Read Online Love 'N' Marriage by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Debbie Macomber
Ads: Link
disapproving.
“All right.” Without aim or apparent premeditation, he tossed the dime into the water with as much ceremony as if he were throwing something into the garbage,
“Good grief,” Stephanie muttered beneath her breath. “I don’t know of a single fairy in the entire universe who would honor such a wish.”
“Why not?” he demanded.
“You obviously haven’t given the matter much thought.”
One corner of his mouth edged upward slightly. “I was humoring you, remember?”
“Did you even make a wish?”
He shrugged. “Not exactly.”
“Well, no wonder.” She shook her head dolefully and looked at him in mock disdain. “Try it again, and this time be a little more sincere.”
His eyes revealed exactly what he thought of this exercise. Nonetheless, Jonas reached inside his own pocket and took out a silver dollar.
Stephanie’s hand stopped him. “That’s too much.”
“It’s a big wish.” His look was far more thoughtful as he took aim and sent the coin skipping over the surface of the water. The silver dollar made a small splash before sinking into the whirling depths.
Stephanie gave him a brilliant smile. “Okay, my turn.” She turned her back to the fountain, rubbed the nickel between her palms to warm it, closed her eyes and, with all the reverence due magical wish-granting fairies, flung the coin over her shoulder and into the fountain. “There,” she said, satisfied.
“How long?” Jonas demanded.
“How long for what?”
“How long,” he repeated with exasperation, “must one wait before the wish comes true?”
“It depends on what you wished for.” She made it sound as though she had accumulated all the knowledge there was on the subject. “Certain wishes require a bit of manipulating by the forces that be. However, I’m only familiar with wishes made in American fountains. Things could be much different here. It could be that the wish fairies who guard this fountain are on a slower time scale than elsewhere.”
“I see.” It was clear from the frown that dented his brow that he didn’t.
“Maybe you should just tell me what you wished for,” Stephanie suggested next, “and I can give you an estimate of the approximate time you’ll have to wait for your wish.”
“It’s my understanding that one must never reveal one’s wish.”
“That’s not true anymore.” Stephanie laughed, enjoying their inane discussion. “Science has proved that theory to be inaccurate.’’
“Oh?”
“Yes, I’m surprised you didn’t read about it.”
“So am I.” He reached for her hand, and they resumed their walk. “But if that’s the case, then perhaps you’d be willing to share your wish with me.”
Color instantly flooded Stephanie’s cheeks. She should have known Jonas would turn the tables on her when she least expected it.
“Stephanie?”
It was completely absurd. With everything that was in her she’d wished that Jonas would take her in his arms and kiss her. It was silly and impractical, and as he’d pointed out earlier, a waste of good money.
When she didn’t respond immediately, Jonas stopped and turned, standing directly in front of her so that he could look into her eyes.
Stephanie felt the color mount in her face.
“I would think that one who was a self-proclaimed expert on the subject of fountains and wishes would have no qualms about revealing her own wish.” He placed his finger under her stubborn chin, elevating her gaze so that she couldn’t avoid his.
“I...”
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
“I wasted the wish on something impractical,” she blurted out. The whole park seemed to have gone quiet. Wind ruffled the foliage around them and hissed through the branches, but even the trees seemed to have paused as though they too were interested in her reply. Stephanie swallowed uncomfortably, convinced that Jonas could read her thoughts and that he was silently laughing at her.
“I fear I wasted my wish
“All right.” Without aim or apparent premeditation, he tossed the dime into the water with as much ceremony as if he were throwing something into the garbage,
“Good grief,” Stephanie muttered beneath her breath. “I don’t know of a single fairy in the entire universe who would honor such a wish.”
“Why not?” he demanded.
“You obviously haven’t given the matter much thought.”
One corner of his mouth edged upward slightly. “I was humoring you, remember?”
“Did you even make a wish?”
He shrugged. “Not exactly.”
“Well, no wonder.” She shook her head dolefully and looked at him in mock disdain. “Try it again, and this time be a little more sincere.”
His eyes revealed exactly what he thought of this exercise. Nonetheless, Jonas reached inside his own pocket and took out a silver dollar.
Stephanie’s hand stopped him. “That’s too much.”
“It’s a big wish.” His look was far more thoughtful as he took aim and sent the coin skipping over the surface of the water. The silver dollar made a small splash before sinking into the whirling depths.
Stephanie gave him a brilliant smile. “Okay, my turn.” She turned her back to the fountain, rubbed the nickel between her palms to warm it, closed her eyes and, with all the reverence due magical wish-granting fairies, flung the coin over her shoulder and into the fountain. “There,” she said, satisfied.
“How long?” Jonas demanded.
“How long for what?”
“How long,” he repeated with exasperation, “must one wait before the wish comes true?”
“It depends on what you wished for.” She made it sound as though she had accumulated all the knowledge there was on the subject. “Certain wishes require a bit of manipulating by the forces that be. However, I’m only familiar with wishes made in American fountains. Things could be much different here. It could be that the wish fairies who guard this fountain are on a slower time scale than elsewhere.”
“I see.” It was clear from the frown that dented his brow that he didn’t.
“Maybe you should just tell me what you wished for,” Stephanie suggested next, “and I can give you an estimate of the approximate time you’ll have to wait for your wish.”
“It’s my understanding that one must never reveal one’s wish.”
“That’s not true anymore.” Stephanie laughed, enjoying their inane discussion. “Science has proved that theory to be inaccurate.’’
“Oh?”
“Yes, I’m surprised you didn’t read about it.”
“So am I.” He reached for her hand, and they resumed their walk. “But if that’s the case, then perhaps you’d be willing to share your wish with me.”
Color instantly flooded Stephanie’s cheeks. She should have known Jonas would turn the tables on her when she least expected it.
“Stephanie?”
It was completely absurd. With everything that was in her she’d wished that Jonas would take her in his arms and kiss her. It was silly and impractical, and as he’d pointed out earlier, a waste of good money.
When she didn’t respond immediately, Jonas stopped and turned, standing directly in front of her so that he could look into her eyes.
Stephanie felt the color mount in her face.
“I would think that one who was a self-proclaimed expert on the subject of fountains and wishes would have no qualms about revealing her own wish.” He placed his finger under her stubborn chin, elevating her gaze so that she couldn’t avoid his.
“I...”
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
“I wasted the wish on something impractical,” she blurted out. The whole park seemed to have gone quiet. Wind ruffled the foliage around them and hissed through the branches, but even the trees seemed to have paused as though they too were interested in her reply. Stephanie swallowed uncomfortably, convinced that Jonas could read her thoughts and that he was silently laughing at her.
“I fear I wasted my wish
Similar Books
