To Dive or Not to Dive?

This story follows Wednesday’s post, here is a link, in case you missed it. Surprise at Sea

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Tanya arrived back at her cottage and her mind was whirling. What had she just agreed to do? Why did she agree to meet Patrick for lunch? She did love seafood, but she is sure that he will expect to engage in conversation during the meal! Is she supposed to just keep her mouth stuffed with food the whole time?

She had nothing against Patrick, he seemed like a nice enough guy, but what if he asked questions about where she was from and her life before she moved here ? So far she had been pretty good at managing to avoid people and those possible questions, but today she may have to come with up something.

What should she wear? Nothing fancy, but she did want to look nice. Not that she was trying to impress Patrick at all, though he was kind of cute, but …. no, she couldn’t complicate her life with a romance right now!

Her eyes fell on her coral sundress hanging in her closet. That would be fine. She had some cute seashell earrings that would go perfectly with it and a pair of white sandals. It didn’t take her very long to get ready.  Taking a look in the mirror she took a deep breath, she may look put together on the outside, but her stomach was all in knots.

She wouldn’t have agreed to lunch if he wouldn’t have mentioned about finding gold in the cave! That is what made her turn her head and change her mind! Gold! Like the gold that Luke had shared with his friends. The gold that he had given to the “Chicken Man” ? Tanya’s thoughts began to drift back to that night.

No, she couldn’t let herself go there, the past was in the past. She had to start thinking about what she was going to tell Patrick if he wanted to know about her. She grabbed her purse and got into her boat, deciding she would think as she rowed.

Patrick was standing at the entrance to the cafe when she arrived. He smiled when he saw her and she felt a warm feeling shoot through her.

“HI! I like the dress. ”

“Thank you” Tanya replied, at the same time wondering to herself if she should turn around and go back to her cottage.

She followed him to a little table for two out on the deck near the water.

She busied herself with looking at the menu.

When the waitress came, Tanya ordered some oyster stew with a crab sandwich and Patrick ordered  fried oysters.

Once the waitress left Tanya asked Patrick a question, not giving him a chance to ask her one first.

“So please do tell me more about this cave? ”

“Well, legend has it that a very long, long time ago there was a young, rich ruler. He had lots of gold, but was very greedy and scared that people would steal from him. In order to protect his gold he found this heart shaped cave and thought it would be the perfect place to hide his riches.”

Tanya leaned forward, with her interest growing. “Has anyone ever found the gold?”

Patrick smiled, “No one really knows. People have explored it the cave, but no one will tell if they found gold or not. Do you want to give it at try? It is a very big cave.”

Tanya was thinking of how nice it would be to have more gold. Oh she definitely had to check out this cave.

“My cousin and I explored the cave once several years ago.” Patrick said smiling.

Tanya felt like he was wanting her to ask if they found gold. She was very curious, but she wasn’t going to let him have that satisfaction.

“Sounds like a great adventure, I am up to it, when do we go?” Tanya replied with a coy smile as she raised her eyebrows.

Patrick’s cell phone started buzzing. He briefly looked at it and then back at Tanya.

“Sorry about that, I thought I had it on silent. It was a text from my cousin Luke. He is a farmer, just came in from milking his favorite cow, Betsy,  and wanted to chat. I tell ya, she is one strange cow, but my cousin really likes her. I just have never quite met a cow like her. He also has a chicken that he says talks, have you ever heard of such a thing. I think my cousin may be a little cuckoo…” he said, as he was laughing.

“Oh my,  here I am gabbing away and  you are sitting there not looking too good. Are you okay? You are looking a little pale.”

Tanya was shaking as she replied, “Umm…sorry.. can you excuse me for a moment?”

Patrick’s eyes followed her as she walked quickly to the restroom. He sat still for a moment and then picked up his phone and texted back his cousin Luke.