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Amethyst Attraction (Pot of Gold Geocaching Romance 4)

By Valerie Comer

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Chapter 1

Harper Satterfield felt her smile freeze in place as she glanced around the basement suite. The entire space could have fit inside the living room of her condo back home. All she needed was her very own Toto to remind her she wasn’t in Atlanta anymore.

But she was here to represent Satterfield Investments for the next few months, and her parents’ friend, the senior pastor of Creekside Fellowship, had offered her this suite in his own house. How had Momma and Daddy managed here last summer? For starters, they must have eaten out a lot, which suited Harper fine. She didn’t love cooking, anyway.

“Thank you, Pastor Marshall. It’s too kind of you.”

The portly pastor’s gaze skittered off her and around the room. “I know it’s not much…”

So true. But she’d looked in the classfieds online, and there was almost nothing else available. She’d looked briefly at buying a house but decided that was excessive, since she’d only need to sell it again in the fall.

She wouldn’t be here much. She’d be busy.

Keep telling yourself what you need to hear, Harper.

“I appreciate it. And even furnished. That really helps.” She’d talked to Daddy about sending a truckload of her things to Montana, but he’d smiled and refused. Said she could bring whatever fit in her car. Thankfully her Lexus had a large trunk, because her clothes and shoes took up a lot of room. She’d squeezed a few other personal items in as well.

“We’d love to have you join us for supper. I mean, dinner. Wanda said it will be ready about five-thirty. Does that sound okay?”

Keep smiling, Harper.

“Sure. Thank you. That gives me time to unload the car and not have to worry about what I’ll do for dinner later.”

Pastor Marshall glanced out the open door to the concrete steps that led up to the street. “I’d offer to give you a hand, but my doctor warned me about overexerting these days. The asthma has been giving me troubles lately.”

“I can manage.”

“Why don’t I give Eli a call? He might be free. He’s a fine young man, like a son to me.”

Eli? Harper’s gaze sharpened on Marshall. Her parents also spoke highly of him. She’d definitely noticed the youth pastor in her previous visits to Jewel Lake. He was a gorgeous hunk of a man, and she hadn’t minded a bit staring at him in a sharp black suit during the entire wedding ceremony he’d performed for Sage and Caleb a few months back. She’d flown up with Momma and Daddy for the nuptials in the dead of winter, only agreeing because she’d just found out Drake had been two-timing her, and who wanted to spend Valentine’s Day alone? But ugh, winter in Montana. She had not been prepared.

Listening to Eli Bryson talk about love and marriage had warmed her right up, but the attraction wasn’t something she’d ever act on. He was a minister. She believed in God as much as the next person — more than many — but she wouldn’t date a minister, no matter the delectable eye candy he presented.

Admire from afar. Don’t touch.

Ministers probably didn’t kiss or snuggle anyway.

Harper eyed Pastor Marshall again. Nope, her imagination wasn’t that good, and she didn’t want it to be. She blinked, turned away, and dusted her hands together. “I’ll just get started then.”

The older man nodded then lumbered out the door and up to the manse level.

Harper took another quick glance around at the 70s-era wood paneling and low-pile carpet. The bathroom’s pink sink had a rust spot. The harvest gold kitchen appliances should have been interred decades before, but it wasn’t as though she’d be cooking. An old loveseat, a coffee table not old enough to be classed as antique…

The bed. She dashed into the other room and collapsed on it. The springs creaked beneath her slight weight. No way. Not even a gel topper could salvage this thing. Sorry, Daddy. How had Momma managed? Harper was going to have to replace it. A girl couldn’t do without her beauty sleep for five months. She’d drive into Missoula tomorrow and have something delivered ASAP.

Harper hauled two loads in. Good thing she’d been going to the gym, but that only cleared the front passenger seat. She was going to be going back and forth for hours. And that set of stairs. Ugh.

“Hi, Harper. I hope you had a good trip. Can I give you a hand?”

Harper bashed her head on the car frame as she surged backward out of its depths and looked up at Eli. Wasn’t it always the forbidden fruit that looked the most delectable? The guy’s dark facial scruff even crowded a wicked dimple.

“Hey, sugar.” She rubbed the sore spot. “You scared the dickens out of me.”

“Sorry.” He chuckled. “You’ve got a lot here. Let me help.”

“I won’t say no.”

“Good. Just pop the trunk for me, and I’ll get started.”

“It’s unlocked. Just run your foot under the bumper to activate the sensor.”

“Okay.” He strode around the back and waved his foot. The trunk began to lift. “Just like Caleb’s Jeep.” He grinned at her then ducked to gather stuff.

Harper needed to stop staring and keep moving. She grabbed two garment bags from the backseat and started toward the house. She could hear Eli’s footsteps right behind her as she draped the bags on the bed.

“Where would you like these?” The guy had real muscles peeking from below his T-shirt sleeves.

“Anywhere in the living room is fine.”

“You packing gold bricks to Jewel Lake?” he tossed over his shoulder with a teasing grin. “We’re in gold country, you know. You didn’t have to bring your own.”

“Books. They weigh almost as much.”

Eli squatted to set the boxes on the floor beside the decrepit love seat. “You’re a reader, huh? What kind of stuff?”

“History. Business. A variety of nonfiction, really.”

“Interesting. I have a good collection of biblical commentaries and other analyses of ancient times. Have you read Josephus?”

Harper frowned at him. “Joe… who?”

“Flavius Josephus. He was a first-century Roman who acted as translator for Emperor Titus when he led the siege of Jerusalem in 70AD. Josephus witnessed the destruction of the second temple.”

She blinked. The who-what?

Eli grinned. “You asked. That’s the kind of thing that fascinates me. Independent historical texts showing Israel as it was shortly after the time of Christ. Even has a brief mention or two of John the Baptist and Jesus. Josephus wasn’t trying to record scripture. He was an official historian for Rome, so it’s an absolutely gripping glimpse of that era.”

“If you say so.” Harper turned away.

“Hey, you can’t say you love history if you’re not interested in Joe.”

Watch her. But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that she’d just noticed the size of the closet in what passed for the master bedroom. Where was she going to hang all her clothes?

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