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  Collin nodded, "Sounds good to me."

  Excitement gave Dottie goose bumps. Tomorrow she would dive for real. Peter reached a hand to help her up the steps of the pool and she suddenly felt shy in the skin tight wet suit.

  Chapter 19: Graduation

  Collin watched Dottie step from the pool and couldn't help but grin at her clumsiness. She was so cute. He quickly wiped the smile from his face. She was a shy woman and might mistake his grin for making fun of her.

  Peter instructed her in removing her gear and when she was free of it, she thanked him, shot Collin a smile, and said, "I'll change and be right back."

  "There's no hurry." He watched her enter the women's lavatory and then returned his attention to Peter.

  Peter was pulling his wet suit down to reveal his massive chest. Years of diving had molded his upper body into a force to be reckoned with. Peter said, "She's a sweetheart. If I needed a rescue, she's the one I'd want doing it."

  Collin agreed. "She's more than just sweet. She's funny, witty, and cooks awesome meals."

  "She's also very pretty. I think I'll ask her to dinner."

  Collin frowned.

  Peter laughed loudly. "Yep. Just as I thought. You're smitten."

  Collin shook his head. "You're wrong. She's become my friend, nothing more."

  Peter sluiced water from his hair. "Yeah, well, let me clue you in about something. My dear departed wife, whom I miss everyday, was my best friend before she became my lover and wife."

  Collin glanced away. "She's not my type. She's domestic."

  Peter chortled, "Sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself of that. From what I've gathered just by being with her today, she may be domesticated, but she's also adventurous—a combination any man in our professions would jump at. So, my friend, if you're going to remain detached, I think I will ask her to dinner. She reminds me a lot of my Jennifer."

  Collin glared at Peter but didn't respond. Instead, he crutched back to his chair to wait for Dottie.

  Peter laughed all the way to the men's lavatory.

  Two days later, Collin and Jake watched Dottie receive her diving certificate. She'd completed the course with two days of ocean diving in a cove used by novice divers and their instructors. She now happily accepted the framed certificate and grinned at her small audience.

  Because Collin and Jake had been finalizing their own diving agenda for the Vittoria project, Collin hadn't been able to accompany Peter and Dottie to the cove on either day. Many times, however, he'd envisioned her face as he imagined her discovery of the world below the ocean.

  As soon as he'd wrapped up the final meeting with his crew, Jake had driven him to the dive shop. Instead of dropping him off, however, Jake had stayed, saying there was no way he would miss Dottie's graduation.

  Jake had even insisted on driving Collin and Dottie home, rather than Oliver picking them up. During the drive, Collin called Sandy on his cell phone and said, "Jake's joining us for dinner. We'll be there in fifteen minutes."

  He glanced at Jake to see a smirk on his face. His friend said, "Thanks, buddy. Sandy's cooking beats Burger King."

  Collin wasn't happy about Jake's presence and he had a feeling his partner was goading him. Obviously, Jake had rightfully surmised that Collin had asked Sandy to prepare a special dinner celebrating Dottie's graduation. He felt guilty for not wanting Jake to join them, but decided not to examine that feeling too closely. Dottie was a wonderful woman and if Jake and Peter felt drawn to her, he shouldn't stand in their way. She seemed to genuinely like the men. Although Collin's head agreed with his rationale, his heart did not.

  Jake pulled through the gate and up to the front door. He jumped from the car and rushed to open Dottie's door. Collin ground his jaw as he struggled from the backseat with his crutches. Damn, he hated being an invalid.

  As soon as they entered the house, Jake sniffed appreciatively. "Smells like a feast." He glanced at Collin and winked. When Dottie walked to the kitchen, he elbowed Collin. "I knew you'd plan a celebration, that's why I insisted on bringing you home. Which wine did you pull out? I'm hoping the Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon" He laughed at Collin's frown and practically skipped toward the kitchen.

  Later, Collin grinned when Dottie exclaimed her surprise when they entered the formal dining room. Lit by candles and with a bottle of Screaming Eagle chilling in an ice bucket, Collin couldn't help chuckling when he asked Jake to open it. Collin's cozy dinner for two was now a cozy dinner for three. His former ire was replaced with humor. Jake was one of a kind.

