The Fountain of Infinite Wishes (Dare River Book 5) Read online

  The Fountain

  of

  Infinite Wishes

  ~ Dare River ~

  Shelby & Vander

  © 2016 Ava Miles

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  Shelby McGuiness hadn’t stopped believing in wishes.

  Vander Montgomery had.

  Shelby’s luck might have run out the day her daddy up and left her family high-and-dry. But she pulled herself up by her bootstraps to become a successful accountant working for a powerful, if eccentric, Southern businesswoman whose estate houses a magical fountain. With every wish Shelby makes, her life seems to improve. There’s just one wish she’s always had: to find her daddy.

  Cue the sexy private investigator, Vander Montgomery. He’s a true hero, a man who’s turned tragedy into triumph and helps others do the same. But he doesn’t believe in wishes anymore, just plain old-fashioned luck.

  Shelby risks everything to uncover the secret behind her daddy's abandonment. She throws coin after coin into the fountain. Then a new wish emerges…that Vander can believe wishes are infinite and love conquers all.

  To Ian, Emma, and George, and Daria and Heath and Sam and the rest of you precious ones: I have so many wishes for you. Thanks for bringing so many of mine into being.

  And to my divine entourage, who grants all my wishes from here to infinity.

  Chapter 1

  Finding your daddy was a scary proposition.

  Especially when he’d abandoned you as a child. Shelby McGuiness was glad one of her sisters, Sadie, was joining her to kick off the search.

  Hiring a private investigator was an equally scary proposition.

  Shelby walked into the brass and glass lobby where Vander Montgomery’s office was located in downtown Nashville. She’d purposely scheduled the meeting for Friday afternoon so she’d have the weekend to work through her emotions. Thank goodness for that—they weren’t even in the P.I.’s office yet, and she’d had to forsake her morning cappuccino because her tummy was so upset.

  Now that the family wedding season—three in three months—was behind them all, she and Sadie had decided it was time to move forward with their search. Their elder sister, Susannah, was well settled with her new husband, Jake; their brother, J.P., and his new wife, Tammy, already acted like they’d been married for years; and Tammy’s sister, Amelia Ann, and her husband, Clayton, couldn’t seem to get enough of each other. J.P. had given his blessing for the search, asking only to be informed of their progress, while Susannah had been dead set against it.

  Their mama didn’t know about their search for Daddy—something they’d all agreed was necessary, not that it washed away the guilt. J.P. was prepared to play peacemaker if everything went south. The McGuiness women could get riled up, especially when they didn’t see eye to eye.

  During their siblings’ wedding preparations, Shelby had found herself wondering if their daddy would end up walking her down the aisle. Sadie had admitted she’d had the same thought. Of course, there was no telling if they’d even find Daddy. Shelby sure as shooting didn’t know if he was sorry he’d abandoned them. But hope loomed large in her heart. What if they could form a real father/daughter relationship?

  She and Sadie finally spotted each other in the crowd of worker bees meandering through the lobby. Her sister hurried over. She was a picture-perfect snapshot of summer in her white blouse and yellow skirt with navy wedges. Shelby had never been so happy to see anyone in her whole life. He sister must have felt the same way, because her hug was more like a clutch. Shelby clutched her right back.

  “Are you ready for this?” Sadie asked in a rush.

  “Yes,” Shelby told her, releasing a long breath. “As we agreed, we can always decide Vander’s not the right private investigator or pull the plug at any time.”

  Not that Shelby thought Vander could be the wrong choice. Her boss, Gail Hardcrew, had raved about the man after using him herself.

  “I keep telling myself that,” her sister said, locking arms with her. Together, they walked to the front desk and signed in with security. As if by silent agreement, they didn’t loosen their clasp one bit until they reached the elevator.

  While the car glided upward, Shelby said conversationally, “His office sure is located in a nice building.” Southerners liked to be conversational when they were as nervous as a new soul approaching the gates of Hades.

  “Yes, it’s lovely,” Sadie responded, following the cue. “Only a successful P.I. could afford rent in a place like this. I can’t even imagine what he pays per month.”

  Working as Gail’s accountant, Shelby had a pretty good idea what his rent went for. One of her boss’ two restaurants was down the street. “It’s pricy, that’s for sure.”

  There were a few record companies located in this tony building as well, but that made sense to Shelby after reading some of Vander’s endorsements. He ran background checks for country music stars. It was a sad fact that country singers had to delve into the backgrounds of those closest to them, but it was part of stardom. When J.P. had been in the business for a short time as a singer, his manager had handled such matters for him. And certainly mega-star Rye Crenshaw, J.P.’s best friend and Tammy’s brother, did the same.

  On the seventh floor, she let go of Sadie’s arm as they exited the elevator and traversed the navy-carpeted hallway to the mahogany door bearing the brass nameplate of Montgomery Associates. The door clicked when Shelby opened it. The little touches of a high-class firm were everywhere, from the bold modern art on the walls to the plush furnishings Shelby knew cost an arm and a leg.

