Wish I Might

by Kait Nolan

  Contents

  If I Didn't Care

  Copyright

  A Note To Readers

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  What's Next In Wishful

  Other Books By Kait Nolan

  Wish I Might

  A Wishful Novel

  By Kait Nolan

  Wish I Might

  Written and published by Kait Nolan

  Copyright 2016 Kait Nolan

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

  AUTHOR’S NOTE: The following is a work of fiction. All people, places, and events are purely products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is entirely coincidental.

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. The ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Cover design by Kait Nolan

  A Note To Readers

  Dear Reader,

  A shorter version of Wish I Might originally appeared in the now out-of-print anthology Virtually Yours. The focus of that anthology was a service called Virtual Match, which was our fictional version of the actual service Invisible Boyfriend. As such, that ended up being the primary original conflict of the story. But I was never happy with that because there was so much more to Reed and Cecily’s relationship. So when I got the novella back, I made a significant expansion, stretching it from a novella to a short novel and revising the story so that Virtual Match is now the subplot it was really intended to be and the focus is much more on the true conflict in Reed and Cecily’s relationship. I’m much happier. If you happened to read the original version, I hope you’ll give this second one a try. And if you’re new to this story entirely, I hope you enjoy it!

  Kait

  To everyone who’s ever screwed up in love, have hope it can be fixed.

  Acknowledgments

  As always, my eternal devotion to my awesome editor, Susan Bischoff of The Forge Book Finishers, who helped me to take what was originally an anthology project and turn it into my real vision.

  And to the members of the Squee Squad, who are the great champions of my work. I couldn’t do this without you!

