The Miracle Wife (Harlequin Romance)

by Leclaire, Day

  “NEGATIVE, MS. RANDELL.”

  She glanced up and frowned. “Mathias hasn’t phoned?”

  “NO MESSAGES HAVE BEEN RECORDED.”

  What in the world was going on? Why hadn’t Mathias returned any of her calls? Perhaps she should try reaching him at home again. She didn’t want to worry Jacq considering her sister’s baby was due in the next few weeks, but J.J. had to get instructions on how to handle her current predicament.

  “Okay, no messages. How about a newspaper?” She pulled a black cashmere sweater with lustrous pearl buttons from one of the bags and a short, skin-tight suede skirt. Cashmere and suede? Now, when had these been chosen? She didn’t even remember trying them on.

  “AFFIRMATIVE, MS. RANDELL. NEWSPAPER MAY BE VIEWED ON MONITOR.”

  “Oh, that’s great. Activate the screen, would you?” She plucked a skimpy handful of black silk and lace from another bag. What the...? Raven! It had to be. She certainly hadn’t selected anything so patently sexy. She eyed the sweater and skirt. The undergarments would go beautifully with them, she admitted. Her new “husband” had quite an eye for women’s clothing. “I’d like to see the announcement Mr. Sierra put in the paper today,” she murmured absently.

  “ONE MOMENT. ACCESSING.”

  Carefully folding the sweater, she tucked it into a drawer along with the underwear. The TV flickered to life beside her and she rocked back on her heels to take a look. A newspaper clipping filled the twenty-four-inch screen, the huge words forming the headline practically leaping off the monitor at her. She had to read them twice before they sank in.

  “Oh, no,” she whispered in dismay.

  “SIERRA FULFILLS WISH!”

  J.J. groaned in disbelief as she scanned the headline, yet again. “What has he done?” She slowly rose and moved closer to the screen. It didn’t get any better with proximity.

  “Raven Sierra has announced his engagement to Seattle native, J.J. Randell,” the clip read. “The two were introduced when Sierra’s five-year old daughter, River, expressed a ‘wish’ to meet the fairy who appears in the Jack Rabbitt line of storybooks. While press looked on, J.J. agreed to become the little girl’s mother. At a picnic luncheon the next day, they discussed the possibility of wedding during their vacation. ‘We haven’ t finalized our plans,’ Sierra reports. “This is too big a step for us to rush into. But my daughter is anxious to have J.J. for her mother. She even asked if we could “pretend” to be a family while on vacation.’ No word on whether that particular wish has been fulfilled, though Sierra promises an update in the near future.”

  J.J. didn’t waste any time. She tore from the room, furious that she’d trusted him not to release a press announcement without examining it first. She couldn’t even claim inexperience. After all the years she’d worked for her father’s PR firm she, of all people, knew better.

  She found him in the kitchen, preparing dinner. “How could you?” she demanded.

  “I’ll assume you’ve seen today’s newspaper.”

  “Oh, I’ve seen it. I just don’t believe it. You said you were going to announce our engagement, not—”

  He cut her off with a single look. “I said I’d announce our engagement and do my best to spike Ms. Lark’s guns. Or have you forgotten that minor detail?”

  “I haven’t forgotten a darned thing. Spiking that woman’s guns does not include hanging Mathias out to dry. You said you’d keep this wish business a secret.”

  “I said I’d keep Blackstone’s name out of it. And I did.”

  “But you told about the wishes!”

  “Ms. Lark overheard River discussing her wish. I had to address it. And the best way of doing that is sticking as close to the truth as possible.”

  “Mathias—”

  He slammed the point of his knife into the cutting board. It stuck, quivering from the impact. She shifted her gaze from the knife to his fierce black eyes and fought to draw breath. He would not intimidate her. She wouldn’t allow it. No man would ever intimidate her again. She stepped closer to the cutting board and planted her hands on either side of the knife. Then she leaned across it toward him.

  “You’re going to ruin your knife point doing that, not to mention gouging the cutting board.”

