“That’s the newest tunnel.” Cam pointed to the right. “It was constructed in the thirties. Great Depression, just like you said. The one to the left was a 1910 silver find. The one straight ahead is the oldest vein.”

“Can we go back there?”

Fearless, that one.

“Not today,” he told her. “We haven’t cleared all the tunnels yet. There are places the tunnels have caved into the ones under them. Places the air shafts collapsed, so the ventilation isn’t good enough for your little lungs. and the sides haven’t been reinforced yet like they are here.”

“Can I look around here, though?” she pushed.

“If you stay in this chamber and your aunt Willow says it’s okay.”

Two sets of pleading eyes met mine.

“Promise to stay right here,” I ordered, hoping she heard the urgency in my voice.

“I will,” she vowed, then scrambled down the stairs and across the tracks to where the space widened a good thirty feet.

“Ready for my surprise?” Cam asked.

“Definitely.”

“I think I can have at least one tunnel open for tours by the Fourth of July.” His eyes danced.

“Really? That would be amazing! Have you told anyone?” The town was going to flip. As much as they despised Cam, they loved money.

“I wanted to tell you first.” His smile blew me away. He was…happy, as much as I hesitated to even think it, and it looked wonderful on him.

“I love you,” I whispered.

He kissed me in response, then pulled back with a grin. “Hey, Rose, if you come hang with your aunt Willow, I’ll find you something sparkly.”

“Deal!” she agreed, already heading back to me, and Cam disappeared off the other end of the platform, his light bobbing down the oldest portion of the tunnel.

“This place is amazing. Pretty sure there’s still gold here somewhere.”

“Maybe,” I muttered, my eyes trained on that light as it got smaller. A few minutes later, it grew larger until Cam came into view.

I let loose a huge sigh of relief.

“You don’t like it down here, do you, Aunt Willow?” Rose asked, taking my hand.

“What? No, it’s fine. I’m fine,” I lied.

“Here you go,” Cam said as he handed two sparkling pieces of ore to Rose.

“Is it gold?” she squeaked.

“No. It’s pyrite. Fool’s gold,” he replied.

“Well, it’s still pretty.” She looked up at him. “You could have pretended it was gold.”

“You can pretend it’s gold now that you know it’s not.” He tapped her helmet. “I’m not in the habit of lying to girls.”

Her brow wrinkled, but then she nodded. “Pyrite.”

“You got it. Now, let’s get you ladies out of here.” He helped Rose into the train.

“Do you think there’s real gold down here?” she asked, buckling her belt.