  A woman stood from behind a sleek metal reception desk as they walked through the door. She was mid-thirties, blonde, and drop-dead gorgeous—the perfect counterpoint to the smoldering picture of Vander that Shelby had seen on his website. This was a pretty people’s private investigation firm, Shelby decided. No wonder Gail had liked him. Her boss preferred her associates to be wicked smart and good-looking if at all possible, and she was bold enough to admit it out loud.

  “You must be Shelby and Sadie McGuiness,” the woman said with a genuine smile. “Welcome. Can I get you anything to drink?”

  “Nothing for me,” Shelby answered, wishing she could rub her jumping tummy without looking like a ninny.

  “Water would be nice,” Sadie said, and even to Shelby’s ears, her sister’s voice sounded raspy.

  The receptionist disappeared and returned with her water—in a Waterford crystal glass. Shelby had a hunch she could have asked for that cappuccino, and the woman would have reappeared just as quickly. “Please follow me.”

  They passed by three other offices. One woman was on the phone, her syrupy drawl audible, while the other two were hunched over their computers, picking at their keyboards like they were keying in numbers. Shelby knew that sound. It was the same one she made while doing Gail’s accounting, different than the more fluid melody of composing emails.

  Sadie reached for her hand, but Shelby gave her a look. Holding hands on the walk here was one thing, but they were both women in their twenties. Not little girls. They needed to stand tall as they did this.

  Even if this monumental step made them both feel like scared girls all over again.

  The woman opened the double mahogany door at the end of the hall and ushered them inside, discreetly closing the door behind her as she left. Vander looked up immediately and smiled at them.

  Even though Shelby had seen his picture on the Internet
, she wasn’t prepared for the punch of attraction she felt. His eyes were as dark-lashed as they looked in his photo, and heavens if they weren’t a brilliant aquamarine. His black hair seemed curlier somehow—almost as though he’d tamed it for the professional photo. But his suit was as crisply tailored as the one he’d been wearing in the shot and looked to be Italian, if she had to guess.

  “Please come in, ladies,” he told them, rising from his desk and coming around to greet them. The crisp way he shaped his consonants and vowels in that baritone voice of his pegged him as a Yankee. “I promise I don’t bite.”

  Shelby wasn’t too sure about that, but she held out her hand. Goodness, he was a tall man—she had to crane her neck to meet his steady gaze. “I’m Shelby McGuiness.”

  He shook her hand firmly, professionally, but she had to work hard to block the ping that fired up her arm from that brief contact. “Vander Montgomery. And that would make you Sadie.” He immediately turned to her sister and shook Sadie’s hand as perfunctorily as he’d shaken her own, giving Shelby time to pull herself together.

  “Yes. That’s me. It’s good to meet you, Mr. Montgomery.”

  “Vander, please,” he said, gesturing for them to take the two black leather chairs with decorative gold arms in front of his desk.

  Shelby traced the leaf motif on the arm of the chair, taking in his office. He had expensive taste, but everything in the room was elegant. His desk was a sturdy Hepplewhite mahogany. A couple Montblanc pens in gold and red lay on his desk beside a day planner engraved in gold. A view of Nashville and the Cumberland River stretched out behind him. It all painted a picture that was as obvious as a tick on a hound dog. He was a powerful man who liked to make an impression, but who also felt comfortable working in a powerful setting.

  As Vander resumed his seat behind the desk, Shelby’s eyes lingered on the more inviting setup in the far corner of the room—a side table with gold-upholstered chairs. She wondered if he only met with clients there after they had officially hired him.

  “You mentioned when we made this appointment that you’re interested in locating your father,” he said. “Tell me about him.”

  “His name is Preston McGuiness,” Shelby said, clearing her throat when it seemed to fail her. “We don’t know much about him. He left when we were children.”

  “How old were you both when that happened?” he asked, not bothering to offer his condolences, she noted.

  “I was only two, and Sadie…” She gestured to her sister, wanting to include her in the conversation.

  “I was a baby,” her sister said, clutching her hands in her lap.

  “And why are you interested in finding him now?” he asked. His posture was neither slouchy or ramrod, but he still exuded an intense interest she found compelling.

  “We…ah…I…” Shelby was babbling and shut her mouth to compose herself.

  “There’s his medical history for one,” Sadie blurted out with a huge gust of a breath. “You know, for family diseases and such.”

  He gave her a kind smile, and Shelby slowly blew her own breath out. Heaven help her, she hadn’t expected to get this emotional.

  “It’s all right to be nervous,” Vander said. “Looking for a father who left you over twenty years ago is a big deal.”

  Shelby nodded.

  “The biggest!” Sadie blurted out. “Our other sister, Susannah, got married a few months back, which got us both to thinking. Our brother…you see…well, he escorted her down the aisle. She likely would have asked him to do it anyway—J.P.’s the best big brother there is—but she didn’t have a choice.”

  Vander was still smiling, holding that steady gaze. “Congratulations. I hope your sister and her husband are very happy.”

  Her sister relaxed more in her chair. “They are. Thank you. And then there’s…Shelby, you should tell him the rest.”

  That easy smile didn’t alter as he turned it toward her.