  Since his friend was now a dinner guest, Collin asked Sandy and Oliver to join them, but they politely refused and continued serving the gourmet meal.

  Jake forked a small tomato from his salad and said to Dottie, "So, tomorrow's the big day. What are you feeling?"

  Dottie placed her fork down and shifted her gaze to Jake. She said in that breathless voice she sometimes used, "There are only two events in my life that have gotten me this excited. The first was my wedding and the second, the birth of my daughter. Of course, seeing Collin's plane go down was heart stopping, but not in a good way." Now she glanced at Collin. "Again, I want to thank you for your generosity in allowing this. I know it's an inconvenience to bring a novice along, so I'll do everything I can to stay out of the way."

  Collin reached to touch her hand. "Dottie, you are a breath of fresh air, and believe me, you won't be in the way. I only wish I were the one diving with you."

  Just then, Oliver pushed a cart into the room with the main course of gingered salmon on a bed of wild rice, and interrupted the sentimental moment.

  The meal proved to be delicious and the conversation lively. During dessert of raspberry mousse cheesecake, Jake said, "Collin, are you sure you want Oliver to drive you to the yacht? I don't mind swinging by tomorrow."

  "No, you have too much on your plate already. You don't need a man on crutches slowing you down." Collin said to Dottie, "Oliver will drive us to the dock before sunrise. We need to set sail before first light because we never know who's tracking our movements. We're not always lucky at avoiding prying eyes, but we give it our best shot."

  Dottie said, "I'll be ready."

  The remainder of the meal was spent discussing the expedition and the artifacts they expected to find.

  Chapter 20: Big Day

  Dottie bolted upright as soon as her alarm sounded. Her heart raced. Today was her dive to the ocean floor in search of sunken treasure. Incredible!

  Remembering Collin's kindness by surprising her the previous evening with a celebration dinner did all kinds of things to her heart. Her heart, it appeared, was not listening to her rational mind that warned of impending heartbreak.

  Rather than dwell on her feelings, she jumped from bed and paused before her windows to drink in the glittering ocean under a waxing moon. The sea beckoned, inviting her to join its exclusive club hiding secrets and mysteries. Today she would dive beside Jake and experience some of what the sea promised.

  After a last glance and smile at the man-in-the-moon, she hastened to dress and meet up with Collin in the kitchen.

  Not surprisingly, Sandy was already up. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee tantalized and gave promise to this special day. Collin was sipping from a large mug when she entered the kitchen. He grinned and reached for another mug, pouring her a cup. Dottie smiled her thankfulness and sat across from him at the island.

  Sandy called a good morning as she unloaded the dishwasher. Oliver entered the room, poured his own coffee, and greeted everyone. He lifted his mug to his mouth, made an "ahhh" sound, and then said, "Ready when you are, boss."

  Collin glanced at his watch. "Five more minutes and then we roll."

  Sandy reached for a bag on the island and handed it to Dottie. "I made some egg and bacon sandwiches and packed a few sweet rolls, biscuits, and banana bread for the drive over."

  Collin grinned. "Banana bread? Maybe we better open that sack now."

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sp; Sandy laughed and opened the bread box. She said, "I expected you'd want some before leaving." Using a napkin, she lifted a slice and handed it to Collin, and then did the same for Dottie. Dottie bit into the bread and moaned. Sandy could bake like no one she'd ever met.

  Collin gobbled his slice and motioned to Dottie. "Are you ready for your big day?"

  "I'm nervous, but ready."

  Thirty minutes later, Oliver pulled to the dock under cover of night. Collin and Dottie were met by Jake and Zeke. The men each grabbed a backpack out of the backseat, not allowing Collin or Dottie to carry them.

  Jake said, "We've got everything loaded and everyone is here. We're about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule."

  "That's what I like to hear," Collin replied.

  Jake held Dottie's elbow and led her onto a floating walkway past inky blobs of boats, some small, some not so small, and some very large; they walked to the very end. Jake said, "Here she is, Hank's Dream, named after Collin's father.

