Rustling leaves and soft laughter behind them made them pause. Harper and Mitch walked into the clearing. Suddenly self-conscious, Frankie let go of Lucas’s hand.
Harper nodded at them. “Did you do your live already?"
“I did,” Lucas answered. He tipped his head toward the ruins. “What else do you know about this place, Mitch?”
“Not much, other than the remains of the building you see there was used as a storage facility for the moonshine after it was bottled. The distribution was done mainly at night, when they had the cover of darkness. Some people will tell you that rum brought in from the Bahamas was stored here, too, until it could also be bottled and distributed. Don’t know how much of that is true, though.”
Frankie put her hands on her hips. “It’s kind of romantic, isn’t it? Have you been here a lot, Mitch?”
“Not a lot. Maybe four or five times. Kyle used to love coming here when he was younger. He always seemed to think bootleggers and pirates were the same.” Mitch smiled. “I guess they kind of are.”
Lucas picked up a shard of brick, turning it over in his hand. “Ever find any treasure?”
Mitch laughed. “Nope. But Jeanie found an old bottle here once. It’s on a shelf in my office now.”
“That’s cool,” Harper said. “Was it a moonshine bottle?”
Mitch shook his head. “We were never sure what it was.” He looked at Frankie and Lucas again. “Don’t let us keep you if you were going to explore.”
“Come with us,” Frankie said. “You’re the expert.”
Harper nudged Mitch with her elbow. “See? I told you the tour guide thing could work.”
Mitch just shook his head good-naturedly. “Except I’ve now exhausted my supply of information.”
Lucas grinned as Harper and Mitch joined them. “You’re a writer. Make stuff up. We won’t know the difference.”
“In that case…” Mitch cleared his throat, put his hands on his hips, and began speaking in an authoritative voice. “Legend has it there’s a quarter of a million dollars in gold coins and diamonds stashed somewhere on the island.”
“Get out,” Frankie said. “A quarter of a million?”
Lucas snorted. “Frankie, I’m pretty sure he’s making that up.”
She looked at him. “What? Oh.” She pursed her lips and frowned at her own gullibility. “Never mind.”
Mitch laughed softly. The dogs raced past on the dirt path, headed for the opposite end of the ruins and leaving little puffs of dust in their wake.
“We should probably round them up before they get lost or decide to go swimming on their own,” Harper said.
“Good idea,” Frankie said. “You get Archie, I’ll get Scout.” She pointed at Mitch and Lucas as she took a few steps backwards toward the dogs. “Meanwhile, you two better find us some gold and diamonds.”
The men laughed.
As soon as Frankie and her sister were out of earshot of the guys, Harper gave her sister a look. “You and Lucas seem chummier than usual.”
Frankie couldn’t keep from smiling. “He kissed me. Twice, actually.”
Harper sucked in a breath. “Does that mean you guys are serious? Or just having fun? Or what?”
Frankie shrugged, her smile going nowhere, then let out a dreamy sigh. “I think…we’re headed toward serious. Whatever it is, it’s definitely fun.”
Chapter Eighteen
Willa was climbing back onto the swim platform as Harper, Mitch, Frankie, Lucas, and the dogs arrived on the small beach. Harper led Archie into the water and everyone followed.
Willa pulled the snorkel mask off the top of her head and looked at them slogging toward her. “Are we going to eat now? Because I’m starving.”
Harper nodded. “Definitely. First, we need to dry the dogs off so they don’t shake water all over everything.”