  He thrust a hand through his hair, the dark waves stubbornly falling across his brow. The muscles in his jaw leapt as he fought for control. Finally he nodded. “I apologize. That was uncalled for. I’m not exactly rational when it comes to your boss.”

  “I swear to you, he’s not trying to hurt River.”

  “And I intend to make certain of it. That announcement in the newspaper is my warning salvo. I arranged for Gem to send it to him. If he pushes me about the painting or causes my daughter so much as a moment’s discomfort, I’ll give the press a real scoop about the nature of that wish. I expect Blackstone will read between the lines and understand what I’m saying.”

  A terrible suspicion took hold. “Have you been intercepting his calls to me?”

  “No.”

  “Would you tell me if you had?”

  “Yes.”

  Fair enough. She’d been around enough dishonest men to know when they were lying. Mathias might be ruthless, but he didn’t strike her as dishonest. In fact, he seemed compellingly straightforward. “So now you’ve warned Mathias. Where does that leave us?”

  “It leaves us sharing a vacation together for the next few days and fulfilling my daughter’s wish.” His eyes were as black as pitch. “We don’t have much time left. So I suggest we focus on our true purpose.”

  “And once it’s over?”

  “You return to Seattle and stay out of our lives.”

  It was implacably stated, without a hint of the emotions she’d come to expect. And it hurt, more than she could have anticipated. But what had she expected? A declaration of love? Gently she freed the embedded knife and set it carefully on the cutting board.

  “I believe that’s another wish I can grant,” she replied with utter calm. “No extra charge.”

  It was the best exit line she’d get, and one she didn’t delay taking advantage of.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Justice stood before Fausta, the silk bag at her waist containing five of the seven gifts intended for Nemesis. Capturing each of the four elements had been difficult enough. But she suspected obtaining the final two objects would be the most challenging of all.

  Compassion glittered in the older fairy’s eyes. “Yes, young one. You’re right. Finding the last two gifts will be an arduous task. For you must offer the dragon something belonging to you—and something belonging to your prince.”

  Justice smiled. That didn’t sound too hard. “Like a piece of clothing or jewelry?”

  “No, my dear. Your gift must be of yourself. A gift only you could give.”

  Page 34, The Great Dragon Hunt

  by Jack Rabbitt

  TIME was passing with a swiftness JJ. found frightening. River had created a dream world for them, one whose allure they all found irresistible. But like most dreams and fantasies, it would soon end. How would they react once it did? J.J. wondered uneasily. How would she react?

  Not well, she suspected. Not considering she’d given herself, heart and soul, into her “family’s” keeping.

  The third day at the cabin Raven suggested they go for a hike and explore some of the surrounding trails. The weather had changed from frosty to warm—typical of early fall in these parts, he’d revealed. Even snow was a possibility, though it wouldn’t last long at this time of year. To JJ.’s amusement, River insisted on looking for dragons during their hike, examining leaves and shrubs for “dragon-sign.”

  “You can smell them,” she explained for Raven’s benefit. “And they burn the woods. That’s how you know they live nearby.”

  “Really?” he questioned dryly. “Here I thought it was lightning strikes and careless campers that caused most fires.”

  “And all along it was your friendly neighborhood drago
n,” J.J. murmured. “Silly you.”

  At one point, Raven stopped to show River a cut in the mountainside from a long-ago landslide. “See all the layers,” he said, pointing to the colorful diagonal lines of earth. “Each one is from a different age.”

  “Which age has the dragons and fairies?” River demanded, squatting beside her father to peer at the exposed strata.

  “No dragons,” he replied with a sigh. “And no fairies. But some of these layers were from the age of the dinosaurs.”

  “Which ones?”

  He pointed. “That’s about a hundred million years ago. And this is even older.” He ran a finger along a bed farther down. “This section actually has a name. It’s called the Morrison Formation. It’s a hundred and forty million years old. It’s easy to find because of this bunch of lines right here. See how they go back and forth from purple to gray to almost green? Those are layers of shale and clay.”

