When Wishes Collide Read Online Free Page B
Author: Barbara Freethy
Margaret's. It was a popular spot for tossing coins and making wishes, but it wasn't crowded today. Only one other person stood on the far side of the fountain, a pretty brunette dressed in skinny white jeans, and a bright blue top under a darker blue sweater. Her long, curly, dark brown hair, drifted halfway down her back, and her gaze was intensely focused on the coin in her hand. She was putting some pretty serious thought into whatever wish she was about to make.
He didn't believe there was any magic in the fountain, or in the world for that matter. He'd once been a man of faith, but that faith had been tested to the limit, and he wasn't sure he would ever get it back.
He moved closer, staring down at the rippling water, at the sparkling coins on the bottom. So many wishes begging for answers. What if he added one more?
A wind whipped the cool spray of the fountain into his face. He blinked the water out of his eyes and reached into his pocket for a coin. What the hell? He had nothing to lose.
Before he could act, his phone rang. Pulling it out, he saw his mother's name flash across the screen. He was tempted to let the call go to voice mail, but not answering his mother's calls usually only made her more determined to get a hold of him.
"Mom," he said shortly. "What's up?"
"Your sister's engagement party, as if you didn't know. I've been calling you for two days, Wyatt. I want to make sure you're coming. I know that these family events are difficult for you, but Summer really wants you to be there. You're her big brother."
"It's just an engagement party. There's still the wedding."
"Yes, but this is the only time we'll have both families present. Ron's brother is being deployed next week. That's why we're doing a party now and the wedding next month. But you know that. I've been telling you for weeks."
"Yeah, I got it," he said with a sigh. "I'll try to come, but I have a new lead on Stephanie."
"You do?" she asked in surprise. "What is it?"
"A little girl was caught on tape by a security camera in the North Beach area. I'm checking it out right now."
"In North Beach? So close to where you work? That would be amazing."
The disbelief in his mother's tone echoed the cynical voice inside his head, but he couldn't let doubt stop him from following any possible clue. "It's a neighborhood Jennifer knows well," he said. "She could have come back. She might still have a friend in the city willing to help her out. There's no way she could have stayed gone for this long without help."
"That's true. I was actually thinking about that the other day when I got the RVSP's for the engagement party. Mandy Meyers is coming to the party," his mother added, referring to one of Jennifer's high school friends. "She's dating Ron's best man, and we can't hold her responsible for what Jennifer did. Just because they went to school together doesn't mean that Mandy had anything to do with Jennifer's disappearance."
"She was quick to take Jennifer's side," he reminded his mother.
"Well, she didn't have all the facts at the time. She's apologized since then. But you do have the perfect opportunity to talk to her again if you come tomorrow night."
"You're very shrewd and persuasive," he said.
His mother laughed. "Well, I really want you to come. We love you, Wyatt. And we may not always say the right thing or know what to do, but we're always here for you."
"I know that, and I appreciate your support. I have to go now, but I'll try to come by the party."
"Do better than try."
"Good-bye, Mom."
He slipped his phone back in his pocket. As he did so, his fingers slid over the smooth surface of a coin, reminding him that he hadn't yet made a wish. He pulled out a dime, not much of an offering. He dug around for a quarter but he had nothing else. Well, a dime would have to work.
He noticed that the woman on the other side of the fountain was still rolling a coin between two fingers as she stared into the spray. Maybe she was
He didn't believe there was any magic in the fountain, or in the world for that matter. He'd once been a man of faith, but that faith had been tested to the limit, and he wasn't sure he would ever get it back.
He moved closer, staring down at the rippling water, at the sparkling coins on the bottom. So many wishes begging for answers. What if he added one more?
A wind whipped the cool spray of the fountain into his face. He blinked the water out of his eyes and reached into his pocket for a coin. What the hell? He had nothing to lose.
Before he could act, his phone rang. Pulling it out, he saw his mother's name flash across the screen. He was tempted to let the call go to voice mail, but not answering his mother's calls usually only made her more determined to get a hold of him.
"Mom," he said shortly. "What's up?"
"Your sister's engagement party, as if you didn't know. I've been calling you for two days, Wyatt. I want to make sure you're coming. I know that these family events are difficult for you, but Summer really wants you to be there. You're her big brother."
"It's just an engagement party. There's still the wedding."
"Yes, but this is the only time we'll have both families present. Ron's brother is being deployed next week. That's why we're doing a party now and the wedding next month. But you know that. I've been telling you for weeks."
"Yeah, I got it," he said with a sigh. "I'll try to come, but I have a new lead on Stephanie."
"You do?" she asked in surprise. "What is it?"
"A little girl was caught on tape by a security camera in the North Beach area. I'm checking it out right now."
"In North Beach? So close to where you work? That would be amazing."
The disbelief in his mother's tone echoed the cynical voice inside his head, but he couldn't let doubt stop him from following any possible clue. "It's a neighborhood Jennifer knows well," he said. "She could have come back. She might still have a friend in the city willing to help her out. There's no way she could have stayed gone for this long without help."
"That's true. I was actually thinking about that the other day when I got the RVSP's for the engagement party. Mandy Meyers is coming to the party," his mother added, referring to one of Jennifer's high school friends. "She's dating Ron's best man, and we can't hold her responsible for what Jennifer did. Just because they went to school together doesn't mean that Mandy had anything to do with Jennifer's disappearance."
"She was quick to take Jennifer's side," he reminded his mother.
"Well, she didn't have all the facts at the time. She's apologized since then. But you do have the perfect opportunity to talk to her again if you come tomorrow night."
"You're very shrewd and persuasive," he said.
His mother laughed. "Well, I really want you to come. We love you, Wyatt. And we may not always say the right thing or know what to do, but we're always here for you."
"I know that, and I appreciate your support. I have to go now, but I'll try to come by the party."
"Do better than try."
"Good-bye, Mom."
He slipped his phone back in his pocket. As he did so, his fingers slid over the smooth surface of a coin, reminding him that he hadn't yet made a wish. He pulled out a dime, not much of an offering. He dug around for a quarter but he had nothing else. Well, a dime would have to work.
He noticed that the woman on the other side of the fountain was still rolling a coin between two fingers as she stared into the spray. Maybe she was
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