Page 51 of Three Little Wishes

“Well, yeah. I basically told you he kissed like a dream so why wouldn’t I kiss him again? Besides, Cami interrupted us the other night.” She frowned. “Now that I think about it, she interrupted us yesterday afternoon and last night too. I wonder if she’s doing it on purpose?”

The day before, on the drive home from picking up pizzas for her friends who were helping her move, Willow had been bouncing ideas off Noah. He’d been so supportive of them that by the time they’d pulled into the driveway, she was more confident than ever that they’d find a buyer for the station, and she’d thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him. They would’ve kept kissing if Cami hadn’t opened the back door of the Mercedes and started unloading the pizzas.

Then, the previous night, after they’d gotten the last of Willow’s boxes stored in the garage at the beach house and her friends had left, she’d been so happy she’d checked moving off her list that her thank-you kiss got downright steamy. It might’ve gotten steamier if her aunt hadn’t appeared to tell them she and Riley had set up the Monopoly board and were waiting for them to play.

Willow noted her sister’s expression and waved her hand. “I know what you’re going to say, and it’s not a problem. Noah’s helping us sell the station, so we’re more like colleagues now.”

“I don’t have a good feeling about this, Will.”

“Why? We’re consenting adults who enjoy spending time together.” She glanced at the door and lowered her voice. “I really like him, Sage.”

“I know you do, and that’s what I’m worried about. I don’t want you to get your heart broken.”

“I won’t. This, whatever this is between us, has an end date so it’s not like it can be anything more than a summer fling. He’s leaving in September to travel around the world for a year.”

“What if he asked you to go with him?”

Her laugh was a little forced, not because her sister’s question was ridiculous, which it was, but because her time with Noah had an expiration date. “You do know me, don’t you? The thought of traveling and long-term relationships gives me hives. Besides, I’ll be living my dream right here in Sunshine Bay. It’s going to happen, Sage. We’re going to sell the station. I can feel it, right here.” She placed a hand over her heart.

The patio door slid open, and Noah stuck his head out. “Sorry, Sage, but if your sister doesn’t leave now, she’s going tobe late, and we all know if Willow Rosetti isn’t there running the show, the event is doomed to fail.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I never said that. I don’t think I’m indispensable. Noah’s just trying to make a point. He thinks I volunteer for too many community events,” she explained to her sister as they walked into the kitchen.

“No. What I think, and what I told you, is that Don should’ve found room in the budget to pay for the forty hours a week you spend promoting Channel 5.”

“See, I’m not the only one who thinks Don’s been exploiting you,” her sister said, looking at Noah with a new level of respect.

“I told you. Don… Never mind. We’ve got to get going.” Willow grabbed her purse off the counter and turned to Cami, who was looking at Willow with a mutinous expression on her face. She hadn’t been happy to learn she was spending the day with Sage. For some reason, Cami had taken almost an instant dislike to Willow’s sister. Sage hadn’t helped her case, peppering Cami with questions about her memory almost the second she’d walked into the beach house.

“You two have fun,” Willow said with a smile.

Cami crossed her arms. “Why can’t we go with you guys?”

“Because Sage wants to spend time with you, and she’s taking you shopping.” Two towns over. “How awesome is that?”

Cami gave Sage an up-and-down look. “I don’t want to shop where she shops.”

Sage’s brow furrowed. “What’s wrong with where I shop?”

“Uh, you dress like a librarian.”

Her aunt kind of had a point. “That’s not nice, Cami,” Willow said.

“What do you mean ‘That’s not nice, Cami’? How about ‘That’s not true, Cami’?” her sister said.

Noah saved her from having to respond. “It’s just for one more day, Cami. Your family will be back tomorrow, and then the four of us can do things together without worrying about ruining the surprise.”

Cami was dressed in what she thought of as her old-lady disguise—heels, a designer sundress, floppy straw hat, and oversize sunglasses. Only this time she also wore a red wig from the time Willow had gone to a Halloween party dressed as the Little Mermaid.

“Fine,” Cami said, looking as if it was anything but fine.

Willow gave her sister a hug and whispered in her ear, “I know she can be annoying, but talk to her about Mom, Zia, and Nonna, and you’ll see what I mean. Just don’t mention Flynn. And check out those links I sent you about Jeff, her ex,” she added.

If anything would earn their aunt Sage’s sympathy, it would be how big a jerk Cami’s ex was and how badly Cami’s lawyer had messed up her divorce.

Willow pulled out her phone as soon as they got into Noah’s car and sent a quick text to the coordinator of the pet rescue event, letting her know she’d be a little late. As she did, social media alerts began pinging on her phone. She was thinking that it was a good sign the event would be a success until she got a look at the alerts.

“Oh no!” Willow cried.

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