  The looming hull of the ship, larger than any they had passed, both intimidated and fascinated Dottie. Inside the cabin a couple of lights dimly glowed.

  Jake said, "We're always secretive. It's sad that there are so many cutthroats in this business. We regularly scan the ship for tracking devices." He winked. "The FBI or CIA would probably hire any of our crew in a heartbeat."

  Behind them, Collin joked, "Okay, Agent Chivers, are we going to stand here and gab the day away or find treasure?"

  Jake returned a verbal jab. "Feeling your old cranky self today, Agent Banks?"

  Zeke interjected, "If you secret operatives don't mind, Agent Danielson would like to get this ship launched before daylight and our mission is revealed."

  Dottie smiled at the comradery of the men, but her amusement dampened when she heard Kate's voice. "I've secured the lower level. A scan for tracers didn't reveal anything. Zack scanned the rest of the ship and it's clean, too."

  Jake replied, "Good work, Kate. Tell Wallace he can steer us out of the cove in ten minutes."

  "Yes, sir," said Kate.

  Although her words were respectful, Dottie heard something in Kate's tone that gave her the creeps.

  An hour later, a huge sun paid homage to another glorious morning and cast diamonds across the smooth surface of the sea. Dottie stood at the bow of Hank's Dream gazing across the ocean she would soon become a part of. Jake had given her a quick tour of the vessel and explained some of the operations of the control room, pointing out equipment used in the search and retrieval of sunken treasure. The immensity of the project boggled Dottie's mind, but not as much as the dedication required to explore vast amounts of ocean. She had acquired a new level of respect for Collin and his team.

  Turning around she saw Collin through the window of the control room. He glanced up and waved before giving his attention to something Zack was saying.

  Dottie was surprised when Kate joined her at the railing. She wanted to turn and leave, but courtesy kept her there.

  Kate said, "I love the ocean."

  Dottie responded, "I feel the same way."

  Kate pointed. "We'll reach the Vittoria shortly. It's about a mile offshore of a small, uninhabited island. No one thought the galleon could have drifted this far after its sinking, but Collin calculated the currents and factored in some anomalous years of unusual weather. It took us over a year to locate the wreckage and everyone, even Collin, was ready to concede defeat, but I urged him to keep trying."

  Dottie was unsure where Kate was headed with their conversation.

  Her next words left no doubt. "I'm good for Collin. We're cut from the same adrenaline cloth. We've dived hundreds of times together."

  Kate's confession was making Dottie uncomfortable. She opened her mouth to say goodbye, but before she could vocalize anything, Kate placed a hand on her wrist. Dottie jerked her gaze to Kate's. Kate narrowed her eyes. "You'd be seriously wrong if you thought of yourself as anything other than a quickie for Collin. Believe me; he's not interested in 'Susie Homemaker.' Allowing you on this dive is just his way of thanking you for saving his life. Once it's over and you're gone, you're just another page in his history book."

  Dottie jerked her wrist from Kate's clutch. The unfriendly woman turned and walked toward the cabin. Over her shoulder she called, "See ya, Susie."

  Clutching the railing, Dottie willed her breathing to slow. Confrontations were foreign in her experience, especially confrontations with a jealous girlfriend. It was mind bending. Dottie simply wasn't the type to turn the head of a man like Collin from a woman like Kate. Of course, Collin had explained that Kate was his ex-girlfriend, but still, the idea of Kate being jealous was ludicrous.

  Dottie remained at the railing until her composure returned and then entered the control room. Collin and Jake were manning electronic equipment. Zack, Zeke, and Kate were sitting at a booth going over a map spread across the table. Through a glass window Dottie could see Wallace steering the ship.

  Dottie listened to the crew talk about the dive, left the control room to converse with Wallace while he steered the ship, rested in the salon of the yacht, and eventually ended up back in the control room.

  Jake glanced up from the computer screen he was watching. "We're almost there. Zack, Zeke, Kate, get ready. I'll be there in a sec with Dottie."

  Zack and Zeke smiled at Dottie and Kate had the audacity to give her the thumbs up sign. In her mind, Dottie saw herself flipping Kate off, and then sighed at the childishness of the vision.

