“Uncle Rafe, is there an issue with the treasure?” I demanded. “Because if there’s some legal question where, like, the state might own it all because it was under a road or some shit, just tell us now.”
Big Rafe shook his head, looking pained. He clenched and unclenched his hands. “It’s not that,” he said. “Treasure’s yours. Ours. The whole thing.”
Five sets of eyes stared at one another and then at Big Rafe, but Beale was the one who finally demanded, “How’s that possible?”
“You remember I told you boys I was making investments? That’s why Goodmen Outfitters went under and money was tight?”
“Yeah,” Young Rafe said, dryly. “You were investing in treasure hunts. Salvage operations. We figured that out.”
Big Rafe shook his head. “You figured wrong. I’ve been investing in the land around the island while property values were low.”
Mason gasped just slightly, and I frowned over my shoulder at him, not understanding. His grip on my waist tightened.
“You’ve been buyingland?” Gage clarified. “That was your plan all along?”
“Hell, no. At first, I was trying to help folks who needed the money to start over somewhere else. But a good plan means adapting along the way, right?” He looked over my shoulder at Mason and gave him a half-smile. “These days, I figure… this is my legacy. Jacob and Resolute wanted the island to be for the Goodmans and the Godfreys.” He shrugged. “So I bought up what I could and put it in trust for my boys.” His brown eyes came to rest on me. “Allfourof my boys, since being a Goodman’s about more than a name.”
I blinked. Mason buried his face against my shoulder blade and said, “Baby,” so softly I don’t think anyone but me heard it. Young Rafe shook his head at my expression and coughed, “Dumbass,” before smiling broadly. But I just stared at Big Rafe, utterly dumbstruck. I’d realized Friday that I’d maybe been reading the man wrong for a while. I hadn’t realized justhowwrong until that moment, and once I did, it shed an entirely different light on every conversation we’d had…ever.
Every time he’d mentioned his boys. Every time he’d mentioned making things right for the Goodmans.
Well, shit.
“Aw! Look at Fenn having emotions,” Beale said in a smug, satisfied sort of way. “How cute.”
I pointed a finger at him. “Enjoy it now because we’ll be adding this to the list of things we don’t discuss.”
Beale nodded. “I kinda figured.”
Young Rafe ran a hand through his hair. “I’m still not entirely understanding, Dad. You own the island? The whole island?”
“Lord, no,” Big Rafe said, frowning. “Just most of it from here north to, say, Margot Lane? Except Marius Wynott’s place, of course, and the land around it. Not the inn. Not the Sundry. Couple other spots, too.”
“So what’s the problem?” Beale demanded, asking the question I was pretty sure the rest of us had been thinking. Big Rafe’s eyes cut to him, and Beale shrugged. “Doesn’t takethe sightto see you’re nowhere near as excited as you should be about this. You devoted your entire life to finding this treasure and finding theEsmerelda.Now half your life’s work is done and you’re all, ‘Yeah. Whatever.’”
“Because finding the treasure wasnotmy life’s work, Gage!” Big Rafe exploded. He jumped out of his chair and began to pace the yard. “Do you boys know what Gloria said to me on Friday when she was out in that bunker, unable tobreathe?”He thrust a hand toward the back fence and the bunker beyond. “She told Mason she didn’t want to go to the hospital because she knew I needed her help to plan the Extravaganza and she didn’t want to let me down. As if shecould! As if that werepossible!” He shook his head wildly. “Fenn’s said a hundred times, and Rafe has, too, that I’m a liar, a manipulator. That I care too much about my own plans and make everyone else fall in line. But I… but I… I figured you always knew that thepointof the treasure was never thetreasure. It was you boys. It was my Mary. It was ourfamily.”
He pushed his palms to his eyes and took a deep breath. “Gloria and I have been dating for a little while now. I wasn’t gonna say anything until Gage came home for summer break and we could make an announcement, but I’m gonna ask her to marry me. I love her, and somehow, despite everything, she loves me, too. But even then, the woman thought I’d be upset about the stupid Extravaganza when she needed me. And it’s made me start to wonder… all those times when you boys got mad at me, had you really not understood how much I loved you? How much more important you are to me thananything? This island could sink into the Gulf, and as long as you four were all right—” He broke off and turned around, staring at the tree line, one hand rubbing the back of his neck.
All of us were silent for half a minute, and even Rafe, who’d calledmea dumbass for not recognizing that Big Rafe cared about me, looked completely poleaxed by his father’s heated confession.
“Well, damn, Dad,” Gage said. He lifted himself out of his chair and went to clap his father on the shoulder. “If you wanted me to cancel my plans, you should have just said so. No need to be all dramatic.”
Big Rafe snorted.
“And just to say, Uncle Rafe,” I called. “Ineverdoubted for a second that you cared about your family.” I just hadn’t known I was a part of it.
“Well,Ijust want to say, I called this thing with you and Gloriaweeksago, and no one believed me!” Mason, my personal troublemaker, piped up.
Young Rafe punched Beale in the arm. “Are you hearing this? Dad and Gloria are in love. Mason shacked up with Fenn, God knows why. And even Gage has a date. It’s just you and me, Beale.”
Beale shook his head, and his face turned pink. “Or maybe it’s just you.”
“Oh, the burn!” Rafe gasped and clapped a hand to his chest. “And now he keeps secrets from his family, too? Beale, it’s like I hardly know you.”
“Beale should be allowed to date whoever he wants without teasing,” Mason said stoutly. “And howevermanypeople he wants. Whatever makes him happy.”
Beale snorted and ran a hand over his face. “I’m not in a poly relationship, Mason,” he said. “Sorry to disappoint.”
