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Prologue

MAKING A SALES PITCH to a ghost wasn’t soraht Avery Cooper as he stepped into the tower rooendary film star Hattie Haworth had resided for some forty-five years

Avery straightened his tie and took a deep breath He’d been htht froinal owner haunted the place The story was that she’d fled to Belle Island to build her new hoe and her career had tanked in HollywoodShe’d appeared to all three of the sisters right in this very rooe roommate, had included that piece of infore the hotel

Avery doubted that a dozen ghosts could have deterred hi her job offer Not once Jillian had explained what she and her sisters, Naomi and Reese, had in mind And now, the picture she’d painted for him—a small exclusive hotel on an island off the coast of Maine—had become a reality

He let his gaze sweep the tower rooh a circle of s, and theon the rocks below During the renovation, the tower roo room where each of the sisters worked when they were in residence But fifty-five years ago, this here Hattie Haworth and her lover, a e, had shared their love and lived out their fantasies for nearly a year

You’re stalling Avery frowned What in the world rong with him? In his line of work, he was never at a loss for words And Hattie Haworth had already proven that she loved the sisters asboth Naoether with their true loves by satisfying their most secret fantasies

And the fantasies hat he needed to talk to Hattie about Avery strode forward until he stood in front of the gilt-fra into it, all he could see was his own reflection—a tall, broad-shouldered, dark-skinned randmother would have approved of the clothes—a suit, tie and shirt in varying shades of gray Grandma Cooper had always told him that it was important to dress well

He could only hope that Hattie shared that opinion But so far, he saw no sign of that in the glass All three of the sisters claie in the mirror Naomi and Jillian had also claimed to have carried on one-sided conversations with her

Shit He fingered his tie again He hadn’t been this nervous when he’d defended his Masters thesis at Harvard

“Hattie, I’m Avery Cooper You may have seen me around”

Duh Get to the point “I came to talk to you about an idea I have It concerns your fantasy box and Reese”

Avery blinked, then narrowed his eyes Was that the tiniest flash of light he’d seen in the mirror?

“Jillian told me all about how she found your secret room and the hat box with the fantasies in it, how she and her sisters each chose an envelope out of it on the night they bought Haworth House”

He paused, but saw nothing in the ined it?

“Okay, old news But I want you to know that I think the world of the two men Naomi and Jillian have hooked up with as a result of those fantasies Dane and Ian MacFarland are the best” In his opinion, the two men were perfect matches for Naoic for Reese…

This tiht Just for an instant But it was enough to make his heart skip a beat

Okay, you’ve got her attention Now all you have to do is sell it

“I have this idea Reese is a bang-up chef The whole ned the kitchen She’s so good that the pilot she fil show in LA has just sold thirteen episodes”

Get to the point “But she hasn’t been back to visit the hotel in a while She’s moved all her stuff in, but she hasn’t really made the place her home Reese claims she’s too busy But even nohen she’s on a break fro her new TV series, she’s holed up in LA”

Avery stepped closer to theif she’s worried about that parchment envelope she drew out of your fantasy box You know, you’re two for two in the fantasy-fulfillht be a little nervous, too”

When he paused to take a breath, Avery was alhter?

Narrowing his eyes, he raised both hands, palet any ideas I’m okay in the fantasy department My partner and I are very happy”

Nothing

When in doubt, forge ahead “The thing is, I’d like to see Reese as happy as her sisters” He cleared his throat “And she’s not What I think she needs is a good nudge And you’re the best nudger I know So I cales Weekend here at the hotel, one that would include events—beach picnics and other activities like hiking and sailing—so that singles with similar interests can hook up with each other I did so and convinced Reese she needed to be here for it Her sisters and their fiancés are all traveling and I told her one of the owners had to be around” He waved a hand “Yada, yada, yada I’ve even persuaded her to do a little hands-on cooking demo on Sunday afternoon for the foodies”