Page 76 of Three Little Wishes

She picked up her wallet and made her way to the corner of the bar, four stools away from Megan and Willow. She angled her back to them, keeping an eye on Riley while she waited to be served.

“I’ll need to see ID,” the bearded man behind the bar said.

Cami wanted to cheer. She was being carded! She couldn’t wait to tell Gail. She looked up to smile at the bartender while coming up with an excuse not to show him her ID. And that’s when she realized he was talking to the girl beside her, who looked twelve.

“I’d kiss you if I wasn’t married,” the girl said, pulling out her ID. “I’m thirty-two.”

Bully for you, Cami thought, rolling her eyes. The bearded bartender didn’t ask for Cami’s ID, but he did cock his head when he handed her the soda. “Do I know you?”

“I don’t think so,” she said, changing her voice to low and sexy. “It’s my first time here. Great place.” She should’ve gone with high-pitched and annoying, she thought, when he studied her with interest. She gave a little wave and turned herhead to the right as she slowly walked behind Megan and Willow.

“I knew she looked familiar!” Megan said.

“Keep your voice down,” Willow whisper-shouted. “No one can know Cami’s my mother or that she’s in town.”

“Okay. But Will, one look at you two together, and everyone will know she’s your mother.”

Cami tripped over her feet, reaching for the back of a chair to keep herself from falling on her face. Willow knew she was her mother, and she didn’t hate her. She still talked to her even though she knew the truth. She still smiled and laughed with her. She liked her. She really, really liked her. And the little flicker of hope inside her grew bigger.

“My mother is having a hard enough time dealing with everything,” Willow said. “She doesn’t need it playing out in the tabloids.”

The flicker of hope sputtered and went out, and Cami moved away before Willow or Megan saw her. She hadn’t understood why her relationship with her sister was getting worse, not better. Now she did. Gia didn’t want her around now that Willow knew she was Cami’s biological daughter. She didn’t want Cami to have a relationship with her daughter.

Gia was afraid she’d come between her and Willow, and Cami had backed herself into a corner. Until she told her family she had her memory back, she couldn’t tell her sister that she would never, not in a million years, do anything to come between her and Willow. She just wanted to be a part of her daughter’s life. She didn’t think that was too much to ask, but maybe it was.

Riley frowned when Cami pulled out her chair and sat down. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She smiled, handing Riley her soda. “Megan’s being nice to Willow.” She picked up a beer and took a long swallow.

“That’s good,” Riley said, taking a sip of her soda as she took in the crowded bar. Her eyes got big, and her head whipped around to Cami.

“What is it?”

“I see someone I know,” Riley said, her cheeks flushed.

“Really?” Cami looked around. “I didn’t think you knew anyone in Sunshine Bay.”

“I just met him today. I mean, I met both of them.” She held her finger behind her glass, pointing at the entrance to the bar.

“The two guys with the group of teenagers trying to sneak in?”

Riley nodded. “It’s the guy you thought was Flynn, and the other one is Green Board Shorts Guy from the sandbar.”

Well, that was embarrassing. But she had to act as if it weren’t. “Cool! Should we call them over? They’re super cute. I call dibs on the guy who looks like Flynn.”

“Are you crazy?” Riley cried. “We’re not calling them over!”

Aware of how close they were sitting to Willow, Cami whispered, “Keep your voice down.” And she slowly turned her head to catch a glimpse of her daughter at the same time that Willow and Megan glanced their way. Cami whipped her head around. “They’re looking at us. Stare straight ahead.”

Beside her, Riley froze.

Cami let out the breath she’d been holding when Willow didn’t march over or call out their names. “That was close. We have to be careful.”

“Maybe we should go.”

“You’re probably right. Megan seems to be trying to make amends, and Willow—”

“Will, Megs!” a group of women shrieked, arms in the air as they ran to their friends at the bar. “Time to par-tay, Beaches!”

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