Nate ran both hands through his hair. “It’s definitely from the sixteenth century, and it has the words Avalon and “eternal water” on it, so it’s safe to assume it has something to do with the fountain of youth. And Avalon. But the picture is meaningless without more information.
“What we need,” Nate continued, “are some early journals or letters from the first settlers in Avalon. We need something that might shed more light on what an apple tree has to do with eternal water, if anything at all.”
Everyone in the room went silent as they stared at the old parchment on the coffee table.
Everyone but Heather, who kept clearing her throat.
Gabriel shifted his eyes to Heather, trying to look bored. “Yes?”
“Have you guys talked to Mr. Brooks yet?” she asked a little too sweetly.
Slowly and reluctantly, Gabriel asked, “Who is Mr. Brooks?”
“He’s the only living descendant of the founding family of Avalon.”
Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Heather. “So?”
Heather shrugged. “I just so happen to know that he keeps his family’s private records in his cellar.” Heather started walking around the living room, touching things nonchalantly. “Things like journals…and maps….”
“Perfect!” Nate gave a little boy smile. “I’ll go talk to him.”
“It’s too bad Mr. Brooks is a paranoid recluse and doesn’t talk to strangers.” Heather sighed dramatically. “If only there were someone in town whose family brought him meals on Sundays…someone who always sings Christmas carols at his door and bakes him cookies for Easter every year….” Her hands traced along the wall until they met the blue tarp.
“Heather.” Gabriel slid his eyes to her, but she ignored him.
He casually walked over to her and gently caught her hand as it moved from the broken window to an end table. “Do you know Mr. Brooks?”
Heather turned a cunning smile on him. “I do.”
Gabriel released her hand, inhaled slowly, and pinched his lips together. “Will you please introduce us to him?”
He didn’t want Heather involved. But he also didn’t want Scarlet to die.
What to do, what to do.
Heather blinked pleasantly. “Why Gabriel, are you asking me to help you?”
He exhaled through his nose. “Maybe.”
“Does this mean I get to be part of the team?” She clapped her hands again.
“Yes,” Nate said.
“No,” Gabriel said at the same time.
“Duuuude,” Nate said to Gabriel between his teeth. “I really want to talk to this Mr. Brooks guy.”
“Fine.” Gabriel sighed. “Let her help. I don’t care. But if you die,” Gabriel pointed at Heather, “or get cursed or something, that’s your fault.”
Heather nodded merrily, still clapping. “Yay, I’m part of the team.”
“We’re not a team,” Gabriel said through gritted teeth.
Heather ignored him and looked at Nate. “I think we need a team name.”
“Ooh! Good idea.” Nate pointed a finger into the air. “How about Team Awesome?”
Heather wrinkled her nose. “Too vague. Team Super Secret Fountain Seekers?”
“Too specific.” Nate shook his head. “Team Ash Guy Hunters?”
“Ashman.” Heather shook her head. “Too hard to say.”
Nate scoffed. “And ‘Super Secret Fountain Seekers’ is easy to say?”
Gabriel huffed and started walking toward the door. “You guys can stay here and pick a name and a Team Captain or whatever, but I’m going to find Mr. Brooks.” He opened the door to leave, night falling on the forest around them.
Heather said, “Mr. Brooks doesn’t open his door when it’s dark outside.” She shrugged. “So we’re going to have to wait until tomorrow after school.”
Frustrated, Gabriel closed the cabin door on the setting sun. “Tomorrow then.”
“Perfect.” Nate nodded, shifting his eyes from Scarlet, to Gabriel, and then to Heather.
A moment passed.
“I call dibs on Team Captain,” Nate said.
Gabriel rolled his eyes.
31
Scarlet stared over Gabriel’s shoulder at the tree picture for the hundredth time. He was sitting at the desk in his bedroom, Scarlet standing behind him.
Laura had called earlier to let Scarlet know she was going to be stuck in a meeting all night—what kind of work meetings took place at nighttime?—so Scarlet had decided to stay at the cabin a little longer.
Heather had already left, flying out of the dirt driveway so fast the trees that lined the road rustled after her.
Scarlet bit her lip. “Why would my mother keep an old drawing hidden in her brooch?”
Gabriel sighed. “I have no idea. Unless it wasn’t your mother’s at all.” He looked at Scarlet. “Maybe you found this drawing in your last life and hid it in the brooch then.”
Scarlet nodded, feeling like an idiot for not knowing what she’d done in the past. “Maybe. But that makes it even more strange. Why would I hide it? Why wouldn’t I tell you about it?”
Gabriel gave a sympathetic smile.
Scarlet sighed. “Because I was secretive in my last life. I know, I know.” She flopped down on Gabriel’s big bed and groaned into a pillow. “It sounds like I was a psycho in my last life.”
Gabriel laughed. “You weren’t psycho. You were just…frustrated. You wanted to find the fountain more than ever before and you were impatient and…and….”
“Psycho?” Scarlet sat up and frowned.
Gabriel stood up from his desk chair and walked to the bed. Taking Scarlet’s hands, he gently pulled her up. “No. You were desperate.” He kissed her cheek. “And I don’t blame you.”
“I hate being desperate,” Scarlet muttered. “And I hate my flashy eyes and my amnesia and the fact that Heather is trying to talk me into going to the Avalon Fair.”
Breathing out a laugh, Gabriel said, “The fair can’t be that bad.”
“Oh, but it is,” Scarlet said. “The only thing worse than the fair is the Kissing Festival.” She gave a fake shudder.
Gabriel smiled and kissed her lips. “The Kissing Festival wasn’t that bad.” He kissed her again, pulling her into his arms and setting his hands against her hips.
“Did you forget about the sidewalk dentist?” Scarlet said in between kisses. His lips were soft and full and warm. “It was pretty bad.”
“Mmm.” Gabriel’s mouth slid up her jaw slowly. “I try not to remember any dentists.”
Scarlet laughed as Gabriel’s lips tickled her ear before gliding down to her neck. Her laughter was quickly replaced with a hushed breath as she wrapped her arms around Gabriel and let his mouth trail down to her shoulder before meeting her lips again.
Sinking into the kiss, Scarlet thought back to Kristy’s words in chemistry.
See, Kristy? Here I am, making out with my gorgeous boyfriend in his bedroom because we’re hot. We’re on fire.
Scarlet eagerly kissed Gabriel back, heat rushing through her core as she parted her lips and felt his tongue against her own.
His hands slid beneath the hem of her shirt and his fingers padded along the bare skin of her back and hips.
Scarlet shivered with desire and pressed herself against him as she ran a hand down his back. He was so big and strong and he smelled so good and tasted so delicious.