His Precious Jewel (Treasure Harbor Book 6) Read online

  His Precious Jewel

  Belle Calhoune

  Treasure Harbor: Seven novellas centered around a quest to find treasure hidden by a notorious pirate, Drake Burton, in the seventeen-hundreds. When Nor’easter Igor unearths gold coins on Bounty Beach in Treasure Harbor, treasure seekers from near and far converge on the town in hopes of finding the treasure of a lifetime. Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the seaside town of Treasure Harbor, this eight book series features heroes and heroines who are dealing with the fact that their beloved town has gone treasure crazy.

  Jade Sims is a jeweler working at the family jewelry business, Gems. A gemologist by profession, Jade also dabbles in local Treasure Harbor lore. More than anything else, Jade wants to find a love of her own. Several years ago Jade became romantically involved with a man who shattered her heart and embezzled money from the family business. Since then, she has been very wary of trusting any man. When archeologist, Roman Sant’Angelo blazes his way into her life, Jade doesn’t know quite what to make of him. But as they team up to hunt down Drake Burton’s elusive treasure, Jade begins to fall for the dashing newcomer to Treasure Harbor.

  Roman Sant’Angelo is an archeologist who arrives in Treasure Harbor in pursuit of a centuries-old treasure. In particular, a famous piece of jewelry called the Star of Imara. Roman has strayed away from his profession after a tragic accident that has left him emotionally scarred and guilt-ridden. Hired by billionaire Buddy Keaton to find the lost jewels hidden by pirate Drake Burton, Roman is desperate to get a major payday. Even if he doesn’t find the jewels, Keaton is prepared to pay him handsomely for looking for them. For Roman, Jade Sims is a stepping stone to finding the lost treasure. As a resident of Treasure Harbor and a gemologist, Jade possesses a vast amount of knowledge that might help Roman hit the jackpot. But when Roman finds himself falling for the beautiful jeweler, he finds his priorities shifting.

  What happens when love trumps treasure?

  About the Author

  Belle Calhoune is a bestselling author of Christian romance. She self publishes under Belle Calhoune Books and also writes for the Harlequin Love Inspired line. She lives in Connecticut with her college sweetheart husband and two beautiful girls. A huge lover of dogs, Belle has two of her own—a toy poodle and a chocolate lab. One of the major perks of being a writer is the ability to work in her pajamas. When she’s not creating love stories, Belle loves to travel, spend time in Cape Cod, read and watch classic films.

  Copyright 2016 by Belle Calhoune

  All Rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher and author, except where permitted by law.

  Cover: Covers by Ramona

  Dedication

  This novella is dedicated to all of my readers. Without your love and support, none of this would be possible. As always, you lift me up.

  Acknowledgments

  Being involved in this Treasure Harbor series was truly a treat and a pleasure. I would like to thank my fellow authors: Leah Atwood, Angel Moore, Kristen Ethridge and Patricia PacJac Carroll. You ladies are simply the best. Hard working, lovely, kind and a pleasure to work with.

  Treasure Harbor Series:

  Book One: Some Kind of Wonderful by Belle Calhoune

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GZHSZGW

  Book Two: The Space Between Us by Leah Atwood

  http:www.amazon.com/dp/B01HAMM9Q8

  Book Three: Treasured Love by Patricia PacJac Carroll

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HLIUY7C

  Book Four: Stolen Legacy by Angel Moore

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HX7CQMM

  Book Five: His Timeless Treasure by Kristen Ethridge

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I8ZETDC

  Belle’s Books:

  Immeasurably More Collection: Six Christian Authors

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A69AJXM

  Secrets of Savannah Series:

  Book One: Till the End of Time

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017L5ZPCE

  Book Two: A Moment in the Moonlight

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AARG24A

  Book Three: The Last Kiss

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C1WIPAG

  Book Four: For Love Alone

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GEE5Q8G

  SEVEN BRIDES, SEVEN BROTHERS SERIES:

  BOOK ONE: THE WAY HOME

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KTCBXSC

  BOOK TWO: STILL THE ONE

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M0EUU22

  BOOK THREE: UNTIL YOU LOVED ME

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N15TPFC

  BOOK FOUR: LOVE ME TENDER

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OFAVB1I

  BOOK FIVE: IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R6U2PZK

  BOOK SIX: BABY IT’S YOU

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VZ3FCB8

  BOOK SEVEN: WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011J6ZTE0

  PREQUEL: WHEN YOU BELIEVE

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T52CK1G

  Harlequin Love Inspired Books:

  Reunited with the Sheriff

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BAT1NOW

  Forever Her Hero

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GPDUUJ2

  Heart of a Soldier

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LZCTE1S

  An Alaskan Wedding

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UFIH4U6

  Alaskan Reunion

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015W7EA7O

  A Match Made in Alaska

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ARGCX10

  Table of Contents

  About the Author

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  EPILOGUE

  THE END

  Chapter One

  Love was definitely in the air, Jade Sims thought as she walked along the Harbor area on her lunch hour. The September sun beamed down on her, warming her face, arms and shoulders as she enjoyed the picturesque atmosphere of Treasure Harbor. She smiled and said hello as she passed by Kori James and Max Triton as they walked hand in hand. Hmm. She wasn’t sure if they had even noticed her. They were such a cute couple, and seemingly, gloriously in love.

