Page 24 of Three Little Wishes

“Thank you.”

Willow groaned. There was only one reason Noah wouldput in a call to Megan’s boss. He was going to demand his listings be given to someone else. She might be furious with Megan but she’d been her best friend forever, and Willow didn’t want her to suffer the consequences of what Noah was about to do. “Can we talk about this, please? I know Megan was—”

“Don’t defend her.”

Willow didn’t get a chance. Megan’s boss came on the line. And from the simper in her voice, if Noah asked her to fire Megan and strip her of her real estate license, Willow had little doubt the woman would make it happen. She made it clear she’d do anything to make Noah happy and not lose him as a client. Willow wondered what it must be like to have everyone groveling at your feet, willing to do whatever you asked.

Unable to stand any more of Megan’s boss kissing up to Noah, Willow glanced in the back seat, thinking she’d chat with Riley. But Riley, like Willow’s aunt, was asleep. At least Riley was asleep. Willow was a little worried Cami was comatose and reached between the seats to gently shake her leg, relieved when her aunt muttered, “Leave me alone.”

She would’ve been more relieved if her aunt hadn’t muttered her demand in the voice of a surly teenager. When Cami had come to after fainting, she’d refused to hear anything about her life as a forty-seven-year-old, and she had done this by acting like a four-year-old and covering her ears.

The doctor had advised Willow not to challenge Cami or put any undue pressure on her to remember. Instead, he’d recommended that she slowly reintroduce her aunt to people and places that would trigger her memory. Willow knew three people who’d be triggered by seeing Cami in SunshineBay—her mother and grandmother, and her other aunt, when she returned from England.

With Cami staying at the beach house, Willow had bought herself some time. She’d told Cami that the family had taken a much-deserved vacation and would be away for a week. But unless her aunt’s memory returned within a few days, she doubted she could keep her under wraps for that long. Sunshine Bay wasn’t exactly New York City. She had no choice. She needed backup.

She faced forward, about to try calling her sister again, when she heard Noah say, “Correct. I want the sale of the building and equipment paused as well. I’ll be running the company from the station in the interim.”

“So you want both sales paused until the end of August?” Megan’s boss asked.

“No, slate the building and equipment in for the first week of August, possibly sooner. It all depends on the contractor. I’ll be in touch if anything changes.”

Yay! She had more than two weeks to change his mind. Willow celebrated in her head, refraining from doing another happy dance in her seat.

Noah said goodbye and disconnected. “Willow, nothing’s changed,” he said, his voice firm.

“Why would you say that? I know you won’t change your mind.”

“Really? So why do you look like you were caught mid-dance?”

She looked down at herself. He was right. “I was just exercising my fingers.” She glanced at him. “Megan was telling you the truth, you know. I did ask her to stall the sales to give me more time to change your mind.”

“She doesn’t deserve your loyalty, Willow. But I appreciateyour honesty, even if it’s unnecessary. As I told her, you’re not telling me anything I didn’t already know.”

“So you won’t be surprised when I tell you I’m not giving up?”

He sighed. “No. I’d be more surprised if you did. But Willow, the outcome will be the same. No matter what you do.”

She briefly closed her eyes. Megan owed her way more than an apology. “Okay, it was obvious what Megan was implying, but I hope you know me better than that, Noah. I wouldn’t try and manipulate you or seduce you to get you to change your mind.”

“You could try,” he said with a wolfish grin. “But even with your considerablecharms, I should warn you that I’m immune to seduction and manipulation when it comes to business.”

She stared at him. “Did you just say you wanted me to try and seduce you?”

Before he could answer, a petulant voice from the back seat asked, “Are we there yet?”

Chapter Nine

We’ll be there soon,” Willow told her aunt, casting a distracted smile over her shoulder before turning on Noah. “I can’t believe you’re suggesting that I try and seduce you,” she whispered, ignoring the butterflies dancing in her stomach.

“I was teasing you, Willow. I thought it was time for a little payback. Or are you going to deny you’ve spent the better part of today teasing me?”

“I didn’t tease you like that! And in case you’ve forgotten, we have an impressionable teenager in the car.”

“Two.”

“Two what?”

“Two impressionable teenagers.”

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