Page 93 of The Romance Adventure

“When I was abducted, I dropped the pearl, but it must be around here somewhere.”

We scramble around, looking.

“Be careful of the drain,” CJ warns.

I grin. “No, it was too big to fit down there.”

Bent over, Royal gasps. “I found it.” Pinched between his fingers is the massive pearl—about the size of a marble. “The Mermaid’s Chest.”

“The book of matches was a clue,” I say.

“Do you think it’s real?” Bean points to the pearl.

“Let me see?” CJ asks. He puts it between his teeth.

“What are you—?” Royal asks.

“Testing whether it’s real.”

“By eating it?”

CJ rolls his eyes as if his older brother is hopeless in the art of island life and treasure hunting. “It’s real, by the way.”

“Do you think the crown is here or at sea?” I tell them what Mr. Edmonton said.

Bean stabs the front of the ship’s logbook. “It’s for Her Royal Cartagena.”

The corner of CJ’s lip lifts.

“Does that mean anything to you?” Bean asks.

“It’s Royal’s middle name.”

He flicks his brother on the arm.

With a laugh, I say, “I thought it was Wallaby.”

“Ha ha, No, it’s not.”

“Smart Aleck?” I ask.

“Very funny.”

“I’m going to keep guessing until you tell us. Pineapple? Prickly on the outside and sweet on the inside?” I singsong.

“I’m definitely not sweet,” Royal rumbles.

“Nope. As tart as a lemon. Good thing I love lemonade.” Balancing on one foot like a flamingo, I peck him on the cheek.

Ignoring our banter, Bean says, “Her Royal Cartagena was the name of the boat that sailed out of ports in both Spain and Portugal, ferrying the queen’s treasure to Brazil, by way of Colombia to thwart pirates.”

CJ smirks. “And it’s the name of the ship our parents were on when they met. Everyone just called it the Royal.”

“And that’s where your name came from,” I say.

He wears an expression that suggests he’s wondering if he really knew his mom and dad at all.

“And this pearl is the beginning.”