“I can see where you made a start. Here, hold this.”
Roberta took the medium-sized crowbar from Nate, while he used the small D-handled shovel to clear more forest debris away from the protruding root. Gently, he began digging away dirt.
Roberta held her breath, her heart thumping a little harder than usual against her ribcage. Today had been a rollercoaster of emotions. A mixture of anticipation. Heightened senses from kissing Nate. A sense of finding answers. So much hinged on finding the buried box, even though she had no idea what was inside. Her mother promised to tell her everything when she returned it. Tell her what? She already knew it had something to do with her biological father. The only snippet of information her mother let slip was that he died in a waterskiing accident. End of story. What was left to tell? He wasn’t coming back.
Then there was Nate. A contradiction on so many levels. A major rollercoaster ride just on its own, without all the drama of digging up the box. An enigma when all she could think of was the next kiss. She was no shy maiden and could entice him between the sheets in an instant. But she wasn’t ready to go there yet. Was in no hurry to destroy the quietly bubbling euphoria that flirting held. Powerful stuff, when taken slowly.
“Here, give me the crowbar. I’ll loosen more dirt.”
She handed it over, taking the shovel in return. The touch of his warm hand created a fizz along her skin, building up anticipation on so many levels.
“Okay, thanks. Shovel again.”
“No, thank you,” she pointed out, grateful for all his help.
He grabbed the shovel from her but took a moment to assess her before returning to the task. His gaze held a warmth she liked. It brushed gently over her face, his lips tipping slightly up, transforming his seriousness. Good luck with trying to work me out, she wanted to say. But for about the second time in her life, she zipped her mouth shut, letting him get on with the job.
“How far down, again?”
“Mum said it was a little over a ruler’s length. A bit more than a foot, as it was called back in the day.”
“Well, we must be nearly there if this is the right spot.”
He lifted some dirt out with his bare hands and gasped. “I think I have it.”
Nate dropped the shovel a little too carelessly against the rough bark of the tree while her heart now hammered wildly. Could it be this easy?
“Show me.”
Her impatience thrummed. It was only a few weeks ago she’d learnt about the existence of this damn box. How skewed had her life gone off track since learning of her mother’s secret?
Nate cleared a spot near the root, making room for her. She sat beside him with her knees near her chest, her heart in her throat and her emotions bubbling below the surface. Despite the magnitude of this discovery, she would not cry. Not when she was so close to learning who she really was.
She sensed Nate understood what this moment meant, the significance of it. With their shoulders touching, she drew strength from him, hoping to store some of it away. Some days she was tired of being the strong one. So, she mustered all the strength she could gather, just in case, not sure how she would use it.
Nate lifted the hem of his shirt, using it to wipe dirt off the tiny box. Her mother was correct when she said it would fit in her palm. In Nate’s, it looked tiny. What could it possibly hold? Made of black sturdy plastic, being buried underground for nearly three decades had done nothing to deteriorate its condition.
When Nate was satisfied it was cleaned enough, he turned to her, his face merely inches away. “Shall we open it here?”
“Heck, yeah,” she choked out before pushing a wad of anxiety back down her throat.
Nate chuckled, giving her a tight hug before dropping a kiss on top of her head. “Would you like to open it?”
She did, but she couldn’t do it alone. Which wasn’t the Roberta of five minutes ago. “Will you do it with me?”
“Sure.”
Nate passed her the box and then wrapped her hands in his. “Look up, Roberta.”
Circling them were hundreds of fireflies, their flickering lights creating an enchanting display.
“Turn off your headlamp,” Nate suggested.
“But … we’re about to open the box.”
“You won’t regret this, I promise.”
Nate let go of her hands and switched off his, then reached across to do the same to hers. Adjusting to the darkness, and with the sound of scurrying nocturnal animals in the forest close by, she feasted on the hundreds of tiny lights dancing above their heads.
“Magical, isn’t it?” Nate whispered.
