THE GOLD - PUBLISHED ON AMAZON: ON TAPAS TOO.

Chapter 4: Angel's Rest/ Starburst's Admirer

Angel's Rest /

Starburst's Admirer

Fennell was dead serious about his advice. He was tired of nursing his best friend's wounds from stupid 'past' relationships with the wrong women who loved his wealth and not his heart or him.

'Why don't you give it a try for pit's sake?' He asked.

Jason understood what Fennell, 'Nell,' meant and thought about it.

'Only if she's gorgeous in personality then I would consider doing the whole relationship football game season again,' he said.

Up ahead they noticed in their driveway, that a delivery van from Pearlstein's Bakery pulled over. The beautiful twenty-nine years old, brunette, cowgirl, Jason's cousin, Rachel Pearlstein, Fennell's crush since their childhood into high school, college and university days had stepped out of the van. She waved at them, 'Hi guys! Give me a hand, will you!' and then she went to open the trunk pulling out two boxes of watermelon strawberry-flavoured velvet cupcakes.

'Hold on, we're coming!' Fennell yelled racing toward her.

Rachel is a pastry chef and the founder and owner of Pearlstein's Bakery in Tennessee. She's known as Miss Wild Eyes because of her beautiful grayish cat eyes that can hypnotise any man and it sure did catch Fennell's heart.

'He was always the first one to get the chicken's eggs,' Jason laughed at the irony of his best friend being in love with his cousin for so long. He thought, 'When will this guy grow some balls to ask my cousin out? God alone knows' and shook his head signaling Survival to pick up speed.

Shortly after Rachel's arrival, Yint came up his driveway in a four-wheel-drive pickup truck waving at his longtime friends. Then he greeted Rachel, his longtime crush.

'Hi, Rach! You've gotten prettier over the decades since we last met,' he smirked.

'And you're still the same, Inky Yinty,' Rachel smiled, still focusing on Fennell, approaching her followed by her cousin, his best friend.

He knew she always had eyes for Fennell who stole her heart. Yint frowned at the reason why Fennell hadn't made a move on her after all these years. This time, Jason and he decided to get things into action for him and Rachel, those slowpokes in love. Cupid is getting grey hair and a long beard because of them. Jason and Fennell galloped toward them quickly and made their horses gradually stop at the sidewalk, hopping off their saddles. Survival and Heaven started roaming around. They began eating grass and then went to drink water from the outdoor fountain.

Jason hugged his cousin and teased, 'Pigtails!' calling her childhood nickname.

She smacked his back hard, 'Jelly!' while smirking.

He coughed, 'Ow, Rach! I haven't seen you in years, you're all grown up now and still haven't changed.'

'I know, good to see you too, Cousin,' She smiled and then faced Fennell who smiled and blushed as she did the same.

'Don't mind him, Rachel. You look beautiful, I bet any guy would saddle you up on a horse and ride into the sunset with you,' Fennell smiled.

'Awe, you're having changed much, Nell,' Rachel blushed with a giggle and hugged him.

'But you have, sweetheart,' Fennell whispered beside her ear softly as she smiled. He thought, 'Thank God! I decided to take some vacation-leave to be with Rachel on the ranch. After we find the gold on the estate I'm going to buy you a big diamond ring and sweep you off your feet like a cherry on a vanilla frosting cupcake.'

Jason's grandparents hadn't mentioned the gold whereabouts in the will. It's going to be a big treasure hunt game for them to find it before they could convert the farmhouse into a guesthouse to make money.

'Why can't it be me?' Yint mumbled. He was upset while watching Rachel, his crush and Fennell pulled apart blushing at one another.

Jason patted his back, 'Don't worry about it, you'll get a fine woman soon' and watched his friend smile.

Yint knew getting rid of an old crush could be very hard as he answered, 'Yeah' and thought, 'It's time to move on with my life' and nodded at his best friend with a smile in understanding.

A couple of days later, Janie Stone arrived in Franklin, Tennessee. She was driven by Cliff Red to the property. A mile-long drive through a dramatic landscape of ancient trees, creeks, rock outcroppings and a glittering twelve acres pond led to Angel's Rest. He dropped her off at the mansion's entrance.

The moment she exited the jeep with her luggage, she thanked the lawyer, 'Thank you so much for your help, Cliff.'

'It was my pleasure, Janie,' Cliff smiled. 'If you need any help just call, darling.'

'I will, thanks,' Janie smiled.

'Then goodbye, enjoy your two weeks,' Cliff grinned starting the engine and waving bye. She did the same watching him as he drove off.

Turning front, Janie scanned the huge farmhouse and admired its unique western homey-feel design with its cream and white exterior. This majestic twenty-five thousand square foot, three storey's mansion, overlooked seven hundred stunning acres. Walking up the cobblestone concrete pathway wasn't the best idea for heels. She struggled to walk, rolling her suitcases to the porch and then rang the buzzer. After constant buzzing, no one answered the door, stepping back Janie shaded her eyes with her hands from the sunlight while looking up at the mansion. She realised there were a few windows opened and shouted, 'Is anyone home!' Not a pin drop was heard as she sighed and left her suitcases at the front door, removing her heels since her ankles hurt.

Janie walked on the plot bare-feet admiring the breathtaking landscape, 'It's different from London,' she muttered. 'So many skyscrapers, busy streets and not one sight of Keith, just deep a foundation of love for nature...' she breathed in the refreshing air. Suddenly, she saw a white horse charging after her, 'What the...!' Janie exclaimed, 'You can't come this way! Go the other way!' and started running for her life while screaming, 'Ah! Help! Help! Someone, please help me!'

Jason was rounding up the horses when he overheard the commotion and looked over his shoulder. He saw Starburst chasing a beautiful black woman. She was dressed in white glittery trendy clothes to be the front cover model of Covergirl, Vogue and Maria Claire magazines. He charged with Survival after her and whistled loudly to Starburst, who instantly stopped running after the beauty. Apparently, Starburst likes shiny things, such as the silver tiara and dress, she wore.

'What is that woman doing?' He frowned. Still running, Jason was about to shout, 'Look out for that pond!'

Unfortunately, it was too late when she fell in and he charged, pulling Survival away from the pond and dove in after his damsel who rang up his stress bell.