  Deniz Bevan, Gabryyl Pierce, Erica Turnipseed, Maria McConnaughy, Rose Kelley, Nancy Nicholson, Angela Zommers, Dawn Foss, Evelyn Nathalia, Naomi Nelson, Susan Bischoff, Barb Redner, Elizabeth Laurie, Cindy Thoennes, Caitlin Mannarino, Faith Wanjala, Annie Allen, Jay Perantoni, Barbara OBrien, Shelby Forbes, Karen Demeyere, Yasmeen Elfar, Alexis Roark, Lisa Orthmann, Vera B. Bolcevic, Carol McCarthy, Jacki N, Janice Richard, Vera Mallard, Leah Hughes, Sandra Mason, Margarita Gayle, Sheryl McNaught, Michael Lang, Irene Shea, Marjorie Mindel, Beth Colon, Pearl Moreno, Michelle Myre, Deborah Hawley, Melissa Riddle, Eunice Aleon, Mark Kyhl, Cathy Glenn, Christine Jordan, Lisa Benison, Connie Nowakowski, Andy Smith, Nicki Conroy, Mignone Chaves, Jessye Chevere, Beverly Pugh, Rebecca Donkin, Paige Ng, Deborah Bennett, Debra Punjabi, Kay Sterling, Theresa Morris, Amara Marcoccia, Elaine Boone, Suzy Perez, Lauren Dabney, Wendy Wright, Bernice Vigne, Meeta Mohabeer, Bert Blume, Andrea Partee, Tracey Landa, Trish C., Lesa Green, Ashley Nunn, Sharon Hughson, Angie McCaslan, Jackie Camire, Lorie Davis, Jo-ann Stenton, Heather Deal, Lynne DiTizio, Kathleen Kirkwood, Corlia Boshoff, Priya Prithviraj, Jami Plambeck, Bonnie Laurenzi, Wendy Jermier, Linda Dillbeck, Jennifer McMaster, Amy Drummond, Amanda Proch, Sinthia Hernandez, Heather Bahm, Fi Axford, Brandy Caywood, Carla Ellison, Reita Frazier, Sanet Steenkamp, Amy Webb, Alisa Price, Carey Colton, Carol Fraley, Cori Plastina, Tammy Jordan, Jen Apfel, Annett Krumske, Shayna Tyann, Carol Downer, Donna Rumfelt, Timothy Hendricks, Jessica Ramsay-Taylor, Susan Reis, Marietjie De Waal, Michele Perry, Pamela Mingus, Preot Oaks, Grace Adeleke, Josey Wales, Lacey Frink, Diane Klingman, T Clark, Jeri Denniston, Claire Spencer, Shayna Tyann, Susan Clement, FD Noz, Marci Higgins, Liz Smith, Wendy Edwards, Lisa Roth, Andrea Romero, Courtney Ludwig, Melissa Feriancek, Yolandi Henry, Georgina Akins, Mary Sundra, Myla Fujimoto, Lola Gillies, Loes Lotze, Brandy Nelson, Chelsea McNeil, Ava Grant, Patricia Parker, Jo Ladkin, Debbie Knieper, Wunmi Ayodele, Kady Weatherford, Melody Metz, Brianna Harvey-Khowley, Louisa Stewart, Lynn Henning, Georgine Kasprazak, Kathy Broggy, Roger Gisseman, Mary Miltier, Deena Knight, Nancy Kenney, Cynthia Duffee, Patricia Merritt, April Johnson, Gail Frankowiak, Sheila Waldner, Tammy Turnbow, Jean Pierson, Phyllis Souder, Paula Hurdle, Jen Roemershauser, Dawn Sablan, Carol Dominick, Becky Weldon, Theresa Denton, Holly Geer, Cindy Snider, Karissa C, Beth Blackmore, Sharon Shakinovsky, Deb Wagner, Tammie Neuenfeldt, Karen Beliveau, Jodi Lattanzio, Doris Chase, D C, Karan Jordan, Melanie Groff, Lynn Welborn, Eunice Elkins, Michelle Davyduke, Bev Harcourt, Sue Schultz, Loretta Cergol, Karen Call, John Alliapoulos, Lynn Cooke, Beverley Ettinger, Ronalee Coppock, Dawn Kuhn, Diane Harness, Glynneth Mathis, Priscilla Smith, Tracy Welsh, Ann Richardson, Judy Chamberlin, Karen Thompson, Ellen Ondo, Grace Ryan, Jodi Dawson, Dana Mullican, Susy Wolf, Shirley Pea, Joy Hack, Colleen Taylor, Margaret Ball, Yvonne Holste, Theresa Grant, Karen Nelson, Trudie Denton, Barbara Dombrowski, Cheryl Meyer, Charmaine Franklyn, Sharen Sherman, Kathryn Greiner, Rebecca Remley, Beverley MacMillan, Marilyn Burrows, Sue Everhart, Betty Caruthurs, Diane Gacki, Heiddi Zalamar, Richard Fetrow, Charlotte Holt, Kjristi Burningham, Noreen Chase, Karen Wilson, Deb Hazelton, Joyce Beard, Karen Baxter, Karen Cherry, Debra Turcotte, Alicia Muller, Barbara Rincon, Brbara Ultan, Alana Erstad, Jan Kingery, Janet Grindon, C Fannin, Larry Barlow, Rachel Burke, Marj Hodgins, Susan Byrd, Lori Tillman, Kim Bauer, Shaleen Varner, Beth Zone, Tondi Sorenson, Karen Kelder, Arielle Wood, Carol Sobeski, Kirstie Ibrahim, Joyce Insley, Michele Brooks, Jack Brumbarger, Martha Tippett, Kim Garman, Patty Garrett, Carol Kaczmarek, Anna P, Priscilla Patel, Betty Hopkins, Irene Griffin, Aimee Vanduyne, Gail Bell, April Angle, Annette Papageorgiou, Jeannine Muhn, Sue Mehr, Kristine Hoover, Debby Ong, Aren Ar, Anne Dallara, Lynette Elson, Katy Staley, Pam Walker, Sara Zuckerman, Cathy Wittie, Kim Jennings, Paula Pardue, Marian Andersen, Renae Bohnet, Kat Murray, Anne O’Brien, Suan Felts, Rita Aquino, Glenna Durst, Dorinda Perez, Sylvia Cole, Cathy Percae, Jackie Peters, Gisele Nicholas, RoxAnne Simon, Pam Skaggs, Joniara Orr, Martha Vega, Kimberley Goetz, Wenonah Schwedler, Samantha Roseberry, Karen Scheffler, Linda Trappe, Susan Gannon, Marlene Weber, Roberta Webb, Bernice Tresemer, Betty Martin, Narda Snell, Marilyn Ruediseuli, Elsie Thompson, Prathima Shetty, Penny Berry, Taylor Holden, Debbie Tolbert, Dorothy Scorr, Amanda Humphrey, Kimberley Capel, Kelli Prue, Kelly Jesso, Desiree Boettcher, Samie Hill, Dana Redding, Stephanie Smith, Eva Petelin, Jeslie John, Kerry Hackenberg, Cathy Long, Susan Kluchin, Susan Shrode, Cheryl Underwood-Eginton, Debbie Shepler, Marie Rogers, Jeannette Bruun, Anita James, Vicki Hammond, Marie Dehaas, Maria Drakopoulos, Stephanie Alexander, Debbie Keith, Donna Russell, Marilyn Hartz, Carol Pearson, Linda Denouden, Irene Heijser, Mabelisse Gonzalez, Alison Ritchhart, Gloria Kietzke, Anita van Vuuren, Cheryl Kendall, Edith Abraham, Kristen Lewendon, Pauline Garrity, Regina Cooley, Gwen Grant, Richard Smith, Deborah Poe, Lynn Palin, Karen Uhlik, Dawn Lowe, Katie Simmons, Nancy Miller, Shani Watkins, Marna Beineke, Deborah Renner, Natalie Cooper-Berthe, Whitney Hester, Misty Lewis, A Pastenes, Sue Greene,
Selene Martinez, Carol Shreve, Leona Piane, Kristina Jalensky, Ann Levin, Elizabeth Weingart, Suzanne Zeller, Evonne Hutton, Caitlin Lijoi, Irene Bernstein, Cherie Dicken, John Rathborne, Patricia Ulam, Vera Norman, Gail Blau-Kalman, Alice McClellan, Rachelle Robbins, Lynn McWhirter, Andrea Paravano, Angie Rangel, Jessia Lyons, Randy Wilson, Ben Laurin, Jen Jorgensen, Olivia Davis, Ruby Watford, Betty Harrison, Angie Anderson, DeAnna Moore, Trudy Guiseppe, Julz Gudbrandsen, Kimberly Sjoberg, Debra Floyd, Judi Creedon, L Joner, Brenda Madsen, Laurie Anderson, Sharon Brown, Mary Lou Bachike, Tracy Carmody, Kathy Graf, Autumn Mills, Merridy Buttice, Shawn MacKinnon, Nickole Wlasichuk, Renee Shirley, Anna Elsaesser, Carolyn Fitzgerald, Carole Snodgrass