All she could do was nod. It was too overwhelming. She had the box and the answers to a thousand questions wrapped up in her hands. She’d made memories over the years—moments with friends and boyfriends in all sorts of places—which she stored in a happy place, drawing on them occasionally. But this was so, so different. If someone had told her a year ago that on this night, she’d be sitting beneath a 1000-year-old giant, with a gorgeous man beside her, surrounded by the dance of hundreds of fireflies, well … she wouldn’t have believed them. Surreal was a good way to describe her life that night.
She turned to face Nate with an inkling of what she would find. Nate had slipped off his headlamp, and she did the same, his mouth close enough to touch hers. Kissing again was inevitable. All the right ingredients were present, while the box and light were forgotten on her lap.
When Nate cupped her cheek, she fell into his gentle hold, losing all sense of logic. She breathed in sharply as he moved closer, reluctant to pull away. This was where she wanted to be at this juncture of her life. Didn’t she? The soft touch of his tongue as it lazily slid into her mouth had her groaning, mixing with the forest sounds around them. She should be terrified of being in the dark, as she usually was, but Nate’s warmth and strength surrounded her like a cloak, dismissing her fears for once.
Losing all track of time, surprised the earth didn’t swallow her up for doing something so stupid, she relished the soft pressure of his mouth, meeting his tongue with hers. His lips warm and soft against hers.
She was leaving as soon as this job was done, wasn’t she? So why go there? Except, her fingers ached to travel all over his muscled contours, his stubbled face, his tousled hair. It made her think of lazy Sunday mornings, rumpled sheets and sunlight pouring in through lacy, delicate curtains as they fluttered in the breeze drifting in from the direction of the magnificent lake.
When his mouth hardened on hers, a hot flush roared up her neck. She lost herself to the tingling pleasure and the throb centred between her legs. She allowed herself to enjoy it and create the memories while she could until her conscience intervened.
Eventually, she pushed back. “Nate.” Her breathing was laboured. “I’m leaving soon.”
Nate moved back, his chest rising and falling, before looking up to stare at the enchanted fireflies. He ploughed a hand through his hair, roughly swallowing. The fireflies descended in a swarm, hovering closer. Like they’d moved in to cocoon them while they were kissing. Their very own support party.
“I know. I get it, Roberta, and I won’t hold you back. Sorry about this. It’s been me every time. You’ve done nothing wrong. Tash will miss you.”
Roberta winced. She was never meant to be here for long.
Nate chuckled wryly. “I didn’t see this coming, that’s all. Not my fault Tash put a beautiful, hardworking, talented woman, with a voice to kill, so close to me.”
“I’m a pain in the arse, don’t forget.”
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten. Just trying to look past it.”
Roberta chuckled softly until a firefly landed on her hand. She held it up. “Look, Nate.”
Other fireflies landed on them. Her breath caught in her throat. Overwhelmed with the beauty of such a moment, she gulped, needing to push her emotions back. This was not a crying moment but one to behold as a charming memory. Is this what happened to her mother? Had the rainforest and all its beauty trapped her here for a time?
“How the heck will I forget a night like this?” Nate whispered. “It’s never happened before. Maybe it’s you they’re attracted to.”
The fireflies swarmed around their warmth. Tiny, blinking green lights dazzled her, filling her core with a need she didn’t understand. When she looked up at Nate, a hunger roared through her like a fire. This was too soon, too quick. This was crazy. When Nate’s mouth descended for a second time, it was hot and demanding, and she greedily craved every new sensation.
It was Nate who pushed back first, his voice ragged and breathless. “I’m not going to apologise. I wanted that as much as you. Shall we … open the box?”
Oh, boy, that opened a new can of worms. Now it wasn’t only her wanting this. She fumbled with her headlamp, securing the strap. Nate did the same but took longer. With her light switched on, he looked flustered, his Velcro strapping twisted.
“Hey,” she whispered, reaching out to help.
“I’ve got this.” He put some distance between them. “Not sure how I managed to make a mess of it in less than three seconds.”