  “I have clay,” River volunteered. “I make animals with it.”

  “Well, this is just like your modeling clay, except better, because it’s so much older.”

  River stilled, her breath hitching. “Is this special earth, Daddy?”

  “Sure is. Most places you’d have to dig down very deep to find something this old.”

  She clasped her hands together, her eyes alight with excitement. Now what had brought that on? J.J. wondered curiously.

  “Can I have some of the special dirt?” River pleaded. “Can I take it home?”

  “I guess. This part looks like it’s going to wash down the hillside with the next rain, anyway. So it shouldn’t hurt if you take a small piece. But just this once. It’s best to leave everything the way we find it so other hikers can enjoy the sights, too.”

  “Just this once,” River was quick to assure. “I promise.”

  Carefully he scooped up a small sampling of the brittle shale and a softer section of clay and wrapped it in a leaf. “That should keep it safe until we’re home. Be careful you don’t get it wet because it’ll turn sticky. Maybe we should put it in a plastic baggy so we don’t have dinosaur dirt tracked all over the house.”

  River threw her arms around her father’s neck. “Oh, thank you! This is the best walk ever.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “It is, huh?” He shot JJ. a baffled glance. “I’ll take your word for it.”

  “Now I need to find some special water.” She pulled back, tilting her head to one side. Hero worship gleamed in her eyes. “Do you think you can find that, too?”

  He frowned. “What the heck is ‘special’ water?”

  “It’s like special earth, only water,” River replied, matter-of-factly.

  “Okay. Well... If I find any, you’ll be the first to know.”

  “What do you need it for?” J.J. couldn’t help asking.

  River’s eyes widened with a hint of alarm. “I just do.”

  “But, why?”

  “Because.” She didn’t like being pressed, that much was clear. “Because it’s a game,” she said, and then took off down the path.

  “River, wait for us,” Raven called.

  She paused at a bend in the trail and waved to them. “Come on. Hurry up. Maybe we’ll find some water over here.”

  The fourth day arrived all too soon. After an exhausting game of hide-and-seek, the three returned to town for a movie and window-shopping. But River seemed restless, distracted. Now in addition to asking that they help her find special water, she also asked endless questions about the wind.

  “River, for the last time, I don’t know how to catch wind in a bottle,” Raven said, his patience shot.

  “But you have to!” she stormed at him. “You know everything.”

  “I’m flattered you think so. Unfortunately you’ve managed to uncover the one skill I lack. I don’t know how to bottle wind.” He frowned as he eyed his daughter’s unhappy expression. “I’m sorry. I wish I did, sweetheart.”

  River didn’t respond, but the mutinous set of her chin spoke volumes.

  “Can’t you tell me what you need it for?”

  Stubbornly, she shook her head. “It’s a secret.”

  “Keeping secrets is very important,” J.J. interrupted, exchanging a worried look with Raven. “So long as they’re good secrets. Is this a good one? Will it make someone happy?”

  “It’s the best secret ever.” River threw herself against JJ. It was a silent plea for comfort, a child hurting and desperate for someone to take the pain away.

  JJ. held her close. “And your secret won’t harm anyone?” she probed.

  River hesitated. “Not unless the dragon eats me,” came her muffled response. “That’s why I need the wind and the water.”

  “To protect you from the dragon?” Raven demanded. The clipped way he asked the question underlined his displeasure at the direction her answers had taken.

  “No. To give to the dragon. It’s a present.”

  Her father stooped beside her. “Who is this dragon, River?”

  “You know. Nemesis.”

  “And have you...seen Nemesis?” he persisted.

  “I looked and looked, but I didn’t find him.” She lifted her head. “I need to get all the presents before Justice leaves and give them to him. Otherwise it won’t work.”

  “I don’t understand,” J.J. said, smoothing silken hair from River’s brow. “What won’t work? Why do you need to give the dragon presents?”

  But no amount of probing would get her to say more. Forcing the issue only provoked tears.

