Just a Wish Away (26 page)

"I hope you ordered plenty of food," she said, as he ended the call. "I'm starving."

"You always could eat a lot for a skinny girl."

"Not so skinny now."

"Stop it, you're gorgeous. I mean it, Alexa. You're pretty from the inside out. You're my summer girl."

She smiled. "I still think you should finish my song."

"Maybe you'll help me write a few more verses."

"Maybe I will," she said.

He leaned over and kissed her. "You know, Han usually takes at least a half hour to deliver."

"Really?" she murmured against his mouth. "How will we pass the time?"

"I've got a few ideas," he said, pulling her on to his lap.

* * *

"Sex, chow mein, late night TV, more sex. What a great night," Alexa murmured as the sun streamed through the window Saturday morning. "What could be better?"

"More sex," Braden suggested with a sleepy smile.

She loved his morning hair, mussed and curling around his face, the dark shadow of beard along his jawline. Most of all she loved waking up next to him. "You have a one track mind," she teased, propping her head up on one elbow as she rolled on to her side to face him.

"Yeah, and you're on it. We're making up for lost time."

"If we're making up for fifteen years, I don't think you'll be leaving for a while."

"Fine with me."

"Seriously, Braden…"

"Seriously?" he teased, turning on his side to look at her. "Should I be worried where this conversation is now going?"

"I just wanted to say that I'm glad you stayed." She thought about how many times she'd wondered during the night if he would be there when she woke up. "I had this terrible feeling, I'd wake up and you'd be gone."

"If I'd wanted to leave, I wouldn't have taken off without a word," he said quietly. "I would have told you. I would have said good-bye. You can trust me, Alexa."

Relief flooded through her. "I want to trust you."

"What's stopping you?"

"All my baggage. My dad didn't sneak out in the middle of the night, but he left really fast, and it took me a long time to come to grips with his absence."

"I understand. You're scared to end up like your mom, but that won't ever happen, Alexa, because you're not her. You're strong, independent, determined. You won't ever let a man break you."

"I hope not. Love scares me. Need terrifies me. I like to have control, because I don't get hurt when I'm in charge."

"You also don't get loved as well. I'm going to try not to hurt you, Alexa."

"I don't know if you realize how much power you have over me, Braden."

"It goes both ways, honey."

She sighed. "I wish we could stay here for a really long time. I don't want to think about the future or the past, I just want to be in this moment and freeze it in time."

"It's Saturday, and even if it wasn't, neither of us is working at the moment. We don't have to go anywhere, do anything, answer to anyone. We're as free as that butterfly on your sexy ass." He gave her a playful swat.

She smiled. "I like you like this, Braden. You're you again. When I first saw you, you were so cold and distant. You were like a stranger to me."

"I'd been living in a fog for months," he admitted. "But being with you again reminded me that life doesn't really suck as much as I thought it did."

She picked up the pillow and playfully hit him with it. "Life doesn't suck? How about a better adjective?"

He put up an arm to ward off her blows. "Okay, being with you is the most amazing, fantastic experience of my life."

"Better," she said, sitting back on her heels.

"Seriously, Alexa."

She licked her lips as his expression grew somber. "Seriously?"

"This
is
the best moment of my life," he said.

"You're exaggerating. It's the after sex glow."

"Then I'll tell you again tomorrow."

"Does that mean we won't be having sex today?" she asked with a grin.

"Not a chance. How do you feel about a shower?"

"I've always wanted someone to wash my hair."

"I'll wash anything you want," he said, grabbing her hand.

They scrambled off the bed and into the bathroom. The shower warmed up fast, steaming up even more as Braden made good on his promise.

* * *

It was afternoon by the time they finally got dressed. Alexa felt the mood slowly change as they put on their clothes. Reality was seeping back in, and she wasn't sure either one of them was ready for it.

Her cell phone rang, making her even more aware of the fact that they were not living on their own desert island. There were other people in the world, people she'd been neglecting, she realized, as she saw the hospital name flash across the screen. She hoped something hadn't gone wrong for her aunt while she was having the time of her life.

"Hello," she said quickly.

"It's Phoebe," her aunt said.

She relaxed at the cheery note in her aunt's voice. "Is everything all right?"

"Just fine, dear. I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Anything. What do you need?"

"Could you go by my house and pick up my mail and bring it to me?"

"Of course," she said.

"That would be wonderful. I've been expecting a letter, and the doctor says I can't go home until Monday. I don't know why. I'm doing much better. I feel like my head is starting to clear."

"That's good. I'm so glad. I'll be over in about a half an hour, okay?"

"You don't have to rush. Edwin is on his way. We'll play cards and pass the time. Whenever you get to it is fine."

Alexa hung up the phone and met Braden's questioning gaze. "My aunt wants me to pick up her mail."

"I'll go with you," he said.

"Really? We're doing errands together now?"

He grinned. "See how you have your hooks in me?"

She laughed and followed him to the door.

As she grabbed her key off the dresser, her gaze caught on the shimmering blue bottle. Maybe the magic was finally starting to work.

Chapter Sixteen

Phoebe's home brought to life more memories in Alexa's mind. She'd been in the house six years ago, but she'd spent so much time talking to her aunt that she hadn't really looked around. Now, she decided to take a few moments. She didn't have to go far to hit the past. Her aunt had a wall of photographs in the living room, family members at every stage of their lives.

