Part 12

3 Months Later

The youngest Gates lounged on the blanket in her brother's garden, completely at ease. Her boyfriend lay next to her staring down at her.

"What are you looking at?"

"The prettiest thing I've ever seen."

"You're such a geek sometimes."

"But I'm your geek." He reminded her, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Ahem!" they heard. Anne leaned up on her elbows and grinned at her brother and his girlfriend.

"Every time Ben." Riley sighed.

"Yeah. My house. Deal with it."

"Mhmm." Anne said, kissing Riley again.

"Ow!" Riley said. Ben whistled nonchalantly but Abigail was pointing at him.

"What? The acorn just fell from the tree I swear!"

"Whatever Ben." Anne said as Riley's cell rang.

"Hello? Hey, man. Yeah sure. See you then." He put the phone in his pocket and stood, helping Anne up. "They want us in Cairo next week for the opening of the exhibit. They're sending a private jet."

"Cool." Anne said.

"Yeah, big whoop. Could've had a whole fleet of private jets. Ten percent, Ben. They offered you ten percent and you turned them done."

"Riley, we've been over this. It was too much, I couldn't except it." Ben said.

"I'm cool with it." Anne piped up.

"Yeah cause you got to keep those dresses. Not that I'm complaining about that." He grinned at her. "But I actually have this splinter that's been festering for 3 months from an old piece of wood." Riley pointed to his finger seriously.

"I tried to get him to go to the doctor but he won't listen."

"I'll tell you what. The next time we find a treasure that redefines history for all mankind, you make the call on finder's fee." Ben said.

"That's funny. What do you care? You got Abi."

"And you got my sister." Ben said smiling.

"That's true." He said kissing her. "Ow! Ok where's your excuse for that acorn?!"

"Actually it was a pebble."

"Fine. Enjoy your spoils." Riley said, jumping into his new Ferrari. "While I sit on one percent. One stinking percent. Half of one percent, actually. One percent."

"I'm sorry for your suffering." Ben laughed.

"For the record, Ben, I like the house." Riley complimented, opening the passenger's door for Anne.

"You know, I chose this estate because in 1812, Charles Carroll met-" Ben began.

"Yeah, someone who did something in history and had fun. Great, wonderful." Riley put on his sunglasses. "Could've had a bigger house." He called peeling out of the driveway.

"So where to now?" Riley asked

"Well… I know were we can get some great cherry pie…"

The End