  Chapter 1

  “You know he up and left Tyler high and dry all those years ago. Broke her heart all to pieces.”

  “And now he’s back?”

  “Not only back but playing leading man to her leading lady in the musical.”

  “No!”

  At the tone of utter disbelief from the next booth, Cecily Dixon smiled into her mocha. To her mind, one of the greatest amusements of living in a small town was eavesdropping on the gossip. And boy, were Southerners champions at gossiping.

  “I thought Tucker McGee got that part.”

  “He did, but he broke his leg last week. Brody was the understudy. I heard Tyler nearly left the play over it.”

  “Well, who could blame her?”

  For the price of her favorite coffee at The Daily Grind, Cecily got the pleasure of stepping in and out of a series of little one-act plays. Though she’d only been in Wishful for six months, Cecily found that she often recognized the names of at least some of the players mentioned in each tale. And if she didn’t, well, she had enough imagination and experience on the stage herself to fill in the gaps, even if she hadn’t been in an actual play since college.

  Man, she was really going to miss this place.

  Her boss, Norah Burke, was the most brilliant marketing mind Cecily had ever known. Following her from Chicago had been a no-brainer. The plan had always been to finish her internship and move on to the best position she could find, as far from her well-intentioned family as possible. To make her mark on her terms. Now that the internship was finished, Norah, the new city planner, was being kind enough to keep Cecily on for hourly wages, while she sent out resumes and interviewed for jobs elsewhere, but there was no full-time position here. That disappointed her more than she’d expected. Mississippi was just supposed to be a stopover. She hadn’t expected this tiny, quirky town to get so far under her skin.

  She wondered if she’d still be around to find out the resolution of Tyler and Brody’s soap opera.

  If she didn’t get off her butt and get some more resumes out and applications in, she certainly would be. Her personal savings, plus the hourly wage, was enough to get her through the end of the year, but anything beyond that would force her to dip into funds dedicated to other things. She preferred not to violate that particular personal rule if she could help it.

  Another pair of women reached the top of the stairs, bringing with them a new story.

  “—there’s been some support, but just not enough.” The woman’s not-quite-put-together look of yoga pants and denim jacket, hair bundled into a messy knot with what appeared to be a pair of pencils, was capped off by the extra large coffee clutched in both hands. She and her companion sat at the booth behind Cecily.

  “I thought for sure the idea would take off after you saved the Booster Club pancake breakfast with your biscuits.”

  “That helped. And, in fact, it was Ginger Arnold who suggested I try opening a business. But I don’t think enough people in Wishful even know about the Kickstarter.”

  Cecily’s ears perked. A local Kickstarter? That was right up her alley.

  “There has to be a way to get the word out better.”

  “I don’t know, but I’ve got to figure something out. Rick’s going to be in physical therapy for months, and the doctors have already said he’s not going to be able to go back to work at that job. I’m the one who has to step up and be primary breadwinner now. If the Dixieland Biscuit Company doesn’t get funded, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’m a housewife, Lucy. I’ve got no work experience past the waitressing I did in high school.”

  “There’s still a week left to the Kickstarter. Don’t give up hope yet.”

