Searching For Treasure - By L.C. Davenport Page 0,1

seem like Noah's thing."

"That's just it. I haven't noticed him having a thing. At least, not lately. Really, D, I feel like we've failed him. All he does is study."

"Well, he's dedicated. He's really keen on becoming a sport psychologist.

"Which is great, but all work and no play. The only other thing he seems to be interested in is our social lives or lack thereof."

As if on cue, Noah sauntered in through the back door.

"Hi guys. You know, Dana, I keep hoping you'll start telling me to knock before I come in here."

"If that's what you want," Dana replied absently as she added another toothpick to her sculpture. "But why?"

"Because if you start telling me to knock before I come waltzing in the door, I'll know that finally you'll be doing something that you wouldn't want your little brother busting in on."

"Such as?"

"You know," Noah said wagging his eyebrows. He dropped his voice and finished in a dramatic tone, "Men."

"He means sex, D," Jack said, grinning.

Dana glared at both of them. "Excuse me, when did I suddenly become a spinster old maid?"

Noah grinned. "Be honest, when was the last time you went out?"

"I go out with Jack all the time."

"I don't mean Jack. Jack's your best buddy and mine. Jack's family. You know, I mean with..." Noah said again with the dramatic tone, "...a man."

"I'm sure Jack resents not being included in the man category," Dana said.

Noah rolled his eyes. "You are being deliberately dense. All right I'll use simple words so you'll understand. When was the last time you were on a date?" He paused. "A hot date."

Dana opened her mouth and then closed it again. It had been a long time. But she would never admit the reason, at least not to Noah. Dana had been mother and father as well as big sister to Noah since their parents had died in a car crash nine years earlier. Jack had stepped in as the predominant male role model in her brother's life.

Money had often been tight, but through sheer will and creative determination, Dana had managed to make a comfortable living for them both. However, recently college tuition had been taking a huge bite out of the household budget, prompting longer hours spent at her home-based business.

Dating, going through the ritual of getting to know new people, took too much time. It was just easier to hang out with Jack.

"Earth to Dana…Earth to Dana. Sorry, that wasn't meant to be a stumper," Noah said.

Dana's eyes twinkled mischievously. "What was the question?"

Noah heaved a huge sigh worthy of the theatre. "When did you last go on a hot date?"

"Let's see, nineteen fifty-"

"Very funny." Noah cocked his head in thought. "It was Liam, wasn't it?"

"What? Are you keeping track?" Dana asked.

"I worry about you. Sure I keep track. So, whatever happened to Liam? I know you liked him."

"He didn't understand my sense of humor," she said, smiling.

"Who does?" Dana rolled her eyes. "Okay, so what about Dave?"

"He decided I was too smart for him."

"He was right. Kyle?"

"I'm too adventurous."

"Danny?"

"I'm too offbeat."

"Daniel?"

"I'm too easygoing."

"Allen?"

Dana, irritated with this line of questioning–especially now that he'd gone all the way back to her prom date–gave Noah a disgusted look. "He didn't like my shoes." Jack laughed as Noah stared at her.

"You're kidding," Noah asked.

Dana sighed. "Yes, I'm kidding."

"Dana, have you noticed that you keep picking guys that can't appreciate you?"

"Or maybe I really am too 'too'."

"You're not the problem." Brother and sister turned to look at Jack, surprised by the unusually serious tone to his remark. "There's nothing wrong with you." He then went back to studying the tips of his shoes.

There was a beat of charged silence. Dana felt unaccountably warm and turned away to scratch Jinx under her chin. Noah, who was nobody's fool, looked at both of them speculatively.

Not wanting to continue this conversation, but needing to say something, Dana cleared her throat. "Remember what Dad used to say? Don't hide your light under a bushel? He told me that once when I was twelve. I came home crying one day because Rob Lawson told me that no boy was going to like a girl who was clever."

Jack looked up at that. "You liked Rob Lawson? He and his sisters used to eat bugs! Why would you want to kiss a boy who eats bugs?"

"I realized later," she continued with a glare, "that the real reason was because I could run faster than most of the boys in school. But that's