A Secret Wish

by Barbara Freethy

"The Wellbournes. They own that big house on the bluff."

  "Oh, sure," she said. That house had served as the foundation for many a daydream, not only because it was enormous, but also because there had always been an air of mystery about it. She and Braden had made up numerous stories about the people who had stayed there.

  "Jack Wellbourne died last week, and left some of his antiques to Aunt Phoebe."

  "That was nice of him."

  "She was very excited to see what he'd left her. Apparently, he was quite a collector." Evie grabbed some keys off the counter and tossed them to her. "Lock up when you leave. In fact, you might want to keep the door locked until we're sure there won't be any more trouble." She paused. "If you'd rather not be here alone, we can leave this for later."

  That was a tempting thought, but Alexa knew that her aunt would want the shop put back in order as soon as possible, and she had nothing else to do. It was broad daylight, and there were a number of people on the street, so she didn't feel in any danger.

  "I don't mind cleaning up and getting some pieces inventoried," she said. "I might as well do something productive."

  "If it makes you feel better, the police said they'd keep an eye on the shop for the next few days."

  "That's good."

  "Where are you staying?"

  "I reserved a room at the Cheshire Inn."

  "You could have stayed with us. Although, twin six-year-olds, two dogs and a cat make life a little hectic."

  "But you're happy," Alexa said, seeing the sparkle of pride and love in Evie's eyes when she talked about her family.

  "I am stressed a lot of the time, but life is still pretty wonderful." Her gaze softened. "It's good to have you here, Alexa. I hate what happened to our family. One minute we were all spending awesome summers and holidays together, and then you and your parents were gone. I missed you."

  "I missed you, too."

  "Did you miss anyone else? Like Braden Elliott?" Evie asked with a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

  "Braden was my friend a long time ago."

  "You two were inseparable that last summer you were here." Evie paused. "He's back, you know."

  Her heart jumped. "Really? I thought he was serving overseas."

  "He was until three months ago. Aunt Phoebe didn't tell you?"

  "No, but I've been busy with tax season. We haven't been emailing lately." She cleared her throat. "Is Braden still in the Army?"

  "I think he's done. He was injured in action several months ago. I don't know the details, but he was in a hospital for about two weeks before he came back here. I've only seen him once from a distance, and at the time he was using a cane. That was awhile ago."

  Her throat tightened at the thought of Braden being hurt. "I'm sorry to hear that, but he has a wife to help him get through it."

  Evie shook her head. "Not anymore. She asked him for a divorce before he was even out of the hospital."

  "Are you serious? How could she do that to her injured husband?"

  "She's a bitch from what I hear. I don't know her. But most people think she's pretty hard-hearted. Anyway, Braden rented an apartment and has been keeping to himself since he got home." She paused. "Maybe you should go by and see him."

  "I don't think so," she said quickly.

  "Why not?"

  It was a good question. And the real answer was because she was scared. But she couldn't begin to explain her muddled thoughts to Evie. So she said, "Because we don't know each other anymore. I'm sure I'm the last person he wants to see right now. Braden is part of my past. He was a childhood crush, that's all. There's nothing between us now."

  Evie shrugged and gave her a small smile. "Not yet anyway."

  * * *

  "You need to work, Braden. And I could use your help."

  Braden rocked the wooden chair in his kitchen back on two legs, folded his arms across his chest, ignored the ache in his healing ribs and stared across the table at his longtime friend, Drew Lassen. Drew had gone from skateboarder to police officer, a path Braden had never foreseen his once wild and rebellious friend taking. But then they'd both changed a lot since their high school days. "I'm not a cop," he said simply. "And I don’t need to work. I'm supposed to be resting."

  "You've been resting, and you can't sit in this apartment all day every day." Drew glanced around the room, a frown spreading across his face as he took in the bare furnishings. "This place sucks."

  "It's fine."

  "It's depressing. You should have gone to your mom's house."

  He shook his head. "The last thing I need is my mother hovering over me."

  "Where's the rest of your stuff?"

  "Kinley has it," he said shortly.

  "You're being generous to a woman who doesn't deserve it."

  "There's nothing she has that I want anymore." As the words left his mouth, he realized just how true they were.

  "Fine, but I've known you a long time, and you're not someone who just sits around."

  "I'm recuperating, didn't you hear?" he asked, a cynical note in his voice as he remembered all the platitudes he'd been offered by the doctors who'd attended to him in recent months, as if time would heal all his wounds. That simply wasn't possible. Most of his wounds weren't physical.

