Page 92 of Three Little Wishes

Willow didn’t know why she was surprised. She had the best friends. They’d understand how difficult this must be for Cami, reliving a moment she’d kept secret all this time. In the end, as hard as it was, Willow thought it was time for Cami’s secret to come to light. And it wasn’t as if it would remain a secret for long with the SBPD involved.

“Sit, girls. Have some pizza,” Carmen said. “And tell us your good news.”

Naomi and Veronica each pulled out a chair. “We have guarantees for the full amount of the buyout, and then some,” Naomi said. “According to Don, if the people at the auction who said they wanted to invest come through, we won’t have to take out a loan for the first year’s operating costs.”

“How’s that possible?” Willow asked.

Naomi glanced at Cami, who cleared her throat before addressing Willow. “I wanted to invest in you and your future. I didn’t get to do anything for you growing—”

“Oh, shut up, Cami.” Gia scowled at her sister and then looked at Willow. “She paid for you to go to college. I didn’t ask for it. I found an envelope with my name on it on the bar the morning of your high school graduation.”

Willow had refused Noah’s offer, but she couldn’t bring herself to refuse Cami’s. She didn’t want her to take it as a rejection. She’d been through enough.

“And your uncle and aunt bought shares too. Quite a bit of them. And, uh, so did Carmen, your mom, your sister, your cousin and her husband, Bruno, and…” Naomi looked at Veronica. “Am I missing anyone?”

Veronica nodded. “Probably, but I can’t remember who.”

Naomi grinned. “If you would’ve had time, you could’ve funded the buyout on your own, Will.”

A horrible thought came to Willow, and her gaze shot to Megan. She must’ve had the same thought because she scrolled through her phone.

“No. We’re good,” Megan said. “Noah just canceled his bid on the house. But honestly, no matter how mad he is right now, he wouldn’t do that to you, Willow.”

She nodded at the same time they heard another knock on the door. Willow didn’t want to offend Megan, Naomi, and Veronica or she would’ve told Bruno not to get it. He walked out of the kitchen carrying two platters of calamari and two platters of zucchini sticks and put them on the table. “If this keeps up, we’ll have to pull more tables over, and I’ll need a hand in the kitchen.”

Carmen moved to stand.

“You sit, Ma. I’ll give Bruno a hand,” Cami said.

“I will too. After I eat. I’m starved,” Gia said.

“You always ate like a horse when you were stressed,” Cami said, which set off another round of sisterly bickering, which had her grandmother grinning around a zucchini stick.

Then Willow’s mother glanced toward the front of the restaurant and blinked. “Who is that? He looks exactly like Flynn.”

“He’s Flynn’s son. August,” Willow said.

“Does he know he’s your brother?” her mother whispered.

“He’s your what?” Naomi asked.

“You can explain this one,” Sage said, and popped a calamari ring into her mouth.

Willow didn’t get a chance. August looked around the table and then his gaze settled on her. “Uh, sorry to interrupt, but Riley asked me to join you guys for pizza.”

“When? When did she ask you?”

“It was before, Willow,” Cami said gently.

“Of course it was. I don’t know what I was thinking.” She turned back to August. “I’m sorry. Riley and Noah left Sunshine Bay.”

“Is something wrong? Her dad didn’t make her go back to LA, did he?”

“No. I—”

Sage interrupted her, giving August the Sage Notes version of events, which Willow hadn’t asked or wanted her to do, and she kicked her under the table. “What was that for?” her sister groused.

Before Willow could respond, Cami said, “If you talk to Riley, will you tell her how sorry I am, August? I can’t get her on her phone.”

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