Meghan's Wish (Love and Danger)

by Gamet, Amy

  “I already have, Meghan O’Connor. You came back to me. That’s all that matters now.”

  She bowed her head in gratitude for this love. She had her husband, she had her family, she had her home. Now she just needed her daughter to be well again.

  ~~~

  It was after two in the morning when Meghan got back to Becky’s house and let herself in the side door, walking up several steps to the kitchen. She’d come home from Liam’s so Fiona wouldn’t realize where she’d been.

  She needn’t have bothered.

  Fiona sat at the kitchen table in Becky’s zebra stripe bathrobe. “Where were you?” she asked.

  Meghan felt her cheeks heat, moving to the counter to put down her purse. “I was with your father,” she said, as if they’d been shopping for groceries. “What are you doing up?”

  “I don’t feel good.”

  Meghan flipped on the overhead light and knelt before Fiona, her anxiety slipping into overdrive. Fiona’s skin was waxy and pale, her eyes glassy and unfocused. Meghan held her hand to Fiona’s forehead and felt the fever inside.

  “How’s your belly?” she asked, lightly prodding the girl’s abdomen.

  Fiona flinched. “Full and yucky.”

  “You should have woken Aunt Becky.”

  “I was going to, if you weren’t home by two thirty.”

  “How long have you been sitting here?”

  “Since midnight.”

  Guilt sucked at Meghan. “Come on. Get dressed. We’re going to the hospital.”

  “Mom?”

  “What?”

  “Can we call Dad, too?”

  She nodded, reaching for the phone. “I’ll call and have him meet us there.”

  ~~~

  They’d been at the hospital for five hours.

  Patty O’Connor sat with her back to window, morning sunlight streaming in around her. The waiting room was painted an unfortunate yellow, with rust-colored furniture and black plastic tables.

  At least we had some privacy here, compared to the downstairs waiting room, with its huddled masses of humanity.

  Liam paced the length of the space in front of her, periodically stopping to talk with Meghan or refill his coffee. Patty bristled at his presence, though the reason for her discomfort no longer had anything to do with class or status, and everything to do with regret.

  For every kindness he displayed toward her daughter, and every soft word he spoke to Fiona, Patty O’Connor knew she had made a terrible mistake.

  Not with trying to keep Meghan and Liam apart. They truly were too young for that type of relationship. But in the years since then, when she could have stepped forward to make Liam’s life better, she had not.

  She’d been too bitter, too angry, too sad. Her daughter was gone, had up and walked away without a word fifteen years earlier, and all because of him. Liam’s arrival back in Largo infuriated Patty, because he hadn’t brought her beloved girl back home with him.

  She uncrossed her legs and crossed them again, watching her ankle bob up and down with the swing of her hip. Perhaps it was a kindness that Liam hadn’t told her she was a grandmother. Certainly, it would seem that way now.

  A nurse walked into the waiting room, catching Meghan’s eye. “She’s asking for you.”

  Becky and Tom had gone to the cafeteria, which left Liam and Patty alone. Liam sat at the opposite end of the room, leaning forward over his knees, his hands covering his face.

  God, I will tell Liam the truth if you help Fiona get better.

  Her foot stopped its bouncing, and her eyes began to burn. Her own selfish prayer was her undoing.

  He was a good man, after all, a husband to her daughter, a father to her granddaughter. With every ounce of courage she possessed, Patty crossed to the coffee maker and took a Styrofoam cup, her hand shaking as she poured the hot liquid.

