Tessa's Treasures Read Online Free Page B

bright in the sun.
    Lucas' heart swelled. The grinding hours on the job, strained atmosphere at home, all disappeared when he took the wheel, and headed into the water. His feet itched to climb aboard and feel the rumble of the powerful motor under him. Yes, it was time to take her out. He grinned. When he chose the Italian words for “Love Lost,” little did he know one day Tessa would be in his life again.
    Lucas ran his hand over the smooth side of the hull. “Is she seaworthy?”
    “Absolutely. My boys checked her out. Did a thorough tune up and cleaning. She’s ready to go.” The dirty rag hung from Mike’s fingers as he placed hands on his hips and gestured to the boat with his chin. “You interested in selling her?”
    “Not on your life.” Lucas answered with a chuckle.
    “I got a buyer for you. Good price, too.”
    “Nope. I’m taking this baby home. This weekend she and I are hitting the lake. Get some fishing in. I’ve been looking forward to this for months.”
    “If you change your mind...”
    “You’ll be the first to know.” He slapped Mike on the back. “Can you get one of your men to hook her up to my Jeep?”
    “Right away.” He walked off.
    Lucas stared at the boat for a few minutes then headed to the jeep. He checked his watch. An hour before his lunch with Mason. Plenty of time to get the boat home and unhitched.
    ****
    A sense of déjà vu washed over Lucas as he pulled open the door to the diner. Mama’s House was a place every small town had, where locals gathered to eat the best food in town. It was like stepping back in time to high school. Not much had changed, since “Mama,” now in her seventies, didn’t believe in modernization. But the food, still cooked by her aging hands, was good enough to keep them coming back.
    Cap in hand, he moved his sunglasses to the top of his head, and caught Mason’s wave from the back booth. “Couldn’t wait for me?” Lucas sat and pointed to the burger and fries the police chief wolfed down.
    “Hey, I’m not a man of leisure like you, buddy. I’m on a time clock.” He swallowed a large mouthful of his lunch with a vigorous suck of his straw.
    “When are you retiring?”
    Lucas nodded at the waitress who slapped a menu in front of him, along with a glass of ice water. He pointed to Mason’s plate. “Just give me what my friend’s having.”
    “Retiring?” Mason squawked. “Are you kidding me? With all those kids needing to get through college? Not likely.”
    “How are Jane and the kids?”
    “Jane’s fine. I don’t know how she deals with them all. I’m just waiting for them to get out of the house so I can have her to myself again.” Mason liked to pretend he wasn’t crazy about his six kids. Two sets of twins and two singles. Having married in his mid-thirties, he was a forty-seven year old man with six kids not yet teenagers . I remember those teen years with my boys. Wouldn’t want to go through that again.
    Mason pushed his empty plate away and leaned against the back of the booth. “Thank God Tessa takes them off our hands once in a while. They love her, and she spoils them rotten.”
    “I saw her last night.” Lucas avoided Mason’s eyes, thanked the waitress as she put his food in front of him.
    “No kidding. Where did you run into her?”
    “Actually, I went to her shop. Had some old things in the attic I thought she might be interested in.” After dipping a fry into a pool of ketchup he popped it into his mouth.
    Mason swiped a napkin across his mouth, crumpled it and tossed it on the table. Arms folded over his chest, he gave Lucas a half smile. “You don’t say.”
    Lucas shifted under his friend’s scrutiny. “You’re looking at me like I’m one of your suspects.”
    “No reason. It’s just that years ago I had the impression you had a thing for my little sister. She was too young for you, you know.”
    “Not anymore,” he snapped.
    “Whoa.” Mason threw up his hands in surrender.