“Mom is right,” Rift agreed. “Belle didn’t want anything to do with me. She asked me to leave, and we did. I had to respect her wishes.”
“So how come she’s here?” Valerie’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“They were cleaning out Reginald’s house. He was Katrina’s brother, but she hadn’t had any contact with him for years. The authorities contacted her since she is Reginald’s next of kin. Today was supposed to be the day they finally drew a line under that part of their family history.”
“So you left them at the house. Then what?” Valerie went to the coffee pot and Elise grabbed four cups and set them down on the counter.
As she poured the coffee, Rift checked out Ivan, before continuing, “We stopped for food. I went for a run to clear my head. When I got back, we got a call from Katrina. They were being followed by a truck and they asked us to go and help them.”
“And you saw this truck?” Valerie asked.
I’ve never seen her so suspicious, his snow leopard said. Even when we were kids and she thought we’d been in trouble, she’s never been this suspicious, it’s as if she doesn’t want to believe Belle is innocent.
She’s just trying to protect us all, Rift assured his other side.
“We doubled back,” Elise picked up the story. “Katrina told us roughly where they were, and we drove to meet them. We swapped places. The children and Katrina got in the truck with Flora, while the rest of us went with Belle.”
“We wanted to protect the children,” Rift told her bluntly.
Valerie handed a cup of coffee to Rift. “I know this is tough, but it’s important we make sure that what happened is real. You’ve lived in Wishing Moon Bay all your life. You know about magic. You know what happened with Sophie. Things are not always as they seem.”
“Especially if it’s something that you really want to see,” Rift added.
“I know how you must feel about Belle. I’m trying to protect you as much as anyone else. I don’t want you to lose your heart to an imposter,” Valerie told him.
“She isn’t an imposter,” Rift replied.
“I believe Belle is innocent in all of this.” Elise cupped her coffee in her hands and went to stand next to Rift. “We split up. We made sure Flora was safely away before we turned in the opposite direction, making sure the truck saw us. They followed us. We managed to plan an ambush and they fell for it.”
“They were looking for something that they believed Reggie had. The treasure.” Rift pointed at the tiara. “Only none of us knew anything about it.”
“You believe the children when they say they found it in the backyard and that Belle or her mom had no idea about it?” Valerie seemed calmer now.
“You’re the expert on children,” Rift said drily. “Could they have lied so convincingly?”
“No.” Valerie set her coffee cup down on the counter and came to Rift. She held out her arms, uncertainty in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I had to be certain. For all of our sake.”
Rift sighed and nodded. “I understand.” He hugged the woman who had raised him, the person who had given him a safe place to grow and learn about the world around him.
As a child and an adult, Rift has always known his mom would be there for him no matter what. Her questioning might have been harsh, but it was only because she loved her sons so much.
She is trying to protect us just like she always has, his snow leopard said.
But as he held her in his arms, Rift’s eyes lingered on the tiara in Ivan’s hand.
He had a feeling that Valerie might not be able to protect them from what was to come.
Chapter Fifteen – Belle
“This is not exactly how I wanted to introduce you to my family.” Rift watched the children as they ran around on the sand. He’d brought them here after they’d all eaten so that they could talk.
Katrina was back at the hotel resting in the spare room of Valerie’s apartment. Belle was unsure if she was as tired as she’d made out or whether she thought Belle needed some time alone with Rift.
“I don’t think either of us could have foreseen the kind of day we’d have today.” Belle folded her arms across her body. Her mind was filled with a constant stream of thoughts that circled around and around like vultures over a dead body.
“You can say that again.” Rift laughed lightly. “Part of me is just incredibly grateful I’ve met you at last, but part of me wonders if we hadn’t come to the house, you wouldn’t have told Jack and Rosie to play in the backyard...”
“And they wouldn’t have found the tiara.” She cocked her head on one side as she studied him. “I don’t think that would have been better than this.”
“You don’t?” he asked warily.
“Those men would still have come after us. We wouldn’t have given them what they wanted...” She shrugged, shying away from thinking about that outcome. “And anyway, we’re here, it is what it is. I’ve learned that there’s no point in what-ifs.” She opened her arms. “This is where we are. This is what we have to deal with. So let’s deal.”
“That’s one way to look at things.”
“How is your brother? He seemed kind of freaked out when he saw the tiara.” She looked down at the sand and dug her toe in the soft grains until it was half-buried before she asked, “Is he really a dragon shifter?”
“Yeah. He really is a dragon shifter.” Rift stuffed his hands in his pockets and swung around to look out across the ocean. “The dragons live on an island someway off the coast. They rarely come here. We’re inferior to them.”
“Wow!” She lifted her head and stood shoulder to shoulder with him as they looked out at the horizon. “Inferior, huh?”
“Yeah.” He lowered his gaze, watching Jack and Rosie as they knelt on the sand, scooping it into a mound that would no doubt be fashioned into a castle for a princess.
“Do you think Reggie knew where the rest of the treasure is hidden?” She didn’t look at him. Had her uncle been responsible for the death of Ivan’s parents and Aiden and Caleb’s? What kind of monster was she related to?