  “Liam, I have something I need to tell you.”

  ~~~

  “What are you doing here?” Meghan asked. She was standing in the hospital corridor outside Fiona’s room.

  Ricky held his sheriff’s hat in his hand, and he fingered the brim. “I was looking for you. I stopped by Becky’s twice today, and no one was there. I called her cell, and she said you were here.”

  “Fiona wasn’t feeling well.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “She has leukemia. We’re not sure yet what’s making her feel so bad today.”

  Ricky’s face fell. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry.”

  “Thank you.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why were you looking for me?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “I had a nice time with you last night. I just wanted to say hello, see if maybe we can do it again sometime.”

  Meghan stepped back. “Listen, Ricky, I think you should know that Liam and I are back together.”

  “Oh.” He shrugged. “Just like that?”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry.”

  “So, you leave dinner with me at, what…” he looked at the ceiling, “…like eight o’clock, and you end up in bed with your ex-husband on the same night?”

  She jerked her head back. “That’s none of your business.”

  “Sure it is, Meghan. I’m the sheriff in this town. I’m the good guy. But for some unknown reason, you just keep going back to that loser, ever since we were kids. Why? Answer me that. Do you get turned on by scum bags with rap sheets or something?”

  “Stop it.”

  “Or maybe you just like a guy who destroys the things you care about.” He stepped closer to her, into her personal space. “Because I can do that too, Meghan.”

  She saw Liam a second before Ricky did, his hands already yanking Ricky backward and away from her, spinning him around to connect his fist with Ricky’s face. It was his cheekbone that made the sickening crack, though two of his teeth were also knocked loose by the blow.

  “Don’t you touch my wife, asshole.”

  Ricky staggered to his feet, his cap on the floor, his hand on his bleeding mouth. “You just assaulted an officer, and you’re still on parole. You’re going back in, Wheaton.”

  “The only person who’s going to jail is you, Ricky,” said Liam.

  A uniformed state police officer approached from the end of the hall. “Ricky Powell, you have the right to remain silent.”

  Patty followed behind the officer, her eyes weary as she approached a confused Meghan. “The night of the fire at the old mill, your father and I were coming home from a concert. I saw Ricky riding his bike a block from the river, with a gas can tied to the book rack. Then we saw the flames shooting up from the old mill.”

  Meghan’s jaw dropped. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  She watched as her mother worked to get the words out. “I thought it was odd. But the Powells were friends of ours. I thought there must be an explanation.”

  “What kind of explanation, Mom? Boys will be boys, burning down buildings and such?”

  Patty hugged herself tightly, her eyes glassy and red. “I thought it was just some kids playing around. I knew Ricky might have been involved, but…”

  “But he was one of us,” said Meghan. She stepped closer to her mother, baring her teeth. “And when Liam took the blame, you figured that was okay, too.”

  Patty held up her hands. “Loraine Spaulding said she saw him with that pocketknife earlier in the day. So he must have been at the old mill that day.”

  “He was there, mom.” She walked over to Liam and held his hand in her own. “He was there with me.”

  Tears fell down Patty’s cheeks as she nodded. “When you two ran away, you took my whole world with you. I could barely be a mother to Becky, barely function. Then Liam came back alone. He wouldn’t tell me anything. I hated him. I had so much anger. He wouldn’t help me find my baby girl.” She was openly sobbing now.

  Liam stepped forward, placing his hand on Patty’s shoulder. “I didn’t know where she was, Patty.”

  Patty cried harder. “I k
now, I know. Can you ever forgive me?”

  “That depends.” He looked at her with kindness in his eyes. “Will you be a good grandma to Fiona?”

  “I will.”

  “Let her date whoever she wants.”

  “I will.”

  To Meghan’s astonishment, he nodded.

  “You did what you thought was right at the time,” said Liam. “That’s not so hard to forgive.”

  The doctor appeared in the hallway. “Mr. and Mrs. Wheaton, can I have a word with you, please?”

  Meghan tensed at his serious tone.

  “It’s okay,” he said, smiling widely. “I have good news.”

  ~~~

  2013

  The Christmas tree glowed with tiny colored lights, enchanting the living room with its fresh pine scent. The family was gathered in the large formal dining room, every leaf in the table to accommodate the crowd.

  “Hush up now, and let the old Jewish woman say grace,” yelled Rhea, chuckled erupting around the table. She held out her hands, Fiona on one side of her, Chip Wheaton on the other.

