Wishing Lake Read Online Free

to pressure her.
    She glanced again at her watch. It was almost ten-fifteen. Books & Bakery’s Halloween event would start at one this afternoon.
    Peyton rose. “Mom, I need to get going. I’ll call Bruce later to discuss the trip with him.” More lies. How large would her web of deceit become?
    “You do that, darling. You know, you’re lucky to have a man like Bruce. Men like him—wealthy, attractive—can have any woman they want. He chose you.”
    “Yes, Mom.” In fact, Peyton’s parents had chosen Bruce. But what did Bruce really want—Peyton or a partnership in her father’s investment firm? Peyton suspected she knew the answer to that.
    “All right, darling. I hope to hear from you. Soon. I’ll give your father your love.”
    “Thanks, Mom. Good-bye.” Peyton recradled the phone.
    Some of her enthusiasm for her day had waned. Her mother had just moved up her day of reckoning. Would she have enough time to prepare for it?
     
    Darius tracked Megan McCloud’s progress from her office to where he stood with their friends near the front of Books & Bakery. The bookstore owner looked like a very irritated Robin Hood. It was the last Saturday of October, the day Books & Bakery hosted its annual Halloween celebration and children’s story time. For the event, Megan had chosen an archer’s costume. Her tall, slender figure was wrapped in a formfitting, long brown vest; loose white shirt; black tights; and boot tops. The white feather tucked into her black felt hat vibrated with temper as she pushed past him, Ean, and Jackson.
    Megan settled her hands on her slim hips before confronting her cousin and business partner. “Ramona, you hired Stan for our children’s Halloween story time— again ?”
    Ramona looked toward the store’s entrance. “Has he arrived?”
    Not for the first time, Darius wondered whether Ramona had chosen her costume— Star Wars ’ Queen Amidala, complete with white jumpsuit and laser gun—as a tribute to her boyfriend, Quincy. Dr. Quincy Spates, who was now teaching at the University of Pennsylvania, couldn’t make this year’s Books & Bakery Halloween celebration. It was the first one he’d ever missed. But the Star Wars fanatic would have loved his girlfriend’s costume.
    “No, Stan hasn’t arrived yet. Belinda told me you’d hired him.” Megan referred to Belinda Curby, the owner of Skin Deep Beauty Salon. “Ramona, why did you hire the town drunk to read to children again ? Don’t you remember what happened the last time you did this?”
    Ramona waved a dismissive hand. “That was last year. Stan’s a changed man now.”
    “That’s what you said last time.” Megan’s words were almost incoherent behind her clenched teeth.
    Ramona seemed to consider the accusation. “No, I didn’t.”
    Darius judged the risk of entering the fray and decided his odds were good. “Megan, I understand your concern, but maybe this time will be different. Let’s give Stan a chance.”
    If it were possible, smoke would have billowed from Megan’s ears. “Last year, he sang obscene bar songs to my customers—including the children.”
    “And Mom took care of that.” Ean stepped closer to Megan, resting a hand on the small of her back.
    Megan glanced at Ean. Her tense features eased just a bit. “That’s true. Thank goodness for Doreen.”
    “Everyone deserves a second chance, wouldn’t you agree?” Darius appealed to Megan’s well-known sense of fairness.
    “I’d agree.” Ramona nodded.
    Megan spun on her. “Of course you would. You’re the one who hired him— again .”
    “If Stan’s not sober, we’ll take care of it,” Jackson said. “But it’s worth the risk to give Stan another chance.”
    Megan switched her glare from Ramona to Jackson. “How will you take care of it?”
    Jackson shrugged. “I’ll take him home.”
    “And I’ll take his place reading to the kids.” Ramona grinned. “They enjoyed my reading last year.”
    Megan looked from Jackson