Free Tuck's Treasure by Kimber Davis Page A

fact that she lived in Atlanta and he lived on a boat in Florida, she wanted something with this man, wanted him in her life.
    He gave her another gentle squeeze, then winked. “You ready?”
    “Yes, let’s do it.”
    And then they opened the box, together.
     
    * * *
     
    One year later
     
    “We’re so glad you had a good time.” Charlene leaned against the side of the boat, smiling at the family who was just leaving. Another successful tour over and done with. Another successful fishing trip for the men, and a “treasure” hunt for the women and children.
    Life didn’t seem to get any better than it was right now.
    She couldn’t believe how her situation had changed these last few months. It was wonderful and exciting at the same time. Every day was a new adventure.
    The box had contained nothing more than a key, and a piece of paper. They’d sat down and read the note together, both of them laughing at Tuck’s words about how they’d managed to find what he’d left.
    The key went to a safety deposit box that was in Tuck’s name. Dylan was listed as a secondary on it, and after they’d produced a death certificate they’d opened it. To find a nice little stash of Spanish Doubloons.
    They’d both stared at the box in surprise, their hands drifting over the thin coins as if to make sure they were really there.
    There was another letter from Tuck inside, telling him how he’d found the coins during diving expeditions over the years. He’d found one big hoard several years ago, and that was the bulk of what was before them. But lots of the others had been located here and there, scattered in several different places.
    When they’d counted they found there were one hundred and two coins, which was a nice amount, according to Charlene’s calculations.
    Dylan gave her a lesson in Doubloons, although she didn’t really need them. They were made from solid gold, almost in its purest form. That meant the coins they’d held in their hands were very valuable.
    But instead of taking them out of the bank they’d locked them back up, walking out onto the street empty handed. Their idea had been to discuss what they would do with them, in the long run.
    When they’d stepped out onto the street, Charlene had been very happy they’d left the coins behind. Two men were leaning up against a car, watching them. She was pretty sure they were Ives’ men. Why he thought he had the right to the treasure she would never know.
    After going to the bank they’d gone to the boat and discussed things. They would share in the treasure 50/50, and they would do nothing right away. Charlene would go to her teaching job and Dylan would stay in Florida.
    That idea lasted until December, when, after several visits back and forth, with their feelings for each other growing with each trip, Charlene quit her job at the end of term and moved to Florida.
    By that time they’d decided to take forty pieces of treasure and sell it to a collector. They’d made some necessary repairs on the boat, and then they’d done the one thing that had made Charlene’s toes tingle yet again.
    They’d gotten married on Jan. 1, something that made Charlene’s mother scream at her until Charlene thought she would lose her mind. The repeated words were she was “throwing her life away, just like Tuck had!”
    Charlene had calmly told her that she wasn’t throwing her life away. She was doing what she wanted with her life, which was exactly what Tuck had done. Now that she was doing it she could see exactly how wonderful it was to live your life for yourself, and not live it as someone else wanted you to do.
    Her mother was still not talking to her, not all the time. There had been a few terse phone calls but nothing more than that. It was Charlene’s greatest wish that, as the time passed, that her mother would realize that nothing was worth losing the relationship between relatives and loved ones. Life was too short to allow differences to get in