Valentine's Wishes Read Online Free Page B

She crawled and elbowed her way into position to see the girls.
    “I mean, we’re halfway there already,” Lucy continued and raised a graceful finger toward her friend. “Bal has her dentist, who will hopefully worship the ground on which she treads. I’ve got James, who I predict is going to be delighted to learn to eat from my hand, and Keri.” She turned to face the girl with chestnut curls held out of the way tonight by a chunky green clip. “Well, honey, who’ve you got in mind?”
    “Right now, no one, and I’m fine with things that way. If I go for anyone, it will have to be someone I’ve not met yet. So far, I’ve seen no hint of a guy who could be the kind of man I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. I crave something more than muscle and a healthy bank balance,” Keri said. “Though I’m still kind of unsure exactly what it is I want.”
    The girls laughed, and Poppy joined in. While she hid and listened, a plan of sorts formulated. A hazy idea of a way she could help them all and stay within anyone’s notion of fairy rules.
    All three of them are indirectly asking for love. I remember how it felt to want someone special. Okay, they haven’t said the magic, “I wish” words, but they all want someone. She smiled as the sense of impending magic swelled through her. How wonderful I can help them and they’ll never feel the way I did when I left the court.
    Keri picked up the pad and pen from the coffee table. “Let’s get a final headcount for tomorrow night, to make sure we have it all covered. Lucy, who’ve you invited, since we wrote the first list, other than James?”
    “I asked a couple of the new girls from the downstairs office, both of them said yes and are bringing dates. James, of course, and I’ve heard from Nicky Ashcroft. She emailed me this morning, Nial is going to drive her over for the evening, but he can’t come to the party because he’s working on something or other important. And Trish Littleton got back to me as well. She’s in the area for the week visiting her in-laws, so she’ll come too, obviously with Jack.”
    Bal smiled. “Wonderful! I haven’t seen Trish or Nicky since their weddings last spring.”
    Keri pushed the pen behind her ear. “And what fine affairs those were, dancing till dawn. Wonderful. Bal, how many have you invited?”
    “Let’s see, you have the original list and just add the dentist and his friend Jez. I think I’d got everyone covered before the prospective groom bombshell fell.”
    Keri nodded, pulled the pen from between two curls where it had caught and made a note. “Well, between the three of us I have a count of forty-seven definite and about nine who are maybes,” she said. “I’d say we might need to buy a few more soft drinks on the way back here tomorrow. Hopefully, we have educated all our guests well in the past, so most of them will bring something to add to what we already have. We should have more than enough, and we could always bring the three chairs down from upstairs, if we need to. I think most people will sit on the floor in here or on the benches and things out on the deck.”
    Lucy picked up the empty pizza box and carried it into the kitchen. When she reappeared in the doorway she yawned and made her way to the stairs. “Ladies, beauty sleep calls. I am off to dream about my man.”
    Bal followed Lucy up the stairs. Keri sat and stared out of the wide patio windows into the night darkened garden.
    Poppy watched until Keri rose, tossed the note pad onto the table, and switched off the lamp.
    Tomorrow night at the party, I’ll see they all get what they want. James will fall madly in love with Lucy, I’ll see to it. If Bal shows any interest in her dentist male, I’ll work on him too.
    Keri stood in the well of light at the bottom of the stairs. Even dressed in the old sweatshirt and jeans, this mortal still had such a wonderful, toned, hourglass figure.
    Her curls and her skin are lovely enough