"I wonder if I'm in any of these," she murmured.

Braden joined her at the wall. "Here you are," he said, pointing to a picture of her with her parents. It was a candid shot taken in the very same living room in which they were standing. There was a Christmas tree in the background, and she was obviously opening one of her presents. Her mother and father were sitting next to each other, and her dad had his arm around her mother's shoulder. They were watching her and smiling. A sudden, sharp pain ran through her.

Braden slipped his arm around her waist. "You, okay?"

"They look happy."

"They do," he said in a neutral voice.

"How can love turn to hate?"

"I don't know, Alexa. Maybe they just didn't fight to stay in love."

"We didn't fight to stay together, either," she said.

He frowned. "Don't compare us to them. That's your fear talking."

"Don't you have fear? You're just getting out of a marriage. You said you jumped too fast with Kinley. Don't you worry that you could be doing the same thing with me?"

"Our relationship has not been based on speed, Alexa. We've known each other since we were kids."

"No, we knew each other when we were children and we know each other now, but the time in between we were strangers," she corrected.

"It's still different," he said. "Stop looking for problems."

"I can't help it. I feel like us being together again is too good to be true. Is it real? Will it last?"

"Neither life nor love comes with guarantees."

"You're right." She pulled herself together. She would think about their relationship later. Right now, she needed to focus on the present. "I'll get my aunt's mail, and we can go."

The mail drop was in the kitchen, and when she walked into the room she saw a pile of letters on the floor. The mail had obviously been accumulating since her aunt had been taken to the hospital. She picked up the mail and set it on the table. She could at least get rid of the junk before taking everything else to the hospital.

A moment later Braden came into the room with a framed photo in his hand and a frown on his face.

"What's up?" she asked, tossing another credit card offer into the growing junk pile.

"We've been looking at the wrong people," he said cryptically.

"What are you talking about?"

"We've been so focused on who knew Shayla, we forgot to think about who knew Jack." He set the photos down on the table.

In the picture were three people, her aunt Phoebe, Edwin Hayes, and Jack Wellbourne. The photo appeared to have been taken several years ago judging by the clothes.

"Quite a trio," Braden murmured.

She looked up at him in confusion. "I don't get what you're thinking. We already knew that they were friends."

"Jack and Phoebe, yes. Edwin and Phoebe, yes. But not Edwin and Jack. I didn't think about them, and I should have, because the most obvious reason for why the chief didn't do a more thorough investigation into Shayla's death is Jack."

"You think he covered something up for Jack?"

"The chief asked Drew to take me off the case right after I talked to him about the investigation into Shayla's death. That seems like a big coincidence to me." Braden pulled out his phone and brought up the Internet. "I need to find out just how well Jack and Edwin knew each other."

While he searched for more information on his phone, she continued sorting the mail. One letter jumped out at her. She had to read the name on the manila envelope twice before she realized she was indeed holding a letter from Jack to her aunt.

"I wonder if this is the letter she was looking for," she muttered.

"Damn, listen to this," Braden interrupted, caught up in his own search. "Jack Wellbourne and Edwin Hayes grew up together in Seattle. They played on the basketball team in high school. They were lifelong friends. And…" he punched the screen. "They were involved in a car accident in college. Edwin credits Jack for saving his life." He raised his gaze to Alexa. "If Jack saved Edwin's life, then wouldn't it make sense that one day Jack would ask his old buddy to return the favor?"

"I don't know," she said, having trouble keeping up with him, because the envelope in her hand was practically burning her fingers. "But this looks like a letter from Jack to my aunt."

Braden set down his phone. "Open it."

"Really?" she asked doubtfully. "It's not addressed to me."

"I don't think your aunt will mind."

She wasn't completely sure about that, but she couldn't resist seeing what Jack had sent to her aunt. So she hoped Phoebe would forgive her.

Slipping her finger under the seal, she pulled out a piece of paper that on first glance appeared to be a list of names and numbers, and bank deposits of some sort. She handed that to Braden while she opened a smaller envelope with a card inside.

"Dear Phoebe," she read aloud. "I asked my lawyer to send you this letter along with the enclosed information after I passed on. The antiques I promised you are coming in a separate shipment. I debated whether or not to share the truth with you, but you've been a good friend to me, and now I must return the favor. Edwin Hayes is not the man you think he is. He wants to marry you and I know that you're tempted to say yes, but you're too good for him, just as you've always been too good for me. Edwin and I have been partners in too many crimes to count. We furthered each other's ambitions. He wanted power. I wanted money. We got both, but I was smarter than Edwin, I kept track of all our deals. He didn't even realize that until just a short while ago. It was almost funny, really. His face was a picture of surprise when I told him. The details are enclosed. I wasn't sure whether or not I should tell you, but I do love you, and I don’t want you to end up with a man who is not good enough for you. Do with the information what you want. But now I can rest in peace." Alexa set down the letter. "Wow."

Braden met her gaze. "Edwin and Jack were partners in crime," he said.

"He doesn't mention Shayla's death."

"He didn't have to."

"I did not see this coming," she said. "I guess we were on the wrong track with Roberta Wellbourne and Daniel Stone."

"Yes." Braden glanced down at the paper she'd handed him. "This appears to be a list of bank deposits."