  “Well…we don’t know why he left…or where he is.” Shelby’s heart was beating like one of those wind-up monkeys was pounding on it from the inside. “We don’t even know if he’s still alive.”

  “I see,” Vander said, nodding. “Is your mother still alive?”

  “Oh, yes!” Sadie said immediately. “Very much so. But she…doesn’t like to talk about him.”

  He took their measure again. “You mentioned a brother and your sister, Susannah.”

  He earned at least ten points for remembering those facts after one casual mention. “Susannah doesn’t approve of my wish,” Shelby blurted out. “Our wish. Sorry, Sadie. She thinks it will open a can of worms and…” Gosh, it was awkward to tell someone their personal business like this. “She’s afraid it will hurt Mama. I mean…we are too, but we want to know.”

  “J.P. is aware of our plans though,” Sadie blurted out. “J.P.’s our big brother. He’s given us his blessing, and that’s…well, it means the world.”

  Vander smiled again at Sadie. “Thanks for clarifying that, Sadie. What do you think will happen when and if I find your father?”

  “Ah—” Sadie exclaimed, looking at her for an answer.

  “Is that question really necessary?” Shelby asked. “We’re obviously here, and we want to hire you.”

  “I’m sorry if the questions seem personal,” he said in that same even Yankee tone. “I know this must be hard for you. But in order for me to do my job to the highest standard, I need to know my clients’ goals.”

  “It’s simple,” Shelby said with an edge in her voice. “We want to find our father. That’s our goal.”

  Sadie looked over at her and shook her head as if to chide Shelby for being harsh. She couldn’t help it. Questions like that might talk them right out of wanting to find Daddy. It was hard enough to dig into the past without considering the many ways in which it could go wrong.

  “This is difficult for us,” Sadie said, looking back at Vander. “I’m sorry Shelby was short with you.”

  “I can apologize for myself if it’s needed,” she said tersely, crossing her arms over her chest. She knew she was being difficult, but all of a sudden, she couldn’t seem to help herself. Anger was pouring into her like water in a leaky boat—even though she knew it was misdirected.

  “You don’t need to apologize for anything,” Vander said, rising and coming around his desk.

  Shelby knew he meant it, and she released a pent-up breath. “I seem to be…emotional. I am sorry.”

  “Again, there’s nothing to be sorry about,” he said, sitting on the edge of his desk. “As I said before, kicking off a search like this is tough. It would be for anyone. I’m here to help you. We don’t know each other yet, but if you agree to move forward with me, we will. I’ll need to know everything you can remember about your father. Since you were so little when he left, most of what you know likely comes from other people. Am I correct?”

  They both nodded.

  “Most cases that involve an absence of this many years require a little more legwork. The databases I usually use to find someone only go back about twenty or twenty-five years—around when computers became mainstream. Your daddy disappeared on the cusp of that time if I’ve judged your ages right.”

  “You have,” Sadie said. “I hadn’t thought about the computer thing. Oh, goodness.”

  “It makes sense to me,” Shelby said. “I didn’t expect it to be easy. I’ve done my own Google searches and the like, and I’m pretty good at finding things out. I couldn’t find anything.”

  “You seem incredibly smart…and brave,” Vander said, gazing at her intently. “But I have access to information you wouldn’t. We may get lucky with your father. We may input his name and last known address some twenty years back and get a hit.”

  “But you don’t think it’s likely?” Sadie asked, glancing Shelby’s way, tension around her mouth.

  “I have a gut feeling it might not be that easy,” Vander said, resting his hand on his knee. “Otherwise, your mother wouldn’t
be so unwilling to discuss why he left or where he went.”

  “You think our mama might know all of that?” Sadie asked, blinking rapidly.

  “Sometimes a parent keeps that kind of information a secret to protect her children.”

  That was impossible. “Our mama isn’t secretive,” Shelby told him, her mind spinning now. “She’s a preacher.”

  His face didn’t change, but Shelby thought his eyes crinkled a fraction. “Was she a preacher when your father left?”

  “No,” Sadie said slowly, like she was thinking things over, “but both of them were good church-goin’ people.”

  And yet, their daddy had up and left his wife and four children, Shelby could almost hear Vander thinking.

  “What more can you tell me about your father and your family?” he asked.

  Shelby let Sadie paint her version of the story, and while Vander kept his focus on her sister, she felt him glance her way every once in a while to take stock of her reaction.

  “Is that how you remember things?” he asked her finally, shifting his large frame on the desk to give her his full attention.

  “Sure…I mean…as you said, most of what we know is from J.P. and Susannah since we were so young.” Truth be told, she and Sadie didn’t really have their own memories of Daddy, and that bothered her more than she wanted to say.

  “All right,” Vander said. “I think I have a clear picture of things. Let me tell you what my services include. As I said, I’ll use all the resources available to me to discover your father’s whereabouts. Obviously, the greater the difficulty, the more resources I’ll need to use, but I promise you, if you want me to, I will pursue every lead available. We won’t know whether it will be easy or difficult to locate him until we start the search.”

  They both nodded. He pushed off the desk and walked around to sit in his office chair.