  “I love it when you say grace,” murmured Fiona with a smile, nudging Rhea with her shoulder.

  Rhea cleared her throat and closed her eyes. “Dear Lord, thank you for the food that we are about to eat, for the turkey and the stuffing, the cranberry sauce and the sweet potato casserole with the mini rainbow marshmallows. Thank you for the glorious wine, and for the blanket of fluffy white snow outside our window. Thank you for my family, for this new home we share, for your good grace that brought us together and filled my heart with love. Thank you for Fiona’s good health, for baby Oscar’s blue eyes, for his mama’s sweet smile and the love that she shares with her generous husband. A year ago, Lord, you sent us a storm.” She shimmied her shoulders. “But you gave us your guidance to get through it, pulling together with those we love, who we had somehow managed to lose along the way. We thank you for your blessings, Lord. Amen.”

  “Merry Christmas, Rhea,” said Meghan, who was holding baby Oscar in one arm at the table. He’d been born just a week earlier. “Everyone, Liam and I have some news we’d like to share.”

  “Already? Oscar’s not even a month old.” said Chip, earning him another round of laughter.

  “No, no.” Meghan smiled, meeting Liam’s eyes over the table. “Oscar had a doctor’s appointment today, and they gave us the result of his HLA typing.”

  Everyone froze. Fiona had been doing exceptionally well on the new medication, which had succeeded in putting her back into remission. But there was still a chance she would need a bone marrow transplant one day.

  Tears began to fall down Meghan’s face, and reached for Liam’s hand. “He’s a perfect match to you, sweetie. Six out of six alleles.” A cheer went up around the table, and Fiona’s eyes glowed with joy.

  “It’s a Christmas miracle,” said Patty.

  “Just another reason to love my baby brother,” said Fiona. “That has got to be the greatest gift I could ever receive.”

  Meghan felt tears slip down her cheeks.

  The greatest gift of all is love, and each of us is blessed with it in abundance.

  She turned to her husband, his knowing eyes glistening with tears. “I love you, Liam.”

  “And I you, Meghan O’Connor.”

  ~~~

  Thank you for reading Meghan’s Wish.

  ~~~

  Also by Amy Gamet

  Meant for Her

  4.2 stars/53+ reviews on Amazon

  A code only she can break. A man only she was made for.

  Julie Trueblood's name is found alongside an encrypted message in the safe deposit box of a dead man, bringing Navy investigator Hank Jared to her door, looking for answers. The daughter of the most infamous spy of the twenty-first century, Julie denies any knowledge of the man or the cipher and sends Hank away.

  Hank is supposed to be in the Adirondacks walking his sister down the aisle, not chasing leads on a John Doe murder investigation that doesn't even appear to be Navy-related. He's a military man through and through, and while an order is an order, he hasn't given up hope of finding a way to make the ceremony. When Julie's life is in danger, Hank finds the perfect place to hide her, right by his side, pretending to be his girlfriend at his sister's wedding. Now he just needs to remember their relationship is all an act.

  Sparks fly between Hank and Julie as they defend against a hidden enemy and seek out the truth in this deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The coded message brought them together, but its secrets hold the power to tear them apart. Guided by her generous and quirky Aunt Gwen, Julie will gather the courage to unravel the cipher that was meant for her to decode, as she learns to trust the man she was meant to love.

  ~~~

  The following is an excerpt from

  Meant for Her, Love & Danger Book One

  ~~~

  Chapter 1

  Hank Jared was running.

  Four miles in, he hit his stride. Heavy metal music poured from his headphones, drowning out all but the rhythmic beating of his shoes on the pavement. The neighborhood around him was upscale and well-manicured, with stately rolling lawns and automatic sprinkler systems that wet his dark hair and tan, bronzed skin.

