fibbing fiancé later.

I caught my dad in the kitchen struggling with the foil wrapper on a bottle of champagne. “Hey there, Sugarplum.”

“Dad, where did Aint Elma keep her important papers?”

He paused a minute to think. “She didn’t have a lot of papers. Her house was paid for, and the deed’s with Cousin Trish.” He began working at the cage around the cork. “She had a few clippings of births and deaths she kept in the family Bible.”

“Where’s her Bible?”

“In the china cabinet. Your mother likes to display a few of the family Bibles. I’m pretty sure Elma’s is there, too. Are you looking for something special?”

“Just doing a little research.”

“Be careful lookin’ into our family tree. You might find a few broken branches.” He chuckled, then huffed. “I can’t ever get these things open.”

I pulled a tea towel out of the drawer in case the cork popped and champagne spewed all over Mom’s spotless wood floors.

Caiyan stepped into the kitchen. “Ah, there ye are, Jen.”

“Yep. You found me.” I hoped he hadn’t heard my conversation with my dad. Since he didn’t share his map details with me, I wasn’t sharing my thoughts on where Elma kept her map.

“Can I help ye with that, sir?” Caiyan held out his hands for the champagne bottle Dad scowled at.

Dad handed Caiyan the bottle. He removed the cage and gripped the cork with strong, firm hands. A warm, melty sensation somewhere south of my belly button made my nipples stand at attention like saluting soldiers. Damn him and his sexy arms.

I attempted to hold the towel in front of me, but it wasn’t large enough to cover both little gumdrops.

He twisted the cork and bottle in opposite directions. The cork released with no spillage.

“You’ve had some experience with those.” My dad pointed at the bottle, but Caiyan glanced at my nipples, and his lips pulled into a grin. “Yes, sir.”

Dad narrowed his eyes as he took the bottle back from Caiyan.

I handed my dad the towel and escorted Caiyan out of the kitchen, pointy nipples less pointy by the second. “Are you nuts?” I motioned toward the kitchen. “My dad was standing next to the carving knives.”

“I dinnae know why yer so edgy. We’re aboot to celebrate our engagement.” He grinned again, and I wanted to punch that smirk right off his face.

I raised my finger to poke him in the chest, but my mom slipped in through the patio door. “OK, you two lovebirds. Come outside. I’m dying to hear all about the proposal.”

“Go ahead, lovebird.” I nudged Caiyan toward the door. “You start the story. I’ll be along shortly. I need to visit the little girl’s room.”

Mom looped her arm around Caiyan’s elbow and tugged him toward the door. She leaned back and hollered over her shoulder. “J.W., hurry up with that champagne.”

I took my time searching through the china cabinet for Elma’s Bible. I got lucky on the third one. I ran a finger over the name written on the inside cover. Elma Jane Cloud.

Yellowed newspaper clippings were folded and tucked between the pages. I opened obituaries, births, and Polaroid photos of loved ones, present and past. No map.

“What are you doing?” Eli had snuck up behind me, and I jumped. The clippings floated onto the floor. We dropped to our knees, scooping up the wayward papers.

I pressed a finger to my lips. “Shush. I’m looking for something. But don’t tell Caiyan. It’s none of his business.”

“My lips are sealed, but his aren’t. He’s telling everyone how he proposed under the lucky willow tree in Elma’s backyard the night of Durr’s wedding.” Eli shook his head. “That tree has had a lot of proposals under it. I’ll keep a wide berth the next time I’m down that way.”

Dad had proposed to Mom under that tree. Aunts, uncles, and cousins too. The same tree my outhouse had stayed under until it became mine. We stood and straightened out the newspaper clippings and photos in our hands.

“Too bad Elma didn’t have any luck in that area,” I said, trying to slide the papers back between the pages.

Eli looked down at the Bible I was holding. “Elma should have cut a pocket into the back cover. It’s thicker than the front. She could have stored all her clippings inside.”

I flipped to the back cover and ran my hand across the leather and felt a slight ridge. I peeled it back with my fingernail and slid my fingers inside, coming out with a piece of parchment.

Eli’s eyes went wide. “That looks like a treasure map.”

“Maybe. But it’s only a piece of one. I need to find the rest. It could help me save Marco.”

“Help you save Marco?” Eli cocked a suspicious brow.

“I’m the lead on Tuesday’s jump. With Brodie down, there’s not enough of us. Don’t worry. Ace is going as my wingman.”

Eli rolled his eyes. “That’s not very reassuring.” He placed his hands on my shoulders. “Be careful. I’ve seen Pirates of the Caribbean, and it didn’t work out well for the treasure hunters.”

I tucked the map into my pocket and replaced the Bible on the shelf. The unity candle used at my parent’s wedding stood as a bookend, keeping the Bibles straight.

Gertie breezed into the room. “I’ve got to run an errand, but you’d better get out there, Jen, because your momma’s opened her Pinterest app. She’s checking out china patterns with Caiyan.”

Eli smirked, then followed me outside to the torture chamber.

I found Caiyan and Mom with their heads together, scrolling on her phone, Melody pouring champagne into crystal flutes, and Pete and my dad exchanging the latest football scores.

After we toasted to many blessed years of Caiyan and me together, Cousin Darryl swung in through the back gate.

He’d returned nursing a beer. Ragina told him to drive his truck to Hell and never come back. At least my parents had moved their attention from china patterns to Darryl.

“I don’t understand,” Darryl moaned into his beer bottle. “I never said we was gettin’ hitched.”

“Why did Ragina think you were going to ask her?” Melody asked.

“We went to the waterpark the other day, and she saw my new tat. After that, she kept sending me pics of rings.” He shrugged and took a pull on the beer. “I hadn’t had time to set her straight yet.”

“What new tattoo?” Melody asked.

Darryl lifted his shirt. A giant heart tattoo decorated his entire left pectoral muscle with the words True Love inside. “It’s in honor of my new truck.”

Caiyan, Eli, and Pete all echoed the word, “Dude.”

“Oh, Darryl.” My mom gasped.

“Son,” my dad began, but Darryl held up a hand, shaking his head.

“Don’t worry, Uncle J, it’s only temporary. My buddy does them. I can’t afford a real one, not yet. I thought Ragina would get a kick out of it. You know, try to figure out about my big secret.”

“Ragina’s not your true love?” Melody’s brows drew together and peaked. She still didn’t understand.

“No. But I love my truck.” Darryl shook his head again. “You see, that’s where I think the confusion started. I’m a single guy. I thought Ragina understood my intentions. Being in a relationship gives me heightened social anxiety. Because heck, when you’re single, you can change your mind next week if you want to.” Darryl cut his eyes at Caiyan. “But with marriage, you can’t change your mind. You gotta go to counseling.”

“I told you,” Eli leaned in. “Single guy syndrome.”

Mom sprang up from her seat. “Well, my goodness, Darryl, I hope it works out for you. Now, let’s all move into the house. The mosquitos are biting, and I’ve got leftover cake. I’ll put on a pot of coffee.”

Eli gave me a gentle elbow jab in the side. “Mom’s worried Cousin Darryl’s single talk is gonna rub off on Caiyan.”

Caiyan would need a single guy friend to mop him off the floor after I was done with him. But for now, “let them eat cake!”