  Cecily opened a new tab on her laptop and hit up the Kickstarter website, doing a search for Dixieland Biscuit Company.

  Ah, here we go. Dixieland Biscuit Company, proposed by one Beth Carmichael. As starters for a new business went, it was a modest campaign. The goal was only $15,000, going primarily toward commercial ovens, supplies, and necessary conversion of the proposed business space. But with just over a week remaining, she was sitting at $6,350. That would hardly get it done.

  One of Cecily’s tasks working for Norah was managing the city’s social media feeds. They’d built quite the connected network over this past spring, when Norah went head-to-head with GrandGoods, the big warehouse store that had tried to come into Wishful. Cecily couldn’t think of a single reason not to use it to help Beth start her business. Keeping local business local and revitalizing the local economy was what Norah was all about.

  As Lucy and Beth continued to chat behind her, Cecily put together a quick social media blitz, nabbing pictures of the mouthwatering buttermilk biscuits from the Kickstarter page and crafting specialized messages for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. She was just getting things laid in and scheduled as her roommate slid into the booth beside her.

  “And how are you this fine day, my dearest darling?”

  Cecily shot a glance at Christoff, whose usual acerbic wit had sweetened since their arrival in Mississippi back in the spring. She knew the credit for that went to Daniel Palmer, the barista who’d captured his heart.

  “Someone clearly just saw his sweetheart.”

  Christoff grinned, his sharp blue eyes twinkling behind the square-rimmed hipster glasses. “Speaking of, Daniel sent this up for you.” He handed over a cookie the size of a bread plate, studded with chocolate chunks and walnuts.

  Cecily took a nibble and sighed. “He’s adorable, thoughtful, and has amazing abs. Why couldn’t he play for the other team?”

  “Because that’s way too much fabulous to pack into a straight man frame. What are you working on here?”

  “Just a quick little side project.” She finished setting up the multi-point blast for the biscuit shop and clicked back over to the Kickstarter page, logging into her own account. She input her own donation, toggling Anonymous before hitting enter and shutting down.

  Christoff went brows up.

  Cecily just sipped her coffee as a cell phone dinged somewhere behind them.

  A mug clattered against a table. “Oh my God.”

  “What’s wrong?” Lucy asked.

  “This can’t be right,” Beth said.

  “What? What is it?”

  “Someone just donated five thousand dollars to the Kickstarter.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Oh my God! I have to go tell Rick!” Beth scrambled up and bolted for the stairs.

  “Wait for me!”

  Christoff waited until the two women had departed. “You know, I’ve seen you play a lot of roles over the years, but simple intern has to take the cake.”

  “It’s not a role. I am a simple intern. Or I was before I finished the internship.”

  He kept his voice low. “You are the only trust fund baby I know who insists on living off what you can earn yourself and puts all your inheritance to charity.”

  She shot a look around to make sure nobody was listening and dropped her voice even lower. “I’m the only trust fund baby you know, period. And you know you’re supposed to keep that under your hat.”

  “Yeah, about that.”

  Cecily straightened in her seat, grabbing hold of his arm. “Did you tell Daniel?”

  “No. Though even if I had,
he wouldn’t spread your little secret. It’s just that the rest of your family seems less intent on letting you maintain your cover.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Christoff pulled a magazine out of his interior coat pocket and laid it on the table. The latest issue of M & S. With a picture of her grandfather smack dab on the cover.

  “Oh God.” Cecily’s hands fumbled as she flipped through to the article. Ten full, glossy pages, complete with family pictures. Including her. “Oh God.”

  She skimmed the interview. The focus was, as usual, on the family’s diversified empire, with plenty of nods given to their charitable foundations and the fact that the family hallmark was investment in people. The bulk of the article talked about her grandfather, her mother, and uncles, including speculation on whether her Uncle Hugh was going to finally enter the gubernatorial race.

  “‘Intriguingly absent from our interview was the next-generation heir apparent, Genevieve’s daughter, Cecily Dixon, a graduate of Brown University and Northwestern, founder of The Hero’s Help Alliance.’ Oh my God. I am not the heir apparent.”

  “You’re the eldest grandchild. Stands to reason that at some point you are.”

  “No.” Cecily shook her head vehemently. She might have been considered on that track once, but she’d blown it. “No. No. No. No. That’s not who I am. That’s not what I want. You know how hard I’ve worked to keep myself separate from all this. I can’t let this get out. I don’t want people looking at me differently. And the last thing I need is a repeat of Jefferson. Once was enough, thanks very much.”

  “Sweetie, if anybody who even vaguely resembles the likes of Jeff the Jerk comes sniffing around you, you can be sure that I, as your trusty pit bull, will slice his balls off.”