  "You look like you're ready to be back on your feet," Drew said.

  "I'm sure you have enough manpower to keep the citizens of Sand Harbor safe," he said.

  "Ordinarily yes, but two officers are out sick and another is on vacation. Plus, I need to provide extra security for Daniel Stone's fundraiser on Saturday night. He's launching his senate campaign here in Sand Harbor this weekend."

  "Trying to remind the locals he was born here?" Braden asked cynically. Daniel Stone's parents owned a house in Sand Harbor, but the Stones were very wealthy and had homes all over the world.

  "I don't care about his reason, just what it means for me – which is more security."

  "I'm sure he can afford to hire his own security."

  "Well, I don't need your help with Stone." Drew paused. "Did you hear about the break-in at Phoebe Gray's antique shop?"

  "No," he said, his gut tightening at the mention of Alexa's aunt. No matter how many years passed, every time he saw Phoebe or heard something about her, he thought about Alexa.

  "It happened last night," Drew said. "I'm surprised no one told you."

  "I haven't spoken to anyone." Since he'd returned home, his mother and sister had been driving him crazy, asking him every two seconds how he felt, whether he needed anything. He knew they were concerned, but he needed to be on his own for a while so he could sort out his life.

  "Phoebe went down to her store last night and interrupted a robbery. She was knocked out and has a serious concussion."

  He was shocked. "I can't believe it. Do you have any leads?"

  "None. We've had some vandalism around town, but nothing to this extent, and certainly no one was assaulted in the previous incidents. We're hoping when Phoebe wakes up, she'll be able to give us some information, but until then, I'd like to get your help. You can use some of those investigative skills you acquired in Army Intelligence."

  "Did you run this by your boss?" he asked doubtfully.

  "I mentioned it to Chief Hayes. I made it clear that you would just be helping out on a peripheral level, and he was fine with it. He's good friends with Phoebe and he doesn't want to leave any stone unturned. He's also aware that we're shorthanded, and you have an excellent background for this kind of work. Plus, you're a local boy. People will talk to you."

  "I don't know, Drew."

  "Do you have something better to do?" Drew challenged.

  "Obviously I don't," he said. "What exactly do you expect me to do?"

  "Look around the store, see if we missed anything, ask some questions, talk to the other shop owners."

  "I suppose I could do that," he said slowly. He liked Phoebe, and she was Alexa's aunt. He wondered if Alexa had heard about the robbery. He drew in a deep
breath, just the thought of her unsettling him. It had been years since he'd let himself think about her for longer than a second. "I'll stop by there tomorrow."

  "Go today," Drew said as he got to his feet. "Let me know if you find anything."

  * * *

  It was six o'clock and the May sky was starting to darken when Braden approached the antique store. He'd always liked twilight -- that in between time between day and night when everything seemed very still. It was a Wednesday evening and most of the shops closed up by five during the week.

  He hadn't been in the antique store since he was a kid, probably not since that last summer he'd hung out with Alexa. She used to help her aunt on the weekends and occasionally he joined her, although he'd never been as interested in the antiques as she had been. She'd loved making up stories about the treasures they sold, and like always he'd gotten caught up in her imagination. She could take almost anything and spin it into a story so real he thought it had actually happened. He'd admired her ability to escape reality so easily. Unfortunately, her imagination had been honed by an unhappy home life. She'd told him that when her parents started fighting, she'd pull the covers over her head and make up stories where she was part of some big, happy family.

  His household had been much happier, but his father had been gone a lot. He was career Army, and they'd moved around a lot before his mom finally decided to settle in Sand Harbor where her family was. He'd met Alexa shortly after his arrival, and he'd connected with her instantly. The reality that his dad might not make it home had been with him constantly. It was that nagging worry that had made escaping into Alexa's stories even more appealing. They'd been quite a pair, sharing everything. He'd told her things he'd never imagined he'd say out loud, much less to another person.

  A pang of nostalgia tightened his throat. Damn! He really didn't need this trip down memory lane. The last couple of months had been brutal, and he wasn't close to being a hundred percent in any part of his life.

  But this wasn't about Alexa; it was about her aunt. If he could do anything to help find out who had put Phoebe in the hospital, he was more than happy to help.