  There was a love epidemic in Treasure Harbor these days. Her best friend, Lara Callahan, had just become engaged to Ryan Burton, the golden boy in town. Lara had come back home to write a series about the centuries-old treasure hidden by pirate Drake Burton, Ryan’s ancestor. In the process of researching her story, she’d fallen head over heels in love with Ryan, her childhood friend. Lara’s sister, Avery, had also been hit by Cupid’s bow. She’d fallen for Brody Chance, the manager of Pirate Pizzeria. Jade let out a tutting sound. Everybody seemed to be pairing up these days. She turned the corner just in time to see Mallory Reed, proprietor of Buried Treasures, and Victor Burton, owner of Swashbucklin’ Sweets, gazing into each other’s eyes in front of their shops. They shared a romantic love story. Come to think of it, Professor Bree Burton had become a romantic item with Reid Knight, the well-known meteorologist.

  Was she the only single lady in town?

  Was there something in the water in Treasure Harbor? If so, what was wrong with her water supply? She was still as single as
a dollar bill. Maybe she didn’t deserve love. After all, the one and only time she’d fallen in love, it had ended disastrously. Because of Jade’s actions her family had suffered tremendously. No one had blamed her—they’d all been too busy feeling sorry for her—but she’d seen the looks of shock, pity and disbelief in their eyes as they regarded her.

  Oh how that hurt to admit that she’d been a fool for love. When she was a teenager she had fantasized about her future life, imagining romance and a proposal and a fancy wedding here in Treasure Harbor. Jade felt a pang in the region of her heart. Love had always been an elusive thing in her life. And she couldn’t deny how she yearned to find her soulmate. But she wasn’t sure if she even trusted herself to wade back into the pond after falling on her face so disastrously.

  Time after time she had called out to God during dark nights of the soul when loneliness had crept over her. When would God send someone to her? She yearned for a good, honest man who she could walk through life with by her side. She knew God worked in His time and that she shouldn’t despair about it, but the truth weighed heavily on her heart. Despite her loving family and an abundance of friends, she felt lonely. People were not meant to walk through life without a partner to have and to hold. To cherish. Watching her own parents and their tender love story taught her that lesson on a daily basis.

  That knowledge weighed heavily on her heart as Jade took out her master key and unlocked the door to Gems. She flipped over the closed for lunch sign and entered her place of business. She couldn’t help but smile as the dazzling environment of Gems washed over her. Everything sparkled and winked at her from the cases. The cool air floated over her limbs. Oh how she loved Gems!

  Home. This place was as much of a home to her as the two-story white Colonial she’d been raised in. It was a comforting and warm place for her, full of positivity and light. A haven from the slings and arrows of life. It radiated joy and happiness.

  The tinkling sound of the bell alerted Jade to the arrival of a customer.

  “Excuse me.” The rich, deep timbre of the masculine voice caused her to swing her gaze up. She sucked in a deep, fortifying breath. The man standing before her was eye catching. Tall, broad-shouldered and extremely handsome. He had a rugged air about him. His green-hazel eyes looked at her with an intensity that made her shiver.

  “Are you Jade Sims?” he asked.

  “Yes, I am,” she said in a cool voice that contradicted her skittering pulse.

  “I’m Roman Sant’Angelo.” He stepped toward her, easily swallowing up the space between them in a few easy strides. He stuck out his hand in her direction. Jade slid her hand into his, surprised by his gentle yet firm grip. She couldn’t deny the automatic pull she felt in this man’s direction. It was uncanny and like nothing she’d ever experienced before.

  She reminded herself that loneliness did this to a person. It made a person’s reactions to the opposite sex heightened. Intensified. Roman was very easy on the eyes, but he was a customer, and if nothing else, she needed to act in a professional manner. Her parents had entrusted her to run the shop while they were on vacation in the Caribbean. She wasn’t about to let them down. Her parents had both been born and raised in Barbados. They had immigrated to America in order to reach for their dreams and enjoy a better life. As an only child, Jade had greatly benefited from their sacrifices.

  She owed her parents nothing less than complete professionalism in dealing with this client. It didn’t matter how cute he was. Now, Jade, back to business!

  “Nice to meet you. How can I be of assistance?” she asked. She waved her hand toward the display cases. “We’re having a wonderful sale on amethysts and rubies.”

  He shook his head. “Your shop is lovely, Miss Sims, but I’m not here to make a purchase. Sorry if that disappoints you.”

  Jade wrinkled her nose. Hmm. If Mr. Sant’Angelo wasn’t here for the jewelry, what in the world had brought him into Gems?

  “I have to admit to a certain measure of surprise. Almost everyone who walks through our door is in search of gems, if you’ll pardon the pun.” The name of her shop provided endless inside jokes.