Roberta grimaced but said nothing more. If he was as shaken up as she was, she understood. Her heart thumped excitedly while her skin glowed like a glorious sunset. Something happened amongst the fireflies, and even if this was all they ever shared, it would be hard to erase the memory. Forever ingrained in her psyche, it had already found a comfortable home.
“Okay, let’s do this,” Nate declared once his light was in place and turned on.
She picked up the box from her lap and viewed it from all angles. There was still some dirt stuck to the black plastic, but there was no visible clasp. Only two tiny holes where one might have been.
“Looks like it might be a hinged box. Should open if you prise the lid up,” Nate volunteered.
“Here, you do it. I’ll probably break it.”
“You sure?” Nate checked.
Her hand shook as she gave it to him. She also plucked up the courage and gave Nate a quick peck on the cheek. “Yep.”
Nate’s voice broke into a chortle. “You’ll have to stop doing that if you want this thing opened.”
“Maybe we should forget the box. Probably a waste of time.”
“Not in this lifetime. I’m going to open it now. Ready?”
“Guess so. Hope I don’t regret this.”
Nate pierced her with his gaze for a split second before returning to the box. “If the only thing you get from this experience is to be reminded of this night in fifty years, it’ll be worth it. Don’t forget to have a laugh over it, Roberta.”
“Stop getting all emotional on me, Nate. Did you say you were an actor or an environmentalist?”
Nate chuckled good-heartedly. Thank goodness. She would have to work hard to turn the emotion off. It would make it easier when the time came to leave.
In the next instant, Nate had the box open, her light shining on a massive gemstone about the size of a five cent piece. Its bright, geometric lines pierced her eyes. She blinked rapidly, unable to drag her gaze away.
“Look, Roberta, it’s in the shape of a star.”
On closer inspection, she could make out its star-like shape. Unique, unlike anything she’d seen before, even from her short time with Antonio. He’d exposed her to some amazing jewellery, including the buried jewels Connor and Liz dug up after seventy-odd years. She’d also had the privilege of viewing the Frevannini jewels they kept stored in their Roman castle vaults. It was enough to understand some things.
This stone was different. Special.
“It can’t be,” Nate suddenly spluttered, his fingers curling around the box.
“Can’t be what?”
“Oh, my God, Roberta, how did your mother get this?”
Alarm rang along her limbs. “How do I know?”
“I know about this rock. I’ve heard the stories. Oh, my God, people have been wrongly accused over it.”
“Nate, what are you talking about? Give it back.” She jumped up, hands on her hips, glaring at Nate. “It belongs to my mother. Don’t you go accusing her of anything.”
“How the hell did she get it?” Nate asked gruffly as he continued to turn the box at different angles. “I’m so sure my grandfather told me this gemstone mysteriously disappeared after the man who’d found it tragically died. No one could find it. No one claimed to have it. The man’s family even offered a massive reward to whoever returned the stone.”
Nate snapped the box shut and got up. “I’m pretty sure I remember him saying the man’s best friend was accused and might’ve spent some time in jail over it. Your mother had it all this time? Why the hell did she bury it?”
“Give it here. I’ll deal with it, thank you very much.”
“Unbloody likely,” he barked, spreading the dirt back in the hole with his boot, then collecting the crowbar and shovel and stomping towards the platform.
“Nate, don’t you dare go all authoritarian on me. I’ll sort it out and chase up the facts with Mum. I won’t be relying on old memories you might or might not have.”
“We’ll sort it out, thank you very much.”
Grrrr. She gritted her teeth, certain Nate would never give it back. “I hate you, Nate Surrey.” As childish as that sounded, it made her feel better.
“I hate you back, if that’s what you want to hear. Now, let’s get back to the cottage. You’re going to ring your mother and get all the facts.”
She wasn’t sure what she wanted to hear. Clenching her jaw, she picked up the backpack, then marched off towards the cottage.
There was fat chance she was going to do as she was told. Just like that, her desire for more of Nate vanished. They were back to being enemies. Their default setting, it seemed.