  There were lights on in the store, and through the front window, he could see someone moving around inside. The boarded-up door told him the break-in had been rough and unsophisticated. Maybe it had been some restless teenagers thinking it might be fun to vandalize the antique shop and hadn't realized anyone would come by after normal work hours.

  He turned the knob, but the door was locked. Knocking sharply on the wood, he hoped one of Phoebe's assistants could give him more information about what had happened.

  A moment later the door opened a few inches. A woman gave him a wary look. In the shadowy light, he thought his eyes were playing on tricks on him. But as the surprise flared in her blue gaze, his breath stopped.

  Alexa!

  She pulled the door all the way open, and for a moment all he could do was look at her. She was dressed in dark jeans, black boots, and a coral-colored sweater that hugged her curves. Her blonde hair was swept back from her face in a thick ponytail that hung past her shoulders. There was only a hint of the freckles that had once dotted her nose. Dark lashes framed her beautiful eyes and her light pink lips were soft and sexy.

  Damn! She'd been a fantasy in his head for so long he could hardly believe she was real. He needed to catch his breath, find his voice.

  But she beat him to it.

  "Braden?" she said. "Is it really you?"

  Buy Just A Wish Away

  WHEN WISHES COLLIDE

  (Book #3 Wish Series)

  Coming August 23, 2012

  Adrianna Cavello's life changed in an instant when a break-in at her restaurant took the life of her boyfriend and left her too traumatized to return to work. Months later, with everything she's ever wanted on the line, Adrianna makes a wish by tossing a coin into a fountain known for making miracles.

  Wyatt Randall is also in need of a miracle. Two years earlier, his ex-wife kidnapped their daughter, and Wyatt is desperate to find his little girl. A new lead raises his hopes, but quickly fizzles out. When his coin clashes with another, he sees what little hope he has flying away.

  Adrianna and Wyatt soon learn that they have more in common than two coins that collided. In fighting for the lives they lost, they must learn how to trust again. Only then will they discover that meeting each other might not be what they wished for, but exactly what they need.

  (Each book in the WISH Series is a standalone story, but shares the common theme of wishes.)

  Preorder When Wishes Collide

  Available in electronic format

  The Wish Series

  #1 A Secret Wish

  #2 Just A Wish Away

  #3 When Wishes Collide – August 23, 2012

  Almost Home

  All She Ever Wanted

  Ask Mariah

  Daniel's Gift

  Don't Say A Word

  Golden Lies

  Just The Way You Are

  Love Will Find A Way

  One True Love

  Ryan's Return

  Some Kind of Wonderful

  Summer Secrets

  The Sweetest Thing

  The Sanders Brothers Series

  #1 Silent Run

  #2 Silent Fall

  The Deception Series

  #1 Taken

  #2 Played

  Also Available in Print and EBook

  The Angel's Bay Series

  #1 Suddenly One Summer

  #2 On Shadow Beach

  #3 In Shelter Cove

  #4 At Hidden Falls

  #5 Garden of Secrets

  The Way Back Home – Angel's Bay Spin-off

  About the Author

  Barbara Freethy is a #1 NY Times Bestselling Author, a distinction she received for her novel, SUMMER SECRETS. Her 30 novels range from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction and several other titles have appeared at #1 on the Barnes and Noble Top 100 bestsellers, including DON'T SAY A WORD and ALL SHE EVER WANTED, and other titles have made appearances on the NYT and USA Today Bestseller Lists, including SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL and DANIEL'S GIFT. Her books have won numerous awards - she is a four-time finalist for the RITA for best contemporary romance from Romance Writers of America and her book DANIEL'S GIFT won the honor and was also optioned for a television movie.

  Known for her emotional and compelling stories of love, family, mystery and romance, Barbara enjoys writing about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary adventures. She is currently writing a contemporary series for Pocket books, entitled ANGEL'S BAY, set along the fictional coast of California. The latest book in the series, GARDEN OF SECRETS was released in September 2011.

  Barbara has lived all over the state of California and currently resides in Northern California where she draws much of her inspiration from the beautiful bay area. Barbara loves to hear from readers so please feel free to write her.

  For a complete listing of books, as well as excerpts and contests, and to connect with Barbara:

  Visit Barbara's Website

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  Table of Contents

  COPYRIGHT

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  JUST A WISH AWAY - EXCERPT

  WHEN WISHES COLLIDE - TEASER

  Available in electronic format

  About the Author

 

 

 
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