Page 73 of Three Little Wishes

He blew out a breath. “Someone’s just walked in so I can’t say what I want to. But nothing you could tell me would change my mind about you or what I want with you. I’ll call you tonight.”

She heard someone yelling in the background seconds before Hugh disconnected, and she stared at the phone, stunned that what she’d told him hadn’t changed his mind about her. And then, under the shock and disbelief, a tiny flicker of hope rose inside her. It had been a long time since she’d felt hopeful about anything, and it scared the hell out of her.

Her fingers trembling, she texted the person she turned to in moments like this. “I talked to Hugh. Gail, he likes me. He really, really likes me. Me!” She pressed Send and then closed her eyes after rereading what she’d sent. She sounded seventeen. She was about to text Gail to just ignore her when her phone rang.

As soon as she connected the call, Gail said, “On a scale of one to ten, how scared are you?”

“Twenty.”

“That’s what I figured. Now, for once in your life, you’re going to listen to me, Cami. If you blow this because you don’t think you deserve that man, I am coming to kick your ass, and I’ll kick it all the way around Sunshine Bay.”

“Are you going to wear your pointy shoes?” Cami asked, half laughing, half sobbing. “I told him everything, Gail.Things I’ve never told anyone, not even you, and he didn’t care.”

“Of course you did. You’re the queen of self-sabotage.”

“No, I’m not. I’m queen of the mean girls.”

“You like to pretend you’re queen of the mean girls. Although I have to admit, you have gotten much better at putting the trolls in their place over the past ten years. You can’t see me, but I’m rubbing my knuckles on my chest. I’ve taught you well.”

“You have. I couldn’t have become queen of mean without you.” She wiped her eyes. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you, Gail. I love you, you know. You’re my best friend.”

“Cami! Damn it, you’ve made me cry, and I don’t cry! I knew this would happen. I never should’ve told you about the job offer.”

“Don’t you even think of backing out. I’ll call Lilianna Rose’s family myself. You are taking that job or I’ll come kick your ass all around New York City, and my shoes are way pointer than yours.” After the two of them stopped laugh-crying, Cami said, “You need to know what I told Hugh. I should’ve told you years ago, but I didn’t want to lose you. I didn’t want you to hate me.”

“Cami, there’s nothing you could tell me, absolutely nothing, that would make me love you any less than I do.”

After Cami finished telling Gail about that night, she heard her sniff before clearing her throat. “I always knew there had to be a reason why you kept dating, and marrying, men who didn’t deserve you. And it wasn’t just about the men you gravitated toward. You’ve been punishing yourself for thirty years, and it stops now. What happened to Will was horrible, but it wasn’t your fault. It was a tragic accident.”

“I don’t know how you can say that, Gail. I told him I’d stay awake. He wouldn’t have been on the road that night if it wasn’t for me. If I—”

“Enough. I’m serious, Cami. Enough. You can’t change what happened. But somehow, someway, you have to come to terms with this. We’ll figure it out. We’ll get you into therapy with the therapist who diagnosed you with PTSD. She couldn’t help you before because you didn’t tell her about the accident. She’ll be able to help you now.”

“I have to make amends for what I did. I have to—” A knock on her door cut her off, and Cami whispered into the phone, “I’ve gotta go.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

The door to Cami’s bedroom opened, and Willow poked her head inside. “I’m going out, and I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m good.” She smiled, knowing she looked far from good when Willow’s eyes narrowed and she walked into the room, standing with her hands fisted on her hips. “Sage said you didn’t go help Nonna at the restaurant today. Did something happen with my mother? Did she say something to hurt your feelings? And don’t try and tell me everything’s fine because you’ve obviously been crying, and Riley said you’ve locked yourself in the room for most of the day.”

“I didn’t want to get in the way, and I knew Gia didn’t want me there. I don’t really blame her.” She raised her casted arm. “I knocked a couple things over in the kitchen. Gia thought I did it on purpose. I think she’s mad at me for whatever I did that made them leave me behind. I just wish they’d tell me what I did so I could make it up to them.” Other than the part about not knowing why her sister hated her, everything she’d said was true.

“I’ll talk to my mom.” Willow worried her bottom lipbetween her teeth as she studied Cami. “Maybe I shouldn’t go out tonight.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling you for the last twenty minutes,” Noah said, coming into Cami’s room.

Something had been up with Willow and Noah for the past couple of days. When they weren’t avoiding each other, they were sniping at each other. Cami figured it was sexual tension making them act that way. When they were within ten feet of each other, the room practically sizzled with it. If it were anyone else, she’d tell them to do it already. But they couldn’t, and it was her fault that they couldn’t. And as much as she didn’t like to see either of them unhappy, it made her job of keeping them apart easier.

“I don’t believe you,” Willow said to Noah. “You actually followed me up here to continue a conversation that I told you was over. O-V-E-R.”

“I came to check on Cami. You just happened to be here,” Noah said, crossing his arms. He had that broody look on his face that she knew Willow loved, but she didn’t look as if she loved it at the moment.

“What are you guys fighting about?” Cami asked.

“We’re not fighting,” Noah said. “We have a difference of opinion, that’s all.”

“We’re fighting,” Willow told Cami. “He ordered me not to go out for a drink with Megan.”

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