  His physical conditioning was evident in the controlled swish of air in and out of his lungs, the defined muscles of his calves and thighs flexing in synch with the pumping of his arms. He checked his watch. Plenty of time to get back and pack before his flight.

  Five days before Christmas, and it feels like the middle of May.

  He had been in Florida nearly a month, working on a case for Admiral Barstow. While Hank enjoyed the sunshine and novelty of swimming in December, his amusement turned to irritation when he saw his first palm tree covered in Christmas lights.

  He needed a blue spruce, and he needed it quickly.

  By nightfall he’d be in the Adirondacks. His mouth formed an unconscious smile at the thought of his destination. His little sister was getting married on Christmas Eve, and the whole family was gathering at his mother’s house for the event.

  I’ll be walking her down the aisle.

  The thought brought with it the faintest grief, a wave by now so familiar Hank simply accepted its crest. It had been more than five years since their father passed away.

  Ray Jared had been a strong, kind man with a boisterous sense of humor, a love of the outdoors and a deep dedication to family. Kelly’s wedding made their father’s absence as tangible as a shadow where sunlight once shined, and Hank was both honored and saddened to stand in the spot his father should have occupied.

  The residential neighborhood ended in a cul-de-sac, lined on one side with evergreens. The hedges obscured a ten-foot high chain link fence, a small opening in the foliage marking an entrance to another space beyond.

  Hank slowed to a walk, retrieving a plastic card from his running pack. He slid it through a small card reader on a steel post, the gate unlocking with a metallic click.

  Acres of turf surrounded what looked like a business complex. The newest field office of the U.S. Navy was nothing if not discreet. Hank enrolled right after college, having always dreamed of a career in the armed forces.

  The military was his life.

  His breathing slowly returning to normal, he dug in his pack for his cell phone and dialed the familiar numbers.

  “Don’t be mad, mom,” he said when she answered. “But I’m not going to be able to make it.” He sounded devastated to his own ears.

  “Hank William Jared, that wasn’t funny when you were ten, and it sure as hell isn’t funny now.”

  He chuckled. “It’s a little funny.”

  “It might be a little funny if the caterer hadn’t double booked.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope. And it would have been downright hilarious if the wedding bands had arrived at the jewelers.”

  Maybe he picked the wrong day to joke with his mother.

  “I can fix this,
Mom.”

  “How are you going to fix it?”

  “I’ll treat for pizza.”

  “That’s very helpful, dear.”

  “I am a helper, you know.”

  “Yes, you are. What time does your flight get in? I have a to-do list here with your name on it.”

  Hank was sure she had an actual piece of paper that said HANK across the top. With three children and a family business to run, his mother had a great deal of experience delegating responsibility. “Three-thirty. Who’s picking me up?”

  “Ron. He and Kelly have been playing chauffer all week.” Kelly’s fiancé had seemed like a nice enough guy the few times Hank had met him, but he was happy to hear that Ron was playing taxi driver so they’d have a chance to talk. Without his father, it seemed like his responsibility to give Ron the third degree.

  Kelly met him on an airplane when she was on her way home from college for Christmas break two years ago. Hank got the feeling there was more to that story, and he intended to get the whole truth from Ron before the wedding.

  “No worries, Mom, I’m on my way…” Hank was interrupted by a call waiting beep. He checked the caller ID and frowned.

  “Mom, I have to take this.”

  “Work?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t answer it, Hank. Bad things come in threes and we only have two.”

  “I have to.”

  “I know you do,” she sighed. “Call me later.”

  Hank clicked over to the incoming call.

  “What can I do for you, Admiral?”

  ~~~

  “I’ve got a nasty virus. Almost a third of the company is infected.” Julie Trueblood rested her forehead on her fingers as she leaned over her desk.

  “Are you going to be able to make it for Christmas?”

  Julie never planned on making it to her aunt’s house, though she had plenty of time to fit it in before her trip with Greg. She spun her chair around and watched fat snow flakes falling at an alarming rate over the city of Boston.