  “I’ll see what I can do to help find your presents, okay?” Raven finally said, his forbearance stretched to the limits. “Will that do?”

  River eased from J.J.’s embrace. “Before Justice leaves?”

  His mouth tightened. “I’ll try. That’s the best I can offer.”

  Resigned, if not entirely satisfied, River nodded. “Okay.” Tugging free of J.J.’s arms, she ran to a nearby shop window and pressed her nose to the glass.

  “What the hell is going on?” he asked, the minute she’d moved beyond earshot.

  “I think she’s acting out some sort of game.”

  He frowned. “Is it something in that book you gave her?”

  “I don’t know,” J.J. confessed. “I haven’t read it.”

  “Nor have I.” His eyes narrowed. “In fact, I haven’t seen it in days.”

  “Did you bring it to the cabin?”

  “Damned if I remember.” He studied River for a moment longer, his frown deepening. “Well, whatever this game is, it’s not one I like.”

  J.J. caught his hand and gave it a quick, reassuring squeeze. “Are you okay?” she asked gently.

  He summoned a smile. “Just a bit bruised from falling off my pedestal. I’ll recover.”

  “Don’t worry. She’ll have you right back up there before long.”

  But to their joint concern, River didn’t recover her good humor.

  On the fifth day all three of them felt the burden of time’s passage, a fact beautifully demonstrated by a rash of temper tantrums and tears—most of them as a result of the announcement that their vacation would soon end.

  J.J. knew she had to act. She’d come to give a little girl a special wish and she’d make sure she’d done her utmost to fulfill it before returning to Seattle. “Well, if we don’t have much time left,” she said to River, “we’d better hurry.”

  “Hurry and do what?” The question was accompanied by a loud sniff.

  J.J. offered a mysterious smile. “Oh, I have all sorts of fun projects planned.”

  There were so many activities she’d love to do with her “daughter” and so little opportunity in which to accomplish them. These past few days had been some of the most incredible she’d ever experienced, as much a fantasy-come-true for her as for River. It devastated J.J. to realize their time together would soon end.

  She held out her hand. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s get started.”

  The first order of business was
making fans. “Your daddy said we’re going to a fancy restaurant tomorrow night, so fans are a must,” she informed River. “Do you know how to make them?”

  River shook her head, wide-eyed. But she quickly got into the spirit of things when J.J. showed her how to color a piece of construction paper and then fold it into long, narrow sections. The first few attempts were discarded as unworthy. But eventually River settled on a design she liked—a drawing of Nemesis on one side and a close-up of his glowing green eyes and red-hot breath on the other.

  Next they decorated their creations with sequins and glitter and tiny seed pearls JJ. had purchased on their last shopping expedition. Once the glue had dried, they carefully folded their artwork into the proper shape. As a finishing touch, painted and glitter-bedecked Popsicle sticks were attached to each end for added reinforcement.

  “See what Nemesis does when I wave him?” River asked, flipping the scalloped paper back and forth. Green sequined eyes and fire red glitter flashed with each wave.

  JJ. chuckled, waving her creation at River. “Oh, yeah? Well, take that.”

  It started an instant war to see who could cause the biggest breeze. River ran circles around J.J. waving her fan and shrieking in laughter as the air currents wove her “mother’s” hair into an unmanageable tangle.

  “Okay, okay! You win,” J.J. proclaimed at last, holding up her hands in surrender. “Good grief, River. I look like I’ve been through a windstorm.”

  The little girl froze, staring at J.J. in amazement, her expression one of joyous excitement. “They’re wind makers!”

  “What?”

  “My fan. I can make the wind with them. Oh, Justice!” River threw herself into J.J.’s arms. “Thank you! Thank you! I needed this.”

  J.J. shook her head in bewilderment. “Well...great. Then I’m glad I suggested it. You don’t need wind in a bottle anymore?”

  “No. Now all I have to get is some special water.”

  “Which I don’t have,” J.J. said regretfully.