“I have no idea,” Rift confessed. “And I don’t know how we’d find out.”
“We could go through his stuff in the car,” she offered. “And I suppose we could go back to the house and take a look around. We could dig up the backyard.”
“I don’t think we’d need to,” Rift replied. “If Ivan went there, he would sense it, I’m sure. It’s like a part of him. I’ve never seen him like that. I’m sorry if he frightened you and the children.”
“Rosie is more upset about the tiara belonging to Ivan than anything else. He didn’t scare her.”
“But he scared you.” Rift pressed his lips together as he looked down at her.
“He did. But I understand he overreacted, and I don’t think he would have hurt anyone.” She smiled as she nodded toward Rosie. “I have seen Rosie when Jack teases her by grabbing Jazzy and dangling her out of the window. It’s not pretty.”
“Jazzy?” Rift asked.
“The scrappy doll Rosie carries around with her. She’s had her for as long as she can remember. It’s like a part of her just like the tiara is a part of Ivan.”
“We’ll figure this all out,” he assured her.
“Yeah. We will.” She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. “I’m trusting fate brought us all together for a reason. And we are going to figure it all out and put things right.”
“Put things right?” Rift looked down at her, a pink tinge in his cheeks as heat crept across his skin. He had a similar effect on her. The nearness of him, a simple touch, all set her heart racing and spread warmth through her body. Being near Rift was like being surrounded by a soft warm blanket.
He made her feel safe even though she was probably the least safe she’d ever been in her life.
“Yes. My family seems to have been responsible for a lot of misery. And I’d like to help set that right.” She pulled him forward as the children sto
od up and trailed along the beach looking for shells to decorate their castle. “I don’t want them to get too far away.”
“Wishing Moon Bay is a safe place.” Despite his words, he followed the children along the beach.
“I thought my world was safe until today.” She shivered and leaned into him. “But hearing about my dad and what he did. It just reminds me that no one is ever really safe.”
“Hey, why don’t we go and make a wish?” Rift slipped his hand around hers and pulled her forward, running toward the children who were picking up shells and putting them in a pile next to their sandcastle.
“I don’t believe wishes come true,” she told him. “Children make them all the time. When they blow out their birthday candles, when they see a shooting star. They don’t come true.”
“These are special wishes,” Rift assured her.
“All wishes are special. That doesn’t mean they’ll come true.” She stopped walking and turned to face him. “I just don’t want the kids to feel the same disappointment I did when I was a kid.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” Rift ran his thumb over the back of her hand. As warmth spread across her skin, her forehead creased. Perhaps she was wrong. Maybe wishes did come true but not in the ways she expected.
Hadn’t she wished her children would have their dad back? When Jack hid his disappointment when his dad didn’t come to watch his baseball game, she made the wish. Was Rift the dad her kids deserved, the dad they needed?
Perhaps wishes were better if they were not too specific, if they were left to fate to fulfill in whatever way it saw fit. Certainly, Landon was never going to win the best dad of the year award, he’d proved that often enough. But Rift, there was something about him. He was attentive and kind and obviously loved kids.
“You know if Rosie makes a wish now, it’ll be to get to keep the tiara. And Jack will wish to stay here forever and not go to school.” She glanced at Rift. “Neither of those is likely to come true, are they?”
“I believe anything is possible.”
“The way Ivan looked at that tiara, there is no way he’ll ever give it up.” They began walking again. “And that’s okay, it’s his and it’s right that he keeps it.”
Rift stared out across the ocean once more. “I hope he’s going to be okay.”
“He looked haunted. As if there was a part of him missing.” She squeezed Rift’s hand. “I’m sorry. We seem to have upset your family by coming here.”
“None of this is your fault.”
She chuckled. “That one is going to come back and haunt me forever.”
Rift grinned. “I like the sound of forever.”
“See, that would be your wish,” her expression sobered. “And I don’t know if that is something I can give you.” She held out her hand to the ocean. “This is your home and it’s beautiful. Your family needs you. But we have our lives elsewhere.”
“I’d go wherever you go,” he promised her, and she believed him.
“But would you be happy?” She watched the children run back to their sandcastle with handfuls of shells. “Because if you weren’t then that would be my fault.”
“I’ll be happy wherever you are. The only way you’ll ever make me miserable is if you send me away.” He laughed and pulled her forward into a run. “No pressure or anything.”
She laughed as they ran across the sand, stumbling as her feet caught in a clump of seaweed. But Rift kept her on her feet and made sure she didn’t fall to her knees.
“Wow, this looks cool.” Rift let go of Belle’s hand and dropped to his knees next to the sandcastle, which the children had molded out of the pile of sand they’d heaped up. Jack had used a stick to shape the sand and carve out turrets. Now they were decorating the walls with the shells.
“Do you like it?” Jack’s eyes shone as he looked up at Rift. “We were going to build a moat and fill it with water, but we don’t have anything to carry it with from the ocean.”
“Next time we come we can bring a couple of buckets and build a wide moat.” He dug out his phone and scrolled through his photos. “Here’s one I built with Milo. He’s my brother’s son.”
