Page 31 of Three Little Wishes

“The guy you mooned over for months when you were fifteen?”

“I didn’t moon over him. And this conversation isn’t getting us anywhere.” What it was was embarrassing. “We need to come up with a plan. When can you get here?”

“Friday night at the earliest. But in the meantime, we canarrange a time to talk to Lila and figure out how to break the news that you brought home the woman whose name isn’t allowed to be uttered in our family’s presence.”

“It would help if we knew why they’re estranged. You should hear her, Sage. She adores Mom, Nonna, and Zia. At least she did when she was seventeen.” Willow chewed on her thumbnail and then admitted, “I feel sorry for her. I want to help her reunite with the family.”

“This never would’ve happened if it was Lila or me. You’re a soft touch. You can’t resist a stray or a sob story.”

“She’s not a dog. She’s family. And I’m not a soft touch. I’m—”

“A soft touch,” Noah said, his warm breath caressing her ear.

“I think I like your Summer Noah,” her sister said.

“Because he agrees with you.”

“That and he has a great voice. Let me talk to him.”

“I’m not letting you talk to him.”

“It’s fine. I’ll talk to your sister,” Noah offered.

“You are not talking to my sister.” She didn’t trust Sage not to embarrass her further. She had a habit of cross-examining Willow’s boyfriends as if they were the cheating, slimeball exes of the clients her sister represented. Not that Noah was her boyfriend. “She has to go.”

“Actually, I do. Tell Noah I’m looking forward to meeting him this weekend. I’ll coordinate a time for our chat with Lila, little sister. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t… Scratch that. He’s your boss so do not even go there.”

“He’s not my boss.” She sighed when Noah gave her another neck squeeze. “Good luck in court tomorrow. Love you.”

“Love you too, even though you’re ruining my weekend.”

“All you do on your weekends is work. How am I… Oh, is there something we should talk about, big sister?”

“Goodbye, Will,” her sister said, and disconnected.

Willow was definitely following up on that. Sage sounded nervous, and she was never nervous. About anything.

“So… my Summer Noah?”

“It’s nothing. It’s just how I differentiate between you and the other Noahs.”

“You have other Noahs?”

“No. Just you. But you’re m… Summer Noah, Mercedes Man Noah, Bennett CEO Noah, and Now Noah.”

He threw back his head and laughed.

“I’m adding another Noah. Annoying Noah. Although Mercedes Man Noah and Bennett CEO Noah are annoying too.”

“What about Now Noah?”

“Does Now Noah still think he’s my boss or is he going to finish what he started?” She sighed at the look in his eyes. “He’s annoying too.”

Chapter Eleven

Willow stomped into the TV station the next afternoon. She’d been summoned by the Big Boss, as Veronica and apparently everyone at the station now referred to Noah. Willow had gotten the call while she was helping with the pet rescue event that was being held that weekend. As part of her job at Channel 5, she was the face of the station at community events. She did everything from appearing in parades—in costume—to helping organize the events and lending an extra pair of hands as herself.

Her involvement with the events was her favorite part of her job and took up most of her time. During the summer, though, she was routinely run off her feet. At any other time, she wouldn’t mind. She liked being busy and loved helping out her community. But with everything going on in her life at the moment, she could use three of herself.

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