Bayside Wishes

by Stacy Claflin

  Freya shook her head. "They hardly see it that way. Last night it was a shoot for sunglasses."

  "In this cold weather? Surely, it's snowy back east."

  "More than here," Freya said. "But the sun comes out year round."

  He turned around to dish out the food onto a plate. Freya pulled out her phone and texted Shale.

  Where are you? Mom and Dad said you haven't shown up.

  Decided to go to the Bay for some time alone instead. I'll be there.

  Don't be too long. It's freezing out there, and worse by the water.

  Yes, Mom.

  Freya rolled her eyes and put her phone back. Hopefully Shale wasn't on a destructive path. He'd been down a pretty nasty one in high school. Being back home could make it too easy to slip into old patterns.

  She continued answering their questions about her life until Dad placed a loaded plate in front of her. "Oh, wow. That's a lot. I don't think I can eat all that."

  "Sure you can. It'll do you some good. You're too thin."

  Then why was her agent on her about losing five to ten pounds?

  "I had some food at the wake." Granted, she'd only had a couple grapes and some spinach leaves.

  "Eat."

  She picked up the fork and took a tiny bite of the casserole. How did they expect her to eat the mountain of food in front of her? She'd really missed Mom's home-cooked meals, but even so, it would take her days to burn off all those calories.

  "How do you like the casserole?" Mom asked.

  "It's delicious. New recipe?"

  "I found it online."

  Dad rubbed his belly. "She's been finding some real gems on the computer." He placed the plastic wrap over the dish. "Sure you're not going to want more?"

  Freya shook her head. "Not unless you want me exploding right here. Save some for Shale."

  Mom put a glass with pink, bubbly liquid in front of her.

  "Thanks." Freya took a sip and nearly choked. The sweetness was too much. She wasn't used to anything so syrupy. It was either water with fruit in it or a nonfat soy latte. The water was usually the sweetest thing to hit her taste buds. She recovered quickly and smile. "This is great. How are things going around here?"

  "My coffee stand is a real hit," Mom said. "Keeps me busy during Dad's long days."

  Dad put his arm around Mom. "Won't be much longer, though. Sullivan's ready to take over the business. I'm just not quite ready to let it go yet. Even with as appealing as retirement is, I'm not there."

  "You could always work part time," Freya said. "Then you're still doing what you love, but with more free time. And it'll give Sully a chance to get used to running the place before taking over completely."

  "Isn't that what Sullivan said?" Mom asked with a hint of teasing in her voice.

  "Possibly." He kissed her nose.

  Freya smiled. She loved that even after all these years her parents still adored each other. As much as she loved her independence, part of her hoped for something like that one day.

  While they were distracted, she tiptoed over to the garbage and threw away the remainder of the food. She was careful to cover it with the other contents so they wouldn't know.

  Freya yawned. "I should probably get to Dakota's."

  "Sure you don't want to stay here?" Mom asked.

  "Shale's already claimed your guest room. My old room is an art studio, remember?" In fact, all of the Hunter siblings' rooms had been transformed into something else. Sullivan's had been turned into a guest room. Shale's was Dad's home office. Dakota's was now a home library. Logan's, a storage room.

  "We can pull the couch out."

  "It's fine. I promise to come by tomorrow and spend the day with you. You guys took the day off, right?"

  "Of course," Mom said. "How often are our babies in town?"

  Guilt trip. Freya smiled, pretending not to notice. "And that's why I need my rest."

  "How are you getting over there?" Dad asked.

  "I'll take another cab."

  "Don't waste your money. Take my car."

  "But what about Shale?" Freya asked.

  "His truck is on its way."

  "Are you sure?"

  "We're staying home all weekend," Mom said. "Just take it, honey."

  "Okay. I give up."

  Dad pulled out his keys and slid one off the ring.

  Freya pulled out her phone and texted Shale again.

  Are you almost home? Mom and Dad want to see you.

  Leaving now.

  Better be. Don't give them a reason to worry.

  I won't.

  See you tomorrow.

  Kay.