“You built that?” Jack was obviously impressed.
“Yes. Maybe we could bring Milo, too. He’s about the same age as you.” Rift sorted through the shells they’d collected but instead of picking up the delicate shells, he grabbed a small flat stone that had a golden sheen.
“That’s so pretty, we were going to put it on the front of the castle,” Rosie told him.
“This is a special stone. You should keep it.” He held it in the palm of his hand.
“Why is it special?” Rosie closed her fingers around it and held it in her hand.
“It’s a wish stone,” Rift replied.
“A wish stone?” Belle knelt beside Rosie and ran her finger over the smooth surface of the stone.
“These stones are what makes the wishes of Wishing Moon Bay so special,” Rift explained.
“Is that so?” Belle had to admit the stones did look pretty special.
Rift tilted his head to one side and studied her for a moment. Her lips twitched at the corners and she nodded almost imperceptibly. Despite what she’d said, she didn’t want her kids to grow up without wishes, without hope. As she watched Rift with her kids, she realized that he gave her hope.
Despite everything that had happened and the danger they faced ahead, today had been a good day. Even with Ivan’s disturbing reaction to the tiara, Belle honestly believed that Rift’s family were good people. If she chose to, she could become part of that family.
Her wish would come true.
“It is a wish stone. When you find one, you hold it in your hand and close your eyes. Then you focus on your wish before throwing it into the ocean.”
Jack jumped to his feet, all thoughts of decorating the castle gone as he whirled around and ran off toward the tide line. “I’m going to find a wish stone and make a wish.”
“Come on, Mommy,” Rosie held out her hand to Belle. “You need to find a wish stone, too.”
“You’re right, I do. Will you help me?” Belle got to her feet, and Rosie dragged her after Jack.
“I will,” Rosie promised.
“Come on, Rift. You should help, too.” Jack beckoned to the snow leopard shifter who sprang to his feet and jogged after them. “Are there any good places to look?”
“Yes, we should head a little farther along the beach. The ocean current often washes them up there. Come on.” He held out his hand to Jack who was usually reserved with people he didn’t know, particularly men. But he slid his hand into Rift’s and ran alongside him, jumping back and forth along the tide line.
“You look happy, Mommy.” Rosie’s words pierced Belle’s heart.
“I am happy, Rosie.” She scooped her daughter up in her arms and kissed her cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Rosie flung her arms around her neck and gave her a salty kiss. “And I love it here.”
“Me, too.” But this was a dream, like when you go to a beautiful place on vacation. A brief spell of time that couldn’t last.
No matter how hard you wished, real life eventually came crashing back down.
Chapter Sixteen – Rift
“Okay. Do you all have your wishing stones?” Rift glanced at Rosie and Jack who had taken off their socks and shoes and were standing up to their knees in the ocean. Belle was next to him, her stone in her hand and her cheeks flushed with color as her eyes sparkled like the sun on the ocean.
“Yes!” Jack and Rosie jumped up and down, soaking their clothes with salty seawater.
“Close your eyes and make your wish.” Rift grasped his stone tightly and closed his eyes. There was only one wish he could make. Only one wish he needed to come true.
That these three people will stay in our lives forever, his snow leopard shared the same wish.
“Ready?” Rift asked.
“Ready.” Jack tur
ned his excited face to Rift. “Can we throw them?”
“Yes.” Rift pulled his arm back and then launched his wish stone into the ocean where it landed with a satisfying plop.
The others did the same, with Jack straining to throw his as far as possible. “Look at that! It landed on that wave.”
“How long until our wishes come true?” Rosie’s high breathy voice filled with excitement mixed with the swish of the waves as they lapped over the sand.
“There’s no set time,” Rift told her. “They come true when the time is right.”
“We have to be patient,” Belle added. “Shall we go get an ice cream?” She glanced at Rift. “There is ice cream in Wishing Moon Bay, isn’t there?”
He cracked a smile. “The best ice cream. And then we can go to my brother’s store where they sell candies that make you croak like a frog.”
“They don’t,” Belle’s tone showed her uncertainty. She was still trying to figure out the town and its inhabitants.
Maybe once she eats a candy and croaks like a frog, she might find it easier to believe in wishes coming true, Rift’s snow leopard said.
There’s nothing more magical than croaking like a frog, Rift agreed.
“They do,” Rift confirmed. “Two of my brothers opened the store along with their mates, who are also sisters.”
“Your family is filled with coincidences.” Belle brushed the sand from her hands. “Okay, ice cream and then croaking candies. I know I’m going to regret it since it’ll be a sugar overload for you guys.”
“Come on, Rosie. Let’s go.” Jack skipped out of the ocean, splashing in the waves as he ran.
“Do you have strawberry ice cream here?” Rosie slid her hand into Rift’s as they strolled back to the parking lot.
“They do. I like strawberry and white chocolate ice cream. Have you ever tried that flavor?” he asked.
“No. It sounds yummy.” She licked her lips as her feet dragged through the sand. “Can you carry me?” Rosie held up her arms and Rift checked with Belle before he picked her up, cradling her against his chest. “It’s been a fun day but I’m tired.”
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