Free The Fountain of Infinite Wishes (Dare River Book 5) by Ava Miles Page A

to your meeting with Vander. Oh, how I wish I could be there. I never tire of looking at that man.”
    Shelby drew out her folders. Gail sure as shooting sounded like she had a thing for Vander. Good heavens, did he have a thing for her boss? Her stomach clenched, and she realized she didn’t like the idea. Okay, that was wrong of her. There was nothing between her and Vander. He could like whomever he wanted. Plus, it was none of her business.  
    She opened the printouts of Gail’s current budget projections as Jeffries brought in a silver tray with two spinach salads on Gail’s gold-rimmed Bavarian china. They got down to business, and for the next few hours, Shelby forgot all about the search for her daddy and Vander Montgomery.
    Of course, the minute she stepped outside into Nashville’s humidity, her current worries were lying in wait for her. She drew out another coin from her purse—a quarter since it was a big wish—smiling a little at the thought of Jeffries’ first smile earlier. She closed her eyes and pressed the coin to her heart. Please, God. Let Vander find out what happened to our daddy. And please don’t let his findings hurt anyone I love.  
    She threw it in and started to walk away, but before she got more than a few steps she pulled out a simple penny and turned back to the fountain. This time, she threw the coin with all her might.
    Please, God. Let Vander believe in wishes again.
    Back in her car, Pearl, she cranked up an oldie but goodie by Madonna, singing “Like a Prayer” to distract herself all the way to Vander’s office downtown.
    When she arrived in the lobby, Sadie met her with an exuberant hug.
    “I have news I think you’ll like,” Shelby told her sister. “Gail wants to pay Vander’s fees. She wants us to find Daddy.”
    Tears filled Sadie’s eyes. “That’s the sweetest thing ever. I’ll have to make her something to say thank you.”
    “Can you make a quilt with feathers?” Shelby asked with a smile. “Gail was wearing a white boa with her pink dress today. It was so her.”
    “I love that woman’s fashion sense, but I’d be too scared to style myself that way. Imagine what some people would think. Especially at church.”  
    Considering none of the McGuiness women wore white before Memorial Day, Shelby knew what her sister meant. “Let’s head on up upstairs and see what these next steps are.”
    When they reached Vander’s office, he greeted them with a smile. His bleak mood from this morning seemed to have drained out of him. A small but tough woman stood beside him as he greeted them.
    “This is my colleague, Charlie Madison,” Vander told them as the woman shook their hands. “She’s going to help me with your case.”
    Charlie had a heck of a grip and pretty, intense eyes. Shelby wondered why in the world her people had given her such a masculine name. But perhaps they’d known she wasn’t much on girl stuff when she was born. Her face was barely painted, and her clothes were downright simple. Not that she knew what female P.I.s typically wore.
    “Nice to meet you both,” the woman said, and while there was a touch of Southern in her voice, it wasn’t pronounced. She also didn’t say y’all.
    Shelby smiled at her to be pleasant, wondering why Vander needed a helper.
    “If you don’t mind helping me bring in the drinks, Shelby, I’d appreciate it,” Vander said, drawing her attention back to him.
    “Of course,” she said rising, wondering why he was making such a production of it. After all, his receptionist had already asked if they wanted something, and they’d both declined.  
    “Sadie, what would you like?” he asked.
    “Tea,” she responded, giving Shelby a shrug. “With lemon and honey if you have it.”
    His lips twitched, but he nodded. “I’ll see what I can find.”
    In the kitchen, he made a couple of cups of coffee—likely for himself and Charlie since Shelby had told him she wanted tea as well—while she poured hot