  Jake folded the map while Dottie waited for instructions. Collin glanced away from the screen he had been monitoring and smiled broadly. "Honey, I want you to have the time of your life. I just wish I was the one diving with you."

  Jake placed an arm around Dottie's shoulders. "I promise to take good care of her, bro."

  Collin chuckled. "I can see that."

  Dottie had a feeling the men were sizing each other up. Again, she chastised herself for juvenile thoughts.

  Jake led Dottie to the stern of the ship where the others were pulling on their wetsuits and gear. He handed Dottie her wetsuit and she self consciously removed her jeans and tank top. Not being a sun creature, even though she lived in the desert, she pulled the wetsuit over her pale skin and old bathing suit as quickly as she could. She did take satisfaction, however, that her body was toned from frequent running and walking.

  Finally everyone was suited and geared up. The ship slowed significantly and then made a half circle around a trawler protecting the dive site. Dottie heard a grating noise and Jake said, "Wallace just weighed anchor."

  Dottie inhaled sharply. You can do this, Dottie Arnez. Your ancestors toiled in the mines; surely you can complete a dive.

  Jake and the others waved to the occupants of the trawler before returning their attention to the task at hand. Zack, Zeke, and Kate positioned their mouth gear and waited for Jake to give them thumbs up before taking giant strides off the dive platform and into the water, each in turn. Dottie glanced toward the cabin where Collin smiled at her through a window. She gave him a small wave and positioned her own mouth gear. Jake assisted her into position on the platform and grinned encouragingly. He nodded and she mimicked the other divers and took a giant step into the sea. As the water closed over the top of her, panic made her want to rip off the tanks so she could swim free to the surface. Closing her eyes, she pretended she was in the swimming pool. She opened her eyes when she felt a touch on her arm. Seeing Jake's face helped her control her panic. He motioned with the simple sign language she'd been taught by Peter. He wanted her to follow him and she signed back that she understood.

  With slow strokes he pulled himself downward. Dottie followed, not allowing her eyes to stray from him. He constantly glanced back at her, pausing when she lagged behind. He pointed and her gaze followed the line of his arm. A school of rainbow colored fish swam toward them in the crystal clear water. Dottie had been so engrossed in watching Jake that she'd missed the beauty encompassing th
em. Now, in fascination, she watched the approaching school. As if guided by an invisible hand the fish swerved gracefully around them, some only inches from her face. They were like dancers swaying to the rhythm of a song not heard with the ears, but with the heart. In that instant she fell hopelessly in love with the ocean and its aquatic population.

  She made eye contact with Jake and in his gaze there was a smile and a knowing. He understood the love now surging through her.

  The last of the fish trailed past and Jake resumed their downward descent. Rather than keep her eyes fixated on him like before, she now observed her surroundings. Everywhere color abounded—in the aqua water, colorful fish, glowing sand and swaying flora deep below them. Jake swam slowly and Dottie was grateful for his consideration in allowing her to absorb her new world. Often, he paused and pointed to an interesting fish or other creature.

  Dottie was so engrossed in sea life that she didn't see the hull of the Vittoria until they were upon it. She swung her head toward Jake and again saw the knowing in his eyes. He motioned for her to follow him. She hand signaled her understanding. Ahead of them, she could see Kate and one of the twins taking pictures of the wreckage. The other twin swam from behind the backside of the galleon. He saw Jake and Dottie and waved. They returned his acknowledgement. Kate made a hand signal that Dottie couldn't decipher and Jake signaled back.

  Again motioning to Dottie, he swam around the bow and toward the hidden side of the ship. Orange schools of fish zipped in and out of holes in the hull and occasionally Jake paused to point at something interesting—rusted cannons, fallen masts, the figurehead on the prow of a woman with flowing hair. Dottie's heart leapt with joy and she forgot her former fright and intimidation. She was actually in the presence of a ship that had sunk over 400 years ago. Her sense of awe, however, was tempered by sadness for those who had sailed across the Atlantic only to perish on the return trip. It was a brutal reminder of the unfairness life often dealt its sojourners.