  "Shale's on his way home," she said. Freya gave them hugs and went into the garage and settled into Dad's luxury car. Part of her missed being able to have a car. It just didn't make sense in the city. Cabs and subways were much more efficient.

  It only took a few minutes to get to Dakota's gorgeous house. Everything seemed so much bigger after living in a tiny apartment for so long with a roommate. She couldn't even imagine having so much space anymore.

  Freya parked in the driveway and knocked. Nothing. She knocked again. Silence.

  She sent Dakota a text.

  I'm at your house.

  Sorry. Caught up at work. Left key under the mat. Security code 5244.

  Thanks.

  Freya shook her head and lifted the mat. Sure enough, there it was. Only in Enchantment Bay would someone be able to do that without worry.

  She unlocked the door, punched in the code, and locked the door behind her. The sprawling house was almost overwhelming. How could Dakota live in such a huge place by herself?

  Freya slid off her shoes and placed them on the rack next to her sister's immense collection. She peeked into the large mirror that had once been displayed in their grandmother's home. It was a true family heirloom. Freya had spent many hours looking into it while playing dress up with her siblings.

  She switched the suitcase into her other hand and went upstairs to the bedrooms. Dakota had several guest rooms. Freya picked the prettiest one, decorated in silver and lavender hues.

  Her body ached from the traveling and stress. She'd managed to hold herself together for the service, but it was really hard to see a classmate passed away. He hadn't even had the chance to get married or have a family.

  It really put things into perspective. How much longer did she want to keep living the single life? She climbed on top of the bed and closed her eyes. Her twin brother had already been married and almost had a kid. The last part seemed unreal. Sure, he'd decided to marry young, but a kid? Already?

  Shale and Mia had talked about traveling the world. She'd been eager to see Italy and Shale had wanted to visit the castles of Scotland. Freya would have picked the Eiffel Tower herself, but she hadn't left the Big Apple.

  She drifted off to sleep.

  "There you are!" Dakota's ever-cheerful voice woke Freya.

  Freya forced her eyes open and stretched. "Hey, sis."

  "Sorry I wasn't home when you got here. Saturdays are notoriously busy, and I'm training a couple people on top of everything else."

  "It's okay. I was tired, anyway." Freya sat up, trying to focus on her sister.

  Dakota pulled some of her red hair behind her shoulder. She had a smile on her face, which was typical—she was high energy and usually happy. "You up for eating out?"

  "Do you know how much I've already eaten today? You people are going to make me fat."

  Dakota rolled her eyes. "As if that could ever happen."

  "You think staying this thin comes easily?" Freya arched a brow.

  "Sis, you could gain ten pounds and still look perfect."

  Freya shook her head. "Not for my line of work. Let me change first. I wore this to the funeral."

  "Oh, that's right." Dakota's smile faded. "The cop. He was in your class, right?"

  "Yeah. I can't believe he's gone." Freya slid off the bed and unzipped her suitcase.

 
"So sad. Was Logan there?"

  "Logan? Should he have been?"

  Dakota shrugged. "He spends so much time at the station, I thought maybe he knew him."

  "He knows the police officers?" Freya paused, holding a shirt that needed to be ironed after traveling.

  "Yeah. He deals with a lot of them. Why are you so interested?"

  The corners of Freya's mouth twitched. "I may have hit it off with one. But I didn't get his number."

  "Freya! Number one rule of dating—"

  "It wasn't a date. It was a funeral."

  "Still. Always find a reason to get their number. Is he cute?"

  "Definitely."

  "Did you at least get his name?"

  "Nico."

  "That sounds familiar." Dakota glanced up toward the ceiling, like she was deep in thought. "Logan must have talked about him before. Let me call him. Maybe he can meet us for dinner." She pulled out her phone, turned around, and went into the hall where Freya could hear her while she got dressed. "Hey, Logan. Did you know the twins are in town?… Yeah, the memorial service… Do you know a cop named Nico?"

  Freya held her breath.

  "Oh?" Dakota asked. She sounded excited. "Really? Perfect. We'll be there. I hope you don't mind your adorable sisters crashing… See you then."

