“I don’t want to lose the race because of a canoe. I’ll send the kid, and it’ll all be fine.”
“I didn’t realize you were so competitive.”
“Are you kidding me? We’re one of Half Moon Key’s favorite new couples. Can you imagine how happy people would be if we won this?”
“I think that Parker and Jade would be happy.”
“Mrs. Francis, too,” he pointed out.
“Remind me to buy that woman a bottle of wine for taking such good care of little Jack.”
Though it was so dark she couldn’t see his face, she had the impression he was indeed beaming at her words.
It was insane to think that after years of wanting to be with Jack, she was finally with him. But that wasn’t the part that made Nora’s head swim with joy.
The connection they had was so powerful she felt a little silly for letting her shyness and her family convince her that Jack would never look her way.
Apparently, he had been looking in her direction for a very long time.
She didn’t want to think of all the wasted time between them. Instead, she wanted to keep on thinking of what lay ahead for them.
A future in Half Moon Key.
“I still can’t believe you’re an author. I want to read the next RJ Phillips book now.”
“You are reading it,” he pointed out.
“Hmm. That is not what I meant. I wanna read what you’re working on right now. Youareworking on something, aren’t you?”
He chuckled. “You know it.”
“Awesome.”
“Don’t think you’ll get to the killer before I do,” he teased.
Nora had a response ready to go, but it died on her lips. She gripped Jack’s arm with a gasp. She pointed off in the distance, up ahead. “Flash the light there.”
Jack did as she asked, and just like that, they spotted a little white envelope. It was anchored to one of the boulders with a small rock on which was painted a large moon.
“You’ve found the next clue.” Jack rushed forward, narrowly avoiding a few more rocks. He grabbed the envelope and tore it open. “Okay, you ready?”
“Lay it on me!”
Made from dairy, you don’t want to put this on pasta. Visit the place I am sold to find the next clue.
The pair stared at each other for a few seconds before dissolving into giggles.
“That’s my ice cream parlor,” she tried to say through her laughter.
“Sounds like it, yeah,” Jack agreed. “Why do I get the impression that we are still being given different clues?”
“I don’t know, but do you really want to take the chance? Let’s go get the next clue. I wanna win this thing for little Jack and Nora.”
He grinned at her. “I love that idea.” He reached out to take her hand in his, and together, they returned to town, intent on winning much more than a scavenger hunt.
* * *
There wasa small white envelope tucked into the door of the ice cream parlor. Nora grabbed hold of it and tore it open without waiting for Jack, who was running up behind her.