  Roman flashed her a megawatt smile. Boy did he have charisma! She let out a slow breath and counted to ten in her head.

  “Believe it or not, you’ve hit the nail right on the head. I am seeking gems, but the particular ones in question were last seen in the early seventeen-hundreds.”

  Jade let out a gasp. Another treasure hunter! Ugh. If he wasn’t so tall and strapping, she would attempt to kick him out on his ear. She frowned at him. “Not interested, Mr. Sant’Angelo. I’m all treasured out.”

  “Please call me Roman. May I call you Jade?”

  His sudden request caught her off guard. Just when she’d been about to dismiss him, he’d created the intimacy of first names between them. “Umm…sure, Roman. But if you’re here with treasure-related inquiries, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. We’ve had our fill around here of people who are hoping to score big with the treasure. It’s gotten very tiresome. To be honest, we just want our quaint seaside town back.”

  His lips twitched. “I can understand your position, Jade, but my interest in the Burton-Callahan treasure is from an archeological standpoint.”

  His statement caught her off guard. “You’re an archeologist?” she asked, her interest piqued by his disclosure.

  “I am,” Roman said with a nod. “And my presence here in Treasure Harbor has more to do with jewels than the actual coins and gold. I have a particular interest in a legendary piece of jewelry that I believe is part of the stash. My career as an archeologist would reach epic heights if I could prove my theory or find the missing treasure.”

  Jade raised an eyebrow. Now she was filled with curiosity. Legendary jewels? Right here in Treasure Harbor? “And what piece might that be?”

  Roman locked gazes with her. There was a twinkle in his eye that made him even more handsome than before. “The Star of Imara.”

  His words had the effect of a grenade going off in her shop. A shocked sound slipped past her lips. She opened her mouth, then closed it. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Beads of perspiration began to collect on her forehead.

  “What in the world makes you think that the Star of Imara is part of Drake Burton’s treasure?” Her voice sounded incredulous to her own ears.

  He grinned, showcasing a set of dimples that were downright adorable. She would have to have a serious conversation with the Lord at a later point in time about sending this dashing specimen to her shop. He was extremely distracting.

  “Have dinner with me tomorrow night and find out.” He tossed the invitation out casually, but there was nothing casual about the intense expression on his face or the male interest that emanated from his green-hazel eyes. His gaze seemed to miss nothing. She felt as if he was seeing right down to her very soul.

  “What on earth could you tell me?” she asked.

  “Archeology is a study of the past. I promise you, I have studied the Star of Imara quite extensively and I consider myself one of the foremost authorities in the world on the subject. From what I understand, you’re quite knowledgeable about it as well.” He reached inside his pants pocket and pulled out a card. “I think you’ll find my research quite fascinating, especially since it ties back to Treasure Harbor and Drake Burton. Call me if you’d like to take me up on my offer.” He closed the gap between them and handed her the business card. She reached out and took it from him, her fingers grazing against his as she did so. Jade couldn’t deny the slight feeling of static as they brushed fingers. She looked down, glancing at the sea blue background and the jet black script on the card that spelled out his name. Much like the man himself, Roman’s business card was bold and memorable. She felt a bit shaken by the contact.

  Before Jade could get over her surprise and utter a single intelligible word, Roman Sant’Angelo was walking out of the door of Gems. He looked just as impressive walk
ing away from her as he had when he’d entered her store. His height and broad shoulders left no doubt that he was strong and powerful.

  She sucked in a deep, steadying breath. What had just happened? It felt almost as if she’d imagined the visit from Roman Sant’Angelo. One minute he had been standing in front of her spouting nonsense about the Star of Imara. The very next moment he had vanished into thin air. Jade bit her lip. Could it be possible that the Star of Imara had been hidden right here in Treasure Harbor for centuries?

  “No way. It’s just not possible,” she whispered, trying desperately to convince herself of the veracity of her own words.

  Ever since she could remember, Jade had been fascinated by tales about the Star of Imara. Growing up as the daughter of jewelers, Jade had always taken great interest in jewels. She had studied them the same way other children perused comic books.

  The Star of Imara was legendary. The necklace had last been seen in the early seventeen-hundreds. Comprised of emeralds and diamonds, it had been owned by a famous royal princess who had renounced the crown to marry a Native American man. Cast aside from her family, Princess Eloise had disappeared from Europe, never to be heard from again. And the Star of Imara—gifted to her on her fifteenth birthday—had disappeared along with the princess.

  It was the stuff of legends. Sketches of it hung in galleries all over the world. As a teenager she’d viewed sketches of it at the Smithsonian Museum. She’d talked about nothing else for weeks afterwards. The actual value of the necklace was mind boggling. But for Jade it was way more than that. It had nothing to do with money and everything to do with the beauty of the piece and the history it was tied to—Princess Eloise and the love that had caused her to forsake her title.

  The necklace was tied in to the romanticism of a royal princess giving up her crown and duty for the love of her life. As a child, Jade has been fascinated by the necklace and the story revolving around it. Even as a kid, the story had given Jade goosebumps.