  Freya slid on her skinny jeans and hurried into the hall. "What's going on?"

  "Logan's having a bunch of people over to his place tomorrow afternoon, and Nico's one of them."

  "Really?" Freya's pulse raced.

  "Yeah. Logan just won a big case. The trial was huge. His client had been set up apparently, and a lot of the police force was working with him to build the case. So, I hope you don't have plans tomorrow."

  Freya shook her head. "Just going over to Mom and Dad's… before Logan's party."

  Four

  Nico woke up and stretched. It was nice to wake up on his own. All too often on his days off, he was called in. Not that he minded, of course. He was a Sergeant and glad to be needed.

  He got up and took his time getting ready, enjoying the rare quiet. It was hard not to think about what was going on at the station. His mind was always working through case details. It was often in unusual moments that he put some facts together that hadn't made sense before.

  Just a couple weeks ago, he'd had a big light bulb moment, and it had helped put away a guy that had been causing problems as long as Nico had been on the force. Luckily, he was already on trial and Nico was friendly with the opposing attorney, Logan Hunter. Nico's information had been just what Logan had needed. Now a violent and dangerous man would be behind bars for life.

  Nico checked the time. Just a few more hours until Logan's party to celebrate the victory.

  He put on a pot of coffee. Despite waking late, he hadn't slept much. He'd been up late, poring over the details of Turner's murder. The shooter had escaped, and Nico wasn't going to stop until he was caught—nor would anyone on the force.

  He showered while waiting for the coffee. His mind continued going over the details of Turner's shooting. It had been a drug bust, and Turner and his partner, Wilson, had brought one of the K9 units. The shooter had gotten all three of them, the dog included. The dog and Wilson had survived. Wilson had only had minor injuries and had been on desk duty for a few days. The dog had had to undergo two surgeries and would likely have to retire, but he was alive.

  The only good thing that had come from it was that the dog had managed to get the shooter's DNA sample when he bit him. Though the dog had given him a good gash in the leg, he had managed to get away.

  The day of Turner's shooting had been a horrible day for the force. There wasn't much worse than losing a fellow officer, and the fact that they hadn't been able to catch the guy only made it worse. Nico would spend every free minute on it if that was what it would take.

  He dressed and went out to the kitchen. The entire condo smelled of coffee. He'd made it strong and couldn't wait for the first sip. He poured it into his favorite mug, the one with a police badge painted on the side, and took a sip, holding onto the bitter sunshine. It would get him through the day until he could come back home and get a nap. Assuming he wasn't called in before then.

  Nico's phone alerted him to a text. Had they found a new lead on Turner's case? He rushed over and checked.

  It was from Morgan. He groaned, having forgotten about her promise—threat, really—to come for a visit.

  Hey, Nico baby. I'm outta vacation days, but I'm trying to trade with someone.

  How could she trade what she didn't have? He sighed in relief, knowing she probably wouldn't arrive anytime soon.

  No worries. Weather's horrible this time of year.

  He regretted the text as soon as he sent it. All he'd done was encourage her to come when the weather was nice.

  Nothing's going to stop me from seeing you, sweet cheeks. Kissy-kissy.

  Nico rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure what his better option was—to ignore her or tell her straight out to stay away. Morgan could be downright awful when she didn't get the answer she wanted.

  He stuck the phone in his pocket, put some bacon in a pan, and stuck a frozen waffle into the toaster. As soon as everything was ready, he sat at the table where the paperwork for Turner's case was already spread out. He made some room for his food and read over Wilson's statement one more time. There had to be something they'd missed. A clue as pointing to the shooter.

  Before long, the alarm on his phone sounded. Had it been three hours already? Nico glanced over at his coffee pot and noticed it was almost empty. And he was no closer to finding Turner's shooter.

  Maybe he should just stay home and focus on the case. There was so much more he could go through with a fine-toothed comb.

