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CHAPTER TWENTY

John

Laughter echoes from another part of the cave, enjoying this freshwater excursion.

Reed and Brooke congratulate Becca and me.

“It helps that all of you are on board,” I say to Reed as I reach for Becca.

When she’s not within an arm’s length, I swivel around.

She’s nowhere in sight. The water is still clear, but in this smaller area, without much light, the water reflects the earthly brown and green tones from the cave.

I see her body thrashing under water about ten feet deep. “Becca.” Slinging my mask off, I dive down with my heart pounding so loud, it seems to cause ripples in the still waters.

As I get closer, I spot her—struggling. Her kicks are getting weaker, her hands clawing at the water.

How does she look so close yet farther away?

It seems like an eternity before I scoop her into my arms, but her bathing suit is caught on the pointed mineral deposit.

I hold her tight while I set her free. She looks at me—really looks at me—and I see both fear and relief in her eyes.

For a second, she’s limp, hanging onto me with her nails piercing my skin. I haul us toward the weak stream of light. It seems an eternity until we break the water’s surface.

Becca gasps for breath, spitting water from her mouth as she shudders. Rolling her onto my back, I swim toward a ledge of limestone jutting out from the cave’s wall.

Her chest heaves as she squeezes my neck. Her body shakes as I stroke her back and mutter, “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

A flood of emotions cascades over me, especially fear. What if I would have lost her on the same day we started dating? With every desperate breath, relief finally sets in when Becca loosens her grip around my neck.

I kiss the top of her head before I pull back and ask, “Why did you go down without me? You scared the shit out of me.”

“I can do things by myself,” she says, her voice wavering as she squares her shoulders.

I can’t help but laugh since she’s gripping my arm like a lifeline. “I know, but I’m glad you let me help you.”

She looks away, a faint blush tipping her cheeks. “Maybe I did need you…maybe I do need you,” she admits softly, and her bravado fades into a shy smile.

Her breathing returns to normal and just before Brooke, Reed, and Austin surround us, I grin, lightening the moment with a little tease. “You know, I thought if one of us lost a swimsuit on this trip, it would be me—since you love my extra-large…”

She covers my mouth with her hand, giggling and coughing at the same time “Stop.”

Brooke says, “Is everything okay over here?”

“Yeah, look what I found.” Becca holds up a glimmering diamond ring. Her voice is giddy and victorious.

“That’s huge. Do you think it’s real?” asks Reed.

Becca flips it between her fingers, studying it. The band is delicate and somewhat worn in places, but the diamond itself is gleaming. Water beads run off her fingers onto the facets. It’s beautiful like Becca.

I blink, wondering if I’m hallucinating from the lack of oxygen when I dove down to help her. “Are you serious?” I ask as I expel a deep laugh bouncing off the caves. “You almost drowned over buried treasure?”

Grinning like a cartoon cat, Becca’s eyes shine in victory. The ring sparkles between us, and all the fear subsides, leaving the thrill of holding a mystery in our hands.

How long has it been there? Who does it belong to? How old is it? Is it real?

Is this a sign that us being together is right?

“Let’s find Corbin and Oakley. I want to show them.”

“Get on my back. It’s a long way back.”

“I can do it.”

“I know you can, but I’ve got plans for you tonight—top secret, strictly need-to-know basis.”

“Sounds mysterious. Does it involve XL?” she asks, her chest pressing against my back. Her arms loosely drape around my neck as she whispers, “I need to know.”

Other than when we won the Frozen Four in college, I can’t recall a time I was this happy. My smile is so wide as we skim through the water that I could swallow a baby fish swimming around.

Becca slides off my back, showing Flynn, Presley, and Lettie the ring when Corbin, Oakley, and the rest of the Stallions surround us.

Oakley snatches the ring, her excitement evident. “How do we know if it’s legit? It could be a vacation diamond. I’ve heard people say they don’t wear their real rings on vacation in case it gets stolen.

“I’ve heard if it cuts glass, it’s real,” Presley says.

Harper says, “From my geology class, I remember the professor saying if you breathe on it, trying to fog it up, and it stays clear, then it’s probably a real diamond.”

Oakley opens her mouth wide and releases a long huff over the ring. “It’s not cloudy. It’s real!”

“I knew that geology class would come in handy one day,” Harper snorts .

The guide stands on the platform above us. “The picnic on the beach is ready. But you can snorkel for another half hour if you want.”

Snorkeling takes a tremendous amount of energy, and all of us want our feet to touch the ground for a while, so the group heads to the lockers to pick up our extra clothes and bags. Once we dry off, we jump into the Jeeps. Becca calls out, “I’m driving.”

“Okay, we’re riding with Dane and Lettie,” Oakley shouts as she jogs toward their Jeep.

My attention switches back to Becca who is so damn cute, having put a baseball cap on with her short ponytail catching in the breeze. When she grabs the steering wheel, I notice she slid the ring on her middle finger.

It silently knocks the wind from my chest, wanting it to be one finger over.

I must be out of my ever-loving mind. We’ve been together less than twenty-four hours.

Shaking the thought, another pops up. The ring my dad insisted I give to Stella.

What possible reason could he have for wanting Stella and me to marry when he’s been fucking her?

As we drive around the other side of the cave, the landscape changes to rolling sand dunes. My voice loses its strength in the open-air jeep, so when we come to a stop, I say, “Why is the ring on your middle finger?”

She cackles, throwing her head back. “So, I sparkle when I give you the finger.”

I lift a brow, pull her neck toward me, and breeze my words over her ear. “Where do you plan on putting your finger, Bex?”

“Stop,” she demands, giving me a firm flip of her finger, but her eyes dance. Judging by the red tint of her cheeks, she wants to explore the possibilities.

Slightly changing the subject, I say, “Stunning.”

“It is.” Becca stretches her arm in front of her, spreading out her fingers and admiring the flawless, brilliant rock that sends prisms of light in all directions under the direct sunshine .

“I’m not talking about the ring.” There’s so much emotion in my voice, it cracks.

Her chest rises.

Her head tilts.

Her eyes soften.

Interlacing our fingers, we stare into each other’s eyes. She finally says, “How can you be so cocky one minute and so romantic the next?”

“All I said was stunning.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

Striding behind the others, we come to a wooden structure with white gauze fabric wrapped around the poles, softly whipping in the ocean breeze. The girls clamor to each other while we hang back. We hear the excitement in their voices.

“Oh God, this looks so good.”

“This is so cute.”

“Look at this.”

“I’m starving.”

The girls fill up their plates. I tap on Becca. “That’s what you eat when you’re starving? A mouse eats more than that.”

“I don’t like my food to touch.” Embarrassment tints her face.

“Hmm. Learn something new every day.”

When I think the conversation is over, she whispers, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure I have enough energy for tonight.”