Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Imogene
The clock ticked closer to six, each second feeling like an eternity as I anxiously waited for Gideon’s return. He told me to be ready at six for my surprise, but now I couldn’t help but worry about where he might be. What if something happened to him?
What if Liam somehow found us? Found him?
My mind raced with all the possibilities, each scenario worse than the one before.
I reached for my phone to text him when a knock on the door startled me. Maybe it was Gideon.
Why would he knock when he had a key? Then again, maybe it was part of the surprise he’d planned.
Placing my cell in my purse, I checked my reflection in the mirror one last time, smoothing my hands down my sundress. I wasn’t sure what to expect tonight, but Gideon told me to wear something nice, yet comfortable. So a sundress it was.
The fabric swished around me as I walked to the door and peered through the peephole.
But it wasn’t Gideon. Instead, a man in a hotel uniform stood in the hallway, holding an envelope.
“Can I help you?” I asked, opening the door cautiously.
“Good evening, Ms. Prescott. This is for you.” He handed me the envelope. “Enjoy your evening.”
All I could do was nod in return, curious yet relieved, especially when I saw Gideon’s unmistakable sharp, slanted script.
Shutting the door behind me, I slipped my finger under the flap and unfolded the paper inside.
Our journey begins where the ocean meets the shore,
Where sunlight dances upon waves forever more.
We etched a story in sand, hearts alight,
Return to that spot near the jetty rocks tonight.
P.S. - There’s a driver waiting in the lobby to take you wherever you need to go.
A smile spread on my lips as memories flooded back from a birthday years ago when Gideon surprised me with a scavenger hunt around Atlanta. Or Samuel did. But they were no longer two separate entities. They were the same.
As I sat in the back of a dark sedan, the driver Gideon hired chatted amiably while I attempted to reel in my excitement over what might be waiting for me at the end of the scavenger hunt. But I didn’t want to rush this. I wanted to enjoy this journey. Savor each meticulously planned clue.
Less than ten minutes later, the driver dropped me off near a beach access road that led to the jetty. I climbed out and headed toward the sound of crashing waves. Removing my shoes, I relished in the feel of the cool sand between my toes. It always comforted me. Reminded me of the early mornings in Hawaii when Lachlan and I would surf together.
The wind whipped strands of hair around my face as I trekked along the shoreline. In the distance, a series of large rocks lined the sand and continued into the ocean.
During high tide, they were often hidden beneath the water, but it was low tide now, giving me the perfect view of the various rocks, pelicans and seagulls perched on top, preening their feathers with graceful movements.
I scanned the area, unsure what I was looking for. If this was anything like the last scavenger hunt, Gideon would have left me a clue somewhere.
But where?
I continued searching, knowing he would have made it obvious but not overly conspicuous. Then I saw it. A cork.
But not just any cork.
It belonged to a bottle of Opus One Cabernet Sauvignon.
Grinning to myself, I picked it up, revealing a small note tied to it that had been buried in the sand. I quickly untied it with the enthusiasm of a kid at Christmas so I could read the next clue.
It wasn’t the trinket but laughter we shared,
In a shop where the scent of the ocean hung near.
Among treasures of shells and souvenirs bright,
Find the place where I knew you were my light.
Shoving the cork and the clue into my purse, I darted back down the beach, hopping into my chauffeured car and telling the driver where to go.
When I arrived at the souvenir shop that Gideon and I would always visit, regardless of how tacky the merchandise was, I wandered through aisles of overpriced trinkets and cheesy t-shirts. This place was almost exactly as I remembered it, right down to the gaudy dishtowels that said “You’re Shore Acting Like a Beach Today”.
As I passed a rack of personalized license plate keychains, I nearly continued walking, but something made me stop.
My fingers skimmed the rows, half-smiling at the old annoyance of never finding my name on anything like this. Not with a name like Imogene.
But then I froze.
There it was — a keychain with my name.
And attached to it was another rolled-up piece of paper.
On a bench for two as the light softly fell,
Where the colors of dusk cast their radiant spell.
A promise was formed, though unspoken it stayed,
Return to the spot where my heart was swayed.
I knew where to go in a heartbeat. One of our favorite spots — a bench at the ruins of an old plantation.
From there, Gideon’s clues led me across the island, each stop like flipping through an old scrapbook filled with memories. From the beach where we’d once shared ice cream, fighting against the wind and each other for every last lick. To the kayak rental shop where he’d teased me about my terrible paddling form, his laughter echoing in the air even though he wasn’t with me.
As I followed the clues, I felt myself falling more and more in love with him, my anticipation building with each stop to the point that I almost didn’t want this game to end. But when I found a clue near our favorite seafood restaurant, I knew it was about to.
Where light meets the sky, a tower so bright,
The place where we saw our future take flight.
Climb up the tower, where promises grew,
And the horizon became our shared view.
There was no question in my mind the search was taking me to the Harbour Town Lighthouse, one of Hilton Head’s most famous spots.
And with the sun about to set, I knew exactly where I’d find him. At the very top.
But even after I climbed over a hundred steps, he wasn’t there. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he meant for his clue to lead me somewhere else. But where? Was there another tower I’d forgotten about?
Just as I was about to head back to the bottom, I spied a napkin on the floor.
If this were any other time, I wouldn’t give it a second thought. But considering it bore the logo of the beachside seafood shack from a few clues ago, I darted toward it. As expected, when I turned it over, there was yet another clue. The final one.
This treasure hunt ends where it all took flight,
In the room that welcomed us last night.
Come find me there, where the view meets the sea,
And together, we’ll write the next chapter of our history.
After hurrying down all those stairs as fast as my legs could carry me, I hopped back in the car, my heart hammering every second of the drive back to the hotel. It felt like it took an eternity instead of the mere minutes that actually passed.
By the time I reached the suite, my palms were damp with nerves. I hesitated in the hallway for a second, trying to steady my breathing.
Then I held the key card up to the pad and opened the door, stopping dead in my tracks at the sight that greeted me.