  Except that the party was a big deal for Logan, and Nico had played a big part in the win. He owed it to his friend to celebrate with him. And besides, Nico could use the distraction. When he got back home, he could look everything over with fresh eyes. He needed to go—for Logan and Turner.

  Nico went into the bathroom and made sure he looked okay. He ran some gel through his hair and then grabbed a coat. It was cold enough that none of the snow had melted from the grass yet. At least the roads were clear.

  He made his way over to Logan's enormous house. Must be nice to be a lawyer—and to have realtors in the family. His dad and brother had probably gotten him a killer deal on the place.

  The driveway in front of the three-car garage was already full, two deep, so he parked along the curb across the street. Nico set the car alarm and headed over. He could hear music and laughter inside as he walked up the driveway.

  Logan opened the door before Nico even reached for the doorbell.

  "Nico," he said and grinned. He seemed tanner than the other day. "The man of the hour."

  "Oh, stop. You did most of the work. I just found one piece of evidence."

  "A key piece—that won the case." Logan opened his arms and gave Nico a hug. "I can't thank you enough."

  Nico patted his back and stepped away. "Don't worry. I'll need a favor from you soon enough."

  They both laughed. Logan gestured for Nico to come in. The house smelled of chicken, spices, and apple pie.

  "Make yourself at home. Eat up. My mom made enough food for an army. She heard I was having a party and decided we needed a meal."

  "It smells great." Nico slid off his coat and hung it in the closet. He scanned the room, seeing plenty of people he knew professionally. Most held mixed drinks and were laughing and talking.

  Nico headed for the dining room, where he could see the refreshments. He froze.

  The gorgeous woman from the funeral stood with an equally gorgeous redhead. What was a model doing there at a party full of attorneys and cops?

  Logan put a hand on Nico's shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts.

  "I heard you met my sister yesterday." Logan gestured toward the brunette.

  Nico's mouth gaped. "Your sister? I thought…" Ha
dn't the other guy been her brother? How many Hunters were there?

  Logan nodded. "Freya spoke highly of you."

  Freya. A beautiful name that fit her so well.

  Someone came over and asked Logan where the bathroom was. He turned to Nico. "Like I said, make yourself at home."

  He held his breath. She looked even more beautiful than the day before. She wore a long teal top with a deep scoop neck in the back, showing off her flawless skin. She had on tight, shiny black leggings with tall brown boots. Her long thick hair was pulled into a side ponytail, cascading down her front, nearly reaching her elbows.

  Nico cleared his throat and headed over to the two women. He kept his gaze on Freya. "So we meet again."

  She turned to him and her eyes lit up. That was a good sign.

  He smiled. "I didn't catch your name yesterday."

  "Freya Hunter. This is my sister, Dakota."

  "Pleasure." Dakota shook his hand. "Logan tells us you saved his case."

  "He exaggerates. Your brother did all the hard work. I just found some evidence that had been overlooked."

  Freya's eyes sparkled. "He also said you're humble."

  Nico shook his head. "Just truthful."

  Dakota's phone rang. She looked at it and smiled at Nico. "I have to take this. Nice meeting you."

  "Likewise."

  She hurried off, answering the call.

  Nico turned to Freya. "Are you enjoying the party?"

  She nodded. "Where'd you take off to yesterday? I was looking for you, but you disappeared."

  Freya had been looking for him? "Sorry about that. I was called into work."

  "Sounds serious."

  "Not really. It happens all the time. I'm surprised my phone hasn't rung today."

  "Do you want to sit?" she asked.

  "I'd love to. Let me just grab some food." He filled a plate, and by the time he was done, Freya had two wine glasses. "I hope you like white."

  "Certainly." They headed over to the living room and sat on a black leather sofa.

  Freya set the wine on the glasses coffee table and leaned back. "Sounds like an exciting job."

  "It can be. I like being able to catch the bad guys. There's nothing else like it."

  "Logan says you're one of the best."

  Nico shrugged. "Logan and I get along well because he usually only represents the innocent ones. Or at least the ones he believes are. He turns away cases all the time that could bring him a lot of money. He doesn't want to defend criminals."