Woven Wishes (Whispered Wishes Book 4) Read Online Free

once again without an actress … with only a few months to go and no real budget to hire anyone. What am I going to do, Nicholas?”
    Taking his wife’s hands, he gazed into her eyes. “You’re going to let me help you, that’s what.”
    “I already told you. I don’t want your money.”
    “And I’m not giving it to you.”
    “Then … what are you talking about?”
    “As I see it, you need money, and I’m looking for a new business venture, so I’d like to invest in the theater.” He held up his hand to stop her as she started to speak. “Don’t think I’ll just be handing over money. In exchange, you will make me your business manager and partner. You handle the creative side, and I handle the financial side. What do you say, Mrs. Schilling? Do we have a deal?”
    Tessa studied her husband’s face. He seemed sincere. Could this actually work? She didn’t really have any other options at this point. She smiled reluctantly and accepted his hand for a shake.
    “Deal,” she responded.
     

Chapter 5 - Holly
     
     
    By the time the pizza arrived, Ryan was fast asleep, curled against Holly on Ava’s couch. She sat with her nephew for a while, enjoying the serene sounds of his soft and rhythmic breathing, before sliding her arm out carefully from behind his head so as not to wake him. He looked too peaceful to disturb. He could always eat later.
    Holly, on the other hand, didn’t realize just how hungry she actually was until she’d had some time to relax. As crazy as Ava’s house was, it always seemed to calm Holly down. She loved the chaos—there were always kids running, laughing, and even arguing. She loved it all, even the mess; it felt lived in, comfortable. To her there was nothing better than a house full of children. Her own house was so quiet ... too quiet.
    She carefully got up and walked over to the table to grab a slice of the almost gone pizza. Ava’s two older children had already devoured it and retreated to fight over whose turn it was to watch television, while Sophie remained at the table, picking at her piece.
    “Not hungry, hun?” Ava asked.
    “No,” Sophie replied, hanging her head down.
    Holly sat down next to her niece and rubbed her back. “What’s the matter, sweetie? Do you want to talk about it?”
    The tears began before she could get the words out. “We were working on a family tree in art class and some kids were teasing me because I don’t have a dad.”
    “What are you talking about? Of course you have a dad. You have Nicholas.”
    “No, I mean a real dad. Mommy said that Scott guy loves me and stuff, but she won’t tell me why he’s not here.”
    Holly looked to Ava for help. This was not a discussion they should be having with Sophie, and it wasn’t the first time it had come up either. Tessa really needed to be the one talking to her about this; she was old enough to know.
    “Oh, honey,” Ava said, joining them at the table. “Nobody really knows why your dad isn’t here with you, but your mom is right. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you or think about you. It’s just … your dad was so young when you were born.”
    Holly shut her eyes, willing her thoughts to go away. They weren’t even trying. Sophie was a mistake. She needed to stop!The circumstances surrounding Sophie’s birth were irrelevant. Tessa loved her daughter. They all did. She was just feeling bitter about her own situation.
    “You know, in my opinion,” Ava continued, “Nicholas is a thousand times more your real father than Scott. He loves you so much, Sophie. You’re a very lucky girl.”
    “I know, Aunt Ava. I love Nicholas. He’s the one who takes care of me most of the time anyway. Mom’s always at the theater, and some days she gets home so late, I don’t even see her.” She reached for her pizza and took a bite, smiling at her aunts.
    Holly gave her niece a kiss on the cheek and walked out into the living room, toward the front door as an overwhelming urge to